99 Squadron, Royal Air Force
1939 to 1945
99 Squadron flew its last sorties as a Bomber Squadron from its Waterbeach base in the United Kingdom on the 18th and 19th of January 1942. The Squadron was then despatched to India, where, upon its eventual arrival, a little confusion reigned over the Squadron’s future role and location.
As a consequence, not much happened during that summer of 1942. The inactivity led to doubts and rumours which eventually ended when the Squadron made a move from Pandaveswar to a “permanent” (or perhaps more precisely, less impermanent) base at Digri. Even then, the airfield and aircraft maintenance facilities were incomplete to the extent that it was necessary to make use of an Advanced Landing Ground at Fenni for aircraft to be refuelled. The Squadron’s first operational sorties in India took place on 18th November 1942.
Operations in India were very different from those over mainland Europe. Coping with the long distances, the monsoon weather and the inhospitable territory made enormous demands on men and aircraft alike. In S/Ldr Bert Edgerley’s words:
“For the air crews, flying over Burma was, to say the least, hazardous and proved to be a continual struggle with nature. Most of the time the weather conditions were the worst to be found anywhere in the world……Burma is predominantly a mountainous country with thick jungle, consequently some targets were notoriously difficult to find, none more so than the airfield at Heho.”
India was also at the end of a very long logistics chain, added to which it came fairly low on the supplies pecking order. As a consequence, much of that which was taken for granted in Europe – reasonably decent food, moderately available supplies and spare parts for aircraft – rarely took hold in India. For those charged with keeping the kites flying, “cleaning up” after an aircraft came down therefore was not only a matter of good housekeeping policy in a foreign land, but an essential activity if a supply of parts was to be maintained to keep aircraft serviceable. This was the role of the Repair and Salvage Units, about which not much has been written.
This article aims, in a very small way, at addressing the lack of written material. It’s the story of Wellington “U” HE106 of 99 Squadron, its crew’s difficulties in navigating home after successfully finding and bombing Heho airfield towards the end of November in 1942, and its subsequent crash landing and ensuing rescue by a team from 123 Repair and Salvage Unit (R&SU). The Sergeant in charge of the rescue team was there on detachment – from 99 Squadron.
From the Operations Record Books, 99 Squadron:
25.11.1942
“Seven crews were detailed to attack the enemy aerodrome at HEHO, with alternative targets of MEIKTILA SATELLITE and AKYAB. All crews were bombed up at SALBANI and flew to FENNI for refuelling, conditions at the latter station being found to be generally improved. All crews found the primary target and attacked through some cloud, with the exception of P/O ALLEN, who went on to the secondary target of MEIKTILA SATELLITE and attacked that.
F/Sgt DOBSON, [Wellington “U” HE 106 – ed.] on his first sortie as Captain of aircraft, having lost his bearings and being short of fuel, force landed 2 miles ESE MIDNAPORE in a dried up river bed, with no injuries to personnel and only slight damage to the aircraft.”
And from the detail in the Ops Record Books…….
25.11.42
Wellington “U”.
Duty: He-
Crew: F/Sgt Dobson, Sgts Groocock, Nicholson, Fletcher, Lillie, Westcott.
“Primary target attacked from 11,000’. Results not observed. This aircraft force-
Flight Sergeant Dobson and his crew resumed flying duties three days later with an
attack on Akyab aerodrome, a testimony to his skill in a wheels-
From the Operations Record Books, No. 123 Repair and Salvage Unit:
“Salboni 28.11.42 1 Sgt, 9 ACs proceeded by road to Midnapore on crash duties (Wellington HE 106)”
“Salboni 16.12.1942 1 Sgt, 9 ACs returned to Unit from Midnapore (Salvage work on Wellington HE 106). This aircraft had crash landed on sand bank in middle of river and salvage difficulties included cutting of river bank and making approach road of sleepers.”
123 R&SU ceased to exist at the end of December 1942. Its role and personnel were absorbed into 135 R&SU, also based at Salboni (Salbani). HE106 therefore then fell into the care of 135 R&SU.
From the Operations Record Books, No. 135 Repair and Salvage Unit:
“Salbani Jan 12 1943. Entrain Wellington HE 106 for Lahore.”
Lahore was the home of No. 307 Maintenance Unit. What became of HE 106 after arrival at Lahore is not known. There is no documentation regarding HE 106 in 307 MU’s Ops Record Books. Although the damage to the aircraft was fairly slight, it may well have been cannibalised to provide parts for other aircraft.
The following is an edited and abridged account of the salvage of HE 106 provided by the NCO in charge of its rescue, my late father 620889 Sgt. T Bond. On detachment from 99 Squadron, it was his first such operation with 123 R&SU. He was 24 years old.
Thursday November 26
Just got the gen on a Wimpy which crashed coming back from ops last night – looks as though we may get called out, although it sounds like it’s mainly a job for riggers. Seems that another kite crashed somewhere near the border but haven’t had any gen on that yet.
Friday November 27
Received instruction to go out to the crash near Midnapore. According to the gen received it looks like being a long job and a hard job.
Saturday November 28
Packed two lorries and the jeep and set out to find the crash. Left camp at 10.15 after organising all the tackle etc and found the aircraft at 13.15. Unloaded the lorries, and sent them back keeping the jeep for myself. Decided to run into Khargpur for dinner (2 parties). Upon leaving, about half mile from where we had parked the tools, the jeep skidded going round bend and bounced down a bank 30’ deep. I managed to jump out as the jeep left the road. Everyone uninjured thank God & even the jeep was undamaged. Had a helluva job getting it back on the road but after much struggling we managed it by 16.30.
Wednesday December 2
Back on the job again arriving 10.15. Luckily the boys were playing the game as
I found them all hard at it. We unloaded the jacks and set to getting it out. What
a job we had but with great perseverance and a big struggle we managed to get it
lifted up by 14.00 hrs. Cookie and B……. had not shown up with the rations so yours
truly cooked the lads’ dinner -
No wonder Sergeants die out here.
Friday December 11
Queen Mary and crane came down today at 11.30 hrs. Both took quite a time to get into position owing to the width of the sleepers. W/O D……. and F/Sgt McD….. arrived and at once work ceased through their ideas of how things should be done. And so the Q.M. and the crane went back.
However although we didn’t get a load away we did quite a good job removing the nacelles and centre section.
Saturday December 12
Loaded on mainframes and made a quite successful journey to the station. Had a grim time loading especially when one mainframe got out of control and went swinging through the air rather dangerously.
However we won through thanks to providence.
Monday December 14
Set to work on the big task lifting and loading the fuselage. The nose was hoisted
and the tail dragged slowly round. The rope creaked and groaned and several times
and I thought she was going over, complete with crane. Eventually after much sweating
and swearing we got her on the much too small Queen Mary. Arrived at the station
without mishap, slung her ready to lift off, the crane lifted then bump – the rope
broke and down she came crashing. Luckily no-
Wednesday December 16
Packed up everything trunks etc and returned to base, arriving just after tiffin. Sorted out kit etc, straightened up bunk, washed and changed and reported to CO. He was pleased with the job. He thought the job would be at least another three weeks before completion. I was pleased too as this was my first job and although snags came every day, the gang came on top with flying colours and we had had a good time in the bargain.
