New history of 75 (NZ) Squadron
Aug 20, 2018 8:46:14 GMT 12
Dave Homewood, skyhawkdon, and 1 more like this
Post by fwx on Aug 20, 2018 8:46:14 GMT 12
Just launched on Amazon, the soft-cover edition of a brand new history of our only WW2 heavy bomber squadron, a project that I was very privileged to be involved in:
75 (NZ) Squadron: Volume 8 (RAF Bomber Command Profiles), by Chris Ward.
This book is the latest of Chris Ward's RAF Bomber Command Squadron Profiles.
Due to the special character of the Squadron, and the level of interest, the author and the publishers (Mention The War) wanted to obtain input and perspective from New Zealand, and approached the NZ Bomber Command Assn. for assistance.
Executive Officer of the NZBCA, Peter Wheeler, provided access to the Association’s extensive photo archives and offered the help of NZBCA member and 75 (NZ) Sqdn enthusiast Chris Newey.
The last history of the squadron, “Forever Strong”, was published in 1991, 27 years ago. While it contained many valuable personal recollections and photographs, there were some factual errors, and not a lot of operational detail. Given that, and the rare opportunity that this project represents, there was a determination from both parties to make the book as accurate and complete as possible in its coverage of the squadron's wartime operations, and the photo collection as comprehensive as possible.
The text is written by Bomber Command specialist Chris Ward, and like his other Profiles, it is based around the squadron’s Operational Record Books. However he brings a detailed knowledge of 3 Group and the broader sweep of events that the squadron operated in, and makes the narrative easy to follow. The text attempts to include pilots' full names, aircraft serial numbers, identification codes and details for all significant events, to give readers a strong starting point for further research.
There are 395 photos included, many previously un-published, plus copies of rare documents, the NZBCA’s archives supplemented by sources that include the Air Force Museum of NZ, Archives NZ, Simon Sommerville’s 75nzsquadron.com, Auckland War Memorial Online Cenotaph, and several collectors, families and individuals who generously contributed to the project.
The soft-cover edition has just been published, to be followed at a later date by a limited edition, glossy hard-back (details to be advised, will be available in NZ).
Soft cover edition available now on Amazon: www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1911255347/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_c_api_r1uEBbHADWAG6
478 pages, 8.5 inches x 11, 175 pages of photos. Price £20.00.
Extract (12 December 1944):
On the following day 3 Group detailed 140 Lancasters for a raid on Witten, a large mining town tucked in a pocket of the Ruhr south-west of Dortmund and south-east of Bochum. Sixteen Lancasters took off from Mepal between 11.06 and 11.21, with S/L Rodgers the senior pilot on duty, ten of them carrying a 4,000lb cookie and fourteen 500 pounders. Of the others, five had an 8,000 pounder and eight small bomb cases (SBCs) of 4lb cluster bombs in their bomb bays, while F/O Abraham in HK576 AA-G was responsible for the 12,000lb blockbuster and three Munro T238s. There were four debutants, all RNZAF, F/Sgt Vernon John Zinzan, F/O Terence Douglas Blewett, F/O Herbert Wilfred Hooper and F/Sgt Ronald Christie Flamank. On the run into the target the stream divided into two parts, a small bunch from 31 Base (Stradishall, Chedburgh and Wratting Common) and Methwold positioning itself about seven miles ahead of the main concentration. The bulk of the fighter escort remained with the rear section, but the fighter leader had the foresight to send one squadron ahead to cover the lead group, which was fortuitous, as the Luftwaffe was waiting for them over the Ruhr, having chosen this day to mount its largest effort since daylight bombing operations began in June. A strong force of ME109s managed to break up the forward section of bombers, shooting down, among others, four 195 Squadron Lancasters, and this led to a scattered start to the attack. However, on observing the events ahead, the main section tightened its formation, which helped to create very concentrated bombing, and forty of the forty-six G-H leaders were able to use their equipment effectively. F/L Hannan’s NE181 JN-M “The Captain’s Fancy” was involved in a collision with another aircraft during the bombing run, badly damaging the starboard outer engine, but was able to carry on to deliver an attack before returning home safely. HK562 AA-L was damaged when it made a heavy landing on return, and the bomb-aimer in F/Sgt Zinzan’s crew, F/O Mesure, sustained a broken leg.
75 (NZ) Squadron: Volume 8 (RAF Bomber Command Profiles), by Chris Ward.
This book is the latest of Chris Ward's RAF Bomber Command Squadron Profiles.
Due to the special character of the Squadron, and the level of interest, the author and the publishers (Mention The War) wanted to obtain input and perspective from New Zealand, and approached the NZ Bomber Command Assn. for assistance.
Executive Officer of the NZBCA, Peter Wheeler, provided access to the Association’s extensive photo archives and offered the help of NZBCA member and 75 (NZ) Sqdn enthusiast Chris Newey.
The last history of the squadron, “Forever Strong”, was published in 1991, 27 years ago. While it contained many valuable personal recollections and photographs, there were some factual errors, and not a lot of operational detail. Given that, and the rare opportunity that this project represents, there was a determination from both parties to make the book as accurate and complete as possible in its coverage of the squadron's wartime operations, and the photo collection as comprehensive as possible.
The text is written by Bomber Command specialist Chris Ward, and like his other Profiles, it is based around the squadron’s Operational Record Books. However he brings a detailed knowledge of 3 Group and the broader sweep of events that the squadron operated in, and makes the narrative easy to follow. The text attempts to include pilots' full names, aircraft serial numbers, identification codes and details for all significant events, to give readers a strong starting point for further research.
There are 395 photos included, many previously un-published, plus copies of rare documents, the NZBCA’s archives supplemented by sources that include the Air Force Museum of NZ, Archives NZ, Simon Sommerville’s 75nzsquadron.com, Auckland War Memorial Online Cenotaph, and several collectors, families and individuals who generously contributed to the project.
The soft-cover edition has just been published, to be followed at a later date by a limited edition, glossy hard-back (details to be advised, will be available in NZ).
Soft cover edition available now on Amazon: www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1911255347/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_c_api_r1uEBbHADWAG6
478 pages, 8.5 inches x 11, 175 pages of photos. Price £20.00.
Extract (12 December 1944):
On the following day 3 Group detailed 140 Lancasters for a raid on Witten, a large mining town tucked in a pocket of the Ruhr south-west of Dortmund and south-east of Bochum. Sixteen Lancasters took off from Mepal between 11.06 and 11.21, with S/L Rodgers the senior pilot on duty, ten of them carrying a 4,000lb cookie and fourteen 500 pounders. Of the others, five had an 8,000 pounder and eight small bomb cases (SBCs) of 4lb cluster bombs in their bomb bays, while F/O Abraham in HK576 AA-G was responsible for the 12,000lb blockbuster and three Munro T238s. There were four debutants, all RNZAF, F/Sgt Vernon John Zinzan, F/O Terence Douglas Blewett, F/O Herbert Wilfred Hooper and F/Sgt Ronald Christie Flamank. On the run into the target the stream divided into two parts, a small bunch from 31 Base (Stradishall, Chedburgh and Wratting Common) and Methwold positioning itself about seven miles ahead of the main concentration. The bulk of the fighter escort remained with the rear section, but the fighter leader had the foresight to send one squadron ahead to cover the lead group, which was fortuitous, as the Luftwaffe was waiting for them over the Ruhr, having chosen this day to mount its largest effort since daylight bombing operations began in June. A strong force of ME109s managed to break up the forward section of bombers, shooting down, among others, four 195 Squadron Lancasters, and this led to a scattered start to the attack. However, on observing the events ahead, the main section tightened its formation, which helped to create very concentrated bombing, and forty of the forty-six G-H leaders were able to use their equipment effectively. F/L Hannan’s NE181 JN-M “The Captain’s Fancy” was involved in a collision with another aircraft during the bombing run, badly damaging the starboard outer engine, but was able to carry on to deliver an attack before returning home safely. HK562 AA-L was damaged when it made a heavy landing on return, and the bomb-aimer in F/Sgt Zinzan’s crew, F/O Mesure, sustained a broken leg.
