Chapter 5 Brest Sorties; Ferry Fame; Against Rommel; Desert Stooge

TWO Australians were decorated for their magnificent work against the heavily defended German battle-cruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau, which, after prowling over the Atlantic, had taken shelter in Brest, France. Other Australians bombed the naval vessels and also took a notable part in the combined fighter-bomber-coastal-command attacks when, with the Prinz Eugen, they escaped to Kiel in February 1942.

Pilot Officer Eugene Hugh O'Neill, of Melbourne, was awarded the D.F.C. for operations which included the attacks on the Gneisenau and Scharnhorst. O'Neill was captain of an aircraft at the time, and despite the most intense anti-aircraft fire, he displayed splendid airmanship throughout the operation, and was a great support to his leader.

On a previous occasion his aircraft was attacked over the North Sea on the outward journey towards a target at Bremen. As a result of the engagement, his aircraft suffered severe damage, the elevator being jammed, the wings and tailplane being damaged, and the air speed indicator being put out of action. Although compelled to abandon his mission, O'Neill skilfully flew his bomber back to base, where he made a successful landing. On 26 occasions he had acted as captain of aircraft, and had at all times shown outstanding courage and determination.

O'Neill, who was born in Melbourne in 1913, received his elementary flying training in Australia, and his service flying training in Canada, under the Empire air training scheme.

Pilot Officer Norman Worsley Richardson, like O'Neill an Empire air scheme trainee, who was born in Queensland, was also awarded the D.F.C. for his part in attacking the Scharnhorst and Gneisenau in the face of 'a terrific barrage.

The official citation stated that Richardson set a splendid example of courage and determination during the attack on the battle-cruisers as, with the cruiser Prinz Eugen, they were escaping to Kiel. Displaying great perseverance, he located the vessels off the Belgian coast and pressed home his attacks.

While maneuvering to attack the Gneisenau, Richardson was wounded in the arm by a fragment of shell, but undeterred, he flew on and dived to within 400 feet of the Gneisenau to release his bombs, which fell just in advance of the vessel's prow. Although his aircraft was twice hit by anti-aircraft fire, Richardson flew back to his base.

Pilot Officer Eric George Delancey Jarman, another Queenslander, was awarded the D.F.C. for his courage, coolness and determination in a nightmare bombing raid on Cologne.

While over the target, the aircraft of which Jarman was captain was hit by flack, and the front gunner, the wireless operator, and the navigator were wounded. Jarman, however, persisted *in his attack, and bombs were dropped on the target.

While Jarman was returning home, he discovered that fire from the ground had damaged his bomb-rack mechanism, and one of the bombs had failed to leave the rack and was still hanging from the aircraft. Jarman accordingly set a course over the North Sea with a view to jettisoning the unwanted explosive. On the way he was attacked by an enemy fighter and, in the ensuing combat, the rear gunner was killed and the second pilot was wounded.

The German fighter added to the damage which the bomber had already suffered from A.A. fire over Cologne, but by great skill, Jarman controlled his aircraft and made a safe landing in Britain, although the undercarriage could not be lowered.

The official citation comments-"In the face of extremely harassing circumstances, Jarman displayed great courage, coolness, and determination. He has completed many sorties against heavily defended targets."

Before he enlisted in the R.A.A.F. in September 1940, Jarman lived at Rockhampton, Queensland. He was trained in Australia, Canada, and Great Britain. He is aged 27.

Pilot Officer John Robert Nassau Molesworth, an Australian attached to a R.A.F. bomber squadron, was awarded the D.F.C. for his attacks in complete disregard of danger on military targets at Eindhoven, Holland, knowing that his guns were out of action. Molesworth is 30 years of age. He enlisted in the R.A.A.F. from Coleraine,. Victoria, in September 194o, and was trained in the United Kingdom.

On the outward journey to Germany, Molesworth's gunner informed him that his guns were not working, but despite the danger of interception by enemy fighters, Molesworth kept on his course and delivered his attack. Over Eindhoven, he dived to within 2,000 feet of the aerodrome to release his bombs. On the return journey, the defenceless. aircraft was attacked by an enemy fighter. The instrument panel was shot away, the wireless and hydraulics were made useless, a big hole was torn in the floor of the cockpit, and the bomber was riddled with bullets.

By great skill, Molesworth shook off the fighter, and with his starboard engine dead, crossed the English coast at an altitude of only 700 feet, and gradually losing: more height. He landed with undercarriage retracted.

Pilot Officer Gordon Sweeney, who was a Salvation Army officer before enlisting in the R.A.A.F., gained the D.F.C. for a brilliant attack, in May 1942, on an aircraft factory at Warnemunde. Sweeney was captain of an aircraft. Playing a skilful game of hide and seek with a battery of enemy searchlights, he swooped low on the target, and released his bombs on two buildings about which aircraft were dispersed. Other hits were scored on three adjacent sheds.

"Sweeney left nothing to chance," the citation stated. "He took his bomber down so low that some of his crew thought it was on fire as it skimmed the flames and smoke caused by the explosion of his bombs. Throughout the operation, Sweeney and his navigator displayed great team work, skill and undaunted courage. Little damage was suffered by the bomber, which was flown safely back to base."

Pilot Officer William Lloyd Brill, 26, of Grong Grong, New South Wales, won the D.F.C. for leading a resolute attack on the Gnome-Rhone aircraft engine factory near Paris in the first half of this year. He was a farmer at Matong, in his home State, when he enlisted in the R.A.A.F. in November 1940

In spite of bad weather and poor visibility, Brill's crew located the target and flew low to make sure that their bombs registered. The bomber was hit in a heavy curtain of flack, and was flung about in the sky, but Brill pressed home his attacks, making two more runs over the works and blasting them with bombs. In bringing his damaged aircraft back to base he did a good job of airmanship. The squadron to which he is attached has a high reputation in Britain for determination of personnel and is regarded as one of the most formidable bombing units in the British Isles.

Acting Flight Lieutenant James Catanach, 20, of Malvern, Victoria, gained the D.F.C. for gallantry on bombing raids over Germany, including successful raids on Cologne, Essen, Hamburg, Lubeck, and Lorient. He had, up to June this year, made nine attacks on targets in Germany, and on three of them had brought his aircraft back to base although it was badly damaged.

Pilot Officer Leslie Philip Oliver, 29, of Marrickville, New South Wales, who gained the D.F.C. for operations over Germany, is an air observer whose. keenness and devotion to duty were big factors in damaging raids on Hamburg, Kiel, and other German towns. He participated 'in a smashing raid on the Renault works, near Paris, in March 1942, and had completed a number of other operations in splendid fashion in spite of bad weather and formidable enemy opposition. Born at Sydney, Oliver enlisted in September 194o and received his air observer's badge in May 1941

Acting Flying Officer Francis Molyneaux Critchley, 26, of Toowoomba, is described in the citation to his D.F.C. as a coolly determined participant in 23 sorties in which he displayed outstanding ability. He took part in raids on Essen, Bremen, Kiel, Poissy, and Hamburg in extremely bad weather and risky circumstances, and three times the safe return of his aircraft was mainly due to his efforts. Critchley, who was born in England, lived at Toowoomba at the time of his enlistment in the R.A.A.F. in October 1940.

0NE of the men who helped to establish the Atlantic bomber ferry which, early in the war, enabled Britain to reinforce her bomber strength from United States factories, was a notable Australian airman trained at Point Cook. He is credited with having ferried two bombers from the United States to Britain on consecutive days.

He is Acting Wing Commander Donald Clifford Tyndall Bennett, a Queensland born member of -he R.A.F., and he was awarded the D.S.O. for courage, initiative and devotion to duty of the highest order in a night attack on the German naval base at Trondheim Fjord, Norway, in April 1942.

Bennett was born at Toowoomba in 1910 and is married. He received his elementary flying training at Point Cook, and subsequently joined the R.A.F. on a short term commission. He returned to Australia in 1935, and on the journey home he wrote The Complete Air Navigator which became a standard and widely-read work on air navigation. Returning to England, Bennett linked up with Imperial Airways and was one of the company's captains. In the aircraft Mercury, he made the then world record long distance seaplane flight and afterwards, using the same aircraft, he made the first British pay-load crossing of the Atlantic. In 1939 he was awarded the Oswald Watt gold medal in recognition of his aviation feats in the Mercury. This medal is an annual award by the Associated Aero Clubs of Australia to the Australian-born pilot performing the outstanding aviation feat of the year.

When the war came, Bennett was loaned by British Overseas Airways Corporation to the R.A.F. for the purpose of making flights involving the transport of high officers. Some time later, he was sent to the United States, and helped to organize the Atlantic bomber ferry service to the United Kingdom. As flying superintendent of the ferry service, Bennett is credited with leading the first formation to Britain in 1940

It is claimed that he once flew a Hudson from the United States to England nine hours, spent an hour in England, flew back to America as a sleeping passenger. and then flew another Hudson to Britain the next day.

Although Bennett won a high reputation in aviation circles as a flying boat pilot, it is noteworthy that the award of the D.S.O. was for land aircraft bomber work, thus emphasizing his great versatility. His feat was as follows

Bennett was captain, and Sergeant Harry Walmsley, R.A.F., was second pilot, of an aircraft which bombed Trondheim naval base by night in April. In face of a dense curtain of anti-aircraft fire, they pressed home their attack at a very low altitude. They were hit by ground fire, and the bomber caught alight. Bennett and Walmsley were forced to bale out and landed safely, although in enemy territory. German soldiers and police pursued them, but both escaped over snow-clad mountains into Sweden. For his part in the exploit, Walmsley was awarded the D.F.M.

Acting Flight Lieutenant Allan Roy Mulligan, of Bingara, New South Wales, attached to the R.A.F., gained the D.F.C. for low-flying attacks on the Dortmund-Ems Canal in August 1940-
Mulligan dropped his bombs from 150 feet, displaying the utmost skill, determination, courage, and devotion to duty in pressing home the attack in spite of intense opposition from the ground and knowledge of the hot reception awaiting him over this area.

Mulligan had carried out a total Of 23 operational flights and had at all times set an excellent example to other pilots by his enthusiasm keenness, and courage. His work as an operational pilot was outstanding.

Mulligan was 25 when he gained his award. He joined the R.A.A.F. in July 1936, and a year later sailed for England on a short service commission with the R.A.F.

Acting Flight Lieutenant Thomas Henry Boylan, of Newcastle, New South Wales, gained the D.F.C. after 22 night operations over Germany and enemy territory. He had carried out bombing raids, attacks on canals, and other hazardous operations in spite of severe enemy opposition and under difficult weather conditions' with invariable resolution and skill. By his efficiency and determination he set a splendid example to other members of his squadron.

He was 25 when he gained the award. He entered Point Cook in January 1937, and next year went to England on a short service commission with the R.A.F.

Flying Officer George Richard Taylor, of Hawthorn, Victoria, gained the D.F.C. after 32 flights as captain of aircraft. He had many times found his target in spite of adverse weather and severe enemy opposition. His devotion to duty and determination in pressing home his attacks were most praiseworthy. He had always shown a high degree of courage, and was a thoroughly determined young officer who set an excellent example to the squadron.

Only 22 at the time he received the award, Taylor entered Point Cook at the beginning of 1937, and in January 1938 went to England on a short service commission with the R.A.F.

Flying Officer Augustus Rodney Gibbes, of Young, New South Wales, gained the D.F.C. for a long record of day and night attacks on Germany and Norway. On May 20, 1940, he pressed home a reconnaissance operation on targets in such a determined way that he was heavily engaged by anti-aircraft fire, and both his front and rear gunners were wounded.

He had a personal record of seven long sweeps, one night reconnaissance over Germany, and 18 bombing operations, including daylight attacks on Heligoland and Bergen, and a dawn and dusk attack on Stavanger. Throughout he showed persistent determination and outstanding courage, often in the face of extremely unpleasant conditions.

Gibbes, who was 25 years of age when he gained the decoration, entered Point Cook in July 1936, and went to England on a short service commission a year later.

THE story of the R.A.A.F. in the Middle East is predominantly, but by no means entirely, the story of one famous fighter squadron which, on arrival from Australia, was equipped with the old Gauntlet and Gladiator fighter aircraft, and is still in the front of the desert battle with the most up-to-date fighter-bombers.

January 1941 saw No. 3 squadron fighting in the Western Desert as an important unit in the war against the Italian air force and army. As the great advance developed, the superiority of the Australian and R.A.F. squadrons became more and more apparent, and the officers and men of No- 3 showed from the very beginning that dash, enthusiasm and bravery which were the characteristic features of their subsequent manifold operations. By January 13 the squadron had gained its first decoration.

The squadron went the whole way forward with the Imperial forces, and carried on in conditions which demanded the most from the men. Supplies were not easily come by, and although the hard winter in Libya made really intensive operations extremely difficult, success followed success in the air. By April the squadron was involved in the first general withdrawal from Cyrenaica. In spite of the difficulties involved in changing landing grounds and in moving equipment, the Australians put up their first record by shooting down 18 enemy aircraft in two days, a feat which was all the more remarkable in view of the fact that German aircraft were making their first appearance in force over the North African battlefields.

By this time, the Gauntlets and Gladiators had been generally superseded by Hurricanes. The Australians were continually in the news, but their outstanding successes were only shadows of what were to follow in the summer of 11941: and the winter Of 1942. By the time the Syrian campaign opened, the squadron had been re-equipped with Tomahawk fighters. Co-operating closely with the Allied land forces, the Australians met with new successes, and by the time the campaign was over, they were well the way to their 100th enemy aircraft shot down.

Back in the Western Desert, the Australians prepared for the great offensive that was to be launched in the middle of November.

Throughout the summer of 1941 large numbers of Australian flying and ground personnel had come to the Middle East Command, and they fought side by side with their colleagues from Britain, Canada, South Africa, and New Zealand. These met'. were to number among the most famous of all airmen.

The great offensive into Libya started at first light on November 18, 1941, and the R.A.F. and R.A.A.F. were right in the heat of the battle. It was a hard fight, but from the beginning the Allied air forces were able to establish superiority over the Luftwaffe and Regia Aeronautica. Only a few weeks had elapsed when No- 3 registered its 100th "kill". To mark the occasion,. the squadron was presented with a captured swastika flag.

The great advance continued as the army pursued the retreating enemy beyond Benghazi to the El Agheila Gap. Enemy air opposition became gradually less, and the fighters and bombers had a hey-day of ground strafing and low-level attacks on enemy columns. It was said at the time that the only comparable action was the merciless attacks by the Luftwaffe on the Imperial troops evacuating Greece.

Once again the Australians were moved in the general withdrawal as Rommel's armoured forces passed eastwards from El Agheila towards the African coast and Egypt. As always, it was a fighting retreat for the air forces, and the havoc they wrought on the advancing enemy units was considerable. The Germans took much punishment before the line was stabilized for a few uneasy months along the Gazala. Bir Hacheim line. On February 14 the Australians and a squadron of the R.A.F. gave the Axis air forces the biggest drubbing they had ever received in a single combat when, without loss to themselves, 2o German and Italian aircraft were shot down in combat.

Days of fighter escort duties and ground strafing followed, as both sides prepared for the great battles that were to begin at the end of May 1942. With the advent of fighter-bombers, it was inevitable that the vast experience of the Australian fighter squadrons should be called on. With this new type of aircraft, regarded as infinitely more deadly and maneuverable than the German dive bomber, they carried out systematic destruction along the enemy supply lines. Even when the military situation deteriorated, and a withdrawal into Egypt became necessary, the good work was continued, the squadrons operating under the most trying conditions, but keeping up an offensive that grew in weight and ferocity.

When the German advance had been halted at El Alamein, the air forces in the Western Desert did not let up, and a feature of recent air operations has been the activities of the fighters and bombers, so many of which are flown by Australian personnel.

Of recent weeks news has been released of the first all-Australian bomber unit in the Middle East. Equipped with medium day-bomber aircraft, they are operating with R.A.F. long-range fighters against enemy coastal traffic skirting the North African coast from Tobruk to Mersa Matruh with supplies for the Axis advanced forces. These attacks have been most successful, and a large proportion of the enemy's lighters has been sunk, so far without loss of a single Australian pilot or crew member.

From a small beginning, the Australian Air Force personnel in the Middle East has grown to a fighting force of the first calibre, and with eyes pardonably on the campaign nearer Australia, still continues to fight with the verve and determination which are synonymous with R.A.A.F. in the Middle East.

FOUR Australian pilots "stooging" over the Western Desert near Rabia on November i9l 1941, opened the story of R.A.A.F. participation in the desert battles in characteristic fashion. Out of the blue, 17 Italian CR42s dived on the Australians, and in the hectic encounter which followed, three Italians bit the dust and three others were probably destroyed. One Australian aircraft, piloted by Squadron Leader Peter Ronald Heath, of Melbourne, was lost.

The first Australian Middle East squadron - No.3 - reached an African Mediterranean port late in August 1940. They did not imagine that in less than 112 months they were to be known as the famous Australian Middle East fighter squadron. In the ensuing months, against overwhelmingly strong enemy air power, they fought on doggedly, defending Australian and Empire troops from the attacks of German and Italian bombers. Fighting in the air to-day beside them are other Australian squadrons, just as famous for their exploits in the air in fighters, bombers and army co-operation aircraft.

The first stages of the operations of the first Australian squadron in the Middle East were completed as an army co-operation squadron unit, providing air protection for forward land forces. One flight was equipped with Lysanders, and two with Gloster Gladiators. The Lysanders had a speed range from 50 to 230 miles an hour, and pilot and observer-gunner sat back-to-back. It was their duty to spot for the A.I.F. artillery and radio back the result of shooting, and the position of targets.

The Gladiators acted as close support fighters. There were some Gauntlets, whose primary purpose was to act as dive bombers. Three months later, the Gladiator and Gauntlet flights moved to the Western Desert, and began operations by reconnoitering Italian positions. Brilliant work done in this period helped lay the foundation for the masterly advance of Empire troops in Libya.

Later, in the withdrawal of the Empire forces, the R.A.A.F. men carried out vigorous land strafing and bombing attacks on the enemy, and were soon known to the Italians as the toughest air force in the desert area.

Early in January 1941, the Air Force joined the Army in intensive preparations for the final assault on Bardia, and during these preparations, R.A.A.F. pilots, again flying single seater Gladiators, dominated the skies.

Perturbed by the reverses their squadrons suffered at every meeting with the Australians, the Italians stayed on the ground, and the Allied troops, always sure of superb top cover, and untroubled by low-level strafing or dive-bombing, soon gained the highest confidence in the skill and daring of their own airmen.

When Bardia was invested, it was under cover of a fighter screen which kept the enemy air forces at a safe distance.

Thus, the R.A.A.F. was forced-not unwillingly-to go in search of the enemy over his own territory. There they repeated the story of complete air mastery. The greater the odds, the better they seemed to like the fight. Even when the Italian Air Force was stiffened by crack Messerschmitt aircraft and German pilots, the Australians carried on the offensive tradition, and after nearly six months' continuous fighting, they had destroyed 54 enemy aircraft and probably destroyed or damaged 5o others. Besides this, untold damage had been done to the enemy's supplies and equipment.

In progressive stages from mid-January, No. 3 R.A.A.F. squadron had been rearmed with Hurricane fighters, and with these machines it fought a classic rearguard action, covering the withdrawal of Imperial troops from Benghazi. In a single engagement, it brought down 14 German bombers for the loss of two Hurricanes. In this phase of the desert fighting, the airmen had a stupendous task to perform. Under difficult flying conditions they carried out offensive patrols, interceptions and strafing sorties, abandoning their bases only when the enemy was at the heels of the withdrawing forces.

During its rest in April, the squadron was again re-equipped, this time with American Tomahawks. Becoming operational again in June, it displayed its usual dash and initiative and contributed largely to the quick victory in Syria, which campaign is dealt with in another section of this work.

Returning again to North Africa, No.3, with other R.A.A.F. squadrons, is still carrying on, a thorn in the side of the enemy. The excellence of their work is due to their own tenacity and to the magnificent work being done in the most appalling conditions by the ground staff, who live in holes in the ground alongside their aircraft, "keeping them flying" at any cost of comfort and rest to themselves. A squadron commander returned to Australia from the Middle East attributed the success of Australian pilots to the fact that they never let go. The same may be said with equal truth of the army of ground workers. In spirit, they fly with their pilots.

As an instance of the pilots' devotion to duty, it is recorded that during the Imperial withdrawal, orders were received to burn the aircraft at an Australian base and move off without delay, as a German mechanized unit was in the vicinity. The ground staff packed up and left, but the pilots stood by their beloved machines, preferring to take a chance on a take-off in pitch darkness to destroying their Hurricanes.
The Germans missed the base, and at the first flush of dawn the pilots flew off to their new base, and returned immediately to blast the enemy in his advance.

By July 1941, in eight months of operational flying, it was estimated that the Australians in the Middle East (which includes Syria) had destroyed 195 enemy aircraft. No.3 R.A.A.F. squadron claimed 85 of those destroyed, and 82 of those classed as probables, or damaged.

In September 1941, the Australians again re-entered the active war zone in the Western Desert. In its first engagement a Tomahawk squadron destroyed eight enemy aircraft on the ground and damaged a twin-engined Junkers dive bomber in a low flying attack on a line-up of 50 enemy machines on a landing ground. The Australians lost two machines to anti-aircraft fire.

In the lull in ground operations at this time, the Australian squadrons were busy making offensive patrols, and flew almost daily over Tobruk. In a spectacular dogfight over the town on November 25, 1941, conducted to the cheers of the A.I.F. below, R.A.A.F. pilots, combining with men of the R.A.F., shot down io enemy planes. About 6o enemy aircraft, composed of Junkers 87s, Messerschmitt 109s and 110s, Italian G50s and CR42s, were attacked by 20 Tomahawks. The bag of enemy aircraft comprised four Me 110s, one Me 109, two G50s, one CR42, and two Fieseler Storchs.

The two last mentioned were shot down by an Australian sergeant pilot who found himself alongside the Messerschmitts after he had broken formation to chase a 110. When his ammunition ran out, he continued the fight with his -38 revolver. While the dogfight was going on, the Stukas ran for home, and it was a great relief to the ground forces to be thus relieved of the unpleasant attentions of this most unwelcome form of attack. They later expressed their relief in a message of thanks to the squadron.

Early in the New Year of 1942, some of the Australians were again re-equipped, this time with American Kittyhawk fighters, which were in advance of the Tomahawk, and signalized the change-over by destroying five enemy aircraft near Jedabaya on New Year's Day. Two other enemy aircraft were probably destroyed, and half a dozen more were damaged. The encounter again saved Imperial troops from a dive-bombing attack by Stukas, for when they saw the Kittyhawks they jettisoned their bombs and streaked for home, with the Messerschmitt top cover following suit.

A Queensland sergeant pilot also streaked for the Nazis' home field, and arriving there before the Stukas and their escort, he "stooged around" in the clouds. The Messerschmitts were the first to arrive. The Queensland sergeant allowed them to make two circuits, and then dived from 3,000 feet. He destroyed one, probably destroyed another, and damaged a third in his dive. By this time the Junkers were landing at a satellite field about two miles away, so he went over there. just as four of them were about to land,, he poured a fierce burst into them, hitting the first and the last and overshooting the middle two. "They could not have known what hit them," he said in a report to his squadron.

Less than a week later, in almost the same spot, the Kittyhawk squadron, outnumbered by more than five to one, put a mixed bag of 50 German and Italian aircraft to flight, after shooting down seven of the enemy. In just over a week the new Kittyhawks, had shot down 13 of the enemy. The total bag of the squadron was fast approaching the double century. Before many days were over, it was to reach this goal.