The attack against Aalborg airfield, 13th August, 1940.
The height of the Battle of Britain, and the Luftwaffe's 'Adler Tag', on 13th August, also saw a disaster for 82 Squadron, of 2 Group, RAF.
The Squadron had been virtually wiped out, losing all 12 aircraft during a raid on Gembloux on 17th May. Now, with mainly replacement crews, the Squadron was tasked with attacking the base of KG 30, who's Ju-88's were based at Aalborg and Aalborg West, in North Jutland, Denmark.
Six aircraft from 'A' Flight departed from Watton, in Norfolk, at 08.40 hrs, led by the new CO, W/Cdr E.C. de Virac Lart, with six from 'B' Flight taking off from the satellite station at Bodney, all twelve forming up into four 'Vics' of three aircraft, setting off on the long haul over the North Sea.
Approaching the Danish coast, one Blenheim, flown by Sgt. Baron, turned back, due to shortage of fuel to complete the mission. This may have been due to the mixture being set at 'Rich', or may have been a faulty fuel gauge, but whatever the reason, the pilot was charged, and due to appear before a Courts Marshal, but was killed on another operation before the hearing could take place.
The relatively inexperienced lead navigator, plotting his course by dead reckoning using the forecast winds, was 2 degrees to starboard off course, an error which, although noticed by other navigators in the formation, could not be transmitted to the leader, because of strict radio silence. An attempt to signal by Aldis lamp went unnoticed.
This resulted in the remaining eleven aircraft making landfall at Sodervig, 50 miles south of the intended crossing point. With a 20 minute straight course to Aalborg, the defences were alerted, and the airfield 'flak' opened up as the Blenheims arrived, shooting down five aircraft over the airfield. The Bf109's of 5/JG77 shot down the remaining six aircraft.
Of the 33 crew members who reached the target, twenty were killed, and thirteen survived, some seriously injured, to become PoW's.
One crewman, Sgt. Bill Magrath, form Blenheim R2772, coded UX-T, although injured, escaped from hospital and eventually returned to England, via Spain and Gibraltar, and was subsequently award the Military Medal.
With little damage caused to Aalborg airfield, the raid was a disastrous failure. However, the courage and sacrifice demonstrated by the RAF crews did have the effect of inspiring the Danes to create a Resistance Movement in Denmark, the country having been, until then, compliant to the Nazi rule.
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The subject for my model will be Blenheim Mk.IV, Serial No. R3829, coded UX-S, flown by S/Ldr. R. Wardell, with F/Sgt. G. Moore (Obs) and Sgt. T. Girvan (Wop/AG), which was shot down in the target area. Only the pilot survived to become PoW.
The pics below show the locations of Watton, and the long route across the North Sea to Aalborg, along with a photo, from Graham Warner's book, showing the remains of R3829 with, below this, the wreckage of T1889, UX-L, the crew of which survived to become PoW's, with the pilot repatriated in 1943.
The third pic, from Airliners .Net, shows Graham Warner's Blenheim, when it flew as a Mk.IV (now a Mk1 'short nose), in the colours of R3821, UX-N of 82 Sqn, also lost on the Aalborg operation, and gives an idea of how the finished model should look.
I have a somewhat vague connection with the model subject, having been born and raised in the area of north east England that was the target for the Ju88's of KG30 during August 1940, and having flown into and out of Aalborg airport as it now is, a couple of times.
I'll make a start on this just as soon as I've finished the planning, and checking a few more internal details etc.