Der Feind, The Fiend

On our new site we have published a post on a public information poster from Berlin 1940, which was a forewarning of the later demonisation of the RAF bomber crews as terrorflieger, ‘the terror fliers’. This was used as justification for violence against them if they were shot down. See: Der Feind, The Fiend

The annual lighting of candles on the 167 graves at the War Cemetery at Den Burg, Texel, took place yesterday evening, Christmas Eve.This is a very simple but extremely moving and quietly spectacular ceremony, and for the last three years we have published photographs of it. See our new website: Den Burg, Texel, Xmas Eve

Christmas Greetings

From all the team at the RAF Pathfinders Archive:

Happy Christmas to everyone who has supported us over the years, and may next year, 2021, see life restored to something like normality after the immense problems and sorrows caused by the Corona virus. To see the menu at RAF Station Graveley on December 1944, visit our new website: Christmas at Graveley Last Year of the War

Victoria Cross: 23 December 1944

On 16 December 1944, German Panzers spearheaded a surprise attack in the Ardennes that smashed through thinly held Allied lines, catching the Allied commanders completely off-guard. The Allied fight-back included this extraordinary feat of heroism which won Bob Palmer one of the three VCs awarded to Pathfinders: Victoria Cross, 23 December 1944: “Heroic Endeavour” The story is told by Sean Feast.

Dominion Aircrew

There are three new pages on our new website, all to do with Dominion crew. This photograph of a rescued Wellington crew comes from Allan Templeton’s logbook, from the time he was with Air Sea Rescue. Allan was a Newfoundlander. The other two pages focus on Australian and New Zealander airmen in training.

New Website for the Archive

At the RAF Pathfinders Archive, we have begun a review of this entire website: raf-pathfinders.com 

It has been added to and expanded for many years, and is now very much in need of an overhaul.

To facilitate the clean-up, a new website has been set up which has the marginally different address of: rafpathfinders.com

Whilst this is very much an ongoing project, it is probable that all the information will eventually be transferred to the new site.

On it, we are using a whole new cataloging system which should make subjects and groups of subjects very much easier to find. Much improved search facilities have also been installed.

All new material will be added there but for the time being posts will keep this old website very much up to date. 

PFF HQ and Hamish Mahaddie

From: Jennie Mack Gray – It has been quite a while since this website was updated, due mainly to me taking a sabbatical to finish my book on the Pathfinders (this was delayed, like so much else, by COVID-19).The book is not yet entirely done but it is very close. The working title is

Belonging to the Elite: Courage, Love and Loss in the Pathfinders of Bomber Command

The website will have a number of updates in the course of the next few weeks, but tonight two pages have been added about the Pathfinder leadership:

Pathfinder HQ; Ops Room and Group Photo 1944

Hamish Mahaddie, IWM sound recordings (1972 & 1989)