June 1st , during the "Wings" week, Miss Diana Ward (the
American stage and radio star) and her American concert party entertained at
St George's Hall, Blockley, also
playing that night were US Cpl's Pierce, Mickey and Leroy a.k.a "The 3
Roving Cowboys and their Guitar" and Sgt Leslie Douglas and his band
"Swing Flight" amongst others.
During the summer months, sports meetings between Moreton and other
airfields took place, with Moreton generally doing well.
12th June, Moreton wins a cricket match against RAF
Stratford-on-Avon
14th June, Moreton came first at every event entered when at the
sports day at RAF Abingdon.
26th June, Moreton's satellite Enstone has the cheek to beat them in
a cricket match!
27th June, the fourth anniversary of the founding of the WAAF was
celebrated by a sports meeting and an evening dance in the airwomen's dining
hall. The stations pipers band made their first appearance and "created an
impression".
After a fairly quiet time another accident occurred on 2nd July when
an Oxford from Chedworth crashed close to the Guardroom and even closer to some
of the Officers quarters, the pilot was killed.
6th July, Miss Diana Ward
returned to the area, this time playing at 21 OTU's Concert Hall.
7th July, a Wellington was descending through cloud returning to
Enstone, just as it broke cloud it collided with an Oxford that was underneath
it, both aircraft and crews were lost.
8th July, a Mr. A Long arrived at Moreton to begin his operational
training, he recorded his typical experiences whilst training at Moreton
3rd August, 5 Wellingtons from 21 OTU made a sweep over the North
Sea to aid the Air/Sea rescue organisations, but no sightings were made.
15th August, A "Nickelling" raid when 7 Wellingtons
dropped leaflets in the Versailles la Fleche, Tours, Blois Montenau and Laval
areas, on the homeward journey one of the Wellingtons was shot down after
becoming involved in an enemy raid taking place on the English coast. The crew
with the exception of the pilot and rear gunner bailed out.
25th August, another North Sea sweep was made, one of the pilots
reported seeing the wing of an aircraft with British roundels in the water but
was uncertain whether there was a fuselage attached to it.
31st August, 5 Wellingtons with pupil crews were detailed to attack
an aiming point at Foret d' Eperlecques, one developed engine trouble and
landed at Bradwell Bay and another failed to find the target. Of the remaining
three no fighters and very little flak was experienced, all returned
safely.
2nd September, 6 aircraft leave for an operational sortie over the
"Foret de Mormal" in France to attack an ammunition and supply
concentration, 5 succeeded and one returned after navigational difficulties due
to complete cloud cover.
15th September, another nickelling raid over Rennes, Angers, La
Fleche, Le Mans and Laval, to coincide with the Battle of Britain. One aircraft
suffered engine trouble and turned back, the other 4 returned safely though one
with flak damage.
16 September, the same exercise is repeated from the night before,
with 3 aircraft, all returned safely
20th September, as part of a competition to find the best dinning
hall in Bomber Command Sqn Ldr Kitt, a catering officer from the Air Ministry,
came to judge the airmens hall and sergeants
hall. Moreton and one other Station was chosen at this stage to take part in
the final judging.
21st/22nd September, General "Jimmy" Doolittle" (famed for the daring B25 raid
on Japan 17 months earlier) of the USAAF arrived during the night returning
from Tunis (El Aouina) in a Wellington Mk X of 142 Sqn, piloted by Grp Capt
J.A. "Speedy" Powell DSO. The two Officers returned to Grp Cpt
Powell's home towards Bourton-on-the-Hill for a rest before Gen Doolittle flew
on to USAAF Mildenhall.
26th September, Gen Doolittle and Grp Cpt Powell returned to Moreton
on their journey back to Algiers. Grp Cpt Powel was said to be a very
idiosyncratic man much given to taking snuff and exhortations of "Never
Fear!", he lost his life later in the war , 'rumoured' while flying a
USAAF P38 Lightning over Yugoslavia.
6th October, Grp Cpt R.A.A Cole OBE was succeeded by Grp Cpt K.H.
Riversdale Elliot DSO, as station Commander, Grp Cpt Cole was posted to Command
RAF Kinloss, in Scotland.
8th October, Wellington Mk Ic, R1028, suffered an engine failure and
after being given permission to land at Little Rissington, Flt Sgt Hazeldene
lost control of the aircraft, throttled back, stalled the aircraft and hit the
ground. Only one of the 6 crew survived.
19th October, under control of ENSA the Station cinema opened, later
if not then called the "Astra". Over the next 12 or more years
thousands of airmen would pay their sixpence (2.4p) to see its 'features'.
End of October, the local ATC Sqn started their winter training
programme, Tuesdays were armament and aircraft recognition classes and on
Thursdays, PT. On alternate Sundays the lads were offered flying, piloted by
the instructors. Also at this time a
period of bad fortune came to some of the crews...
12th November, Z9103 after its starboard engine failed while on a
"Bullseye" mission, ditched into the sea off Mortehoe, North Devon,
all the crew were picked up with no more than slight shock.
16th November, R1293 crashed at Enstone when its port engine cut on
take off, the aircraft was destroyed by fire but again the crew all escaped
with only slight injuries.
17th November, DV918 from Enstone came down at Little Tew after over
shooting the runway, 4 died.
Over the next few days a number of small minor accidents occurred, with no
casualties.
18th December, Wellington Mk III, BK132 dived into the ground almost
vertically under full power, fabric peeling from the aircraft as it came down,
at Atcham in Shropshire.
20th /21st December, another leaflet drop over Abbeville and Amiens. The pilots of
the 3 Wellingtons had to dead reckon their way during the whole trip, due to
total cloud cover, all 3 returned safely.
25th December, Traditional Christmas celebrations took place.
Details.
28th December, another "nickel", this time destined for
Amiens and Beauvais by 3 Wellingtons.
31st December, the last day of the year and a sad one, Wellington Mk
Ic X9666 crashed on the slopes of a hill near Aberdovey, North Wales after
completing a bombing exercise, 2 were badly injured and 3 killed.