RAF Lissett ~ 158 Squadron
Originally required as Satellite Airfield for RAF Catfoss the Land was requisitioned in 1940. Although constrained by 3-Roads and the Gransmoor Drain the Builders constructed a standard 3-Runway Bomber Airfield. It had 2-Hangars, 36-Dispersals & 3-Concrete Runways.
Lissett opened in February 1943 & No.158 Squadron RAF arrived from RAF Rufforth to be the Resident Squadron on 28th February. 158 Squadron was a Heavy Bomber Squadron equipped with the 4-Engined Handley Page Halifax. The Squadron flew the 1st Operational Mission on the Night of 11/12th March 1943 when 10-Aircraft were Flown to Stuttgart. One Aircraft failed to return. The Squadron carried out Operations up to the end of the War from Lissett. Apart from a few weeks in early 1944, only 158 Squadron operated out of the Station, which was unusual for an RAF Base. Over the course of the 2-years 158 Squadron was Stationed there they completed 250-Missions, suffering the Loss of 144-Aircraft, either destroyed in Combat or in Accident. In addition, 851 of the Squadron’s Airmen were Lost in the War.
Lissett Airfield (RAF Lissett) 280 km North of London.
The Airfield was built during 1942 as a Class A Bomber Airfield for Bomber Command’s No.4 Group, featuring 36 Pan-type Dispersals and 2-T2 Hangars. Facilities arranged around the Airfield were capable of handling 1800 personnel. The 1st Unit at the Airfield was 158 Squadron, originally a Halifax Bomber Unit from RAF Rufforth.
NP-F 158 Sqdn Halifax Bomber Crew (RAF Lissett May 1943, Gill, Brooker, Hardy, Walters, Page, Bates, Davies (kneeling)
The Air Crew of Halifax NP-F were assembled at 1663 HCU Rufforth
R121529 – Archie Vernon Hardy, DFC, DFM (Pilot RCAF)
1268630 – H Robert (or M) Bates, (Wireless Operator)
658724 – Bernard Chapman Brooker, DFC & Bar (Bomb Aimer – KIA)
935690 – Eric McHugh Davies, Air Gunner, (KIA as Rear Gunner)
1333854 – Robert Henry James Gill, DFM (Air Gunner – Rear & Upper)
1270918 – Arthur George Page, DFM (Flight Engineer)
1288666 – John Graham Walters, DFM (Navigator)
(Also The Air Crew of 35 Squadron Graveley Flying Lancaster ND734?, TL-H)
In August 1942 35-Squadron was one of the 5-Squadrons selected to create the Pathfinder Force. The Squadron was Based at RAF Graveley. When the Pathfinder Force was enlarged 35-Squadron was a part of the newly designated No.8 Group. Lancaster I & IIIs arriving on 15th August 1942
The 158 Squadron participated in Main Force Operations during 1943 and at the end of that year, its C-Flight was used to form a new Squadron to be Based at RAF Leconfield. The Squadron continued to Operate until the end of the War and participated in 250 Raids during which it Lost over 144-Halifaxes from Crashes or Enemy fire.
Their Final Operation was Flown 2-Weeks before the end of the War. 158 Squadron was transferred to Transport Command on 7th May 1945 (VE Day) and began to convert to Stirling Mk V Transports. When the Squadron was ready for their new Role, they moved to RAF Stradishall. Lissett was then put on Care & Maintenance Status with only a small Caretaker Staff remaining. Care & Maintenance ended by the end of the year and the Airfield was abandoned.
Sergeant D Cameron, the Pilot of Handley Page Halifax B Mark II, HR837 ‘NP-F’, of No.158 Squadron, poses with 2 of his crew amidst the damage caused when it was hit by a falling Bomb from another Aircraft while Raiding Cologne on the night of 28/29th June 1943. In spite of the severe damage to the Fuselage, none of the Crew were injured and Cameron managed to Fly HR837 back to the Squadron’s Base…
Copyright: © IWM. Original Source: http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205090435
The Crew of this 158 Squadron Aircraft took off from Lissett during the evening of 28th June 1943 to undertake an Ooperational Flight to Bomb Cologne. The Aircraft was attacked by an Enemy Aircraft on the approach to the Target area and was slightly damaged, the Pilot took evasive action and the Night-Fighter was lost. While over the Target area this Aircraft was Flying below other Bombers that were releasing their Bomb Load and one 1,000-lb Bomb released by an Aircraft above struck the Fuselage of HR837 NP-F just in front of the Mid-Upper Turret and passed right through the Halifax. The Mid-Upper Turret was damaged and despite the huge hole that was left in the Aircraft the Crew were able to bring it back to England. The Aircraft was repaired and went onto to serve with 1656 HCU until early 1945. The photo is one of a number of photographs showing members of the Crew standing in the Hole in the Fuselage.
Pilot – Sgt Douglas Charles Cameron RAFVR (1318221) Top-Centre
Navigator – Sgt John Frederick George Lane RAFVR (1388812)
Bomb Aimer – Name unknown.
Wireless Operator – Sgt Hardwick (Possibly Sgt Robert Edward Hardwick RAFVR (1325790)
Flight Engineer – Sgt Harry Hulme RAFVR (952346)
Mid Upper Gunner – Sgt Alan Kenneth Young RAFVR (1320144)
Rear Gunner – F/Sgt George Burns James Young RAAF (413068)
A Memorial Sculpture to 158 Squadron in the form of 7-No.8ft Tall Silhouetted Airmen made of 15mm thick Steel has been erected on Gransmoor Road, (RAF) Lissett to the Memory of the 851-Airmen who did not return from Operations at that Airfield. The 7 Chain Links and the Motto ‘Strength in Unity’ signify the combined Strength & Co-operation of the Aircrew & Support Staff within the Squadron. The Crew were Posted out to 35 Squadron on 21st June 1943.
Crew:
Pilot Sgt Francis Cheshire, Navigator Sgt Ralph Kirk Raper, Air Bomber Sgt Kevin Juckes, Wireless Operator F/O Donald Joseph Lawrence RAAF, Mid Upper Gunner Sgt D McMillan. Rear Gunner Sgt S J Smith, Flight Engineer Sgt D P Adamson
F/O Frank (Francis) J Cheshire RAF No.1474273 (aged 25 yrs) of Fagley, Bradford
(Awarded American Silver Star (DFC ) for Gallant support of American Ground Force Troops in Normandy) Frank received his Training at 1663 HCU at 7 Group Training Command RAF Rufforth from c.1944 Bombing/Fighter Co-op – Circuits & Bumps, Familiarisation, 3 & 2 Engine Landings, Bombing Practice, Local & Cross Country Flying. He was Operational as Fl/Sgt with 158 Squadron from 26th October 1944 during the War Flying the Halifax B Mk.III from RAF Lissett South West of Bridlington in the East Riding of Yorkshire c.1943 to August 1945. Lisset was less than, 2-miles from the North Sea and made it the closest Airbase to Northern Europe. Among its Halifax’s (and a great many passed through its hands) were 2 particularly distinguished Specimens – Halifax IIIs LV907 “NP-F-Freddy”, or Friday the 13th, as it was named, and LV917 NP-C, Clueless, which was successively designated “NP-T-Tare“, “NP-H-Harry” and “NP-C-Charlie“. These Aircraft both joined the Squadron in March 1944, and between then and V-E Day Flew 128 & 99 (at least) Operational Sorties, respectively. Both of them participated in No.158 Squadron’s final Wartime Operation – an Attack on Wangerooge on 25th April 1945.
The East Frisian Island of Wangerooge was Bombed by 482-RAF Bombers. This was the last major Allied Air Attack on German Territory during WW2. On this sunny April day not only many Military & Civilians were killed, but a large number of Forced Labourers as well.
The Wangerooge Island lies on the debouchment of the Jade River that forms the connection between the North Sea & Wilhelmshaven and is part of the Wattenmeer, the German Wadden Sea. The Island is the most Eastern of the East Frisian Island and belongs to the Land of Niedersachsen. It’s a Dune Island and measures only 8.5-kms by 1-km. There is one Village with the same name as the Island. From the 2nd half of the 19thC it became an important Seaside Resort for the well to do Civilians from Bremen & Hamburg. To this day, Tourism is an important source of Income for the Islanders. Wilhelmshaven has been an important Naval Base for 150-yrs. In 1912, when the 1st signs of the impending War appeared on the horizon, Wangerooge, being the natural Outpost in the debouchment of the Jade River that it is, received several Fortifications and other Defensive Works. Bunkers and a Coastal Battery were constructed. These works, however, did not have to prove themselves during the Great War, as the anticipated British Attack on Wilhelmshaven did not materialise. During WW2, history repeated itself. The East Frisian Island had to cope with a true Invasion of Military & Forced Labourers. These were, for the main part, Soldiers of the Kriegsmarine & Prisoners who worked for the Organisation Todt. The Navy Personnel manned the Air Defence Posts & Coastal Batteries and later in the War, the various Radar Installations. The Forced Labourers were deployed for building even more Military infrastructure. As the Allied pressure on Germany increased, German High Command again feared an Invasion of Northern Germany and the Conquest of Wilhelmshaven. The Germans therefore took measures to deter this new Front, which they expected to come about in the German Bight. To this end the Defensive measures at Wangerooge were immensely stepped up. After the successful Landing in Normandy in June 1944, reinforcing Wangerooge was declared a top priority . The number of Military Personnel on the East Frisian Island increased drastically & large numbers of Forced Labourers & other Prisoners were transported to the Island by Ship. The Prisoners were deployed in the construction of Air Defence, Coastal Battery Foundations, Bunkers, Air Raid Shelters & other Military Fortifications
Frank Cheshire also moved to 35-Squadron RAF Graveley and took part in Operation Lancaster – a Goodwill Visit Tour to the USA in 1946.
Lancaster TL-L – TW892 His Aircrew then – A J Simpson (Navigator), F/O K C Juckes (Navigator II from Bradford), J Wyer (Signaller), E A Gardner (Gunner), F Hulbert (Gunner)
This Photograph is signed by 12 RAF Personnel from 10, 35, 76, 158, & 426 Squadrons including 2-Awarded the DFC. The Farmers seem to be Recruiting Airmen.
Pilot: Flt Sgt John Hadyn Evans 158 Squadron, Lisset
T E Johnson? DFC 169100 601 Squadron?
Peter O’Brien?, 426 (Thunderbird) Squadron, Linton-on-Ouse
Flt/Lt ‘Bluey’ Herbert Neville Mottershead MBE, DFC Former President of 158 Sqdn Association d.1st Nov 2015 aged 92
J White? 158 Squadron
Kevin E Slack ? 158 Squadron
G French 76 Squadron, RAF Holme-on-Spalding Moor
F R Mamisier?, 10 Squadron, RAF Leeming Code MP-
Len McNamara DFC Story 158 Squadron Member & Rear Gunner
Warrant Officer Fred A Maltas – Flight Engineer, 35 Sqdn
Ian Hain? 35 Squadron
David H Freeman?, 35 Squadron
This Bomber KN-R was Lost on its 32nd Sortie, on 3/4th October 1943 during the Kassel Raid.
Krefeld Operation 21/22nd June 1943
“We were going to be put on this Operation but we had only just arrived at RAF Graveley that day on 35 Squadron and the Skipper persuaded them not to as they didn’t have any Flying Kit. Later found out that on this Operation 6 of the 18 Halifax’s on 35 Squadron had been Lost.