Built in 1943, Swannington became operational on 1st April 1944, as part of the 100 Group. Home to 85 and 157 squadrons, equipped with Mosquito aircraft. Their role was largely one of supporting Bomber Missions over enemy occupied territory.
The airfield became disused in 1947. Much of the runway concrete has been lifted, crunched and used for aggregate, but there is still plenty of evidence of the three runways and perimeter tracks, and several derelict buildings remain.
I joined 157 Squadron when it was first formed in the last war at Castle Camps in February 1943. I was previously with 534 Squadron at Tangmere which was a turbinlite Squadron where my Navigator and I were one of the Havoc crews. We served at Camps for a month before the whole Squadron was relocated to Bradwell Bay. We were the first Mosquito equipped Night Fighter Squadron in the RAF and the AI equipment was MK4 and 5 which was severely limited by height above the ground, which was the first thing the radio waves struck, generating a carpet of ground returns which smothered anything at greater range.
When the Squadron moved to Hunsdon in the defence of London, the Squadron formed a third flight using straight MKVI fighter/bomber a/c in an intruder role without any radar. At this time the battle of the Atlantic was hotting up and we were re-deployed to Predannack which is on the tip of Cornwall close to Mullion Cove where we were employed in an operation called Instep, which really was us looking for the Ju88s which were looking for the Sunderlands (etc), which were looking for the U-boats. We flew in "finger 4" formations at 30 feet above the Atlantic down as far as Cape Ortugal on the north coast of Spain, which you will recall, was Fascist controlled and not very friendly towards us. We were assured that any fishing vessels we saw there were reporting our position to the Germans so were fair game for attack!! We had a fair amount of success at this, getting several 88s and a 177 which my Flight Commander and I dispatched, but one of our formation determined to get a shot in, struck the water and hit the sea, forcing him to ditch, which he did successfully. We returned and refuelled and re-armed at Predannack, before returning to the area and finding our downed comrades. We returned to Base and returned yet again, in company with an airborne lifeboat which was successfully dropped and we saw the two Mossie crew scramble into the lifeboat in which they sailed back to the Scilly Islands in 4 days, being awarded the DFC and DFM for the Sergeant Nav.
In March 1944 the Squadron moved to Valley to re-equip with Mossie 18s, equipped with new centimetric radar which was not so badly affected by ground returns, and gave much improved range up to over 10miles at 20 thousand feet; and eventually moved to Swannington, just outside Norwich, in May 44 in time for D-day as we were not allowed to take the new MKX radar out of the country until then.
My first raid as an intruder with 100 group was on June 7, to the airfields of Lesquin-Chievres in France in support of the D-Day landings, and we continued to fly in this role until we were withdrawn to West Malling for operations against the Doodle-Bugs; as we were the only thing anywhere near fast enough when refuelled with 150 grade petrol. These were called anti-Diver Patrols and involved flying just about 10,000 feet to be above the target, parallel to the coast, and watching for one flying out of France, turning towards it and well above, applying full throttle and rolling onto one’s back and pulling through at speeds in excess of 400 mph to match them up and shoot them down. Of course, in those days the flight instruments were all air powered Gyroscopes which didn’t have full freedom of movement in all planes and were toppled by the A/Cs inversion, forcing you to fly on "limited panel" for the recovery and subsequent kill, which, with 4 cannons was inevitable.
In the September, we returned to Swannington and our role as Bomber Support acting as long range Night Fighters for the Bomber Stream flying above and below and to either side of them, looking for anything attempting to cross into the stream. This was quite good fun, if ever war can be; as with the superior speed of our a/c we could watch the bomber stream set off and still arrive over the target simultaneously and patrol for about an hour and still leave with them.
I completed more than 40 of these Sorties, completing my tour just before VE day, before going to Bomber Support Training Unit at Great Massingham as an Instructor. I was released in May 1946 to go to Edinburgh University (paid for by the Service, on the understanding that if they wished I would return afterwards); and in 1952, I was recalled, as I thought, for the Korean war with thoughts of Meteor and Vampire Night Fighters, which is where all my experience had been. But, no, it was to Control Flying School, which was then at Little Rissington!!!!!! For the next fourteen years, I was engaged in teaching people to fly, including the First All Through Jet FTS at Hullavington with the Jet Provost, which I was to meet again at The College of Airwarfare at Manby, before starting my last tour in the RAF with 99 Squadron at Lyneham.
I have worked for Airworks in Saudi Arabia at Rhyadh and for the CAA, then the MOCA in London and BAA at Heathrow, before becoming Director of Operations at Birmingham Airport, from where I retired to live in Lincolnshire.
It’s been a bit of a mix up, but I’ve enjoyed it, except for getting older, which we can’t avoid. It feels as if I have been shooting a line, as we used to say in older days; so I had better quit now. If there is anything else I can do for you just ask.
Yours now in retirement, Bryan D. Gale
Third front on photo
Bryan Gale is far right, standing third up
Far back row: ?, ?, Gordon Lang, ?, John Collins, Bucky Cunningham, Lou Brandon, Oscar Wilde,
Far right side: Les Scholefield, Chris Woodcock, BRYAN GALE, Laurie Waters, Ken Pybus (intel. Off.)
2nd row from back: Les Butt, Satch Churches (RAAF), Jimmy Penrose, P/0 Vale (RAAF) ?, Ron Goss, Basher Broom
Far left, standing: Radar Officer
3rd row from back: ?, ?, Dennis Crowther, Syd Astley, Geoff Edwards, R.N. Crew, R.N Crew, Alan Brookes, R.N. Crew, R.N. Crew. (Two slightly forward of last two persons unknown)
2nd row from front: F/O Balderstone, Frank Money, ?, F/Lt Sumner, F/Lt Tweedale, F/L Hanahan, Bill Tofts, Jimmy Matthews, ?, Brian Whitlock, F/O Gilbert Davidson
Front row: John Smythe, Steve Stephens, Sqn/Ldr Chisholm, W/Cdr Dennison, S/L Drummond, Flt/Lt Benson, Sqdn/Ldr Doleman
… not forgetting, Towser, Doley’s Dog!
This article is from the Summer 2006 issue of Confound and Destroy