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By: - 26th October 2004 at 12:44 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Great photos Dave,
By: - 26th October 2004 at 12:47 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
What a wonderful collection of photo's. Many thanks for posting them Dave.
Snaps
By: - 26th October 2004 at 12:48 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Fantastic Photograph Dave, this is what I like to see the real side of Squadron life.
Thank you so much for posting them
Colin
By: - 26th October 2004 at 12:53 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Sorry some of them have come out so large, but they don't look too bad for 60 year old tiny 3x2 inch box-brownie style snaps.
Here's a snap that was taken inside. Originally it doesn't show much as its indoors. But I have also enhanced it, and it shows incredible detail which surprised me, from charts on the crewroom walls to models in the rafters. Very nostalgic indeed.
By: - 26th October 2004 at 12:54 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Brilliant photos. Can anyone say why the aircraft serial has a "G" on the end?
By: - 26th October 2004 at 12:57 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
"G" stands for "Guard" - i.e. the aircraft had special equipment that required special attention / guarding.
Martin
By: - 26th October 2004 at 13:06 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
since we have here Mosquito NF. Mk. XXX's and XIX's, (Leavesden production) - I suspect the radar (AI VIII, AI X, or SCR720 and 729) equipment was secret and therefore to be kept under constant guard.
Martin
By: - 26th October 2004 at 13:08 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
I'm very glad you like them - here are a few more from round the squadron. Most of these are taken in France and Holland. Read the story for more details. :)
I think this collectio was an awesome find, one of the best in my research so far. 488 (NZ) Sqn was a neglected squadron as far as publicity as they were so secret compared with the other NZ squadrons, due to the radar gear. It's great that the man I had to interview was the man at the top, and had the power to wield his camera at will - and not get in trouble for doing so. A pity he wasn't in the squadron earlier in their Beaufighter days.
The one with the lovely Mossie under the net, and all the squadron lined up was the final parade of the Sqn in 1945, when it disbanded. I love the shadow pattern, makes it look like German camouflage.
Can anyone work out what the blokes are doing behind Ron (in his shirt, tie and peaked cap) in the photo with the windmill?
By: - 26th October 2004 at 13:19 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Where were 488 stationed when these photos were taken ?
By: - 26th October 2004 at 13:36 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Where were 488 stationed when these photos were taken ?
Their first European base after crossing the Channel from Bradwell Bay was at Amiens/Glisy, (B.48), in France. After a little while they moved to Gilze Rijen in Holland. The snowy photos here are France. Some of the others are Holland.
By: - 26th October 2004 at 17:13 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Five Star.
Top stuff Dave.
Mark
By: - 26th October 2004 at 17:47 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Great pictures, very interesting thankyou for sharing ;) Anna :)
By: - 26th October 2004 at 21:49 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
It is my pleasure to share these photos, I'm so glad that there are others who appreciate them as much as myself.
Here are one or two others.
By: - 26th October 2004 at 22:05 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Sorry some of them have come out so large, but they don't look too bad for 60 year old tiny 3x2 inch box-brownie style snaps.
SORRY?!!!!
I for one cannot accept your apologies for posting such magnificent pictures. Personally you've made my day! Thanks so much for sharing them with us. You should be quite rightly chuffed to bits!
Dean
By: - 26th October 2004 at 22:12 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
:) Thanks for the comments
By: - 26th October 2004 at 22:51 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
SORRY?!!!!I for one cannot accept your apologies for posting such magnificent pictures. Personally you've made my day! Thanks so much for sharing them with us. You should be quite rightly chuffed to bits!
Dean
Hear, hear, Dean.
Dave, you should be ashamed of yourself. Imagine apologising for posting such superb photos. Your punishment should be to post some more of them! :D
These are fantastic, atmospheric shots and I'd love to see as many as you can be bothered posting. Thanks for taking the time and trouble to share them.
By: - 26th October 2004 at 23:42 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Cracking thread Dave. Thought the codes looked familiar.......
These were taken by my friend Jim, who was at Gilze Rijen at the same time it seems.
Excellent photos, and thanks for sharing them.
Mark
By: - 27th October 2004 at 02:47 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Thanks Snapper,
I had seen the mock grave for 488 (NZ) Sqn before but not those crash photos. Nasty. I wonder if Ron will remember it.
As for you other two, I apologise profusely for my apology. ;)
By: - 27th October 2004 at 08:20 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Another bunch.
Notes:
Photo 2 - this is an extraordinary photo. It was taken by a meber of the groundcrew while the Sqn was at Bradwell Bay. It is the absolutely middle of the night. They took it during an extreme lightning storm, and simply opened the aperture on the camera and waited for a lightning strike to expose the film. I guess this was possible during the blackout where there was no light pollution. Another thing about it is left is Jimmy Gunn, and right Ron Watts, the first and second pilots consecutively to shoot down an enemy aircraft. This occurred just a few nigths later over the channel, and Jimmy Gunn was killed. See Ron's page on my site for more.
Photo 3: This is Ron and a fellow pilot relaxing at the Chateau they'd taken over in France, captured from the Germans.
Photo 5 - in this portrait of Ron, he's wearing a ribbon. According to what I've found out he was Mentioned in Despatches twice, but i don't have him being rewarded any specific medals for valour. Does anyone know what this medal is? Did MiD winners get a ribbon?
6 - This is the gun-camera shot of one of two enemy aircraft that Ron destroyed.
8 - This shot was scanned from one of thsoe tiny proof print, the size of a 35mm negative. Not bad huh?
By: - 27th October 2004 at 08:25 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Cracking photos, Dave :)
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By: Dave Homewood - 26th October 2004 at 12:37 - Edited 2nd October 2019 at 11:40
Here is a selection from the excellent set of photos I have been allowed to scan from Wing Commander Ron Watts' collection. He was CO of 488 (NZ) Sqn on Night Fighter Mosquitos.
I have already put some of the photos up on his webpage on my Cambridge airmen site, others of these are not online yet and will go up very soon. The webpage is here:
http://www.cambridgeairforce.org.nz/Ron%20Watts%20Main.htm
First a couple of the Mossies, then the following photos I think are awesome showing life on the squadron from the camera of one of its members rather than the press, therefore people are relaxed. I have several more if you're interested.