Forward by John Meikle, nephew of Ian Meikle -
Ian Meikle was born in Umtali in 1916, the youngest son of John and Bertha Meikle. John Meikle emigrated a child with his parents and elder brothers Tom and Stewart from Scotland to Natal in 1868 and entered Rhodesia in 1892.
Ian was educated at St. Andrews College, Grahamstown before joining his brothers Douglas and Jacky on the Monarch Mine just over the border at Penhalonga. He married Helen Barry, daughter of Pioneer D'Urban Barry and had one son the late Tony Meikle.
He joined the R.A.F. in 1941, first at Hillside Camp, Bulawayo and then at Moffat Gwelo, hoping to become a pilot, but when he realised that he would have to wait five months for a pilot's course, he volunteered as an air gunner. As an officer he was able to take his wife Helen to Britain where they landed in December 1941. He started his training at R.A.F. Manby in Lincolnshire, before being posted to R.A.F. Finningley near Doncaster and finally to R.A.F. Bircotes, a satellite station to Finningley. While at Bircotes and still in training, he took place on the 1000 bomber raid on Cologne, flying as front gunner in a Wellington.
According to Henry Probert in his book "Bomber Harris. His Life and Times" there were two 1000 bomber raids, the first on May 30/31 1942 and second on June 1/2 1942 and it is not clear whether Ian was on the first or second. It is worth quoting
Bomber Harris's message to air crews before the raid "The force of which you take part is at least twice the size and has more than four times the carrying capacity of the largest force ever concentrated on one objective. You have the opportunity, therefore to strike a blow at the enemy which will resound not only through Germany, but throughout the world." In J.F. MacDonald's "The War History of Southern Rhodesia", it stated that Bomber Command dispatched 1091 aircraft on May 30th for an attack on Cologne. A third of the great city, the capital of the Rhineland, was laid waste and 250 factory buildings utterly destroyed with in 90 minutes. The cost in bombers was 43. That Rhodesians were involved in a major point in the war, must be a source of pride.
Ian's first operational base was to Scampton near Lincoln in July 1942, even though he had taken part in the Cologne and Essen raids while still training. He had hoped to be posted to Waddington flying Lancasters where 44 Rhodesia Squadron was based. I am not sure as to what squadron he was posted while at Scampton or what aircraft they were flying.
In September 1942 he was transferred to 82 Pathfinder Squadron flying Lancasters based at Wyton, Huntington. Ian had volunteered and been selected for an elite force that was to face extreme danger. Bomber Harris originally opposed creaming off picked crews for a special force, preferring that each Group maintained its own Pathfinding Force, but was overruled. However, once the decision was made he put all his efforts to attract the best men and to reward them with a special badge and a step-up in rank. Of this elite corps Harris wrote "The force has already paid a rich dividend by successfully locating and marking targets and enabling the remainder of the Command to saturate defences and go straight in without spending time searching for their target."
In flew as air gunner in all 3 turrets of the Lancaster but often in the rear turret from which he told me the remains of the gunner were often hosed out. He writes graphically of his raids over Germany, France and Italy, but unfortunately there are many missing letters. He did tell me that their aircraft's bomb on a mission to Hamburg sealed a bomb shelter killing thousands. Ian was a tall man, well over six foot and had difficulty fitting into the turret to the extend of having to forfeit the use of a parachute for which there simply was no room. The rear turret was the most vulnerable, isolated and bitterly cold.
These letters written to his parents John and Bertha in Umtali also reveal how a young Rhodesian felt during those war years. The longing to be among his own people and under African skies, his hopes and fears, and his adapting to the English way of life and the fact that he found little in common with local people. He mention the kindness and hospitality shown by local farmers and the factory works at the Lancaster factory, but overall the local people resented the influx of foreigners. But what comes through clearly is his resignation to his probable fate considering that of the 10 from his course that he went over to Britain with, only 2 survived the war. My uncle was a brave man who was awarded the D.F.C., but also a sensitive man who showed the mental scars long afterwards. He returned to Rhodesia after 2 tours of duty of 90 sorties in 1943 and served the rest of the war instructing. He represented Rhodesia at the Victory Parade in London in 1947. He went farming at Odzani where he and Helen grew vegetables and died prematurely in his sixties.
Controversy has raged ever since over the ethics of area bombing advocated by Harris. Pacifists and others sought to portray this as a war crime, which was deeply hurtful to those who served. As a result no campaign medal has ever been awarded to Bomber Command which is a travesty considering that 55 000 aircrew out of 125 000 serving died, the highest casualty rate of any unit.
Harris was vindicated by post war analysis of Reich Security Services files which stated that after the Cologne raids, the morale of the German people was shattered and shook their belief in victory. Belatedly a statue was erected to Bomber Harris and a memorial built recently to Bomber Command in Green Park, London. Bill Sykes in Heritage of Zimbabwe No.30 gives a robust and telling riposte to the nay-sayers and critics of Arthur Harris and the brave men of Bomber Command, who went beyond the call of duty and deserve better.
IAN MEIKLE'S WARTIME DIARIES.
HILLSIDE CAMP 20/08/41.
My Dear Mother and Father,
Nothing startling has happened since you passed through and I haven’t heard anything further about the pilots course. We are having a big inspection in camp today, some big bug from Salisbury, so I had better be getting along.
R.A.F. MOFFAT GWELO - 20/9/41.
We have very queer hours here, starting at 7 in the morning until 9 and then we have three quarters of an hour for breakfast and then until 2.30, with a quarter of an hour break in between. We are supposed to have the rest of the afternoon off for swotting, but there always seems to be something on, PT or kit inspection. It is not so bad really as the course only takes a month. If all goes well regarding the exams, I will be a sergeant with one wing up in a fortnight’s time.
We are being sent to England so I sincerely hope I will see you before I go off. I had the opportunity of taking a pilot’s course, but was told I had to wait 5 months before I start flying, so didn’t think it worthwhile. Perhaps I will get a chance once I get overseas. I am not looking forward to it very much, but still it is my duty after all.
We have started flying here already. I was up for about two hours yesterday shooting at ground targets from the air, it was quite good fun. I haven’t heard yet whether I hit any or not. We are due up again tomorrow to shoot at drogues towed by other aircraft which ought to be more difficult.
R.A.F MOFFAT GWELO - 4/10/41.
We have only a fortnight to go to complete our course and I believe we are being sent straight off without any embarkation leave at all. It is a bit of a blow to me as I did want to see the old town again before I left.
I was interviewed by our C.O. a few days ago and was told that I had been recommended for a commission. Three of us have been recommended and two are getting it, so I hope you will hold thumbs for me. If I do get it I want to take Helen over with me as officers are allowed to. Helen is pretty keen on going and it will make all the difference in the world to have her over there with me. The only snag is that the Mine is so hard up at the moment. I have written to ask them if there is any chance of raising enough for Helen to go over but I doubt whether they will be sympathetic about it.* They will probably think mine is a selfish view, but I hope they realize what it means to me. I might be stuck over there for years.
*He obviously had to ask his brothers Douglas and Jackie for money to pay for Helen’s boat ticket.
R.A.F. MOFFAT GWELO - 12/10/41.
I hope you received my wire about the Commission. I am a Pilot Officer now and feel quite proud about it.
We are leaving here this week on Friday night for Cape Town. Helen is going down with me. I have managed to wrangle 3 days leave to go to Umtali to fix things up at the Mine.
c/o RHODESIA HOUSE, STRAND STREET - 14/12/41.
Well, I have just returned from leave and am now at Bournemouth awaiting posting to a O.T.U. Helen is staying with Noeline* at Uxbridge for the time being as we find it pretty expensive moving around the country. At the moment I am billeted with a crowd of officers in a hotel. I only pay 2 shillings a day messing.
The last crowd of gunners from Rhodesia have been here for 5 weeks awaiting posting, so it looks as if I will be here for the duration. It makes me so wild as I might just as well be at home with you for all the good we are here. We have about 1 hour drill every morning and have the rest of the day free. This is quite a pretty spot, but everything is different over here, give me good old Rhodesia every time. Helen is of the opinion they won’t see us for dust when this war is over.
We spent most of our leave in London, which we found too crowded for our liking. It is far better to stay indoors during blackout time for it is so difficult to find places of amusement. We spent 2 days out at Uxbridge with Noel and stayed at a very old Inn “Yee Olde Kings Arms”. The food and beer was very good considering the rationing of same.
We had lunch with Kay’s father** (John Oswald) and had a very jolly time together. He thinks the world of Kay and of course was very eager to hear all the news about her and the family.
We are longing to hear news from home. I haunted Rhodesia House during our leave but no such luck. Still I am hoping to hear before Christmas. This will be my first Christmas away from home, but I will be thinking of you all. We have been invited to stay with Noeline’s in-laws over Christmas which will be nice. They are living at Cambridge and have a beautiful place, I believe.
I hope you are all keeping fit and looking after yourselves and everything is going well with the mine. I wonder how long it will be before we see it all again. Helen is thinking of taking up Red Cross work.
*Helen’s sister Noeline Barry married Cecil Buttress who later farmed at Concession.
**Kay emigrated to Rhodesia in 1936 and nursed at Salisbury and Umtali hospitals She married Toosie Meikle in 1939.
UXBRIDGE - JANUARY - 1942.
The cigarettes have not arrived yet, but they will be very welcome when they do. They are such a price over here being 2/- for 20 and they are pretty inferior at that, so it will be a real treat to have a decent make again.
I have been to Lincoln twice since I have been at the base, it is about 6 miles away, there isn’t much to it although it is full of ancient buildings. The Cathedral seems to be a pretty impressive building and I must try and have a look over it one day. The people are the same everywhere regarding us as if we have just crawled out of cheese or worse.
Life is still going on the same here and wish this nasty business would end, am sick and tired of it. We both get so homesick at times and at the present rate of progress we shall be here for years to come. We aren’t too badly off really and I could never settle down, this life is so different somehow. Anyway, it will be a great day when we see you all again. Helen and I would give anything to be back with you all, but there is a big job to be done here and the sooner it is over the better. The news isn’t too good these days but I am still very optimistic about an early cessation of hostilities. I have to announce some news of great importance. Helen is going to have a baby.
(Tony was born on 13th August 1942).
UXBRIDGE - 26/1/42.
They don’t appear to want us at the moment but I expect once we do start work again we won’t get very much time off.
Helen and Noel are safely settled into their house about a mile from Uxbridge. The owner has left all his furniture, cutlery and also a small stock of tinned provisions which is proving very useful indeed. The dining room has been converted into an air-raid shelter which has spoilt things a bit, but still we are very comfortable. Helen is doing all the house work and Noel spends all day at school. It certainly is a full time job doing all the housework and lighting of fires for the baths and the sitting room. Helen won’t know herself when she gets back home and has the good old servants to do the work.
We are not so badly off for food, Helen and Noel had a good laugh when they purchased their first weeks food. The amount looked so small but it is amazing how well one can come out on it. Bread isn’t rationed and there is always that to fall back on. The egg ration amuses me, measly little egg e week and they come from Uraguay. They must go in for native fowls out there judging by the size of the eggs. Helen is wishing she could have smuggled a few of her fowls over. The fowls at home will have to work overtime when they get back. We had a very heavy fall of snow last week but it has cleared up in the last few days. The country side looks very beautiful, but give me good old sun anytime.
We are both very optimistic about the war and hope to back with you for next Christmas. Our opinion seems to be shared by many others, so here’s hoping.
R.A.F. MANBY, LINCOLNSHIRE - 10/3/42.
I have completed my course at Manby and posted to Finningly which is near Sheffield on the seventeenth to do my course at the O.T.U. We will be trained on Lancasters and Manchesters there before going to operational station. This will be the No. 44 Rhodesia Squadron, I hope, as they will be the first to fly in the new .......(missing page).
I am sending a photograph taken at Manby of 2 of our squads. They are all Rhodesian in this one with the exception of one Canadian. We have one of our sergeants staying here at the moment Dick Rundle* from Bulawayo. He hasn’t been posted yet so I am hoping he will stay for a while as it is pretty lonely for Helen with Noel away all day.
We had an air raid warning here this morning, but all clear went a few moments later. I was amused at the old Char who wasn’t taking any chances and scuttled off home as fast as she could go. She was through the Blitz on London, so I can’t blame her.
This is quite a long day when one has to concentrate all the time. There is more to this flying game than meets the mind. Aircraft recognition is one of the chief subjects. It seems to get worse with all the new machines they are bringing out. I have mastered the lot pretty well and can at last tell friend from foe so won’t be caught napping.
Hitler appears to be calling up all available manpower this spring perhaps he will overstep the mark this time and bring about his downfall.
*There is a C.R. Rundle listed in the Roll of Honour in MacDonalds book.
UXBRIDGE - 16/3/1942.
My leave is up and I am off tomorrow to Finningley. I am certainly seeing England on my travels. Spring is here at last, at least everybody thinks so. I hope it lasts. It was really quite hot in London on Saturday. Helen and I went up on Saturday and spent the night in town. It was Noel and Cecil’s first wedding anniversary so we thought we would make ourselves scarce. We went to see Vic Oliver’s show (Take a load of this) in the afternoon which was jolly good. The seats cost 12/6 each but we thought we would be devils for once, it was certainly worth it. In the evening we went to see “Dive Bomber” at the Marble Arch Pavilion which was quite good. Typically Yankie though. We spent the night at the Waldorf just off the Strand and came out on Sunday morning.
We are both full of beans, but both wish this beastly war was over so that we could get back to you all. I will come through O.K. the devil looks after his own you know.
R.A.F. FINNINGLEY DONCASTER - 23/3/1942.
I arrived here five days ago on the last stage before reaching a squadron. It is about the best camp I have been in so far. The food is jolly good. I don’t know where they get the butter from because it isn’t rationed at all, much to my satisfaction. We have been doing nothing but duties ever since my arrival, though necessary I suppose, get very monotonous after a while.
It won’t be long thank goodness as we should start flying very soon. We do both day and night flying here so I hope for my future salvation that I manage to secure a good pilot. All the crewing up is done here and the individuals choose amongst themselves. Rest assured I won’t pick a dud.
I met a chap called Baker here last night whom I met at College.* It was a pleasant surprise and it makes all the difference having a friend or two at these stations, especially those who come from one’s own country. He is a pilot and has been over here about six months. There are only ten Rhodesians here, the rest of the course have been scattered all over the country. There a several Canadians here who we don’t get on too well with, as with Canadians in general. I think it is a big mistake to split men from the same country as they have done in our case.
*St. Andrews College, Grahamstown
R.A.F. FINNINGLEY, DONCASTER - 14/4/1942.
I wish you were over here to see the country, it is really beautiful with all the different flowers out in bloom. The daffodils are a wonderful sight. We are having wonderful weather at the moment and as it doesn’t get dark until 9.30, it is very pleasant to go for a stroll after dinner. It is a treat to be able to discard one’s greatcoat, its a pity we aren’t allowed to wear shorts.
I have done a bit of flying lately, but only on cross countries for map reading purposes. We are expecting to be crewed up shortly, so it shouldn’t be long before we are on operations. I had quite a good trip the other day, we went cross country to (censored) , it took 2 and a half hours. I have never known it to be so bumpy before and we ran into heavy rain storms. The old Anson leaked like a sieve but we didn’t mind very much.
Jerry has been pretty active round here for the last week, we often hear bombs dropping round about. I hope he keeps away from here. He certainly is getting a few nasty knocks from us at last. I will have the satisfaction of seeing a few tons dropping on Germany.
R.A.F. FINNINGLEY DONCASTER - (undated).
I have been doing quite a lot of night flying the last couple of days. We had rather a hair raising experience last night when one of our tyres burst on landing. Fortunately the pilot kept his head and managed to right the machine. Most of the night trips have consisted of bombing exercises on the range near here, from 8000 feet. My job has been to keep off any intruders as they have been knocking around recently. None have shown up thank goodness.
R.A.F. FINNINGLEY DONCASTER - 18/5/1942.
I had some very sad news the other day when I heard that Hugh Marillier, a Rhodesian lad I trained with, had been killed in a plane crash. Helen and I are both pretty cut up about it but I suppose one must get hardened to these things in wartime. You probably noticed Hugh in the photograph I sent you.
Life is still going on the same here with bags of flying day and night. I think I have seen most of England from the air so far, it now remains for me to see Germany!!
We have a wonderful crowd of chaps here, and that seems to me to be the only advantage of war creating new friendships. I have palled up with a couple of New Zealanders, they have just finished their first 200 hours on operations and are resting here for six months. They have had some pretty hair-raising experiences but seem to treat them as a matter of course. Both were on the Scharnhorst raid in the Channel, but said they only saw the ships once, owing to bad visibility.
A few of the local farmers invited a dozen of us to a darts match the other night at their local pub. Very few of us had ever played the game before, but we didn’t mind as they gave us plenty of good beer. In all, we have been having a gay time lately, the local Lancaster factory people, hearing that we were flying in their machines, invited us to several parties. They have been good fun and they are a decent crowd and very hospitable.
We are expecting to move to our satellite “drome” Bircotes soon to complete our training. We crew up there and after three weeks will be posted to an operational station.
R.A.F. FINNINGLEY, DONCASTER - 27/5/1942.
I am over at our satellite “drome” at the moment completing my course which should take another fortnight or so weather permitting. I have crewed up at last and my new crew consists of an English pilot, Canadian observer, Canadian wireless operator, English bomb aimer, and of course me in the tail. We get on quite well together and I think I have been pretty lucky in my choice of pilot, he seems a very steady type. Not one of the medal seekers who go in for 0 feet over the target to release the bombs!
The ground is a mass of Blue Bells at the moment, it really is a sight for sore eyes. There is no water laid on so we have to walk down to the mess for baths. The exercise is doing me a world of good. We have been having rather rotten weather lately and it is not too pleasant walking around knee deep in mud.
R.A.F. BIRCOTES - 6/6/1942.
You will no doubt be surprised to hear that I was on the Cologne raid last Saturday night. It came as a surprise to me as I haven’t finished my training yet, but all the O.T.U.’s had to contribute a number of machines to swell the number. We were kept in the dark for five days and all confined to camp. Although we knew something big was on, didn’t dream that it would mean our initiation to night bombing of Germany. I wouldn’t have missed it for anything as the destruction of Cologne was a sight I shall never forget. We flew in our training machines Wellingtons, which have done such good work in the past and I was fortunate to be crewed up with an excellent pilot S. Leader Stewart D.F.C.. I was front gunner and of course had the best view of all.
We started off at 10.40 p.m. with 2000lbs of incendiaries on board and headed out to sea towards the Dutch coast. We were in no hurry as we couldn’t bomb until 1 . 10 a.m. as some of our big stuff had to drop theirs first to start the blaze going. We could see the fires when 40 miles away, and they gradually increased as we flew nearer. There was ack-ack everywhere and the search lights were weaving everywhere obviously completely demoralized by our numbers. It was rather terrifying for me sitting in front watching the flak come up all around us but we weren’t hit once. We eventually arrived over Cologne and the sky was absolutely full of machines, as you may well imagine. The chief difficulty was to find a space to drop our incendiaries, eventually the navigator sighted one right next to the cathedral, so the pilot headed towards it. Before dropping them the navigator had to wait for 3 of our machines to get out of the way immediately below us. His aim was good and our contribution set up a nice little blaze. There were bags of fighters about and we saw one shoot one of our chaps down in front of us. Two more exploded in mid –air, evidently direct hits from shells.
We then turned for home, but what an inferno. I wouldn’t be down below for anything. We were flying at 16 000 feet and the fires were terrific even from that height, so you can imagine what it was like at ground level. We arrived home at 4.30 without any incidents and were all pretty deadbeat. It certainly takes it out of one having to be alert the whole time.
We were on the Essen do two nights later, but only got as far as the Dutch coast, when we had to turn back, owing to a short in the electrical system. We cursed like anything but nothing could be done about it, as all the various lights were failing including the wireless which is most necessary. Complete failure would have meant that the bombs could not be fused or the bomb doors operated. Anyway, we got back safely and landed with 4 500lb bombs we were carrying.
We only lost two machines from here on the two trips which was jolly good going considering the state of the number of machines sent from here. Quite a few of them were shot up badly but managed to reach home safely. Two Rhodesian lads who were with me are missing from the Essen raid, I hope they are alright. One was George Reid* whose father works on the Railways at Umtali and the other Johnsone* from Salisbury.
I saw most of Scotland yesterday when we did a five hour cross-country from coast to coast. I was really surprised by the nature of the country being so hilly. It is a bit of a contrast from the country down here which is as flat as a pancake. We just skirted the Lake District on the way back and were sore tempted to go to Strathaven* to have a look, but unfortunately time would not allow it.
(*The Roll of Honour in the War History of Southern Rhodesia includes G.T. Reid and P.D.D. Johnsone, but I have no way of checking)
FINNINGLEY SATELLITE, BIRCOTES -13/6/ 1942.
I feel a lot older in more ways than one, it certainly gives one a different outlook on life in the Air Force. It is not a bad outfit really but I definitely wouldn’t want to make it my career in life and shall be sick of the sight of aeroplanes when this war is over. I doubt whether I shall ever want to go up in one again. They say only birds and fools fly and I think it is very true, there is nothing like a good old terra-firma.
We had quite a hair-raising experience a few nights ago whilst on a five hour cross-country. Our route lay to a point off the Welsh coast and then back twelve miles past Liverpool. The weather was terrible and we must have drifted off course for we landed up in the middle of a balloon barrage. We don’t know to this day how we got out of it, but there were balloons all around us and it was not pleasant. The squeakers attached to the balloons kicked up an infernal row over our T.R.9 radio which didn’t improve matters at all. Anyway we got out safely that was the main thing, but I certainly don’t want another experience like it. It is a good thing the Jerries don’t go in for balloons on the same scale as we do.
I forgot to tell you that Eddie Banks turned up at Finningley just before I left. I didn’t see very much of him as he was in a different flight, anyway he hasn’t changed much as is just as bumptious as ever.
I received a very welcome parcel of cigarettes, tea, sugar etc from D’Urban and Betty Barry*. The tea and sugar will go a long way in augmenting Helen and Noel’s rations as they are pretty meagre, believe me.
BIRCOTES - 20/6/1942.
I have at last finished my O.T.U., but we are being held back for some reason. We were at Rhodesia House on Saturday morning and met quite a few boys we knew, including a number of Army chaps we are over here doing a special course at Sandhurst. It sight for sore eyes to see good khaki again and bush hats.
We haven’t the fainted idea where we are being posted to yet, but hope it will be Waddington on Lancasters. I am not worrying at all now that I have broken my “duck”, let the Jerries do their worst. They have kept clear of these parts for some time now and think
They must be too scared to penetrate far inland
(* There is an E.W. Banks in the Rhodesian Roll of Honour.
*The Meikles originate from Strathaven in Lanarkshire)
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SCAMPTON NEAR LINCOLN - 11/7/1942.
I was on the Bremen raid before going on leave, this was our first raid as a crew it wasn’t too pleasant at all as the opposition was fierce, one big shell burst just under my turret and blew us up quite a way, didn’t feel too happy as I could smell it. Which according to the old timers means that it was pretty close. Anyway, we got back safely which is the main thing. They certainly put up a terrific barrage as if one could forget there was a war on and weren’t shooting at you, it would be a pretty and impressive sight.
I arranged to broadcast to you after we had lunch, but we had to wait until 7.15 to talk. I hope you heard me O.K. I had a cable from Toosie* to that effect. I am afraid I was a bit nervous and left out a few things I had to say to you. Anyway I will do better next time. Usually there is only a handful of people at these broadcasts but on this occasion there were hundreds as the hall was packed. Hence the stage fright. Anyway, I hope you gathered what I had to say which is the main thing.
Ten of the chaps I came over with are either killed or missing, it is a bad show but still one has to expect these things. Lets hope this business won’t last much longer. I am sick and tired of it already. There will be bags of fun and games for me from now on, especially if they start the Second front we have heard so much about. The sooner the better, I hope they keep it up the whole time.
We will be flying in the latest four engine machine** which are absolutely first class and a vast improvement over the old Wellingtons we have done our trips on.
I am sharing a room with a chap I went to college with Basil Baker, he was at Finningley when I first arrived there. He is a jolly decent sort and we get on well together. I am sorry we were not posted to Waddington but we don’t have much choice these days. Chips Holland* and Doug Rail** are still there and I expect I shall be seeing them soon, as they are only 8 miles away.
Father, it must be a job getting around these days owing to petrol rationing. Not many cars are seen on the roads here. Even the people who do run cars will never give you a lift, after I have been walking alone and empty cars have passed. They are certainly a funny crowd out here, give me a bunch of Colonials every time.
The atmosphere in the mess’s is rather amusing, providing one has a sense of humour. All the big cheeses congregate in one corner of the room, usually near the fire place and the mere P/O’s herd in the other like a flock of sheep. There is no feeling of comradeship and I shall be darn glad to get out of it. I shall probably be promoted to Flying Officer in a few months time, the extra half a crown a day will help the family budget along very nicely.
(*His brother Toosie Meikle of Mountain Home, Penhalonga.)
(**Lancasters.)
(*Chips Holland was the son of John Holland of Umtali and brother to Binks Holland.)
(** There is a W.D. Rail on the Rhodesia Roll of Honour.)
R.A.F. SCAMPTON LINCS - 19/7/1942.
It was nice seeing Chips Holland and Doug Rail from RAF Waddington and we had a good old chat over a couple of beers. I am sorry we weren’t posted over there now, as there are still quite a few Rhodesians left. It seems a far better station than this.
R.A. F SCAMPTON LINCS - 3/8/1942.
I was on the Dusseldorf Raid last Friday, it was quite good fun except for a few narrow shaves. We nearly crashed on take-off when the machine with 4 000lb bomb and a load of incendiaries started to swing but we just managed to clear another machine at the end of the drome. All went well after that until we were about 60 miles from the target when a single engine fighter appeared on the scene. It was obviously expecting to catch us napping but I spotted him immediately from my mid – turret position and gave the pilot the order to take evasive action and even though we threw him off for a few minutes he was back on our tail until we got to the target. He was forced to give up then, as the flak was pretty terrific. This bloke was carrying a light on his wing which helped matters a lot, this was obviously used to signal to the ground defences. We got over the Rhine at 20 000ft. The bomb aimer went down to his position, but we discovered afterwards that his oxygen supply was faulty and he had gone all the way without it and was naturally dopey. Anyway in this condition he pulled the wrong switch and everything fell out before the bomb doors were fully open. There was a terrific thump and the machine went into a nose dive with all the engines out but they all picked up again fortunately. We all thought we had received a direct hit and wouldn’t have had a chance if it had been so. The bombs fell in the target area O.K., so we turned for home. After getting out of the flak belt another fighter, a twin engine this time tagged on to us, but we lost it after 10 minutes. This was due to the wonderful turn of speed these machines have when empty. We were jolly glad to get back and have a good meal of bacon and eggs. We certainly made a good job of it for some of the fires were terrific.
The Jerries were pretty active over the last day or so. We were having tea the other afternoon, when gunfire shook the windows and we dashed out and saw a D.O. 217 cruising along under the clouds. The ack-ack fire wasn’t very accurate but he soon disappeared when a fighter appeared on the scene. He was shot down into the sea later we learned afterwards.
Doug Rail was here for a few days doing a special course but left yesterday. I am quite sorry as it makes all the difference to have ones fellow countrymen to knock around with. These people don’t speak our language here so are pretty difficult to get on with. Chips Holland is still going strong at Waddington, I have seen him a few times down town. He is getting married next month at his station so I expect I shall attend the ceremony. His future wife is in the W.A.A.F.’s and her people have pots of money so he should be well away.
Thank you so much for the razor blades you have been putting in my letters, they are very welcome indeed as they are pretty difficult to obtain here.
R.A.F. SCAMPTON LINCS - 11/8/1942.
We are expecting to be shifted from here soon on a very special job. I can’t tell you anything about it now, but hope to do so later. We will be much nearer London which will be a good thing and although the job will be pretty dangerous, it will mean promotion and will be worthwhile in the long run.*
(*He refers to his transfer to 82 Pathfinders Squadron, flying Lancasters.)
R.A.F. SCAMPTON LINCS - 21/8/1942.
Helen went into the home on the 12th and the babe arrived at 5.15 next morning. We are calling him Ian Antony and its really hard to believe that I am a proud father.
We finished our last six hour cross-country yesterday, it was a very interesting trip right up to Scotland down past the Isle of Man to Lands End. The coast is really beautiful over the later part and we got quite a scare there too as two Spitfires got suspicious and shot up to identify us, they were really too business like.
We are expecting to move from here tomorrow to a station down near Cambridge, were we will have a special and rather dangerous job to do. You will probably hear about it in due course but it is very secret at the moment.
R.A.F. SCAMPTON LINCS - 1/9/1942.
We are still hanging about here waiting for orders to move to the new station. The snag is that they won’t accept us, except as a complete crew, we are still 2 short and so have to wait for them to join us.
Chips Holland is getting married this Saturday and has asked me to take Doug Rail’s place as his best man. Doug is under open arrest at the moment for a low flying offence. It is taking place in the morning and there won’t be a reception, worse luck. His prospective bride , a farmer’s daughter, seems a very nice girl and appears capable of keeping him in order.
What a senseless existence this is, not one of the aircrews is keen on going over Germany, it is just treated as an unpleasant job that has to be done. One has only to glance round the mess before a raid and note the expressions on the chap’s faces, to realize the job we have got to do. There is one thing though, one never fears a grave, they all seem to be fatalists and know I am one now.
There isn’t much in the way of news this week. I’m afraid, we are still being very well fed with three good meals and a huge afternoon tea every day. What more could one wish for but this isn’t the life or the country for me, we all want to be back amongst our own kind.
R.A.F. WYTON, HUNTINGTON - 23/9/1942.
I hope you having been receiving my telegrams now that the service has been started from this end. You will probably hear from me more regularly this way as there is always the uncertainty of letters reaching home safely.
I am lucky being on the new station as London is only an hours train journey away, so if I get a day off at any time will be able to pop down. We have been here 4 days and are just settling down. Our mess is very comfortable, but the food disappointing compared with other stations I have been on. Still we are jolly well off considering the rations the civilians get. Nothing is rationed here of course and I always feel like helping myself to a spot of butter and sugar for Helen and Noel.
I expect you have heard the sad news about Chips Holland missing ten days ago. Let us hope he got away with it and feel so sorry for his wife separated after only 8 days of married life. I was at the wedding as I told you. I spent the Saturday evening with them in Lincoln and she went the following night. Another friend of ours was killed in a raid about the same time. He was Dick Rundle from Bulawayo who spent several of his leaves at Hillingdon. The best always are the first to go in these outfits and he wouldn’t have harmed a fly. It certainly isn’t a pleasant experience, if you call it that, with friends at your pub disappearing one after another. One has to expect these things though. I am quite hardened these days.
I am due to be promoted Flying Officer on the first of the month, the extra four bob will come in very handy. As a matter of fact from our point of view I am very satisfied with the way things are going. The war must seem very distant to you out there as it did to me. It is pretty hard to realize even here sometimes, but one comes to earth with a bump when floating over the other side.
R.A.F. WYTON,HUNTINGTON - 19/10/1942.
Life has been treating me pretty well on the whole here, I have been on 2 trips lately, Osnabruck and Kiel. We should be averaging about three a week but the weather has been against us. We didn’t have very much excitement at Osnabruck although Jerry did his damnest to hit us and very nearly succeeded on one or two occasions. The raid was quite a success and we observed out bombs dropping in the middle of the target area.
The Kiel raid wasn’t so funny at all, for apart from the cold the temperature at minus 30 degrees and we nearly got in a spin and crashed. This happened just as we were approaching the target when thirty search lights caught us and they naturally started shooting at us. Smithy my pilot, tried to evade them by turning away, when a shell burst near one wing and turned the machine over on its back. He says he doesn’t know how he righted it again as it was just about to go into a spin. Anyway, thank goodness he managed it. This was a pretty good effort on his part considering we had 9000lbs of bombs on board, not a word was spoken for quite a few minutes after that. The flak at the target burst all around us and all we received was one hit in the starboard inner which didn’t do any damage. The docks and town were pretty well lit up, so we dropped everything in the centre and made for home. I could still see the fires burning from 100 miles away and the reflection on the clouds from well over 120. A few flak ships opened up on us when we were out to sea, but we soon lost them. I didn’t see any of my friends the fighters except over the target chasing some unfortunate in another type of aircraft. They seemed to steer well away from us for some reason or other and I am not sorry.
It is very sad hearing about poor old Chips going west, he was one I did think would get through. The machine crashed on the other side somewhere and the only survivor was the Flight Engineer.* Chips wife phoned me up the other night and said she had not given up hope as they could find no trace of him in the machine and I hope she is right, but the chances are pretty remote. It is easier for the other members of the crew to get out if there is a slight chance at all.
We have started playing rugger here and I have had 3 games so far. We had quite a job getting a team together as most of the chaps seem to play soccer.
I was wondering if they would publish that photo in the Herald as half the chaps have gone west. It is exactly a year and a day since we saw you last but it seems years and years to us. It makes us feel we have left the old life a long way behind but our thoughts are always with you. Don’t worry it won’t be long before we are united again.
We were on the Genoa raid last week and it was easily the best trip I have been on so far. The take-off was in the late afternoon and it was still light when we crossed the French coast, much to our consternation, but apart from a few guns popping off at us nothing else was seen.
(*The Lancaster of 44 Squadron that Chips Holland was piloting was shot down over Holland. The people of the village of Epe erected a memorial in his honour and the Holland family were invited to a memorial service.)
We quite expected a herd of fighters to swoop down on us but they must have thought better of it thank goodness. The moon was full and the visibility very good, it was really wonderful flying at 20 000 feet towards the Alps. Our biggest thrill of course was to see the lights of Geneva, we skirted the place so had a really good view of what was going on down below. It really was a pretty sight with all the different coloured lights and the Neon signs flashing on and off. The Swiss naturally took an extremely dim view of the intrusion, so fired a few guns at us to show there was no ill-feeling. I think they were pointed in the opposite direction, but still. Everything showed up extremely well including Lake Geneva. From this point we could see the Alps looming up in front of us and what a magnificent sight they presented and wish you had been there because no words of mine could describe them. We crossed with 4000 feet to spare and even then the peaks seemed to be reaching up trying to draw us down. We flew directly over Mount Blanc and it was very easy to distinguish from the others from its shape and height. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky as we crossed Italy and the coast line could be seen sixty miles in front. When this was reached, the old Ice cream merchants* opened up, but their fire was inaccurate and they appeared to be pretty jittery down there. We were half an hour early so decided to stooge up and down the coast to pass the time away. Everyone else had the same idea until there was a regular procession which should have given the Ities* a bit of target practice but didn’t take advantage of it. When the time was up we waited for the first flares to be dropped then went in, these were not really necessary owing to excellent visibility. The flak was pretty intense as we flew over the target at 10 000 feet and seemed to burst all around us. It must have been close as the powder could be smelt. Our bombs fell on a nice built up area and must have blotted out a few inmates, a pretty cold blooded thing to say, but war is war. There were some terrific explosions as a few bombs hit some oil tanks – really pretty watching and as we set course for home the fires were going pretty well. One of our chaps from here went down to 50 feet after dropping his bombs to give his gunners some practice shooting at the numerous villas on the coast. I bet they were mad. The return trip was quite uneventful until we had passed over Paris when we saw 5 fighters in formation coming for us about 800 yards away. I didn’t wait for any more so told Smithy to dive into the clouds which he did at about 300 m.p.h. and that was the last we saw of them, thank goodness. We were ready for bed with a vengeance on our return having been in the air for eight hours ten minutes.
(*Derogatory term for Italians.)
R.A.F. WYTON,HUNTINGTON - 24/11/1942.
My Flying Officer has just come through and it is quite a sensation strutting around with a thick stripe being one above the alleged “lowest of the low”. It happened to be stand down yesterday, meaning there were no operations for us and I took the opportunity to go down and see Helen and Tony. We usually have these stand downs twice a week depending on circumstances and weather of course. The train leaves Huntington at 12.27 and arrives at Kings Cross at 2.40, the Tube takes an hour to Uxbridge. We were on the Turin raid last week and it was a great success as regards the bombing. Our ground staff were working on the machine until just before take-off but we managed to get away on time. It was quite moonlight, and our course was 6 miles off Paris, owing to cloud covering the landscape it was impossible to get a pin-point to assist the navigation at all. We of course thought that we were well away from the danger zone but we haven’t reckoned with adverse winds. Without any warning, there was no means of telling of course with a cloud cover beneath, they opened up with us with heavy stuff, as we were at 16 000 feet. I thought we had had it as the puffs kept floating past we could smell it which means it too close to be healthy. I told Smithy how they were bursting behind so he decided to stick the nose down and fortunately it was just the right thing to do as they had a proper barrage just in front so we should have run right into it. Anyway, we heaved a sigh of relief when it was over and I must confess I shut my eyes once or twice as mine is a very exposed position and one can see “too” much. We lost 6000 feet in that dive and had to battle up to 20 000 feet to enable us to cross the Alps in comfort. They were even more beautiful than ever as more snow had fallen since our previous visit, we could see the target about 20 miles away with flares dropping and bombs bursting as we were slightly late. It was as bumpy as blazes dropping down to the target, the light flak was pretty concentrated but not at all accurate. It gave one the impression of a person chucking a handful of sand around trying to hit someone. Anyway, we pressed on and bombed and then turned for home, everything stood out very well especially the Cathedral. We discovered next day that the machine had been hit twice, once in the port outer engine and the other missed me by 2 feet at the back of the turret, but still a miss is as good as a mile these days. We were picked up by a fighter near the coast on the way back but soon lost him as I saw him first. The weather over here was lousy so we were diverted to a fighter station on the coast. The cloud ceiling was only 800 feet but we managed to get down safely. On trying to take off the next day the immersion pump failed so we had to hang around for another 24 hours before it was repaired. The food etc was pretty good down here, but we looked awful sights not having shaved for 3 days, especially being officers you know!!! Anyway, it was a real treat to go round looking like a tramp for once, just like old times in fact. It was pretty cold that night in spite of having full kit on.
The snag is that I have to be literally pushed into the mid-upper turret owing to my size and if I had to bale out, well it would be just too bad. Anyway, for your peace of mind I hope the seats will be modified to enable me to get out easier.
We are getting pretty severe frosts now which is a sign of things to come and I am not looking forward to it a bit, but still we can stand this winter easily with the knowledge that victory is just around the corner and that we shall soon be home again. It will be a grand day. I certainly don’t like war as a pastime but am only hoping that I am doing my bit.
R.A.F. WYTON, HUNTINGTON - (undated).
(Pages missing)........ I have great faith in Smithy so if we are unlucky to be hacked down it will be no fault of his.
They are certainly getting it in the neck these days and I can’t see how thay can last much longer. These 4000lb bombs of ours must be having a deterrent effect, it would be on me I know.
Helen and I have been talking over things and I have decided to take a chance on coming out when I have finished my two tours. There wouldn’t be any objection from these quarters, as quite a few of the overseas tours have gone home recently. There is certainly a risk attached to it but for that matter we might easily have a bomb dropped on us over here. It wouldn’t be for at least another four months, so perhaps by that time the U boat menace will have been solved.
It would be grand seeing you all again. It seems years since we saw you last and makes me think that we are living in a different world, perhaps we are, but our thoughts are always with our dear ones at home. Look after yourselves, we’ll see you soon, keep the home fires burning.
R.A.F. WYTON, HUNTINGTON - DECEMBER (undated).
(Missing pages. Several letters probably also went astray considering that ships carrying mail could have been sunk by U boats)
I have been on four trips since I wrote, just over to Frankfurt and three to Turin. We did the latter in four nights which wasn’t bad considering the distances involved. The Frankfurt trip went off pretty well although conditions at the target were pretty rotten. I managed to bag a fighter on the way in. It was a J.U. 88 and had shadowed us for some time. We managed to evade him on his first attack, but on the second he kept on after us so I got in first. I only had one gun as the other was u/s but I got in first and let him have it* Only about
(missing page, so frustratingly we don’t know what happened next)
(missing page)........ a barrel of beer which I am sharing out between the ground staff and a few selected soaks, I will see I get my share anyway**
The first two Turin trips were an outstanding success, the fires started were colossal. I haven’t seen anything like that since Cologne. No wonder the Ities are getting out of it, as on the second trip fires were still burning and a huge pall of smoke hung over the town so we had no difficulty in locating it. The last however was a complete shambles, the cloud was up to 20 000 feet and the target was completely obscured. All we could see were some search lights on the ground so we bombed them.
(*I believe Ian was decorated with the Distinguished Flying Cross for this action)
(** Sounds like a celebratory barrel of beer donated by the mess)
We were pretty severely iced up so it would have been suicidal to have ventured below. Coming back the cloud was higher and we had to climb to 25 000 feet to clear them. I haven’t been so cold in all my life, our rear gunner fished a chunk of ice out of his oxygen mask on our return. It was clear over the channel and we were interested spectators in a naval engagement down below. The worst part of these trips is the first stage crossing the French coast and the first 60 miles or so inland. The first night we saw 2 of our aircraft shot down in front of us so we gave that place a wide berth. There are always bags of fighters about also as with one of the trips when bursts of tracer flashed all around us which wasn’t too pleasant. I am getting hardened to it however and as I have done 12 trips so feel quite a veteran. Only another 33 to do that is “all” and then I am going to keep 2 feet on the ground.
R.A.F. WYTON, HUNTINGTON - 28/1/1943.
I am sorry to have missed a week writing to you but I haven’t had much time to spare with 2 trips to Berlin and one to Dusseldorf. I was very glad to be on the two Berlin do’s although I didn’t feel too comfortable about them. We were first over the target on both occasions but had to fly around for some time before locating it, owing to poor visibility. They were shooting at us the whole time which wasn’t very comfortable but we were fortunate enough to get away without a scratch. The city was damaged pretty well judging from the huge fires started and the palls of smoke, which we estimated went up to 10 000 feet on our departure. One of our chaps came back on two engines and has been awarded the............., pretty good going.
In comparison Lorient* was quite a pleasant target on both occasions. I don’t think there is much left of the place by now. The Jerries are certainly getting it in the neck these days and I shouldn’t care to be in their shoes when the bombing offensive starts in summer.
Dusseldorf a few nights ago was also very successful, it is one of the hot spots of the Ruhr. We were again extremely lucky, nothing came dangerously close unlike Berlin where we could smell the stuff. I forgot to tell you that we got a photograph of the centre of the target on the second night. There were the usual fighters about but they left us severely alone for a change. I feel quite a veteran these days having done nineteen trips, only with my forty fifth is over I am done with. It shouldn’t take very long once the fine weather starts as we should average ten or twelve a month later.
The winter has been extremely mild so far with only two falls of snow. We only suffer when up in the air with a temperature of minus forty. It doesn’t seem to matter how much clothing one puts on and the electrical heating only works in spasms for some unknown reason. I have been invited to another pheasant shoot in a couple of days. There is bound to be something to prevent me going. It is a real treat to get out on these excursions, as they are the nearest approach to home life we get over here that I miss so much. This country has treated us very well, it is difficult to judge it under wartime conditions. I will always have a soft spot for it but there is no place like home.
(*In Brittany)
R.A.F WYTON, HUNTINGTON - 5/4/1943.
We have done one trip since being back and that was to Kiel (Canal) a place with a few unpleasant memories for us. We were turned upside down on the last raid there last October. It was always been a hotspot but we got away without any serious mishaps even though we were first in. We have been to all the hottest parts on the other side so there is no reason why the next trips shouldn’t be like the first thirty. They are increasing their defences in one big way.
................... (missing pages)
R.A.F. WYTON, HUNTINGTON - 23/5/1943.
I went to Rhodesia House with Helen to see about some clothes for herself and Tony from the Royal School of Needlework, who supply almost anything in the clothing line, free of charge to wives of officers providing coupons are produced.
I went to see Ticky Baggot at Rhodesia House about getting home at the end of my trips and it looks as though everything will be arranged. It would be an easy matter for myself but Ticky said he would pull a few strings to get us back on the same boat. If this falls through I am afraid we shall have to stay for the duration, as we naturally prefer to face the risk, if any, together. Ticky wanted me to go down to Ipswich on Saturday as a guest of Sir Cecil Rodwell* and his wife, the idea being to appear at the local Wings for Victory Week. Anyway I was dead off. I am afraid rather disappointed him rather, as I am the only Rhodesian in this racket now poor Eddie Banks has gone.
We had ten air-raid warnings the first five nights which rather disturbed ones slumber. The gunfire was pretty terrific at times and on one occasion at four in the morning, one appeared to be coming too close. I went out to investigate in case it should have been necessary to dash into the shelter. Anyway the barrage must have put the wind up them as he dropped everything he had about four miles away so we heard later, but even then the windows shock. Quite a change to be on the receiving end!!
I have only another six to do now and shan’t be at all sorry when they are over. It will take some time for my nerves to settle down after all this, all my pals but two have gone which doesn’t help matters very much. It has been a great experience in spite of everything and I shouldn’t like to have missed it.
Thank you very much for sending the photographs, Father which also arrived today. They are jolly good but the only snag is that they make me feel so homesick.
(*Governor of Southern Rhodesia).
R.A.F. WYTON, HUNTINGTON - 29/5/1943.
I haven’t done a single thing since coming back from leave, but I hope to get cracking and finish the remaining six very soon. The snag at the moment is that they have pushed our navigator to another squadron, we have been together since O.T.U. We are very fed up but couldn’t do a thing about it. Let us hope his successor is as good.
Please give all the family our love, we hope to see you soon. Look after yourselves.
All our love.
Your loving son,
Ian.
ORAFs extends it thanks to John Meikle for allowing us to share this with our readers. It is hoped in time that we will be able to add some photographs to the article. Thanks to Bob Manser for initiating this.
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