Some war time views of Castle Archdale.

Discussion in 'The War In The Air' started by James S, Oct 17, 2008.

  1. hirk

    hirk Junior Member

    Just a note, my uncle Nathan "Red" Hircock who served with RCAF 422 Squadron in WW2 has just passed at age 93.
     
  2. Smudger Jnr

    Smudger Jnr Our Man in Berlin

    Hirk,

    My condolences.

    Regards
    Tom
     
  3. James S

    James S Very Senior Member

    Likewise Hirk , your uncle belonged to a very unique gathering of men. :poppy:
     
  4. Smudger Jnr

    Smudger Jnr Our Man in Berlin

    Hirk,

    Do you by any chance have any photographs of your Uncle whilst serving, especially those that may be relevent to this thread.

    This is such a good thread that any further information and photographs would be especially welcome.

    Regards
    Tom
     
  5. Savo

    Savo Senior Member

    A fascinating thread. May be of interest to someone or it may have been covered on the forum but here's a War Grave Memorial for Catalina AH536 of 240 Squadron RAF Killadeas 7 May 1941. The memorial is located up at the Point at Castle Archdale over looking the Lough. Its a very popular public walk by due to easy access and the views are breath taking. You cannot see Gay Island from this location as another island is in front of it. Today it is out of bounds and a wild life sanctury and sits quite low in the water compared to the other surrounding islands.The memorial I've seen creates alot of interest and I wish I could tell folk more if the opportunity occurred but what one sees on the plaque is all most knows.

    Its special for me. Its my first port of call when heading to Archdale. Everytime I walk past it I read it and tap it before moving on.

    [​IMG]
     
  6. James S

    James S Very Senior Member

    Arran , I did an interview on sitting on that memorial for a Canadian film crew a few years ago , over at that time Pauline ( and her husband) , sister of F/lt Thomas.

    This aircraft had retruined to base at approx 4.30 am , dawn was jut breaking - the pilot did a circuit of the landing area and made his approach to land - unfortunately the Lough was flat calm and although the landing light was switched on the pilot misjudged his approach and crashed into the Lough.
    Landing on a calm surface was extremely difficult as the reflection made it difficult to judge height the closer you got to the surface.
    The aircraft sank with the loss of all on board - one body was cast ashore that of LAC Holmes the others were not recovered and the aircraft is one of two "war graves" in the Lough.

    [​IMG]
    F/O.Hirsk ( On the right)- one of the first airmen airmen to be posted to Lough Erne , on the left Sgt John Iverach - the photo taken in Feb. 1941 on L/240 "The last Stranraer".
    The recovery was not attempted as she was still carrying her depth charges - that is what the records say it may be that she was broken up and in 1941 with limited resources on hand she was left alone and forgotten about , but this is just a thought on my part and I would not wish to stand over it.
    That in a nutshell is what happened to her , in June 1943 a 201 Sunderland was lost in similar circumstances - a pilot under instruction from Douglas Gall , ( a few days earlier he had put pay to U-440) , this time a flat calm surface on a bright Sunday morning in June.

    I have a photo of this Catalina and will add it later today.

    The rocks on which this memorial is located - my dog's favorite "jumping off point.

    The other Island you mention is Innismakill - a 131 Cat. crashed in front of it in May 43 and in the same area a 423 Sunderland crashed on landing in November 43 , her hull split open - she was recovered to the slipway at CA.
    In Sept 42 a Lerwick lost her tail in this same general area , a heavy landing in an aircraft which was nothing less than a flying death trap, a pure tramp of an aircraft. ( 422 RCAF).


    [​IMG]

    Back from the left
    Win Birch , Scotty Scott, Les Hobbs, Mel Lee ( Unknown , unknown)
    Jock Preacher , Grey Arnold, Charlie Hardcastle, Shef Sheffield.
    Scott , Hobbs and hardcastle are buired in Irvinestown .
    Arnold is "missing" ( will confirm details later rather than trust memory ).
    Attached Images
    That 423 RCAF Sunderland crew.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]


    [​IMG]

    On the steps of Castle Archldale - "Sgt" Iverach , now commissioned and Gaynor Williams....he flew the 240 Catalina which took over shadowing Bismarck from Briggs of 209. ( WIlliams bwloew)
    [​IMG]

    Will have to go look for that photo !!
     
  7. stevejmudd

    stevejmudd Junior Member

    hello out there, does anyone out there in northern ireland have a photo of the memorial of catalina ah551 in ballinmallard?, my uncle was one of the crew that was killed there in october 1943.
     
  8. James S

    James S Very Senior Member

    Steve , I will try and get a photo for you next time I am down that way.
     
  9. stevejmudd

    stevejmudd Junior Member

    thanks james, it would be very much appreciated, i hope to make the trip there myself one day.....steve.
     
  10. Savo

    Savo Senior Member

    I believe from Irvinestown sources that this particular hero was also one of the worlds finest fast Australian cricket bowlers of his generation. Is this story true or a just another yarn that one gets from frequenting Joe Mahons lock in too frequently. Any cricket experts out there ?

    [​IMG]
     
  11. James S

    James S Very Senior Member

    No idea I must be honest but it is a nice story. :)
     
  12. Oggie2620

    Oggie2620 Senior Member

    Savo
    Have you tried googling his name or contacting the Australian Cricket people to see whether they can tell you more about this young man who died too young?
    Dee
     
  13. James S

    James S Very Senior Member

    the memorial to the men kille don AH551 as requested by Steve. :poppy: :poppy:
    Went down to Fermanagh today to take these , finding the location was not so hard - I was directed to the home of Mrs Sadie Brown (79 years) , she had her daughter show me where the aircraft crashed - about a mile from her home.
    From Whitehill ( a very small hamlet) the aircraft crashed about a mile from the houses into a field which rise increasingly steeply as you go up it - the location is approximately 2 miles east of Killadeas.

    Also attached are photos of the two Canadian members of the crew who are buried in Irvinestown Church of Ireland , there is another crew member buried in the local chapel graveyard - I will add a photo later today must have a photo somewhere.

    As can be expected when the field is ploughed small parts of the aircraft are brought to the surface.
    Must go now a lot of cow manure to be washed of my car !!!
    :) :) :) :D

    The photos show a view from the top of the field looking down the aircraft crashed into it about three quarter way up.

    Sproule and Grainger , buried in Irvinestown , they are buried to the left of the cross of sacrifice just as you enter the cemetery.
     

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  14. James S

    James S Very Senior Member

    Additional to the above post.
     

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  15. Smudger Jnr

    Smudger Jnr Our Man in Berlin

    the memorial to the men kille don AH551 as requested by Steve. :poppy: :poppy:
    Went down to Fermanagh today to take these , finding the location was not so hard - I was directed to the home of Mrs Sadie Brown (79 years) , she had her daughter show me where the aircraft crashed - about a mile from her home.
    From Whitehill ( a very small hamlet) the aircraft crashed about a mile from the houses into a field which rise increasingly steeply as you go up it - the location is approximately 2 miles east of Killadeas.

    Also attached are photos of the two Canadian members of the crew who are buried in Irvinestown Church of Ireland , there is another crew member buried in the local chapel graveyard - I will add a photo later today must have a photo somewhere.

    As can be expected when the field is ploughed small parts of the aircraft are brought to the surface.
    Must go now a lot of cow manure to be washed of my car !!!
    :) :) :) :D

    The photos show a view from the top of the field looking down the aircraft crashed into it about three quarter way up.

    Sproule and Grainger , buried in Irvinestown , they are buried to the left of the cross of sacrifice just as you enter the cemetery.

    James,

    I know where you will be next time the field is ploughed, metal detector in hand:D

    Regards
    Tom
     
  16. James S

    James S Very Senior Member

    Dairy cows in there at the moment Tom , my car has some of their waste product splashed in the wheel arches and under sides :) :)
     
  17. James S

    James S Very Senior Member

    Some of these men died on the Catalina lost by 240 in March 41 when they crashed near Bundoran. Buried in Irvinestown Co.Fermanagh.
    Peers Davidson being amongst them.
    This was taken in Oban by John Iverach , I loaned it to Mike Hughes who used it in his book "The Hebrides at War" - a very good man is Mike. :)
     

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  18. stevejmudd

    stevejmudd Junior Member

    James, Thank you very much for taking the time to find the Memorial, and taking the photo's.The timing is spot on as well as it is the 67th Anniversary next weekend so it is very much appreciated. thank you once again,...regards, Steve Mudd.
     
  19. James S

    James S Very Senior Member

    Steve this I think I owed to you as you kindly send me a copy of F/Sgt Mudd's log book.
    Looking over the copies a few nights ago some well known names in it Ogal-Skan , Edwards , Cooper , Herrington all well known names in 131.
    It was not as hard to locate as I thought it would be given the great kindness shown by Mrs Brown and her daughter.
    ( Did you get the email with photos ?)
     
  20. James S

    James S Very Senior Member

    Most likely from KG40 but a very lucky escape for a 201 crew just getting "on the job" when they were ambushed by a JU-88, a few seconds made the potential difference between survival being shot down.

    The incident as recorded in the squadron ORB. ( The NA AIR file reference did not reproduce.).

    This was how Sgt Gaunt recalled the attack.

    "Our brush with this JU-88 was at the end of our second month with the squadron.He must have thought we were the smartest and coolest crew in Coastal Command, in fact we were extremely lucky.
    I t was the system to spend a little time after take off in chit chat whilst stowing our food, gear and belongings in secure places. Most positions such as the second pilots seat , navigator, engineer's panel, radio and radar sets would have been working. On this occasion the skipper was on the flight deck as usual and as we flew clear of Donegal Bay and were somewhere of the West Coast he gave the order to open watch, being each of us busy with our own job I cannot be sure of our position.
    On the order being given the spare W.Op /AG went to the front turret , another gunner went down to the tail turret , I was on the radio and Marshall Newton the second gunner was standing alongside the table as he mounted the table and put his head into the astro-dome ...he immediately went into an attack report and without taking a breathe it went like this;

    "AIRCRAFT ON THE STARBOARD BEAM - IT LOOKS LIKE A JU-88 - IT IS A JU-88 COMING IN TO ATTACK , DIVE STARBOARD , DIVE , DIVE, DIVE STARBOARD".

    I saw the skipper flying to his seat , the experienced W.Op was pulling me from the seat as I saw the tracers flying over the astro-dome . I slid down to the galley to mount one of the vickers which was then held by Taff Williams while I loaded the magazine, after that there was no job for me but to look for the enemy through the port holes . I think he tried to get into position again but was unsuccessful.

    We were now working our way out West over the Atlantic and away from where he wanted to be , I last saw him at sea level heading away from us . Our "perfect" reaction probably scared him a little - he scared us as well.
    We got back on track and completed the trip of over 15 hours, arriving back at about 19.00 hrs , it was only after an inspection that maintenance found not only bullet holes but a 20mm cannon shell which went through the main spar of one of the wings.
    It was felt at the time that he was making a Met. flight and was making the most of an opportunity .
     

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