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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Aberdeenshire => Topic started by: RedMystic on Tuesday 28 June 11 21:14 BST (UK)
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Hi to all you fabulous Chatters.
I have recently come across a family letter written sometime in the first few days of 1945 that indicates that a relative who was in a badly damaged Mosquito coming back from a bombing raid over Oslo crash landed:
"six or seven miles North-West of Aberdeen ... at Peterhead."
Can someone please help me track down any newspaper coverage there may have been of a New Year's Eve 1944 crash landing? I've tried Google News Archives, but can't find anything.
In additon, I am looking for any information that may be available regarding the hospital my relative was taken to. The letter indicates:
"This is a large place with a number of different buildings - it was a lunatic asylum before the war and is now a Red Cross Naval hospital."
As I'm travelling to Scotland (from Canada) this summer, I'm also interested in your opinions as to whether the site of the hospital or the crash still exist and are worth visiting.
Thanks in advance for any assistance that can be provided.
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Have a look through here :- http://www.scotshistoryonline.co.uk/sorties.html
Regards
Malky
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Contact the Northern Health Services Archives, as they might have information about the building, and may know where it was (it sounds like possibly Kingseat, but I'm not too sure, and I'm not sure what the building is now - flats maybe?). Also, Aberdeen City & Aberdeenshire Archives may have information on incidents during the war, though of course a lot was censored (hence the apparent lack of newspaper reports at the time).
Contact Northern Health Services Archives (http://www.nhsgrampian.org/nhsgrampian/gra_display_info.jsp;jsessionid=95381B8D643355410C8B53E2844672FF?pContentID=5420&p_applic=CCC&p_service=Content.show&)
Contact Aberdeen City & Aberdeenshire Archives (http://www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/LocalHistory/archives/loc_ArchivesHomePage.asp)
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TX for that link Malky. I'm going to bookmark it for other research purposes as it looks like a good one. ;)
Unfortunately, while it does reference another crash on that same day, the one I'm looking for is a different squadron & different crash description than the one the site indicates took place at sea. My relative's flight definitely made land.
I've collected a fair bit about the mission itself & know that the 627 squadron wasn't based out of the Aberdeen-area.
Thank you for your info as well Archivos. I will check your recommended sources with respect to the hospital.
According to the experts on the Armed Forces board, the mission my relative was part of that day was very politically sensitive so you may be right that it was hushed up & not reported in the press.
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Hi Red Mystic,
If you look 7 or 8 miles NW of Peterhead (not Aberdeen)you are at Crimond. I am sure there was a wartime drome there. Yhe hospital could have been Ladysbridge at Banff. I think it is still there as a mental hospital.
JCee.
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Thank you JCee. I'll continue to dig around to see what I can find before I come.
The letter writer provides a description of what he saw on the way to the hospital. Would this align with the location you're thinking of?
"I quite enjoyed laying on the stretcher looking at the view as we came down to the hospital in an ambulance yesterday. I got the WAAF orderly to open the back so that I could enjoy the view - running very near the coast part of the time."
TX again for your insight about the area.
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One thing to note, is that RAF Peterhead was based at Longside Airfield. The regerence to "Kingseat hospital" would be correct if you check it's history.
I am digging a bit more.
Regards
Malky
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Hi Mystic Red,
Whichever hospital it was,the road runs near the coast in parts for both,so you could probably see the coast although Kingseat is well inland at Newmachar. You can Google both Kingseat and Ladysbridge. I looked at them both last night after my post. Not a lot of help as there is no mention of Military use. The Kingseat site does give a map. Both are closed now and being redeveloped. They each have some pictures and Ladysbridge site has sad tales of patient abuse. I suggest you contact ANESFHS in King St , Aberdeen or visit when you are in the area. Ann Park,a volunteer there is a mine of info on local military matters.
Jim.
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Go to :- http://www.buckieheritage.org/dates/1944.pdf
and scroll down to "Accident to naval ratings" Cluny Harbour is at Buckie.
Or, go to Google search and type in "Kingseat Royal Naval Hospital" and you will get 6 hits on the first page.
Regards
Malky
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Sincere TX Flattybasher9 / Malky. :)
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The raid was on the 31st December 1944.
The aircraft in question was the DZ633 as per your PM.
The aircraft had an interesting history.
The aircraft B MK 1V (Modified) DZ633 had been in operations with the 692 squadron. It was then transferred to 627 squadron, No 5 Group.
It arrived at Woodhall Spa 12th August 1944. 19 days later it was hit by flak over Rollencourt and sustained considerable damage. The crew managed to get it back to Woodhall Spa. It was repaired, and again hit by flak over Boulongue on the 17th September on a photo reccie mission. It managed to get back on one engine to Woodhall Spa. The Oslo (Gestapo HQ)raid took place on the 31st December. It was hit by cannon shell over the target. "Johnno" S Gaunt DFC and Flight Lt Peter Mallender DFC were flying it. They managed to get it back to "Longside" (RAF Peterhead) by performing a ground loop landing. It was repaired again and went back to service on the 12 February '45. It was struck off operations on the 30 May 1945.
Peter was administering first aid to Johnno's thigh injuries (hit by shell shrapnel) during the flight back from Oslo to Longside.
Hope that helps clarify things.
With thanks to Andy Thomas.
Regards
Malky.
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You are brilliant Malky. :-* :-* :-* Please pass on my thanks to Andy Thomas. :-* for him too.
Are you into military research? If so, I respectfully have one other question for you. Did Wallace crew the Yvonne Proudbag during or before 1943? I think that wouldhave been when he was with the 466 squadron. I have a picture with he, his pilot, and his crew in front of that plane. The only thing I've been able to figure out is that it went down in late 1943 & there is a book (written in Danish) that provides a history of the plane. Unfortunately, I don't speak Danish. ;)
You're right about the shrapnel injury. Wallace's letter says he cut off his pant leg, applied a tourniquet, and administered morphine to himself on the way back, though he didn't leave his responsibilities for navigating.
I've never heard of him being called Johonno. I will have to follow that one up. ;D
TX again.
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You are brilliant Malky. :-* :-* :-* Please pass on my thanks to Andy Thomas. :-* for him too.
Are you into military research? If so, I respectfully have one other question for you. Did Wallace crew the Yvonne Proudbag during or before 1943? I think that wouldhave been when he was with the 466 squadron. I have a picture with he, his pilot, and his crew in front of that plane. The only thing I've been able to figure out is that it went down in late 1943 (30th May 1939, 20 miles W SW of Brussels, pilot, Henry Simon Raoul Lloyd) & there is a book (written in Danish) that provides a history of the plane. Unfortunately, I don't speak Danish. ;) There is a book in Dutch written by Cyrik De Decker and Jean-Lois Roba but it's only about it's last flight.
The crew :- Sgt H.S.R.Lloyd KIA Sgt W.R.Hendon KIA Sgt A.V.Harper KIA Sgt S.C.Luke KIA Sgt W.J.Blundell KIA 'Air Battle of the Ruhr'. All killed.
Squadron 466 crew list includes W. S. Gaunt, 116793.
Regards
Malky
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TX again, Malky. You've been of tremendous assistance to me.
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Longside airfield still exists a few miles west of Peterhead - Link to9 Google maps.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=embed&hl=en&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=46.630055,87.1875&ie=UTF8&t=h&layer=c&cbll=41.890062,12.492549&panoid=07gbqMWIg_HId5m7W94qHg&cbp=12,301.45,,0,-4.23&ll=41.889579,12.49307&spn=0.002692,0.005322&z=18&utm_campaign=en&utm_medium=et&utm_source=en-et-na-us-gns-svn
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TX for that Rowana. :)
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The Hospital Records Database in the National Archives confirms that Kingseat Hospital was requisitioned as a Naval Auxilliary Hospital during WW2. Archive records are held by the Northern Health Services Archive - see here
http://www.nhsgrampian.org/nhsgrampian/gra_display_info.jsp;jsessionid=C9B5253A7B83411564C0E0F474D22964?pContentID=5420&p_applic=CCC&p_service=Content.show&
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Thank you very much for providing this link Glendaveny.
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Thanks again to all that helped me along the way with this research last year.
I came across a colourful description of the fight & the crash at this site.
http://www.627squadron.co.uk/afs-bookpartII-Inatdeepend.html
http://www.627squadron.co.uk/Sounds/Part%203%20-%20Eric%20Arthur%20627%20RAF%20Oslo%20Gestapo%20raid%201.1.45.mp3
Malky, it confirms that Wallace was called John O just as you suggested in an earlier post.
Thanks again to all.