"Little Black Box" & 4th "Op" SCRAMBLE! - 141 Squadron - RAF Wittering - May 1943

Bristol Beaufighters in formation 1943

At 14.10 hours on 30th April 1943, all 16 aircraft of 141 Squadron, bar one, which was out on an Air/Sea Rescue mission, were led off in formation by their Wing Commander "Bob" Braham from RAF Predannack, Cornwall. After a short cross-country flight, they landed at RAF Wittering at 15.40 hours. This was to be their new base and serve as home for the new and highly secret mission that their C.O. had volunteered them for. The rest of the ground crew personnel left by train and arrived a day later on 1st May, unless they were lucky and had managed to hitch a lift in one of the squadron aeroplanes. This is what must have happened to F/Sgt Mugleston, as he is noted as an extra passenger in F/O Howard Kelsey's Pilot's Log Book for the flight to Wittering in Beaufighter 4626, alongside his usual crew, Nav/Rad Sgt 'Smithy' Smith. I've no Idea what happened to Mugleston after this, but hopefully my Grandfather got a drink out of it!

W/C Braham was going to miss Cornwall and wrote in his book "Scramble";

" ...we took off from Predannack to fly to Wittering...I had a feeling of regret. At Predannack the squadron had rejuvenated and had lost forever it's sense of inferiority."

That sense of inferiority stemmed from the day 141 squadron had been removed from frontline duties during the Battle of Britain after being almost wiped out on one sortie. Since then, despite being moved to night fighter duties, 141 sqn. had been very much in the doldrums and a bit of a laughing stock, despite the bravery and sacrifice exhibited by individual crews, shuffling back and forth from one base to another with little future direction, until the arrival of W/C Braham.

John Randall Daniel "Bob' Braham

Braham had brought a new aggressive attitude and a desire to "get at the Hun", his personal mission being to inspire 141 Squadron to "become the best night fighter squadron in the RAF". This attitude and his mounting number of combat victories, he had already shot down 12 enemy aircraft, 11 of them at night, caught the attention of Air Vice Marshal Basil Embury, No. 2 Group Bomber Commander, and resulted in the rapid promotion of the squadron back to frontline action. Being the "new broom", Braham swept out many personnel, with the removal of those that were deemed not "made of the right stuff" and the call for new recruits who had the  drive to attack the enemy without hesitation. If you didn't make the grade, or showed a "lack of moral fibre" you were swiftly replaced. 

Charles Vivian Winn

It is perhaps for this reason a new Squadron Leader was drafted in to over take 'A' flight. Sq/Ldr Winn was a larger than life character and a friend of Braham from earlier days. He brought with him his Nav/Rad, F/lt "Scotty" Scott who was renowned for a facial twitch. When he was "ragged" about this by his new mess mates his reply was "What do you expect, if you have to fly with a clot like Winn".




RAF Wittering, the new base for 141 Squadron, was then in Northamptonshire, but after the boundary changes, is now in Cambridgeshire. It had been a Royal Flying Corps aerodrome during the 1st World War, and closed soon after. Then, during the late 1920's it was re-opened and a substantial number of hangars, barracks and concrete aprons were constructed. So this was a purpose built airfield and had already come under some concerted attack by the Luftwaffe, particularly in 1941.  The airfield had grass runways and had one of the longest landing runs in the country, consequently it was a popular diversion for bomber aircraft returning, damaged from raids over Europe.

RAF Wittering 1944

British AI Mk.IV Radar signal display

What was this highly secret "little black box" that 141 squadron had moved to Wittering to have fixed to all it's Beaus and be schooled in it's operation? Both British and German aircraft already had onboard radar systems (A.I. Airborne Interception) by this time which were rudimentary and didn't have a very long range. 

This, in combination with the land based Radar (G.C.R. Ground Controlled Radar) on home soil would give a pretty accurate picture of the direction and size of enemy raids at night over Britain. But what were the RAF going to do now they were on the offensive over the Reich? Another problem the RAF had was A.I. Radar was no good at identifying the difference between allied bombers and enemy night-fighters in the crowded night skies over German cities during a bombing raid. Sadly there were numerous reports of so called "friendly fire" where British crews had shot down aircraft from their own side. To try and aid confirmation of friend or foe a way of tuning into the Lichtenstein radar frequencies of the German night fighters had been developed. 

Messerschmitt Bf110G displaying Lichtenstein radar aerials.

Diagram of Serrate signal display top and AI Radar signal below

If there was an enemy aircraft within range and it had it's FuG 212 Lichtenstein radar set turned on, the new British device made it possible to detect it and "home in" on the radar signals it was sending out and set course to intercept it. Once close enough, the navigator would switch back to the A.I. radar system to close in on the target, in the safe knowledge it was definitely the enemy. Well that was the theory anyway. The name of this new device was called 'Serrate' because of the jagged signal it gave in the cathode ray tubes on the set the Nav/Rad would sit and operate. 






The development of radar by the British boffins is explained in much better detail in this rather wonderful BBC series "The Secret War". Well worth a watch if you can find it. (https://dai.ly/x123k8x)

I'm not sure how well my Grandfather understood the workings of this radar technology, later in life he was very sceptical when I tried to explain to him how a microwave oven worked, perhaps he wasn't very "clued up" about radio waves. Perhaps even his Nav/Rad Sgt. "Smithy" Smith didn't know exactly how it all worked, but he certainly became expert at how to make sense of the flickering, jagged lines on his 'Serrate' homing box and to combine that with his radar set to pinpoint where the enemy were in the blackness of the night sky. 

One thing I am fairly certain of is that on 4th May 1943, my Grandfather went on leave for 7 days, as noted in his Log Book, and flew back to Predannack. 

F/O Kelsey Log Book May 1943

Now this leads me to believe that perhaps my Grandmother, Audrey Victoria "Vicky" Kelsey, who was now 6 months pregnant, had been billeted in Cornwall somewhere, and he was going back to see her? If this is so, I hope they had a lot of fun exploring the small coves and beaches of deepest Cornwall. Most wartime RAF aircrew wives were kept in blissful ignorance of what their husbands were up to, and this was doubly so with the invention of this new top secret "Little Black Box". 

He returned to duty on 11th May to find a very busy squadron getting packed up ready to move to RAF Drem in Scotland for further "serrate" training. It was thought that Wittering was a bit too close to the enemy coast and the radio and RADAR signalling during training flights may be picked up. Sadly this date held the some tragic news with the loss of another crew, F/Sgt Judge  and Sgt Blower, as detailed in my last blog post.

On the 12th May the first 6 aircrew of "A" flight flew from Wittering to Drem to begin training in their "Serrate" equipped Beaufighter 1Fs. Drem was home to 1692 (Radar Development) Flight which flew Defiants equipped with transmitters that could imitate the German Lichtenstein AI radar and would serve as 'bogeys' for the 141 squadron navigators to practice on.

On the night of 13th May my Grandfather's Log Book details a "Scramble" as his 4th "Op", with no further comment. This probably means that they encountered nothing and after 'tooling about' in the night skies for an hour and five minutes they returned to base none the wiser.  There is no mention of this in the detailed "History of 141 Squadron" written by Don Aris. 

Meanwhile, the RAF were maintaining the bombing offensive on industrial and urban targets on the Rhine and the Ruhr. On the night of 4th May, 596 aircraft were sent to bomb Dortmund, 30 didn't return. Severe damage was caused in central and northern parts of Dortmund. It was reported that 1,218 buildings were destroyed and 2,141 seriously damaged including the Hosch and Dortmund Union steel factory buildings and many factories in the dock area. At least 693 people were killed, 200 aircrew were taken prisoner and 1,075 people were injured. Luftwaffe pilot, Lt. Robert Denzel of 12 Nachtjagd Geschwader 1 shot down his fourth and fifth allied aircraft on this night. The first, a Short Stirling III BF505 of 218 Squadron, captained by F/Lt. Wilbur L Turner, crashed at Murmerwoude, Holland, killing Turner and four of his crew mates, three others were taken prisoner.

Crew of Stirling III BF505 - F/Lt Turner back row, second left.

The second was a Handley Page Halifax MKII HR667, of 102 Squadron, captained by S/Ldr J.B. Flowerdew. It crashed at Vooreg, east of Westergeest, Holland. Sadly, all the crew were killed, but only two bodies were found in the wreckage. A third was apparently found dead in a nearby canal by a fisherman, but he left it there to sink below the water, without reporting it to the authorities. The families of the other five missing men never found out what happened to their loved ones. A memorial was laid for them by the Dutch people in May 2015.

Events in the wider World War were starting to edge in favour of the allies. The Battle of the Atlantic was still raging, however May 1943 was known after the war as "Black May", as it was a turning point with technological improvements leading to a greater number of U-Boats destroyed and a decline in numbers of allied shipping being sunk. In Africa, the remaining German Africa Korps and Italian troops surrendered,  the allies took over 250,000 prisoners of war. And the famous "Dambusters Raid" is judged a success.

"Smithy" - Sgt. Edward M. Smith

28th February 1943 was a big day for my Grandfather, F/O. H. C. Kelsey, because this was the day he crewed up with his Navigator, Sgt. E. M Smith, or "Smithy" as he is known in the folklore of my family. It may not be too strong to say that crewing up with "Smithy" may well be the reason that my Grandfather survived the War and therefore he holds a very important place in the lives of myself and all my Grandparents' descendants. He was a Yorkshireman and coined many phases in that no-nonsense, pithy way that characterises the denizens of God's own County. One such was during a rather "exciting" mission over enemy territory, he was heard to mutter "Eeee, flak" and this phrase is now used by members of my family when any situation is becoming a little out-of-hand! I met him only once, at my Grandparents' golden wedding anniversary, and wish that I had had the presence of mind to sit down with him and chat. After his illustrious wartime career, he joined BOAC and retrained as a pilot. He then went on to be a pilot for BA and retired in 1983. He passed away about ten years ago, and I was sad to see his medals up for sale on an auction site. A great man.

Sgt. Edward Smith

How wartime pilots and crews teamed up seems to have been achieved in rather a haphazard, but typically British way. According to Michael Allen DFC in his book Pursuit Through Darkened Skies, he was supposed to be crewed with one P/O, but another one, Harry White, met him on the way to the squadron barrack block, and after "chatting", they crewed up and stayed together throughout the war, becoming along the way one of the most successful British night fighting crews. Mike Allen continues,

"I had no possible way of being able to judge whether Harry was a good pilot or bad one! And, vice versa, he had no way of knowing whether I was going to make the grade as a navigator. If a crew survived this instant loyalty, in the main it lasted for ever."

Another wartime navigator, E. G. White, in his blog., Night Fighter Navigator, writes that the P/Os and the R/Os "where put together and left to sort ourselves out."  Just the fact that he and Sgt. E A Lampkin were the two youngest in the room gave them something in common, which seemed good enough reason to crew up! 

By late February 1943, my Grandfather was stationed at RAF Cranwell, but still training with 51OTU, I presume that he and "Smithy" must have hit it off in a similar manner because their partnership also lasted until nearly the end of the war.

It gets confusing here when describing what job title these Navigators/Radio Operators (R/O) had because the job itself developed during the war from gunnery in the early daylight fighter days to Navigator in the night-time role to Radio Operator once the new Radar sets were introduced. Indeed, the top brass continued to call them Navigators well into the war because they wanted to disguise the job that they were really doing which was intercepting enemy aircraft using onboard Radar and Telecommunications. Terribly hush-hush don'tcha know!

Log Book Feb./Mar 1943

From my Grandfather's Log Book, the end of February 1943 was a difficult time, in which he only had five flights in eleven days, probably due to weather. The first flight, on 18th Feb., was a two hour trip in a Blenheim IV, with F/lt. Hobbis in the pilot's seat. The "Duty" column shows "Ex 1", but I think this is not Gunnery but Airborne Interception training as described in my previous blog. F/Lt Hobbis had already been awarded the DFC in 1941, but was destined to not survive the war. On 5th November 1943, promoted to Squadron Leader and 'A' Flight commander at 488 squadron, his port engine was reported to be on fire whilst on patrol near Bradwell Bay. He and his Navigator, F/Sgt O. L. R. Hills, baled out, Hills' body washed ashore some months later, but Hobbis's body was never recovered. Hobbies was 33 and he is remembered in the Runnymede Memorial. 

On 25th Feb, my Grandfather flew with F/Lt Key in the pilot's seat in a Blenheim IV. The next day he almost had his first flight in a Beaufighter, a new aircraft to him and a real 'tank' of a plane, but the exercise was abandoned, "A/C (aircraft) U/S (unserviceable)". On 27th Feb. he flew with F/O Dixon and then from the 28th onwards, he flew almost consistently with "Smithy".

Blenheim IV in flight

March 1943 continued where February left off, with F/O Kelsey and Sgt. Smith honing their night fighting skills in Blenheim IV aircraft. The exercises they were put through together included practise of N.F.T (Night Flight Test), G.C.I. (Ground Controlled Interception) and A.I. (Airborne Interception). These are all far better explained elsewhere, so please click on the links in the text if you wish to find out more.

At last, on 9th March 1943, my Grandfather flew as a passenger in  Bristol Beaufighter no. 2189 and went on a "Test" with Cpl. Jones and F/O Dixon to see how he liked it. As it turns out, he liked it a great deal!

In between flights, he also kept the seat of the Link Trainer warm as it shows in this scan from the back of his Log Book.

Link Training record early 1943

I presume these "Link" practices complemented his night fighter training in the real aircraft, but I haven't been able to find out exactly what the letters and numbers refer to. If you know, perhaps you could tell me, by leaving a comment at the end of this blog.

Meanwhile, Bomber Command was still actively trying to knock out "strategic" targets in enemy territory. However, the accuracy of the night bombing raids was still poor and many civilians were being killed and injured. To try and increase accuracy, the Pathfinder Squadrons where developed. On 5th March 1943, "The battle of the Ruhr" begins, targeting the Krupps Factory at Essen, Germany,. This was the 100,000th sortie of Bomber Command. 

At the same time the luftwaffe, equipped with their own onboard Lichtenstein_radar, was taking an increasingly high toll of allied aircraft and lives. From the 606 Squadron blog. I discovered that Lancaster W4847 OL-V from 83 (Pathfinders) Squadron, based at RAF Wyton, near St. Ives in Cambridgeshire was one of 14 aircraft lost out of 442 that took part in the bombing raid. The skipper was a 22 year old Canadian, Pilot Officer Henry Partridge.  They took off around 7pm, but were intercepted by Messerschmitt Bf 110, piloted by Lt. Robert Denzel from 12/Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 at around 10.02pm at an altitude of 3500 metres east of Wieringen, Holland. The Lancaster was seen to struggle to make it to the Frisian coast but quickly exploded in mid-air and crashed into the Ijsselmeer near Hindeloopen, Netherlands. This was Denzel's second auschutt (victory), his first being a Halifax on 2nd March 1943. All the crew of the "Lanc" were killed. They were, Pilot Officer Henry A. Partridge RCAF, Flight Engineer, Sergeant Roy O. Fulton RCAF, Navigator, Flying Officer Leonard W. Sprackling, RAFVR, Sergeant Hayden Fell RAFVR, Air Gunner, Sergeant John M. Freshwater, Sergeant John L.Organ RAF, and Air Gunner, Sergeant Arthur Dinnis RAF.

P/O Henry Partridge

The flight engineer, 21 year old Canadian, Sergeant Roy Oswald Fulton, and his crewmate, 23 year old RAF Sergeant John Lewis Organ, are buried at Hindeloopen. The navigator, 23 year old RAF Flying Officer Leonard Sprackling was buried at Workum (Spoordyk) General Cemetery and air gunner RAF Sergeant Arthur Desmond Dinnis, aged 21, at Makkum Protestant Churchyard. The remaining three crew members have no known grave and are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.

Photographed outside the NAAFI at RAF Wyton. Left to right - Roy Fulton, John Lewis Organ and Henry Partridge

Lt Robert Denzel also made a claim for a second of the 14 aircraft that did not make it home that night. Lancaster ED431 (EA-M) of 49 Squadron was shot down west of Texel, Northern Holland, and crashed into the sea, killing all the crew. However, this claim was also made by Lt Rolf Bussman of 11/NJG1, so potentially this aircraft was attacked twice. The pilot, Sgt. James Myles Thom DFM, a popular Scotsman, was 29 when he died, and is remembered at the Runnymede Memorial. The rest of crew of "Lanc" 'M' for Mother killed that night are detailed in the aircrew remembered website.