Business in Great Waters: The U-Boat Wars 1916-1945 by John Terraine

John Terraine has long been one of Britain’s heavyweight Military Historians. With extensive writings on the First World War under his belt, and an authoritive volume on the RAF in the Second World, in this book he turns his attention to one of the new aspects of twentieth century naval warfare: the submarine, or in German parlance, the U-Boat.

The conventional wisdom of the Battle of the Atlantic perceives the Germans as starting the war with a huge fleet of advanced submarines, crewed by salty sea dogs, and the big-gun Royal Navy being crewed by amateurs who struggled to counter this new sinister threat, but eventually prevailed.

That the Battle of the Atlantic threatened to strangle Britain – during the Second World War in particular – few would dispute. What does come as a surprise is how threadbare the German U-boat arm was. Often Donitz was down to a handful of vessels, and had to contend with Hitlers constant meddling, based on nothing other than misguided intuition. IF Donitz had been able to deploy more U-Boats, and allowed to focus on the Schwerpunkt of cutting Britain’s lifeline, the second world war may have ran very differently.

Although Britain led in developing anti-submarine technology and weapons: sonar, the hedgehog, as well as the codebreaking work going on at Bletchley Park. The real problem, according to Terraine, seems to have been the attitudes high-up in the Royal Navy, where senior officers – fixated on Battleships – struggled to come to terms with the Submarine as a weapon. Odd, given that the Royal Navy had largely developed it.

This book sees Terraine at his best. Well researched, he pulls out trends, makes convincing conclusions and overturns some lingering myths. This is perhaps not a leisurely read, but it sure is an authoritative one. A lesson of how perilous the risks can be if senior officers struggle to come to terms with new forms of warfare.

Business in Great Waters: The U-Boat Wars 1916-1945 by John Terraine is published by Pen and Sword

A German frogmen raid on Portsmouth?!

North Portsmouth, showing Ports Creek

I have been having a very interesting discussion on ww2talk with member Steve G and several other interested parties about the possibility that the Germans may have either conducted, or have been planning to conduct, a commando raid against the Railway and or Road Bridges across Ports Creek. The subject arose when Steve was investigating a bomb or aerial mine that is believed to have hit nearby in 1940.

For those of you not in the know, Portsmouth is an island, divided from the mainland by a narrow strip of tidal sea water called Ports Creek. On the very north end of the island, butting up against the Hilsea Lines fortifications, was a Royal Army Ordnance Corps depot. Also nearby was Portsmouth Airport, where Airspeed – builders of the Oxford trainer and the Horsa Glider – had their main factory. In addition, the possibility of cripping Portsmouth Dockyard by cutting it off from the mainland must surely have tempted the German planners – particulary ahead of the possible German invasion in the summer of 1940.

Not only that, but it would have been possible to enter Ports Creek via Langstone Harbour. While Portsmouth Harbour was very heavily defended by an anti-submarine barrier and boat patrols, Langstone Harbour was much more vulnerable. It might have been possible to canoe up the Harbour in a similar manner to the Cockleshell Heroes raid on Bordeaux later in the war. Under cover of darkness and high tide frogmen could have swam to the piers of the road and rail bridges and set explosive charges on them.

According to something of a local legend, explosive charges were found nearby when work was begun on building the A27, which runs to the north of Ports Creek and has completely changed the area from its wartime appearance and geography. There remains a Second World War Pill Box near the Railway Bridge, facing south over the Creek, although when it was built we are not sure.

This is certainly the kind of operation that Major ‘Blondie’ Hasler would have approved of, and the Italians definitely had some capable frogmen as shown by their cripping of HMS Queen Elizabeth in 1942. But did the Germans possess the special forces to take on such a task? As far as I can tell, German Marines were an almost non-existent entity in 1940. Even so, it would have taken a considerable raid by the Luftwaffe to destroy the Bridges – and even then success could not be assured – whereas a couple of frogmen would have had a reasonable chance of crippling Portsmouth.

Did it happen? If not, could it have happened? Hopefully I can find out… unless anyone else out there can shed any light on this story?

They died on Christmas Day

Sadly, aside from the unique example of the 1914 Christmas truce on the Western front, war usually has no regard for Christmas. Of the 1,000 Portsmouth soldiers, sailors and airmen who I have so far researched, these three men died on Christmas Day.

Corporal Robert Davison, from Milton, was a Royal Marine onboard HMS Berwick when he was killed 25 December 1940. At the time HMS Berwick was serving in North West Approaches. Davison must have died and been buried at sea, as he has no grave and is remembered on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial.

Private George Griffin, 21 and from Milton, was serving in the 1st Battalion of the Gloucestershire Regiment in Burma when he was killed on 25 December 1941, fighting the Japanese. He has no known grave, and is remembered on the Rangoon Memorial.

Petty Officer Frederick Bulbeck, 35 and from Drayton, died on 25 December 1945. He was serving onboard HMS Zodiac, a Zambesi class Destroyer. He died after the war had ended, and is buried in Hamburg War Cemetery, Germany.

WE WILL REMEMBER THEM

A Boy Para – Private Robert Johns

We’ve all heard the stories of boys, under the age of 18, lying about their age to join the Army. Mostly during the First World War. Although it certainly did happen, I cannot help but feel that there were not as many underage soldiers as popular wisdom might lead us to believe. It was definitely much rarer in the Second World War than it was in the first.

I have found, however, one case in the Second World War. Not only did Private Robert Johns, from Stamshaw, die at the age of 16, he had also joined the Parachute Regiment. He was killed on 23 July 1944 serving with the 13th Battalion in Normandy, and is buried in Ranville Cemetery in France. The 6th Airborne Division landed in Normandy just after midnight on D-Day and fought long and tough battles to secure the eastern flank of the Normandy bridgehead, only coming out of the line in August 1944.

How easy was it to join up underage? A lot depended on the recruiting personnel in question. If they suspected that someone was underage but were sympathetic, they could almost certainly turn a blind eye. Otherwise, in an age when everybody had to have a national registration card, it would have been almost impossible to pretend to be older than you were. John’s would have gone through numerous checks, as he would have joined a line infantry regiment before transferring to the Paras. He may even have joined the Army when he was younger than 16. Much like trying to get served in a pub, it probably helped if you looked 18 too. But to volunteer to fight, when you didn’t have to, shows both courage and selflessness.

Although you had to be 18 to join the British Army, Boys under 18 could in fact join the Royal Navy as Boy sailors, or the Royal Marines as Boy Buglers. Many did, and sadly died, particularly on the Battleships HMS Royal Oak and HMS Hood.

Flying Officer Charles Goble

An RAF Short Stirling Bomber

Aircrew who were lost in the skies over Europe between 1939 and 1947 and have no known grave are remembered on the Runnymede Memorial, in Surrey. More than a few Portsmouth men who served in the Royal Air Force are memorialised there.

One of them is Flying Officer Charles Goble, 21 and from Portsmouth. He was serving with 624 Squadron, flying in a Short Stirling Bomber. He was killed on the night of 14 July 1944 and has no known grave.

What makes Goble’s story all the more interesting, is that 624 Squadron’s role was to insert and supply special agents behind the lines of Nazi-occupied Europe. The Special Operations Executive was set up to co-ordinate and support guerilla and underground forces in various countries. Often small and nimble Lysander aircraft would be used to drop off and pick up agents. But Bombers were also used as transport aircraft, to drop men and supplies by parachute. Stirling’s were used as a large number of them were available, having been replaced in Bomber Commanded by the Lancaster and the Halifax. It was a particularly hazardous role – flying low, alone, darkened and facing very serious consequences if captured. It was certainly a job for brave and skilled men.

Where Goble was operating when his plane was shot down, we can only speculate. In July 1944 the battle of Normandy was raging, and the French Maquis further south were certainly active against the Germans. 624 Squadron are also known to have flown missions over Poland. Documented records of 624 Squadron are very limited due to the secrecy of the work involved.

Portsmouth men at the fall of Singapore

Percival surrendering to the Japanese at Singapore

The fall of Singapore on 15 February 1942 was perhaps the biggest and most terrible defeat that British forces have ever suffered.

Singapore, described as ‘the Gibraltar of the East’, had been identified as a crucial point in the British Empire that was vulnerable to Japanese attack as early as the 1930’s. But in the style of France’s Maginot line, the only defences built were some formidable gun emplacements built facing out to sea, to protect the Dockyard. It was thought impossible that the Japanese would come overland.

But come overland they did. The Japanese invaded further up the Malay peninsula on 8 December 1941, almost simultaneously with their attack on Pearl Harbour. Their 30,000 troops were easily outnumbered by the 50,000 British defenders, however the Japanese troops took well to fighting in the Jungle environment, and could call on strong air and naval support, particularly after HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse had been sunk off the coast. The few British aircraft in Singapore were obsolete.

Given these handicaps the British commander, Lieutenant-General Arthur Percival, could not have done much better. By 15 February 1942 the Japanese had broken through the last line of defence and the British forces were running out of food and ammunition. Percival opted to surrender.

2,000 men were killed in the fighting. From Portsmouth, Gunner Gordon Drew (20, Cosham), Sergeant Ernest Bacon (30, Portsmouth), Sergeant Victor Cole (27, Milton), Private Henry Aldridge (36, Landport), Private Frank Cockles (31, Southsea) and Lance Corporal Harold Bravington (23, Southsea) were killed. They have no known graves, and are remembered on the Singapore Memorial.

Almost 50,000 British servicemen were captured at Singapore. Their fight for survivial was only just beginning. The Japanese kept Prisoners of war in barbaric conditions, and many were used for slave labour.Gunner Arthur Denmead (22, Fratton) died in June 1943, and is buried in Thailand. He had been working on the infamous Burma Railway. Lieutenant Cecil Edwards (41, Southsea) died on 24 September 1943, in Singapore. Gunner Walter Cottrell (19, Southsea) died 22 October 1943, also in Thailand. As did Lance-Corporal Derek Foster (29, Southsea) who died on 27 November 1943). Gunner Stanley Bannier (31, Southsea), Gunner Eric Donachie (25, Southsea) and Corporal John Karmy (23, Southsea) died in Singapore in September 1944.

We cannot even begin to imagine the kind of suffering and brutality that these brave young men endured in their years of captivity.

The Royal Navy and its Seamen at war

The 1937 Coronation Fleet Review, which showcased the Royal Navy at the height of its power

One of the features of war at sea, is that apart from perhaps the odd death from illness or caused by accidents, the vast majority of casualties come all at once. Often, they consist of most or even all of a ships company. If an Army unit has a bad battle, it might have lost say 10 or even up to 20 men in a day. An RAF Squadron might have lost 1 or maybe 2 aircraft in an operation. A ship, however, if torpedoed might lose most or all of its crew. Considering that Battleships such as HMS Hood, HMS Barham and HMS Royal Oak – all Portsmouth ships – contained upwards of 1,000 men, that entails heavy losses in a single day.

The list of sailors from Portsmouth who died between 1939 and 1947 tells us a lot about the Royal Navy itself. Many of the senior ranks, particularly Petty Officers, were older men and had served many years in the Navy. As Portsmouth was the home of a large part of the Navy, many of them naturally ended up living in Portsmouth. As such a high proportion of Portsmouth’s naval servicemen were senior ranks, such as Petty Officers.

As well as men who served and died on board ships, there were also many who died in the course of serving onshore. For every sailor onboard ship, many more were required to provide training and support services on land, especially when the Navy was taking in an influx of new recruits in wartime. In particular, older men who were perhaps too old or unsuitable for active service at sea seem to have worked in desk jobs or as instructors at shore bases. Many of these older men died in service, perhaps from heart disease, cancer or illness brought on by a lack of nutrition in times of food rationing.

During the Second World War the Royal Navy seems to have had a number of branches: stokers, who fuelled the ship and maintained the boilers; engine room artificers, who maintained the engines; cooks, stewards and supply assistants, who were responsible for catering; writers who took care of administration; and also other specialist roles such as shipwrights, engineers, gunners and masters at arms. There was also a large number of Able Seaman performing general tasks, and in some ships a number of Boy Seamen. In larger ships, Royal Marines would crew one of the main turrets, and the ship might also have a Royal Marine band onboard.

In stark contrast to todays Royal Navy, where many seamen are highly skilled technicians and systems operators, the Royal Navy of the mid-twentieth century was made up mainly of mechanics and labourers, who had to do hard, physical work.

Of men who served onboard ship, the statistics are pretty clear. When losses were suffered, for example if a ship was sunk or heavily damaged, a large proportion of a ships crew could be killed at once. This is not only due to the proximity of so many men to the point of danger, but that often survivors could expect no salvation and became casualties themselves. A stark reminder of this is that a majority of sailors who died in the war have no grave other than the sea itself. However, there are also a small number of men buried in their home town who must have died in hospital, and also men buried in the numerous ports around the world where Royal Navy ships called in.

‘D-Day Dodgers’? Portsmouth’s war dead in Italy

Catania War Cemetery, Italy

When people think of the second world war in Europe, their attention tends to naturally gravitate towards D-Day, Arnhem, or maybe the Eastern Front. However, there was also a sigificant campaign fought in Italy, from the Invasion of Sicily late in 1942 through to VE Day on 8 May 1945. Statistics show that almost as many Portsmouth men died fighting in Italy as did in France on and after D-Day.

The war in Italy found various Battalions of the Hampshire Regiment fighting. The 1st, 2nd, 2/4th, 1/4th and 5th Battalions were all there at some point or other. The 1st and 2nd in particular would probably have been made up of pre-war soldiers, regulars who had joined up before 1939. And although local recruiting did fall away during wartime, it does seem that more Portsmouth men fought and died in the Hampshire Regiment than in any other infantry unit.

The war in Italy was a long, bloody war fought in varying conditions, and without the public attention of the battles in France, Belgium and Holland. In some quarters men who fought in Italy were often referred to as ‘D-Day Dodgers’. Arguments even raged amongst the Allied command as to how effective the war in Italy was. For an excellent appraisal of the war in Italy, have a look at Rick Atkinson’s ‘The Day of Battle’.

So far I have found these Portsmouth men who died in Italy while serving with the Hampshire Regiment: Private Frank Vaughan, Southsea; Corporal Alfred Buckner, 25 and from Cosham; Private Herbert Edwards, 19 and from Cosham; Lieutenant Rupert Deal, 31 and from Paulsgrove; Private Frank Osman, 25 and from Southsea; Lance Corporal Albert Vear, 22 and from Southsea; Lance Corporal Harry Adams, 24; Private Alexander Kinkead, 25 and from Southsea; and Private Victor Devine, 28 and from Buckland.

They are buried in War Cemteries up and down Italy, at Caserta, Catania, Minturno, Naples, Montecchio and Coriano Ridge.

Brothers in the Hood

HMS Hood

When HMS Hood sank on 24 May 1941, only three of her crew survived. 1,415 officers, men and boys were killed. The loss of such a well-known symbol of British Naval power had a profound effect on many people, and perhaps heralded the beginning of the end of British supremacy of the world’s oceans.

Although officially classed as a Battlecruiser for political reasons, in size and firepower she was effectively a large and powerful Battleship. The only ship in her class, she was launched just after the first world war and spent the inter-war period as the pride of the Royal Navy, flying the flag around the world.

HMS Hood and the new Battleship HMS Prince of Wales had sailed to intercept the new German Battleship the Bismarck, who along with her partner ship the Prinz Eugen was threatening to break out into the Atlantic and raid convoys crossing the Atlantic.

When the ships met in the Battle of the Denmark Strait, Hood was hit by a salvo from the Bismarck, which penetrated her weak deck armour – which had been sacrificed for speed – and detonated a massive explosion in the magazine. However Prince of Wales had managed to damage the Bismarck, and the German battleship was sunk days later.

Of the men onboard the Hood, many were Portsmouth sailors, as the Hood was crewed from Portsmouth. Two of them were even brothers, serving on the same ship. Petty Officer Stoker Herbert Buck, 29, and Mechanician Second Class Arthur Buck, 35, came from Portsmouth.

They have no known grave other than the sea, and are commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial, on Southsea Common.

Land Girls and Their Impact – Ann Kramer

Land Girls and Their Impact

I must admit, I have always tended to shy away from Gender History. Or, in fact, any part of history that mentions the word ‘women’ too much. I guess its only natural, after one of my first year tutors at Uni tried to tell us that the most important effect of the first world war was that women started smoking and riding motorbikes. I guess the millions of men being killed didnt occur to her.

Having said that, I know that women have often played an important, and usually overlooked, role in times of War. All too often we can become too fixated on Planes, tanks, and Generals, when in fact total war means exactly that. This new book by Ann Kramer should go a long way to redressing the balance for one of the Women’s services that has been perhaps the most maligned of all – the Women’s Land Army.

Aware that once war started millions of men would be called up, the Government drew up plans to recruit women to replace male agricultural workers. Thousands volunteered, and served throughout the war in their distinctive slouch hats and green jerseys. Without their sterling work througout the country on farms, and also performing forestry work, they made a vital contribution to keeping Britain’s supplies of food stable. We only have to look at the fact that Britain is an island nation dependent on imports, and how close the U-boats came to starving the country, to see what might have been if the Land Girls had not played their part.

But it wasn’t all green fields and nice summer evenings. The work was a big shock to many of the girls, a fair proportion of whom came from towns and were unused to rural ways. Indeed, many countryfolk were very sceptical about the potential of women for working on the land, and the Land Army had to go a long way to prove their worth, and to overcome fairly entrenched social attitudes and snobbery. And then at the end of the war, they were given scant recognition for many years – a truly glaring ommission, like the country’s failure to recognise the service of the Bevin Boys.

The story of the Land Girls is at the epicentre of many of the important social development of the second world war – attitudes to gender, changing roles in society, class and the relations between rural and urban Britain. The needs of total war always seem to bring about a lot of social change in a very short change of time, and this case is no exception.

This is a very interesting book, and I am sure that it will contribute much to the history of women during wartime. Kramer makes interesting use of oral history interviews with surviving Land Girls, which in my opinion is absolutely crucial in a book like this. My only criticism might be that the way these accounts are presented, often in separate boxes, does break up the text a little. But this is a relatively minor point, I enjoyed reading this book immensely.

Land Girls and Their Impact is published by Remember When

Sergeant Francis Compton DFM

35 Squadron RAF

Seargeant Francis Compton, 20 and from Paulsgrove, was killed on the night of 29 June 1943.

Not only does Compton’s story show just how young some of Bomber Command’s aircrew were, it also highlights just how many young men from Portsmouth were lost in the skies over Europe in the Second World War.

His Halifax Bomber, serial number HR812, Squadron number TL-F, took off at 11.27pm from Graveley on a mission to attack Cologne in Germany. Part of 35 Squadron, RAF, their role was to act as pathfinders, identifying and illuminating the target for the main force who would follow on behind.

Compton, an Air Gunner, was onboard HR812 when she was shot down by a German night fighter, piloted by Lieutenant Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer, at 01.55am. The Halifax crashed near Wandre, 8 kilometres North East of Liege in Belgium.

During the Battle of the Ruhr in May 1943, Sgt Compton (then serving with No.10 Sqdn), shot down one night-fighter, damaged a second and drove off at least two others. His immediate DFM was Gazetted on 4 June 1943.

Sergeant Compton is buried in Heverlee Cemetery, Belgium.

Major Robert Easton DSO MBE

Royal Armoured Corps

The Distinguished Service Order is awarded for meritous or distinguished service by officers during wartime, usually in actual combat. It is usually awarded to officer ranked Major or higher. In the British Army during the Second World War it was the second highest award that officers could receive, after the Victoria Cross.

Major Robert Easton, from Portsmouth, was commissioned into the Lancashire Fusiliers as a 2nd Lieutenant in 1935. During the Second World War he transferred to the 2nd Battalion of the Suffolk Regiment, who in 1941 were converted from an infantry Battalion to a tank unit, being renamed the 142nd (2nd Suffolk) Regiment, Royal Armoured Corps. Cross-posting of officers from one regiment to another often took place if there was a shortage of officers in one and an overflow in others. At some point prior to 1944 he was also awarded an MBE, a medal that is awarded for a significant contribution to military service.

In 1944 the 142nd Regiment were fighting in Italy, in the 25th Army Tank Brigade, supporting Canadian Forces. The citation for his DSO takes up the story:

Major Easton’s Squadron was in support of the Royal Canadian Regiment during the advance along the Liri Valley, and in support of the 48th Highlanders of Canada during the attack on the Adolf Hitler Line near Pontecorvo. In action with both these Battalions, Major Easton has shown very great powers of command, inspired leadership and extreme coolness under fire.

In an attack in support of the Royal Canadian Regiment on 16th May 1944, shortage of ammunition and tank casualties resulted in only three tanks being available to remain in close support of the infantry on the objective, of which one was Major Easton’s. He took personal command of this composite troop, and gave the utmost support to the infantry under heavy mortar fire and some Anti Tank fire for several hours.

During the attack by the 48th Highlanders of Canada near Pontecorvo on 23rd May, when both infantry and tanks were pinned down by Machine Gun and Anti Tank Gun fire respectively, Major Easton’s Squadron was in action for some 12 hours. Throughout the action Major Easton maintained superb control of his Squadron and never once relaxed his efforts to assist the infantry on, despite a steadily diminishing number of tanks at his disposal. In order to exert maximum control he had to position his tank in full view of the enemy Anti Tank Guns.

Throughout the action he showed outstanding calmness, disregard of danger and overwhelming cheerfulness which were an inspiration to his Squadron, to the Regiment and indeed to the infantry he was supporting.

Major Easton also commanded a small composite tank force placed in support of 4 Canadian Recce Regiment on 22 May, in an attempt to turn the right flank of the enemy line. Again his complete disregard of danger greatly assisted in the clearing of a serious block to the advance, during which he carried out a mine recce on foot under heavy mortar and small arms fire.

The information passed back by Major Easton during these operations has invariably been useful, accurate and very full.

Major Easton’s DSO was announced in the London Gazette on 24 August 1944, just 10 days before he was killed in action on 3 September 1944. He is buried in Montecchio War Cemetery, Italy.

Chief Petty Officer Reginald Ellingworth GC

The George Cross

The George Cross is the highest award that can be given for bravery that is not in the face of the enemy. In all likelihood, acts that are rewarded with a George Cross would probably be given a Victoria Cross if they were in battle.

One of the first Portsmouth men to be awarded the George Cross during the Second World War was Chief Petty Officer Reginald Ellingworth. Aged 42, he was serving at HMS Vernon, the Royal Navy’s torpedo school, which also trained officers and men in mine warfare, bomb disposal and diving. At the height of the Blitz in 1940 bomb disposal teams were obviously in demmand to deal with unexploded bombs.

CPO Ellingworth, together with Lt. Cdr. Richard Ryan, R.N., went to a warehouse in Dagenham, Essex on 21 September 1940, where an unexploded bomb was hanging from a parachute. The pair, who had faced many dangers together, were both killed by it’s explosion and both were awarded the George Cross posthumously. In a previous incident at Hornchurch, Essex Ellingworth and Ryan disabled a device threatening an aerodrome and explosives factory.Their George Crosses were announced in the London Gazette on 17 December 1940.

CPO Ellingworth is buried in Milton Cemetery, Portsmouth.

Hitler’s Gulf War: The Fight for Iraq 1941

Hitler's Gulf War

Contrary to popular opinion, Iraq did not suddenly appear in 1991. Nor during the Iran-Iraq War. The country played a not insignificant part in the Second World War, as this new book by Barrie G James argues.

Britain had received a League of Nations mandate to administer Iraq after the First World War. Severely cash-strapped after 4 years of war, the new RAF proposed to control and police the new territory by air. This left the legacy of an RAF Base at Habbaniya, and Army bases in the south in Basra.

In 1941 an alliance between pan-Arab leader the Mufti of Jerusalem and Iraqi nationalist Army officers, with tacit promises of support from Germany and Italy, launched an uprising to push the British out of Iraq. The British in the country were heavily outnumbered, and reinforcements were a long way off – the British were hard pressed in the North African desert, where the Germans had just pushed them out of Greece and were about to assault Crete.

But somehow, a tiny force of RAF pilots in obsolete aircraft, supported by a few companies of infantry and some local volunteers, held off the Iraqi Army at Habbaniya. The British Embassy in Baghdad was beseiged. A scratch force of reinforcements was sent from Palestine, and an Indian Army Division landed in Basra.

Against all the odds, the RAF and the Army managed to put down the coup and secure Iraq. The loss of Iraq might have been catastrophic. It would have exposed the rear of the British Forces in Egypt, and lost vital oilfields. It might also have led to threats to India.

Why the coup did not succeed is a mystery. Or, rather, why the Axis powers did not give the coup more support. The Germand and Italians had offered support, but in the event only a handful of aircraft arrived, as well as several advisors who seem to have spent more time fighting each other than advising. The Germans were certainly pre-occupied with launching their assault on Crete, which although dominating a part of the Mediterranean, had nowhere near the strategic importance of Iraq. If even a fraction of the airborne forces that were employed in Crete had been used instead in Iraq, the course of the war may have been different. In the event, Germany had to secure the Balkans after Mussolini’s disastrous invasion of Greece. This in turn delayed the attack on Russia. All evidence, if any is needed, that the Axis powers’ strategy seriously let them down at this point in the war.

I have something of a personal interest in this story, as my great-uncle, Thomas Daly, was onboard HMS Enterprise when she was giving Naval gunfire support off Basra during the attempt to put down the coup. Later in 1942 my Grandad, Henry Miller, landed in Basra with the 10th Battalion of the Royal Berkshire Regiment, and spent some months in Kirkuk guarding against the threat of a German thrust down the Caucasus.

This is a very important book, as is any that fills a gap and flags up an overlooked subject. Some maps might be useful, as plenty of places are referred to, and it would be easier to picture the lie of the land and the situation on the ground. Some illustrations might also add to the overall feel of the book too. But in its favour, Barrie James has used a readable, Cornelius Ryan style of writing, which might lack references but is more approachable to the non-academic.

Hitlers Gulf War: The Fight for Iraq 1941 is published by Pen & Sword Aviation

Shot down supporting the Partisans

249 Squadron RAF

Warrant Officer (Pilot) Cyril Davey, 22 and from Cosham, was flying Mustang fighters with 249 Squadron RAF from Italy when he was killed over Yugoslavia on 19 October 1944.

The allies had invaded Italy in 1943. Yugoslavian partisans, under Tito, had been fighting the Germans hard for several years, and were the only country whose citizens pretty much liberated themselves, albeit with minimal help from the allies. This included fighter bomber missions flown from Italy against German targets, and this is how Davey came to be over Yugoslavia. Allied air superiority meant that fighters could fly with impunity.

Three Mustangs were airborne from Brindisi at 0930 on 19 October (1944), flown by Wt Off Davey (KH428), Plt Off R Andrew (a new pilot, in KH530) and Flt Sgt Clarke (KH422), their task to bomb the railway at Amyntaion in northern Greece, and then to strafe roads to the southern end of Lake Ohrid… (after completing their attack) … they then turned west for base. Over Albania was a thick cloud layer and Clarke lost sight of his companions about 15 miles north-east of Tirana. He made several attempts to call the two pilots, after which he crossed the coast at Lalze Bay and reached Brindisi with the aid of homing directions. Three days later the Squadron received news that Andrew was safe and unhurt. He had baled out when his fuel became exhausted, but of Davey nothing was heard.

Warrant Officer Davey is buried in Belgrade War Cemetery, now in Serbia.

I am very grateful to Peter Clare for drawing my attention to information in ‘249 At War:The Authorised History of the RAF’s Top-Scoring Fighter Squadron of WWII’ by Brian Cull.