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Author
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Topic: Interview
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Himdog
Pilot
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posted 04-20- 12:15 PM
   
Sorry but this is not one of my jokes. Got some more but I'll post them later. I was going through some WWII stuff looking for some info on some tanks and came across a bunch of old mags that I have but forgot about. The mags have a lot of first hand stories from guys who served in WWII. Well here is a very small part of one of those stories that I think you guys would like.
This is coming from an interview with the commander of the Pathfinder Force, Donald C.T. Bennett an Australian-born and RAAF trained, he joined the RAF to command the 10 Squadron. In the spring of 1942, flying the new Handley Page Halifax heavy bomber, he executed a Royal Navy plan to drop spherical bombs down the banks of Norway's Asafjord to lodge beneath the super battleship Tirpitz lurking there. With highlevel diversionary aircraft dropping armor-piercing 2,000 pounders all around him, Bennett led his flight 200 feet above the water. The Tirpitz and her escort opened fire. His starboard wing was hit, and a fuel fire started, so he went around again. During his second run-up, the plane's damaged landing gear lowered itself, and his flaps depressed without control. He dropped as near the aiming point as he could and headed east for Sweden, streaming fire, fuel and smoke down the fjord. In the best RAF tradition, a crew member, thinking his end was near, spoke Paddy Finucane's last words over the intercom: "This is it chaps. Goodbye" (Finucane was a Spitfire ace who was shot down and lost in the English Channel during the Battle of Britain).
"Shut up", roared Bennett. "There's no danger if you keep your heads". With half a wing gone, the Halifax could not clear the 3,000 foot mountian range ahead, and "Abandon aircraft, Jump!" was ordered. With the plane burning and his parachute in the rack hehind the seat, Bennett was doomed. He chose to control the plane to enable his crew to jump. But his Irish engineer, Pat Colgan(got to love those Irish),appeared through the smoke and clipped Bennett into his chute, then crawled back to drag the wounded rear gunner to the door and dump him out. Bennett went out the nose, joinedd the wireless operator in the snow and made it to Sweden in three days, where the copilot and the brave Colgan met them. Three crewman, including the wounded gunner, were captured. All survived the war. Bennett was back leading his squadron just 30 days after being shot down.
There is a lot more of this story but just wanted to share a little with you guys. If I come across another good part I'll share it.
Cheers
Himdog out[This message has been edited by Himdog (edited 04-20-2000).] IP: Logged |
Elric
Pilot
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posted 04-20- 05:41 PM
As I read this story, I thought, this sounds familiar...At RAF Hendon, North London is this remains of a Hanley Page Halifax that crashed into a Norweigen Fjord. This halifax was virtually intact but it clearly been hit by AA and a fire had started in the inner starboard engine. The fire had more or less burned through the wing. The aircraft was recovered from the Fjord recently ( in the past twenty year ). Is this the same aircraft I wonder? Elric IP: Logged |
nealg
Pilot
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posted 04-21- 12:34 AM
Great story; I got goose bumps reading it, and reading Elric's reply. Now, I wonder, too....is there any way to find out?
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nealg=FC=
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Hawk
JAG
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posted 04-21- 12:53 AM
Cool, I love a mystery.IP: Logged |
semmern
Pilot
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posted 04-21- 07:42 AM
My best-friends father was a diver, and a member of the diving team that recovered the Halifax that's now in the RAF museum. It's not Don Bennet's.[This message has been edited by semmern (edited 04-21-2000).] IP: Logged |
nealg
Pilot
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posted 04-21- 12:09 PM
Thanks semmern for the info!! 
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nealg=FC=
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