Military Crash Sites in South Wales

No.276 Squadron was an air-sea rescue unit that covered the western end of the English Channel and the Bristol Channel.

The squadron was formed on 21 October 1941 from air-sea rescue detachments scattered around the south-west.

It was one of four squadrons formed at this time, and was allocated to Fighter Command. I

t was originally equipped with Lysanders, which were used to spot downed airmen, and Walruses which could land to pick them up.

Spitfires and Defiants joined the Lysanders during 1942, while Ansons were added to drop dinghies.

A number of Vickers Warwicks were used for a period during 1944, and were used to drop larger lifeboats.

In October 1941-April 1944: Detachment to Fairwood Common

The squadron operated in the south-west until August 1944, when a detachment was moved to Cherbourg.

The entire squadron crossed the channel in September, and it soon moved east to Belgium, from where it covered the eastern end of the Channel and the north-western corner of the North Sea.

After the end of the war the squadron moved to Norway, where scattered detachments provided air-sea rescue cover around Oslo, Kristiansand, Trondheim and Stavanger.

The squadron returned to the UK in November 1945 and was disbanded.

In the Nick of Time: Wartime Experiences of an RAF Air Sea Rescue Pilot with 276 Sqn Paperback – 1 April 2011​

Based at Warmwell near Dorchester on the Dorset coast, No. 276 (Air Sea Rescue) Squadron was tasked with locating and rescuing Allied airmen whose aircraft had ditched in the English Channel.

In the course of his duties with the squadron Nick Berryman flew Boulton Paul Defiant and Supermarine Walrus and Spitfire aircraft in an ASR role and his recollections of the many incidents in which he was involved give an illuminating insight into the important role of the wartime ASR squadrons, who were collectively responsible for saving the lives of hundreds of Allied aircrew.

Aside from his airborne escapades, off-duty activities with RAF pals, youthful romantic entanglements and much else is entertainingly described in an easy-going style that is always enjoyable to read, making this an affable autobiographical account that can be appreciated by readers of all ages and persuasions.

Date: 05-July-40
Time: day
Type: Supermarine Spitfire Mk I
Owner/operator: 92 Squadron Royal Air Force (92 Sqn RAF)
Registration: P9454
C/n / msn:
Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities: 0
Aircraft damage: Significant
Location: Area of Crymlyn bog, Coedffranc, near Swansea., South Wales. - United Kingdom
Phase: Landing
Nature: Military
Departure airport: RAF Little Rissington, Gloucestershire, England - United Kingdom
Destination airport: RAF Fairwood Common, Swansea, West Glamorgan - United Kingdom

Narrative:

First Flown 6-4-40.

Delivered to 8MU 8-4-40.

Issued to 92 Squadron 4-6-40.

Engine failed force-landed in Area of Crymlyn bog, Coedffranc, near Swansea.

Pilot, Pilot Officer Bartley safe 5-7-40.

To 1 CRU for repairs.

Issued to 65 Squadron (as FZ-W) 26-8-40.

Destroyed in air-to-air combat when shot down over Tolhurst Farm, just South of Bewl Water, Tilehurst, Sussex.

Pilot (Flying Officer J.T. Strang, New Zealander) bailed out over Mayfield, aircraft abandoned.

Destroyed by fire 1-12-40, having caught fire in flight.

On May 24, 1940 a Dornier 17-Z bomber got a lucky hit on a MK1 Supermarine Spitfire P9374 during an air battle over the beaches of Dunkirk.

The MK1 Spitfire, flown by Flying Officer Peter Cazenove had taken off from RAF Croydon and flown over northern France to support the fighting on the beaches of Dunkirk.

The Dornier brought the Spitfire down with a single bullet, which then crash-landed gear-up on the beaches near Calais.

Uninjured, Flying Officer Cazenove left the aeroplane and walked to Calais where he joined a British unit fighting in the waning days of the Battle of France.

Eventually he was captured and made a POW, ending up in Stalag Luft III in eastern Germany and becoming involved in the Great Escape.

Flying Officer Cazenove survived the War.

The Spitfire; however, stayed on the beaches of Dunkirk along with so much British military kit abandoned in the evacuation.

Remarkably, a picture survives of two German servicemen sitting on the wreckage of P9374, half buried in the sand.

Eventually the tides coming in and out over Dunkirk buried the aeroplane where it was preserved for the next several decades until September 1980 when the fighter appeared back above the sands.

Lovingly restored and reassembled by experts and now at the Imperial War Museum in Duxford, Cambridgeshire, the Spitfire is now one of only two flying MK1 Spitfires in their original specifications (there are many other flying Spitfires of different variants).

MK 1 Spitfire P9374 was built in 1939. Its Merlin III engine was completed at the Rolls-Royce Factory in Derby on October 27, 1939.

The aeroplane had only 32 hours of flying time when it was brought down over France.

It was one of the renowned No. 92 Squadron’s fighters based at RAF Croydon in March 1940.

One of the greatest military aviation sites in the World is the Imperial War Museum, Duxford. Located off the M11, south of Cambridge, on the site of historic RAF Duxford.

http://www.iwm.org.uk/visits/iwm-duxford

One of her sister aircraft, MK1 Supermarine Spitfire P9372.

An early photo of a No. 92 Squadron Spitfire Mk1, The GR codes date it to the Spring of 1940 and the lack of an armour plated windscreen dates it to before the evacuation of Dunkirk.

P9372 was shot down over Rye in September 1940.

The wreck was recovered and much of the aeroplane is on display at Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar.

No. 92 (East India) Squadron reformed on 10 October 1939 after a gap of twenty years.

At first it was equipped with the Bristol Blenheim Mk IF, but this was the phoney war period, and the squadron saw little action until May 1940, by which time it had received the Supermarine Spitfire Mk I.

The squadron went operational with the Spitfire on 9 May 1940, just in time to take part in the desperate fighting over France during May and June 1940.

After its experiences over France, No. 92 Squadron was moved to South Wales, where it remained until September 1940.

On 8 September 1940 the squadron was transferred to No. 11 Group, and moved to Biggin Hill.

This placed them at the heart of the battle of Britain.

At first No. 92 performed defensive duties, but as the bulk of the German bombing moved from day to night, the day fighters were free to move onto the offensive.

No. 92 remained on the south coast, "leaning over the channel", until October 1941, when it was withdrawn to Lincolnshire in preparation for a move to the Middle East.

During this period No. 92 became the first squadron to receive the new Spitfire Mk V.

The squadron made the move to the Middle East in February 1942, but did not receive new aircraft until August.

This was just in time for it to play a part in defeat Rommel's last offensive, the battle of Alam el Halfa (30 August-6 September 1942).

From then on in, No. 92 Squadron accompanied the Allied armies as they threw the Germans out of Africa.

In June-July 1943 the squadron was based on Malta, supporting the allied invasion of Sicily.

From there it moved to Sicily to support the invasion of Italy, and finally in September 1943 it moved onto the mainland of Italy.

In July 1944, with the air war over Italy increasingly won, No. 92 switched to fighter-bomber duties with its Spitfire Mk VIIIs.

Date: 25-NOV-1941
Time: day
Type: Supermarine Spitfire Mk Ia
Owner/operator: 52 Operational Training Unit Royal Air Force (52 OTU RAF)
Registration: AR226
C/n / msn:
Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities: 0
Aircraft damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location: Lletty Farm, Felindre, Swansea, Wales - United Kingdom
Phase: Landing
Nature: Military
Departure airport: RAF Aston Down, Gloucestershire, England - United Kingdom
Destination airport: RAF Fairwood Common, Swansea, West Glamorgan, South Wales - United Kingdom

Narrative:

Built by Westland Aircraft.

Delivered to the RAF at 38 MU Llandow 26-9-41.

Issued to 52 OTU 8-11-41 (as GK-E).

Written off (damaged beyond repair) when ran out of fuel, while lost, hit a hedge and overturned in a forced landing at Lletty Farm, Felindre, Swansea, near RAF Fairwood Common (at approximate co ordinates 51.71,02985 N, 3.96.64395 W)

SOC 25-11-41: the bulk of the aircraft was recovered as scrap to 78 MU at Brynea, near Llanelli.

Pilot survived the heavy landing

Date: 02-MAY-1942
Time: day
Type: Supermarine Spitfire Mk Vb
Owner/operator: 312 Squadron Royal Air Force (312 Sqn RAF)
Registration: BL231
C/n / msn:
Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities: 1
Aircraft damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location: Furzeland Farm, near Lunnon, Ilston, North Gower, Wales - United Kingdom
Phase: Take off
Nature: Military
Departure airport: RAF Fairwood Common, Swansea, West Glamorgan, South Wales - United Kingdom
Destination airport: RAF Fairwood Common, Swansea, West Glamorgan, South Wales - United Kingdom

Narrative:

Delivered to the RAF at 9 MU RAF Cosford 23-11-41.
Issued to 312 (Czech) Squadron RAF 7-12-41 (as "DU-B").
Minor damage and repaired on site 11-12-41.
Written off (damaged beyond repair) 2-5-42 when Collided with Spitfire BL470 near Fairwood Common cutting the tail off the other aircraft.
Its wooden propeller lost, the pilot was forced to glide the aircraft down to a forced landing in a field at Furzeland Farm, near Lunnon, Ilston, North Gower.
Aircraft salvaged, apart from the compass, which remained on the farm.

Despite severe head injuries, the pilot of BL231, Sgt Frantisek Vaculik survived.
He later volunteered for service in the Soviet Union and became a member of the 1st Czech Fighter Regiment.
The pilot of the second aircraft, Spitfire BL470, Sgt Josef Janeba, attempted to bail out, but he was too low, his chute did not deploy and he was killed.

SOC 2-5-42; total Flying Hours 63.46

Date: 02-MAY-1942
Time: day
Type: Supermarine Spitfire Mk Vb
Owner/operator: 312 Squadron Royal Air Force (312 Sqn RAF)
Registration: BL470
C/n / msn:
Fatalities: Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities: 0
Aircraft damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location: Kilvrough Farmyard, South Gower Road, Parkmill, Gower, Wales - United Kingdom
Phase: Take off
Nature: Military
Departure airport: RAF Fairwood Common, Swansea, West Glamorgan, South Wales - United Kingdom
Destination airport: RAF Fairwood Common, Swansea, West Glamorgan, South Wales - United Kingdom

Narrative:

Delivered to RAF at 24 MU 6-12-41.
Issued to 312 (Czech) Squadron 6-1-42 (as "DU-J").
Written off (destroyed) when collided with Spitfire BL231 on take-off from RAF Fairwood Common, Swansea, West Glamorgan, South Wales, 2-5-42.
Sgt Frantisek Vaculik’s aircraft (BL231) caught the tail of BL470, causing it to break off.
The aircraft crashed into Kilvrough Farmyard on South Gower Road (the present day A4118), at Park Mill, Gower.

Pilot of Spitfire BL470, Pilot Officer Josef Janeba (Service Number 113884, aged 27) bailed out too low and was killed.

KILLAY (ST. HILARY) CHURCHYARD, Grave 163.

We all have a story to tell.

True heroes are usually very modest, inconspicuous people, they don't talk about their actions, they don't brag about them.

Few of them leave written testimonies about their lives.

It would be an eternal pity if their heroic deeds, often paid for by their own lives, were forgotten.

One of the heroes of World War II was the pilot of the RAF VR, Josef Janeba.


He was born on February 4, 1915 in the village of Blešno number 70, district of Hradec Králové, in the family of Josef and František Janeb.

The First World War raged and Father Josef Janeba was far on the Italian front.

After the end of the First World War, and after the return of Josef Janeba from Italy, the family moved to the village of Věkoše near Hradec Králové.

In 1924, she managed to buy a cottage in Pouchov, at 100 Malá Street.

After moving to Pouchov, nine-year-old Pepík Janebů soon found friends of his age - Jarek Vondráček, Pep Kotyza, Hubáček, Antonín Holub, Láďa Jech and others.

He also attended the Primary School in Pouchov with them.

He learned to play the violin for three years, but he became no virtuoso.

On the other hand, he liked to go to Sokol and play football with the boys.

The pupil Josef Janeba started going to the Primary School in Pouchov on September 1, 1921 and finished it on June 28, 1926.

He learned well; there are only ones and twos on school reports.

On September 1, 1926, he transferred to the Municipal Boy's School in Hradec Králové.

For him, it meant a longer commute to school, in any weather, in winter and summer.

No bus was running then.

Getting up early and getting tired of traveling was not a school benefit; some three or fours were added to the report card.

It is necessary to add that the Citizen's School of Professor Drtina in Hradec Králové had an extraordinary level, the teachers placed high demands on the pupils and therefore not everyone passed the school successfully.

Josef Janeba received his dismissal certificate from the Municipal School on June 28, 1929.

The final grades did not give hope for any further study.

At least not right away.

"So he will go to study," Father Janeba decided.

The apprenticeship of the future locksmith ended in 1932.

However, Josef Janeba wanted to know more in his field.

After considering the family and financial situation, he enrolled to study at the two-year State Industrial School of Mechanical Engineering in Pardubice.

He was admitted to the first year in the school year 1933–1934.

While still studying industrial engineering, Josef Janeba became a member of the East Bohemian Aeroclub in Pardubice.

To strengthen the country's defence at that time, the event "1000 new pilots to the republic" was announced.

He did not hesitate and in 1935 completed theoretical and practical pilot training.

On March 26, 1936, he passed the examination of a "tourist aircraft pilot" before the examination commission of the Ministry of Public Works.

After registration in the register of pilots, and almost at the same time entering service in the army on April 6, 1936, he was issued a license of military pilot RČS number 1444, signed by the Minister of National Defense František Machník.

Based on his previous aviation qualification and according to his interest, Josef Janeba was recommended to the School of Aviation Adolescents in Prostějov by the military commission.

He joined the pilots' squadron here on July 1, 1936.

The Adepts received military clothing and all necessities and were accommodated in a common dormitory in the barracks on the outskirts of Prostějov.

The regime was tough and uncompromising from the start.

The alarm clock was at six o'clock in the morning, followed by washing, shaving, cleaning and breakfast.

The shirtless warm-up lasted about a quarter of an hour.

Upon arrival, the commanders of the individual platoon then reported to the commander, who was then Captain of the Air Force Bohumír Sedlák.

The teaching of theoretical subjects began at eight o'clock: meteorology, aerodynamics, engine science, orientation in maps, Morse code and others, as well as practical training, shooting, radiotelegraphy, aiming and marching exercises with singing practice.

The final exams took place in front of the committee.

Josef Janeba passed in theory and in probation.

He graduated from the Junior Air School on April 1, 1937.

He was then assigned to the 4th Air Regiment, the 34th Airman to Hradec Králové.

He was promoted and from September 1, 1938 appointed field pilot.

He also served for some time in Prague, at the airport in Kbely.

The fate of the nation and of each individual was cruelly affected by the German occupation.

Josef Janeba never reconciled with her.

On April 1, 1939, he was released from the Czechoslovak army and, without the knowledge of anyone in his family and friends, was preparing to flee abroad.

Before he prepared it, he accepted a job in Josef Prokop's engineering company in Pardubice for a while.

According to the certificate, he was employed here from April 15, 1939 to June 20, 1939.

None of the relatives knew that the day before this dismissal date, 19. 6. 1939, he and his friends raced in the direction of Ostrava.

With the help of the illegally operating organization of the Association of Pilots and other friends, he moved with his friends, Karel and Jan Kuttelwascher, Václav and Ladislav Procházková and Josef Jiroutek, to Poland and further to Kraków.

Here they received new identity cards and visas and instructions for departure to France at the Czechoslovak consulate.

On July 26, 1939, they boarded the ship 'Castelholm' in Gdynia, sailed to the French port of Calais, from there to Paris to process the application to join the Foreign Legion.

However, the target is the Air Force Fighter Training Center in Chartres, where Josef Janeba reports his arrival on September 10, 1939.

After training on French machines, he is deployed as an operational pilot in the GC II / 5 "La Fayette" fighter group.

On the front line from March 2, 1940 to 20th June 1940 he took part in the downing of two German bombers and was himself shot down twice.

He happily escaped captivity.

After the capitulation of France, Josef Janeba flies with a squadron to Algeria and from there to Oran, where he was released from the French army.

After being transferred to Casablanca, he sails, along with other friends on the 'Royal Scotsman' to Gibraltar, and after transfer to the ship 'David Livingstone' on August 5, 1940, they arrive at the port of Cardiff in Wales.

After a brief training camp in Cholmondeley, he arrived in Cosford, where he was admitted to the Voluntary Reserve of the Royal Air Force of Great Britain / RAF VR / on 14 August 1940.

He is assigned to the 312th Czechoslovak Fighter Squadron in Duxford as an operational pilot and with the unit moves to Speke.

He was appointed Captain of the Air Force in reserve and during the fighting in France he was awarded the Czechoslovak War Cross in 1939.

In the following period he was promoted to Flight Sergeant / F / Sgt /, he was awarded the Czechoslovak Medal for Bravery and on October 7, 1941 he was awarded the Second Czechoslovak War Cross in 1939.

From December 13, 1941 he worked as a flying teacher at the pilot continuing school / 9. SFTS / in Upavon and later in Hullavington.

From there, he transferred back to the 312th Czechoslovak Fighter Squadron at Fairwood Common Airport.

May 2, 1942 was Saturday.

It had been a nice, sunny day since morning.

According to the order, Lieutenant / P / O / Josef Janeba was to start with the sergeant / Sergeant / František Vaculík on the operational flight until the afternoon to accompany a convoy.

After the start at about 3.30 pm, in the Josef Janeba formation with the Spitfire VB BL 470 on the left, František Vaculík with the Spitfire VB BL 231 on the right, both aircraft climbed to a height of about 500 feet and then began to turn against the sun.

At this point, pilot Vaculík was trying to fly from right to left.

He misjudged the distance, and his propeller caught the rudder of Josef Janeba's plane.

The tail shattered and the machine immediately spun in an uncontrollable spiral.

It is probable that Josef Janeba wanted to jump off the plane at the last moment, but there was no time or height to use the parachute.

On 2 May 1942, at 3.50 pm local time, the charred Spitfire VB BL 470 became his grave.

Friend-pilot's plane, Sgt. František Vaculík, started to fall after the collision, but landed in the fields with a gliding flight.

František Vaculík was nervously shaken, but after some time he recovered.

The commission of inquiry unequivocally acknowledged his mistake, mitigated, however, by the fact that glare played a certain negative role in estimating the distances of both aircraft.

In 1944, a native of Buchlovice, Sgt. František Vaculík with a group of Czechoslovak pilots moved on to the Eastern Front.

In support of the Slovak National Uprising, he also died a heroic death on September 20, 1944.

Lieutenant / P / O /, a member of the 312th Squadron of the RAF VR Josef Janeba, was buried with all military honours in Killay Parisch-Churchyard Cemetery, Swansea, Glamorgan, South Wales in grave number 163.

After the war, Josef Janeba was promoted to lieutenant of the Air Force in memoriam on February 1, 1947, and on February 17, 1947, he received the Czechoslovak Medal for Bravery from the President of the Republic.

He received other civic and moral awards only after the "velvet revolution" of 1989.

By order of the Minister of National Defence of 29 May 1991, Josef Janeba was extraordinarily promoted to the rank of retired air force colonel in memoriam.

In 1991, the commander of the Air Force gave him an Honourable Mention, fully morally and politically rehabilitated him, and the same recognition was given to him by the Airmen's Association of the Czech Republic.

On April 23, 1946, the estate of the pilot Josef Janeb was discussed in the notary office of Vladimír Paprstein in Hradec Králové.

When the notary in the meeting came to the question of compensation or compensation for the tragic death of his son and brother, according to the testimony of Sister Boženka, Josef Janeb - father declared: "Mr. Notary, you do not pay for the service of the homeland!"

N.B. This story has been translated from its original, possibly badly.

No.312 Squadron was a Czechoslovak manned fighter squadron that was formed during the Battle of Britain, and that flew a mix of fighter-bomber and bomber escort for the rest of the war.

The squadron was formed at the No.12 Group Sector Station of Duxford on 29 August 1940, just at the start of the German assault on Fighter Command, the most dangerous period of the Battle of Britain.

The squadron remained at Duxford until 26 September, when it moved north to Speke to provide defensive cover over Merseyside.

The squadron returned south in May 1941, taking part in offensive sweeps over occupied France from then until August.

The squadron then moved to Scotland, where it provided defensive cover.

The squadron returned south again in May 1942, this time to provide fighter cover for bombers operating from the south-west of England.

This phase lasted until June 1943, when the squadron moved north to the Orkneys for another spell of defensive duties.

The squadron moved south again in the autumn of 1943 and joined Second Tactical Air Force.

In April 1944 it became a fighter-bomber squadron, and performed this role during the D-Day landings.

In July 1944 the squadron changed role once again.

While much of 2nd TAF moved to Normandy, No.312 moved to East Anglia and began to provide long-range fighter escort for bombers.

The squadron continued to perform this role for the rest of the war.

In August 1945 No.312 Squadron moved to Czechoslovakia, ceasing to be an RAF squadron on 15 February 1946.

Date: 23-AUG-1942
Time: 16:52
Type: Supermarine Spitfire Mk Vb
Owner/operator: 421 (Red Indian) Sqn RCAF
Registration: BM589
C/n / msn:
Fatalities: Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities: 0
Aircraft damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location: Cefn Bryn Common, Broad Pool, near RAF Fairwood Common, Swansea, West Glamorgan, South Wales - United Kingdom
Phase: Combat
Nature: Military
Departure airport: RAF Fairwood Common, Swansea, West Glamorgan, South Wales - United Kingdom
Destination airport: RAF Fairwood Common, Swansea, West Glamorgan, South Wales - United Kingdom

Narrative:

Delivered to the RAF at 6 MU 24-4-42; issued to 421 Squadron 10-5-42.

Loaned to A&AEE Boscombe Down 18-8-42 for handling and stability trials, with special reference to pull outs from dives and tight turns.

Tested with and without 6.5 lb inertial weight. (This after reports from pilot's who did not like the inertia weight).

The outcome was that it was suggested that the inertia weight only be fitted into aircraft (Spitfire V's) with the Rotol propeller

Written off (destroyed) when dived into the ground at Cefn Bryn Common, Broad Pool near RAF Fairwood Common, Swansea, West Glamorgan (at approximate co ordinates 51°34′48″N 4°08′25″W) on 23-8-42.

Despite diving from 6,000 feet, the aircraft remained largely intact.

Pilot: Pilot Officer Donald Iverach, RCAF killed.

Crew: Pilot Officer Donald Munro Iverach (pilot, RCAF J/7768, aged 30) killed Buried Killay (St. Hilary of Poictiers) Churchyard, Grave 182.

Struck Off Charge 3-9-42

Pilot Officer Donald Munro, Killay (St. Hilary of Poictiers) Churchyard, Grave 182.