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RAF Groundcrew left behind

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MAINJAFAD said:
My unit has a Force Development programme going (not started by me) and one of the SAC's has been tasked to do a presentation on a topic which the actions of 33 Sqn's groundcrew on Crete would be a good example. Does anybody off the Sqn know what they did after the aircrew and aircraft were withdrawn.
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My knowledge of this isn't the best. I did attend the celebrations in Crete one year, but it was all a bit of a blur:PDT_Xtremez_14:

Crete was the first full airborne invasion which caught everybody out as they were expecting landing craft, beach assults and all of the usual carnage. Instead, the Germans dropped out of the sky all over the place so the aircraft were scrambled to do what they could and then make for safety (Mainland Greece IIRC).

The groundcrew then linked up with the remaining allied forces and fought a retreat across the island (on foot) to the coast where they were picked up by a couple of ships.

I'm not on the Sqn anymore, but I will try to get the details of the Sqn historian and PM them to you if you want.
 
TrenchardsLoveSock said:
My knowledge of this isn't the best. I did attend the celebrations in Crete one year, but it was all a bit of a blur:PDT_Xtremez_14:

Crete was the first full airborne invasion which caught everybody out as they were expecting landing craft, beach assults and all of the usual carnage. Instead, the Germans dropped out of the sky all over the place so the aircraft were scrambled to do what they could and then make for safety (Mainland Greece IIRC).

The groundcrew then linked up with the remaining allied forces and fought a retreat across the island (on foot) to the coast where they were picked up by a couple of ships.

I'm not on the Sqn anymore, but I will try to get the details of the Sqn historian and PM them to you if you want.
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Please do, TLS
 
TrenchardsLoveSock said:
Crete was the first full airborne invasion which caught everybody out as they were expecting landing craft, beach assults and all of the usual carnage. Instead, the Germans dropped out of the sky all over the place.
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One of Anthony Beevor's earlier efforts is an appraisal of Crete. The forces on the island were getting daily Enigma decodes warning of airborne assault but the leadership on the island were convinced that the main threat was from the sea and so, in classic fashion, bent their interpretation of the int to support their preconception.


TrenchardsLoveSock said:
the aircraft were scrambled to do what they could and then make for safety (Mainland Greece IIRC).
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The Empire forces had fled from Greece to Crete. Can't remember what Beevor says but probably Egypt

TrenchardsLoveSock said:
The groundcrew then linked up with the remaining allied forces and fought a retreat across the island (on foot) to the coast where they were picked up by a couple of ships.
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Beevor doesn't say much about the groundcrew but the rescue from Crete is an unsung major action by the RN. Bit more than hopping on a couple of destroyers.

Should never have happened and so nearly didn't.
 
Add 28 (AC) Sqn to your list of research subjects although I can't confirm it was definately in france at the time. The sqn colour is blue with yellow going through it. They were banished from the UK for a very long time and the reason that they were an aircrew only squadron in Hong Kong is that they weren't allowed their own groundcrew because of what happened in the past. Apparently they had to seek permission from the queen to re-form the squadron in the UK and to have groundcrew as part of the squadron.
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Must have kept it really quiet, coz I was on 28 and never heard that story.
 
HandbrakeHouse said:
Beevor doesn't say much about the groundcrew but the rescue from Crete is an unsung major action by the RN. Bit more than hopping on a couple of destroyers.
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Not to anybody who knows anything about the Royal Navy, One of the best Quotes from an Admiral comes from that action. The Eastern Med Fleet got the crap kicked out of them by Ju-87 Stukas commanded by the brother of the Red Baron. (3 cruisers and 6 destroyers were sunk, plus 17 other ships were damaged, most badly).

The quote was by Admiral Cunningham, commander of Eastern Med and it was to the army when asked if he would risk extending the evacuation another day on the 31st May 41.

"It takes the Navy three years to build a new ship. It will take three hundred years to build a new tradition. The evacuation will continue."

(The brown jobs had expected him to say no, due to the losses that the Navy had already taken).
 
...."rescue from Crete is an unsung major action by the RN".....
MAINJAFAD said:
Not to anybody who knows anything about the Royal Navy
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Perhaps I meant "not widely recognised" instead of unsung.

A question for you, MJ. The (first) time I read Beevor's account, I expected the RAF groundcrew to be painted in unfavourable tones (based on what we'd call urban myths) but in fact he says very little. Do other accounts take a different view on the robustness, or otherwise, of the stranded groundcrew's contribution?
 
Canopeners Banned?????

Canopeners Banned?????

Dave-exfairy said:
It was reputed that that happened in WW1, not WW2 and that's why 6 were banished to the far shores of the British Empire for a few decades.
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I'm disappointed that you do not know the history of your first Sqn, Dave! 6 never left any groundcrew to the fate of any German!!!! They were always based well behind German lines and only retreated with the ground crew at the begining from Belguim just after they got there in the October of 14. I can sent you a write up on the sqn from 1914 to 20 as written by a guy of the time.

A lot of Sqns stayed out in the middle east , the far east and India after WW1 to WW2 and beyond. Only 8 Sqn was ever banned!!

PS If 6 had not gone out to the middle east they would have been disbanded in 1919, not Now!!
 
Off Topic Naughty thought as I was loading the tumble drier......

MAINJAFAD said:
Admiral Cunningham, commander of Eastern Med on the 31st May 41. "It takes the Navy three years to build a new ship. It will take three hundred years to build a new tradition. The evacuation will continue."
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2007....."It takes 10 minutes on e-bay to buy some new rubber dinghies and 10 days to shaft 300 years worth of reputation".
 
I Look Like Kevin Cosner said:
I'm disappointed that you do not know the history of your first Sqn, Dave! 6 never left any groundcrew to the fate of any German!!!! They were always based well behind German lines and only retreated with the ground crew at the begining from Belguim just after they got there in the October of 14. I can sent you a write up on the sqn from 1914 to 20 as written by a guy of the time.

A lot of Sqns stayed out in the middle east , the far east and India after WW1 to WW2 and beyond. Only 8 Sqn was ever banned!!

PS If 6 had not gone out to the middle east they would have been disbanded in 1919, not Now!!
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Hey, just retelling what I was told by some guys when I was on 6 and asked why 6 were named "Sh1tty Six"!!!!
 
Tigger said:
Must have kept it really quiet, coz I was on 28 and never heard that story.
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Gues you didn't get the history brief from the MT SNECK who did the research. The one who didn't realise Sopwith Camels were a type of aircraft and thought the squadron was issued with the four legged variety of camel.
 
I know 216 still do it today...

Bugger off and leave the ground staff to the wrath of Fooked off passengers!!!
 
HandbrakeHouse said:
Off Topic Naughty thought as I was loading the tumble drier......



2007....."It takes 10 minutes on e-bay to buy some new rubber dinghies and 10 days to shaft 300 years worth of reputation".
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I think my play on that was 3 days on another thread. Thanks to a few things I've heard from people in the know, when the full story of that little Fcuk Up makes the light of day it will make interesting reading in about 50 years.
 
Gues you didn't get the history brief from the MT SNECK who did the research. The one who didn't realise Sopwith Camels were a type of aircraft and thought the squadron was issued with the four legged variety of camel.
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Nah just did the usual with him, get him talkin about footy and jobs a goodun. I remember the camel comment well, though. I was embarressed to be a fellow Scot when he was about.
 
No 'F' in Four

No 'F' in Four

Whilst serving on IV in the early eighties I was told that the aircraft, having departed leaving the grouncrew, returned the next day and straffed the airfield that we still held. That was told to me over a 'few scoops' in the Hover Inn.

Black was the colour of the night they fled
Red was the colour that the Groundcrew bled
Yellow was the reason why

RIP Dutch
 
Arrrrrrr 28 Sqn left groundcrew behind at the Frog and Toad on Lantau Island in the 80's on two separate occasions to my knowledge. Mind you both the guys were too trousered to get in the helicopters for the ride back to Sek Kong!
 
Kipper Fleet Bloke said:
Arrrrrrr 28 Sqn left groundcrew behind at the Frog and Toad on Lantau Island in the 80's on two separate occasions to my knowledge. Mind you both the guys were too trousered to get in the helicopters for the ride back to Sek Kong!
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The utter bounders! :PDT_Xtremez_30:
 
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