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  RAF/RCAF Digby : Recollections of Richard James, 29 Sqn

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Updated: 7 Sep 08

Richard James was a navigator/radar operator stationed at RAF Digby and RAF Wellingore from 27 Jun 1940 to Apr 1941 before the Squadron moved on for fighter duties elsewhere.

I flew from Digby or rather the satellite strip WC1 at Wellingore, to which we travelled from the main station where my Squadron No 29 operated from July 1940 to April 1941. Wellingore, or WC1, either way, was aptly named; it was a sea of mud. We were glad to get back to a real bed at Digby after ops.

One of the controllers was the Duke of Newcastle, a Squadron Leader who would vector us on towards the target operating from the bunker. {note - Henry Pelham-Clinton-Hope, 9th Duke of Newcastle, 16th Earl of Lincoln (1907-1988) inherited the title from his father, the 8th Duke in 1941, but had already inherited Clumber from his uncle, the 7th Duke. He ultimately retired as a Wing Commander}

From my log book for March and April '41 you will see that my Pilot was a certain Guy Gibson who after his tour with me on night fighters and a tour on 106 Sqn went on to be awarded the VC for leading the raid on the Ruhr dams.

It was quite an experience flying as NAV/RAD to such a man, and I had a great time, sometimes frightening but at other ties thrilling.

location of RAF Digbyin relation to Lincolnshire - click here for full-size map showing all station locations

Digby Squadrons

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Digby Oral Histories:


Digby - A History
" A history 1917 - 1978"
Foreword
Introduction
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1918
Inter-War Years
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1920
1922-23
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1926

1927-1929
1930-1932
1933
1934-1936
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1938
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1939
1939-1940
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Jan - Aug 1942
Sep 1942 - 1944
1945
Return to Training
1945 - Jan 1948
Feb - Mar 1948
Mar 1948 - 1953
A cadet remembers
The Signals Era
Jan 1955 - Dec 1961
Dec 1963 - 1978
Curent Day

1955 - the Signals Era


Digby Ops Room Museum
A brief history on Airops website

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