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Jake Drummond
17-Oct-11, 23:38
I'm researching a friend's late uncles RAF career and find he was stationed at RAF Wick early in 1940. Can anyone loan me/email me/sell me a photograph of the station around that time?

Torvaig
17-Oct-11, 23:48
There is a section here on the org called "Wings Over Wick". Do a search and you may get more information there. Not sure about photographs of the actual station but hopefully there are some. Good luck!

Bill Fernie
17-Oct-11, 23:51
Take a look here - http://www.caithness.org/wings/index.htm

No photo of the station but other photos in various sections about RAF Wick in the war.

Torvaig
17-Oct-11, 23:59
http://canmore.rcahms.gov.uk/en/site/91619/photographs/wick+airport/

Try this link as well and you will get arial photographs of the airport....

pat
18-Oct-11, 09:18
Hi Jake
The folk on this site can also be very helpful http://www.rafcommands.com .
They helped find the site of a crashed aircraft, a site I knew about but did not realise it was the one for which I was searching as in various places there is conflicting information, they managed to give me full information of site, crew, how long the aircraft had been up and where,where all the crew were buried and their next of kin if I wanted, if they can help they will.
Also depends on what information you are researching

Jake Drummond
18-Oct-11, 21:00
I've checked out all the likely 'RAF Wick' searches, including the ones you've all been good enough to mention, many thanks to all of you.
The reason for my search is this; a local laddie, Sgt. Charles Burton Hill, was wireless operator/air gunner when his plane, Lancaster HK594, was shot down on the raid on Stettin on August 29/30th 1944, crashing near Svenkop in Sweden.
Initially a Swedish anti aircraft ground crew were credited (by the Germans) with the 'kill' but it was later revealed that a nightfighter from 28 Stab1/NJG3 actually finished the plane off. This ties in with an interesting post elsewhere on the Internet (and confirmed by Lars in Sweden) site about 'neutral' gun crews aiming off deliberately.
Charlie bailed out over the Baltic Sea with Sgt JP Callan, Flt Sgt J Fitzgerald, Flt Sgt WD Watson, and Sgt DLD Moon.
Tail Gunner Sgt HW Causley was still in his turret, likely dead, while Flt Sgt DAS King kept the plane aloft long enough to let them out. He jumped when they were clear, and landed over Swedish territory, being home again by October from what we can see, though seriously injured.
All the others died, and only the bodies of Charlie and Donald Moon were recovered and buried with full military honours by the Swedes.

The research began when a late friend showed me some photographs and letters his Uncle Charlie had sent home to his mum in Coaltown of Wemyss and which had been kept by his sister all these years. Being a bit of a history buff, with a real interest in local stuff, I became interested in the story of an ordinary lad who, like thousands of others, went to war and never came home, making the ultimate sacrifice.
His family never really knew what had happened until jim and I started digging around and it was a bit of a comfort to Jim to know Charlie had been laid to rest with such reverence by the Swedes.
Now there's a lot of stuff from his family being collated and copied and I think there'll be a real interest in the exhibition I hope to have displayed locally as it shows so much of Charlies life before and during WW2.

Any information on Lancaster HK594 or the crew would be a great help, and though I have the Squadron ORB's for the month of August I'm stuck for crew photos, so that I can give fair mention to Charlie's mates and to that end I'm searching various website for this.
I know its maybe a long shot (again!), but anything on the places Charlie served would also be of great assistance, hence my search for a photo of RAF Wick and posting here.

I have some information from his service records, but his Log Book has not been found, and I'd be a happy man to see if the flight details of any of Charlie's crew are available.

What I have so far is thus;
Charlie signs up on 20/1/41 and moves to No 10 (S) RC Blackpool 21/1/41, which we've found is Squires Gate.
By 29/8/41 he's at "3 Sigs Sch" Compton Basset, and the "REASON" column gives the letter "H".
29/11/41 seems to read "Stn Wick", Reason "HH", so we assume he's posted to the far flung North, to Wick.
He leaves Wick in mid 1942, goes to India and then Burma, and back home to re train as wireless op/air gunner, and is posted to 75 (New Zealand) Sqn. and on August 29th 1944 takes off on the raid on Stettin.

Charlie had only done 6 'ops', and HK594 had done just 65hrs, so both the crew and the plane were new. I wonder if any photographs survive of either?
Charlie's nephew Jim Bissett got me started on all of this, and then died 3 months ago very suddenly, and he would have been so proud to see "Charlie's Story" finished. In Jim's memory I hope to do so.

Jim's brother Annan and I are heading out to Sweden to visit the crash site and the graves, and I'm trying to piece together as much information as I can before we go. The research team who unearthed HK594 (http://www.arkeologiuv.se/cms/arkeologiuv/aktuellt_uv/slagfaltsarkeologi/svenskop_1944.html) and the mayor of Horby, Lars Ahlkvist, have been very helpful and we'll meet them when we get there.

We'll tie up all the loose ends we can and I can then write 'Charlie's Story', and that will be a fitting tribute to Charlie Hill, and my friend Jim Bisset.

Torvaig
18-Oct-11, 23:21
Jake, good luck with your journey to finish "Charlie's Story". There are so many unfinished during those times.....

Betty
19-Oct-11, 02:49
Jake, this is a very interesting story and I for one would be curious to know how your further search goes. In fact, I have had a look around the internet and read the translation of the article done by the research team. No doubt you are also aware of Sgt. Hill's mention on cwgc.org's site.

Please share "Charlie's Story" with us when completed.

Jake Drummond
19-Oct-11, 17:57
Yes Betty, I checked the CWGC site early on in the research, thanks.
I'm hoping a couple of leads are going to prove fruitful as regards information on RAF Wick, and I'll be sure to update the website with further news for sure.
There will be more clues out there relating to Charlie's service in the RAF, it's just finding the bloomin' things, so anything you spot please let me know.
I'm especially stuck with his time with 4WOU in India, where he ended up after leaving Wick.

Imagine, frostbite and trencfoot in Wick to snakes and sunstroke in India; what a way to run a war!

flowertot
20-Oct-11, 12:16
Jake Drummond;896840]I'm researching a friend's late uncles RAF career and find he was stationed at RAF Wick early in 1940. Can anyone loan me/email me/sell me a photograph of the station around that time?[/QUOTE]

I've PM'd you

Jake Drummond
20-Oct-11, 22:23
Thanks to all of you for the replies and the PM's, and be assured that Charlie Hill's nephew Annan will be pleased to know you are all so interested.

I'd like to post a photograph of Charlie on the off chance that someone will recognise him from his stay in Wick, being billeted in the town at one point. However I see that my Posting Permissions don't allow. Any advice?

Bill Fernie
21-Oct-11, 13:16
Email the photo to me bill@caithness.org and I will add it.

Bill Fernie
Web Master www.caithness.org (http://www.caithness.org)

wickscorrie
21-Oct-11, 20:04
have pm'd you as well