33 Squadron RAF Africa, Greece 1940 - 41

War and Game has moved its post on the RAF in Greece.
See: The Royal Air Force in Greece 1941 « War and Game

War and Game is one of the best and most extensive websites for finding initial background information I have found anywhere.

His extensive Post list is slow loading (a generated database) http://warandgame.com/post-list/
from War and Game « War and Game

His other websites: My Other Websites « War and Game

 

Hi Fred,

Thanks for your kind words and for posting up a lot of links, several of which I had not come across before.

Here is an extract from my Dad's memoirs which sounds like it may refer to John Mackie's last combat. I'm afraid my dad wrote his memoirs (only at the family's insistence) as a project only late in his life & when I came to transcribe them after his death (from manuscript entries in old school exercise books) I discovered they were quite disorganised - so you will notice a bit of duplication (as well as some omissions).

"Before we left Elefesis, I was told by HQ in Athens to take three days reserve rations with the convoy, and that at Larissa we would be supplied by the Army. I was somewhat suspicious of this, and took 10 days supplies. Sure enough, at Larissa the nearest RASC depot denied any knowledge of this commitment, and told us to go to Trikkala, behind the Albanian frontier, which had been supplying the bomber squadrons operating on that front. I took a couple of cooks and a truck to Trikkala, and found it a long trek through two low mountain ranges - and obviously unsuitable. By this time, my ten days reserves had got perilously low, so I had to go back to Larissa and insist on supply locally. Reluctantly, this was agreed.

*************

We were at Larissa primarily as a defence against a German attack through Yugoslavia - which came very soon. Belgrade fell, the King fled, and the Germans were through into Greece.

Our first action was a very heavy air raid. Without prior warning …. [missing]???? and I remember hearing a sound like a swarm of bees and looking up to see a mass of German bombers in tight formation coming steadily up from the south. Most bombs on that occasion fell on the town (and a few buildings the other side of the airfield) and we suffered little damage.

The story was very different a couple of days later, though, with a direct attack by several squadrons of German fighters on the airfield and on dispersed aircraft. We had one flight of three Hurricanes on standby who started to take off, but were all shot down seconds after take-off, losing all three pilots – one very experienced Canadian and two very young and inexperienced youngsters, only recently arrived. The Germans circled above us, with three at a time coming down to machine gun the camp and airfield at low level. My lads and I were in a slit trench and could watch, but it was very frightening.

I cannot remember how long we stayed in Larissa – a month or less, I think, for very soon the Germans invaded Yugoslavia, captured Belgrade and pressed on South across the Greek frontier, with forces vastly outnumbering the British and Greeks, who were still fighting the Italians in Albania. Our relative quiet was shattered one afternoon when a noise - like the humming of bees, and growing in intensity - presaged the arrival of a fleet of German bombers, about sixty, in close formation, cruising towards us. Most of their bombs fell on the little town and we suffered little damage. Without radar warning, it was not possible to get our Hurricanes airborne and the Germans sailed on undisturbed towards the north. After that, we kept a flight of three Hurricanes on standby.

I think the very next day we were attacked again, this time at low level and aimed at the airfield. Out of the blue, two to three squadrons of German fighters screeched across the airfield, shooting up our parked aircraft and catching our standby flight before they could get airborne. All three were destroyed, [along with] their pilots, including two newly arrived and inexperienced young lads barely out of their teens. After the attack on the airfield, the Germans formed into a ring a few hundred feet above the tented camp, diving on us three or four at a time, machine-gunning everything in sight. My lads and I just managed to get into the slit trench we had previously dug against such an eventuality, where we crouched apprehensively [waiting] for the din to subside. I don’t know how close the bullets came, but they missed us - and most Squadron personnel, similarly sheltering in trenches.

*************

After that, things happened very quickly. A runner came round with the message “Leave in half an hour. Leave everything, except one case of personal gear.” We then bundled into our various trucks and joined a long line of Army trucks moving slowly, nose to tail, along the only road south. Apparently, the Germans were streaming in overwhelming strength across the Yugoslav border and preparing, with the Italians in Albania, to drive east and cut us off from safety – temporarily anyway."

Unfortunately because it was written from memory - rather than a diary - there are no dates. I don't know if you've read Comeau's book "Operation Mercury" but he appears to describes a very similar action on take off from Larissa when the third pilot (a F Sgt Genders) manages to escape with his life. I wonder if Comeau was writing from memory too? Comeau was part of the ground crew for 33 Squadron and his book also provides interesting background to the Squadron's time in the desert. Because I'm not aware that it's yet in the public domain, I will email extracts to you rather than posting it here (I must have transcribed it at some time). It took me a while to figure out what you meant by "PM"!

Also taking the opportunity to post a further copy of a photo of some members of the squadron at Larissa. This is the same photo as is in one of your links (the IWM collection?) but it shows a few more names. (Taken from the book "Wings over Olympus")

View attachment 16008

Also here is a link to an image of an artist's impression of Sqn Ldr Howell's rather hairy first flight in a Hurricane, (Howell's autobiography is "Escape to Live"): Against All Odds by Stephen Cale - Aviation Art @ eHangar.com

Best wishes
Dave Gale

 

That is likely. The surviving Squadron members endeavored to re-write the Squadron History - starting in Crete.
Unfortunately the Squadron was nearly wiped out again in that invasion.

Much appreciated, Dave. Very much appreciated. Keep it coming!

I will ask if researchers at http://comandosupremo.com/aces.html can find the Italian Regia Aeronautica ORBs that included the 33 Squadron etc references.

FYI see The Online (Modelling) Magazine of the Regia Aeronautica and the Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana http://www.stormomagazine.com/

Aerial Operations of the Regia Aeronautica in the Greek Campaign October 1940 - April 1941
http://www.stormomagazine.com/Articles/Greece_1a.htm

 

KEWThe National Archives now lists 30 separate pages (@ £3.50ea) of 33 Sqdn Orbs.
The National Archives | DocumentsOnline | Search Results

I am suspicious that this may be RAAF (or SAAF) 33 Squadron.

I will have to get our British National Archives (KEW) researcher Lee Richards at http://www.arcre.com/ (here and on WW2Talk) to check into this prior to purchasing any.

"Once the documents have been digitalised, the only way of getting them is through the http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/airforce.asp Documents Online service, or a partner site like http://www.ancestry.com or http://www.findmypast.com "

 

From Marcel G. Comeau's book Operation Mercury: An Airman in the Battle of Crete http://www.amazon.ca/Operation-Mercury-Airmen-Battle-Crete/dp/1900511797

Number 33 Squadron song

There is an RAF Squadron, it’s called thirty-three,
Existing on sand storms at Mersa-on-Sea.

We rise every morning the last star to see,
Then nip away smartly to skive and make tea.

‘Duff gen’ is our motto – another move near,
Then we all get blotto on “shandies” and beer.

Far out in the desert, way out in the blue,
Existing on sand storms at Mersa Matruh.
________________________________________________

Bomber Squadron song (Greece)

To Valona, to Valona
Every morning just at nine
Same old kites and same old Squadron
Same old target, same old time.

North of Corfu dawn is breaking
And the sun begins to shine
Macchi-hundreds and G fifties
Waiting for us dead on time.

Do four runs up says the CO
And make every bomb a hit.
If you do, you’ll go to heaven,
If you don’t, you’re in the grit.

On the way back, same old fighters
And the gravy’s running low.
How I wish I could see Larissa
Through the snow storm down below.

How I wish I were in Athens,
Drinking cognacs by the score,
And I need not ever go back
To Valona any more.

 

Hans-Jakob Arnoldy was born June 1, 1916 in Wittlich. He was assigned to 4./JG 77 in September 1939. http://www.luftwaffe.cz/arnoldy.html



During the Phoney War, April 12, 1940, he had his first victory, defeating one of the RAF Hampden bombers attempting to attack ships in the vicinity of Kristiansand.

October 26, Leutenant Arnoldy was injured when he force landed his Bf 109 E-7 (W.Nr. 6090) "5" after it was damaged in aerial combat near Bergen.
This is in Norway where Arnoldy won most of his victories, shooting down six enemy aircraft.

In April 1941, Arnoldy was sent to Greece. the 14th of that month, he saw action with a Hurricane of 33 Squadron RAF which took off from the airfield at Larissa just as they began their attack.

(The early warning system using ground based observers had already collapsed with the onset of the German Invasion.
Over the next few following days, Luftwaffe raids again and again surprised the RAF bases throughout Greece, including Larissa.)

He shot down P/O Charles Chetham (KIA) his seventh win.
He in turn was wounded in the chest by gunfire from Ace Canadian, Flt Lt John F. Mackie (7 wins), also of 33 Squadron.
Fw. Otto Kohler immediately got on Mackie's tail and shot him down, killing him when it crashed.
Mackie crashed before Arnoldy reached the ground alive. Arnoldy was taken to the Medical Officer's tent but died within a short time.

(I suspect this may have been 33 Squadrons first encounter with Luftwaffe aerial battle support tactics,
"Watch for the Hun in the Sun"
and their infamous 33 Sqdn individuality "esprit de corps" may have cost them dearly here.)
(Noting 33 Sqdn was forced to make a last minute scramble to get airborne: the first warning they had was the sound of approaching Luftwaffe aircaft.)

The two Hurricanes lost in this dual were most likely P3732 and V7419.
(Noting JF Mackie was reported flying Hurricane P3724 in Nov. 1940 with 33 Sqdn.)

24 June 1941 over Bessarabia during Operation Barbarossa, II./JG77's Fw. Otto Kohler was killed, possibly shot down by St.Lt. Aleksandr Pokryshkin of the Soviet Fighter Regiment 55.

Hurricane V7419



Arnoldy managed to escape from the aircraft, likely in the hopes of getting quick medical treatment, and parachuted out.
He landed on the airfield at Larissa. (The airfield defense soldiers may have shot him.)

When he reached the ground, Arnoldy is found dead (or shorty thereafter) but no one knows if it was hit by fire from the ground.
Paradoxically, and although it is not piloted, his aircraft (Bf 109 E (W.Nr. 5277) "5") performs a near-perfect landing,
with almost no damage, only two impacts in the cockpit in the pilot's chest area.

===> Picture of Bf 109E 4.JG77 (W5+-) Jakob Arnoldy (herein noted as being # WNr1276) Greece April 15th 1941 <===
which was shot down by John Flyton Mackie immediately before J.F. Mackie in turn was killed.

 

Previous Hans-Jakob Arnoldy Claims:
Source: CWGC and Ross McNeill, Coastal Command Losses of the Second World War, Volume 1 (1939-1941), Midland publishing, 2003

233 Squadron Hudson I N7224 ZS-O Op. Patrol S.A.2

P/O. J M. Horan + Pilot Officer JAMES HENRY HORAN
41417, 233 Sqdn., Royal Air Force died age 27 on 31 July 1940
Son of Thomas E. and Elizabeth Horan, of Kingsford, New South Wales, Australia.
Remembered with honour: RUNNYMEDE MEMORIAL

P/O. B C. Paton +
Sgt. W G. Cameron +
Sgt. S. Morgan +

P/O. Horan an Australian took off to undertake a patrol on Tracks R and Q but failed to return.
It is believed that they were shot down by Ofw Arnoldy of II/JG77 off the coast of Norway.
____________________

On 13 June 1940, 15 FAA Skuas from 'Ark Royal' attempted to bomb the 'Scharnhorst' in Trondheimfjord.
Eight of the Skuas were shot down by Bf109s of 4/JG77 (two by Arnoldy, one each by Sawallisch, Harbach and Froba)
and 3/ZG76 (one each by Gollob, Krzywon, Kohler and Schob).

The largely forgotten Fleet Air Arm Skua: Blackburn Skua - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


____________________

Type: Bristol Blenheim Mk IV
Serial number: R3622, QY-K
Operation: Stab (Stavanger to Bergen (patrol))
Lost: 25/06/1940
P/O A.J. Hill, 42004, POW
Sergeant George W.H. Kendall, RAF 563559, 254 Sqdn., age 27, 25/06/1940, missing
Sergeant Richard C. Trowbridge, RAF 550858, 254 Sqdn., age 20, 25/06/1940, missing
Took off 12.48 hrs from Sumburgh. Shot down by Ofw Arnoldy of 4./JG77 at approximately 14.25 hrs, on a sweep to Stavanger/Bergen.
____________________

25/06/1940: Stab, Norway

Type: Bristol Blenheim Mk IV
Serial number: N3604, QY-?
Operation: Stab (Stavanger to Bergen (patrol))
Lost: 25/06/1940
Flight Sergeant (Pilot) Percival G. Cory, RAF 564105, 254 Sqdn., age Sergeant (Obs.)
David F.S. Campbell, RAFVR 743031, 254 Sqdn., age 19, 25/06/1940, Haugesund (Rossebo) Var Frelsers Cemetery, Norway
26, 25/06/1940, Haugesund (Rossebo) Var Frelsers Cemetery, Norway
Sergeant (W. Op.) Francis G. Kinghan, RAF 535306, 254 Sqdn., age 23, 25/06/1940, Haugesund (Rossebo) Var Frelsers Cemetery, Norway
Took off 12.48 hrs from Sumburgh. Shot down by Ofw Arnoldy of 4./JG77 at approximately 14.25 hrs, while attacking a ship off Stavanger.
____________________

24/06/1940: Stavanger, Norway

Type: Bristol Blenheim Mk IV
Serial number: R3826, QY-Q
Operation: Stavanger
Lost: 24/06/1940
Sergeant [Pilot] Hugh G. Hughes, RAF 580302, 254 Sqdn., age 28, 24/06/1940, missing
Sergeant [Observer] James F. Borrows, RAF 624811, 254 Sqdn., age 19, 24/06/1940, missing
Sergeant [W.Op./Air Gnr.] Stanley Longstaff, RAFVR 755125, 254 Sqdn., age 20, 24/06/1940, missing
Took off from Sumburgh. Shot down west of Stavanger by Ofw Jakob Arnoldy of 4./JG77 at 13.30 hrs.
Sgt Hughes had possibly attacked Sola airfield with bombs. The crew are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.

 

Storyteller: The Authorized Biography of Roald Dahl - Donald Sturrock - Google Books
- a considerable portion is readable in preview on Google Books - limited to the years of his youth. Nothing from his RAF period or later.
_________________

Note also that a considerable number of books and websites have been published on the Regia Aeronautica.

Google searches substituting the Italian translation of Squadron: Squadriglia (and / or Squadrone) can bring up a remarkable wealth of information on RAF Squadron Orbs in the early years of the war...
- not to mention REAMS of information published on the Italian Regia Aeronautica
... and a surprizing amount of it is in English.

I am quickly getting enamoured to the quality of Microsoft`s BING Translator for the rest. http://www.microsofttranslator.com/

 

I am going to be spending some hard earned Canadian money in Britain...
If allowed, I will post the ORBS here shortly...
_________________________

FWD From: "Robert Dickinson" <DocumentsOnline@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk>
Sent: Wednesday, March 21, 2012 2:59:57 AM

Dear Fred Wilson, Thank you for your email.

I have examined the 3 page long lists of documents you have located of RAF 33 Squadron Operational Record Books (ORBs) http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/...atid=54&pagenumber=1&querytype=1&mediaarray=*
and I can confirm that they do refer to RAF squadron 33.

The first document you have located states that the original ORB's were destroyed and that they have been written from memory.

The second document you have located only records details up to 12th May.
There is then a note stating that all further records were lost during the final evacuation of Crete.

For further information about the digitised AIR 27 records please click on the link below.
The National Archives | DocumentsOnline | Air Ministry Squadron Operations

Please let us know if you require further assistance.

Documents Online Support Team Tel. no.: +44 ( 0 ) 20 8876 3444
Email: documentsonline@nationalarchives.gov.uk
TNA website: The National Archives
Documents Online: The National Archives | DocumentsOnline

Follow us on Twitter @UkNatArchives , join us on Facebook or sign up to our newsletter for monthly updates direct to your inbox.

 

I am in the middle of watching the Military Channel's series "Secret War"
Episode "Victory or Death" is all about the German Invasion of the Balkans, the lead up to it and
all the way through the 650,000 casualties Yugoslavia took kicking out the Germans at the end of the war.
See Military Channel :: TV Listings :: Daily Schedule for 13/ 28/2012

Staggeringly good. Stunning. I am just breathtaken.

Yet another good reason to add this magnificent TV Channel to your lineup.

"If I had a million dollars"... I would give it to the Military Channel for this episode alone.

Salute!

 

NB: Stone and Stone is an excellent free service if you are looking for book publication release notices.

Message received today:

From: "Webmaster" <bstone@sonic.net>
Sent: Wednesday, July 4, 2012 8:33:59 AM
Subject: Notification of book availability

Hi, Per your request, this message is to notify you that

HISTORY OF THE MEDITERRANEAN AIR WAR, 1940-1945,
- VOLUME ONE: NORTH AFRICA, JUNE 1940 - JANUARY 1942
by Shores, Christopher, Goivanni Massimello, and Russell Guest

has now been published.

Further information on this and other new and used
military books is available at our free website at no charge.

--------------------------------------------
Stone & Stone Second World War Books
Stone & Stone: News and Information
bstone@sonic.net

 

Air commodore Grigson's evacuation of Greece report, 3rd May 1941.
Air commodore Grigson's "Evacuation of Greece" report - World War 2 Talk

Evacuation of Greece & Crete 1941

A good collection of photographs (largely Luftwaffe) and information on the Balkans Campaign at:
http://www.asisbiz.com/Battles/Balkans-Campaign.html

113 Squadron: Greece: the Lost Cause

New York Times front page:
Nazi's Claim Olympus and Larissa; Allies Retreat but Deny Break
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2707712/posts

 

Hi Dave

I have read your posts with great interest as my Dad, Cpl. Ronald George Baker, was a driver with 33 Squadron 1939-1941. I am trying to confirm if he went with 33 Squadron to Greece. I have vague recollections of him mentioning Greece but mostly remember him talking about his time in Egypt. Do you know if all the ground crew of 33 Squadron went to Greece? His RAF record makes no mention of Greece but reads as follows:

From Duxford To Ismailia 15 Feb 1939
From Ismailia To 33 Sqdn (A) - no date
From 33 Sqdn (A) To Ismailia 5 Sept 1939
From Ismailia To 33 Sqdn 5 Sept 1939
To Stn. Amiriya (A) 33 Sqdn 21 Sept 1939
The next entry is to 70 OTU 2 Oct 1941

Any help would be appreciated.
Diane Benson

 

Hi Diane. Dave has not been around for some time, since well before the malware issue cropped up.
Try giving him a PM (noting some members do not seem to notice this alert...)

http://www.historyofwar.org/air/units/RAF/33_wwII.html
has the most accurate list of locations for the Squadron I have found.

As I said earlier, the 33 Sqdn ORBS were lost in the "Bloody Shambles" retreat. Rebuilt from memory while in Crete.
The advance forces of the Luftwaffe attacked Larissa on April 15th and three days later the ground forces had taken the site and 33 Sqdn was already relocated near Athens.

Vernon "Woody" Woodward
indicates 33 Sqdn moved rapidly and frequently during their short stay in Greece, being located at Eleusis, Paramythia and Larissa.
- so I would not be surprised if your father lacked time to update his records.

http://warandgame.com/2009/01/28/the-royal-air-force-in-greece-1941/
and http://www.my-crete-site.co.uk/air_war.htm
gives you a pretty good image of what life must have been like for those involved.

http://www.my-crete-site.co.uk/raf.htm#33Sqn
has them stationed at Maleme Crete by May 1st 1941.

The history of 33 Squadron at Malame was honorable for the ground crew, but not a good memory for the squadron itself.
http://www.schlaweck.com/raf_maleme.htm
- as you can read in some of the above posts, most of the ground crew were abandoned to the Germans.
If your father was there, I am not suprized that he would not be happy to reminisce about it.

 

33 Squadron Hurricane Skin thanks to biltongbru

 

Good and very detailed recount, largely of 80 Squadron's Leader William 'Cherry' Vale at:
Squadron Leader William 'Cherry' Vale

33 Squadron Leader G. E. C. “Jumbo” Genders at:
http://www.dnw.co.uk/medals/auctionarchive/viewspecialcollections/itemdetail.lasso?itemid=37572

"Genders proved himself to be an exceptional fighter pilot from the start, bringing down a Bf. 109, and damaging another, over Larissa in Greece in mid-April 1941, following a surprise dawn attack on his airfield by elements of II/JG 77. Such was the speed and ferocity of the German strike that the other two pilots of his stand-by Flight were both shot down and killed. He later described the incident, his very first time in action, in a letter home:

‘I was at about 7,000 feet a few miles from the aerodrome when I heard over the wireless that enemy aircraft were circling the aerodrome, so I flew back quickly and saw seven or eight 109s at my own height. I climbed 100 feet and then dived among them. I aimed at one from behind at 250 yards and the pilot must have realised he was being fired at because he did a sharp turn to the left and, turning inside him, I hit his engine with a beam shot. The pilot then baled out and, seeing another 109 coming head on at me, I opened fire at him and then we had passed one another. I got under him and he over me. All the 109s were then coming at me from all directions, so I manoeuvred quickly and in doing so jammed one of the aircraft controls, but the enemy fighters must have been running short of petrol because they all went off home."
cont...

Charles Harold Dyson
http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/a/b/b/Warren-B-Abbott/WEBSITE-0001/UHP-0096.html

 

The Memorial to 30 and 33 Squadrons - photo taken at the Platanias cemetary, Malame Crete.
50 RAF ground crew lost their lives when they joined the ground forces fighting the German Paratroopers attacking Malame.




The 33 Squadron names -


30 Squadron Names

 

View attachment 17207

Hi Fred

Many thanks for your help with my query re those on the ground with 33 Squadron in Greece. I will send a PM to Dave as you suggest.

My Dad sent quite a few photos home during his time in Egypt with 33 Squadron. I have attached one that I think must be pilots of 33 Squadron? Most photos Dad sent home have notes on the reverse but not on this one unfortunately.

Diane

 

WW2 desert fighter pilot interviews.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL85DEF013233358E0

British Desert Air Force History WW2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iP1ZEwtilSs

 

Free Republican Newspaper articles of the week of April 14th to 21st 1941:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/2708833/posts

London Gazette: http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/UN/UK/LondonGazette/38293.pdf