RAF PATHFINDERS ARCHIVE

Pathfinder Aircrew, their Friends, their Families, and the World they Knew

Category: Black Thursday

76th Anniversary of Black Thursday

Posted by on in 156 Squadron, 582 Squadron, 7 Squadron, 83 Squadron, 97 Squadron Aircrew, Archive News, Black Thursday

The worst night in British aviation history for aircraft crashes occurred on this day, 76 years ago. On return from a bombing raid on Berlin, the RAF lost a large number of aircraft and men due to the thick fog blanketing their airfields.

Tonight we remember all the aircrew who lost their lives on 16/17 December 1943, but particularly those on the Path Finder Force.

The Pathfinders were badly affected: 97 Squadron lost 28 men, 405 Squadron lost 15, 156 Squadron lost 6, and 83 Squadron lost 1. In all, 50 Pathfinder aircrew were killed by the fog. Others were seriously wounded and grounded for a long time, or permanently taken off flying duties. There were also heavy losses on the Berlin raid, 7 Squadron suffering the worst of all with the loss of four crews.

This new page for Black Thursday contains the ORB entries for the PFF squadrons who were flying ‘the heavies’:

16/17 December 1943: The ORBs for the ‘Heavies’, PFF

These ORB entries paint a vivid picture of what happened on that disastrous night.

 

For other pages on Black Thursday, please see the main menu of the website, or here are some of the relevant links:

Black Thursday Overview

Black Thursday – 97 Squadron

97 Squadron Memorial Page (Losses on Black Thursday)

Pathfinder Funerals at Cambridge City Cemetery

 

For the RAF website page on Black Thursday, click here.

Fund-Raising For the Deverill Collection

Posted by on in 97 Squadron Crews on Black Thursday, Archive News, Black Thursday, Deverill Collection

Ernest Deverill’s distinguished RAF career ended with a terrible crash at RAF Graveley in the early hours of 17 December 1943. All except one of the crew were killed.

Parts of his aircraft, which caught fire, can be seen here in their display box at the Heritage Centre, RAF Wyton, a poignant reminder of that dreadful night.

There are many demands on everyone’s money at this time of year, but with the anniversary of Deverill’s death fast approaching we are asking for contributions towards the financing of the Deverill Collection.

So please contribute what you can to help us settle the last debts for this tribute to an outstanding pilot and ‘Knight of the Air’.

DONATE TO THE ARCHIVE

We are giving away a free pair of Black Thursday booklets to anyone who contributes £30 or more. The Black Thursday booklets

DETAILS OF THE PURCHASE OF THE DEVERILL COLLECTION

Two years ago, the RAF Pathfinders Archive bought the Deverill Collection to ensure that it would not go into private hands and possibly end up being sold off in separate parts.

Acquisition of the Deverill Collection

Since the Archive acquired the Deverill Collection, it has been on loan to the Heritage Centre, RAF Wyton, where it can be seen by the public, by appointment.

Our previous appeal for funds to settle the outstanding loan to purchase the Deverill Collection has taken the amount still owed to £3,700, less that 10% of the purchase price. Clearing the balance will enable us to look to the future when we may be able to acquire other suitable Pathfinder items. These too will be loaned for display at the Pathfinder Collection at RAF Wyton, and will enhance the wonderful collection already there.

Deverill RH smaller

Above: the new Black Thursday display at RAF Wyton. See this page: The Deverill Collection at RAF Wyton

Deverill Collection: Fund-Raising

Posted by on in 97 Squadron Crews on Black Thursday, Archive News, Black Thursday, Deverill Collection

Two years ago, the RAF Pathfinders Archive bought the Deverill Collection to ensure that it would not go into private hands and possibly end up being sold off in separate parts. Since the Archive acquired the Deverill Collection, it has been on loan to the Heritage Centre at RAF Wyton, where it can be seen by the public, by appointment.

The Deverill Collection’s future as part of RAF history, and in particular the history of the Pathfinders and Black Thursday, 16/17 December 1943, is now assured. However, the Archive still has to raise £4,280 – 10% of the purchase price – to settle the remaining balance of the interest-free loans taken out to finance the purchase. Clearing the balance will enable us to look to the future when we may be able to acquire other suitable Pathfinder items. These too will be loaned for display at RAF Wyton, and will enhance the wonderful collection already there.

We are launching an appeal to all our supporters to help us clear the outstanding balance of the Deverill Collection purchase. Please contribute what you can to help us settle the last debts for this outstanding pilot and ‘Knight of the Air’.

DONATE TO THE ARCHIVE

We are giving away a free pair of Black Thursday booklets to anyone who contributes £30 or more.

The Black Thursday booklets

Deverill RH smaller

Above: the new Black Thursday display at RAF Wyton. See this page: The Deverill Collection at RAF Wyton

Robert Butler wins a Goldfish

Posted by on in 97 Squadron Aircrew, 97 Squadron Crews on Black Thursday, Black Thursday, The Air War - background

The Caterpillar Club, for aircrew whose lives had been saved by a silken Irvin parachute, is well-known. Less so is the Goldfish Club, for aircrew whose lives had been saved by an emergency dinghy. Few of the aircrew who ditched in the sea survived, but one of the lucky ones was Robert Butler, who won the badge on 28 February 1942 whilst in training. See: Robert Butler Wins a Goldfish

Condolence Letter from Pathfinder Gunner, 7 Squadron

Posted by on in 7 Squadron, 97 Squadron Aircrew, 97 Squadron Crews on Black Thursday, Black Thursday, RAF Station Bourn, RAF Station Oakington

Working on the post yesterday on the condolence letter to Jespersen’s father reminded me of another condolence letter, this time written on the Pathfinder station at Oakington in December 1943. It concerned a friend, Bob Butler, who was stationed with 97 Squadron at Bourn. The condolence letter was addressed to his mother, Ellen Butler.

Black Thursday Exhibition, RAF Wyton

Posted by on in 75th Anniversary Black Thursday, 97 Squadron Crews on Black Thursday, Black Thursday

Many grateful thanks to John Clifford who organised the revamp to the Black Thursday exhibition at the Pathfinder Collection, Heritage Centre, RAF Wyton, pictures of which can be seen here. 

John also showed us round yesterday. He was on top form as the guide to what is basically a Pathfinders Aladdin’s Cave, containing countless riches connected with 8 Group’s history.

He was ably assisted by the hugely knowledgeable Carl Thomas. There was also the lovely surprise of a lighting visit by Peter Stanley, who began the original Pathfinder Collection in 1995, the basis of everything which can be seen today. Pete received a well-merited round of applause.

Black Thursday Week: FIDO

Posted by on in Black Thursday, RAF Station Graveley

In December 1943, the only real facilities available to land in weather conditions of extremely poor visibility were FIDO and a system known as SBA (Standard Beam Approach).

FIDO, the Fog Investigation and Dispersal Operation, was at that time only installed at three airfields:— the PFF stations RAF Graveley and RAF Downham Market, and RAF Fiskerton close to Lincoln.

On 16 December, Graveley was stood down for operations, but due to the terrible conditions elsewhere a number of aircraft converged there hoping to land using FIDO. READ MORE 

Black Thursday Week: Charles Owen Diary Entry

Posted by on in 97 Squadron Aircrew, Black Thursday

Charles Owen kept an operations diary, and one of the most interesting pages is the one he wrote for Black Thursday.

This particular entry has often been quoted but there is nothing like seeing the actual handwriting. One of the critical phrases is ‘landed without permission in appalling conditions’. To read the full story of this unauthorised landing, see Tom Leak’s story on the Owen crew page.

Commemorative Publications, 75th Anniversary of Black Thursday

Posted by on in Archive News, Black Thursday, Deverill Collection

The night of 16/17 December 1943, afterwards known as Black Thursday, saw the worst RAF bad weather losses of the whole war. A heavy fog caused severe problems for home-coming aircraft and there were multiple fatal crashes. Amongst the dead were 50 Pathfinder aircrew.

Our two commemorative booklets for the 75th Anniversary of 16/17 December 1943 are published today. Together they create a unforgettably vivid picture of the dramatic events of that night which led to so many deaths in the Pathfinders and Bomber Command.

All profits from the sales go towards the RAF PATHFINDERS ARCHIVE and in particular to the funding of the DEVERILL COLLECTION, which we bought with the benefit of supporter-loans last year.

For full details of pricing and how to buy these publications: 75th Anniversary Black Thursday Publications

deverill cover smallestfunerals cover smallest

Deverill Collection and Black Thursday Anniversary

Posted by on in Black Thursday, Deverill Collection, RAF Station Wyton

This year will be a busy one for the Archive. Following the acquisition of the Deverill Collection, we will be fund-raising this year in order to settle the interest-free loans from supporters which enabled us to buy the Collection at very short notice. 

The Deverill Collection cost £42,000 (by way of comparison, Dambuster collections are selling for three times this, or more, in the current market).  £28,050 has already been settled, having been funded by donations and Gift Aid. This leaves £13,950 to be fund-raised.

If you would like to make a contribution, please go to our DONATE page. Alternatively please CONTACT us if you would prefer an alternative method of payment such as cheque or postal order. All donations towards this most important collection will be very gratefully received. 

We would also be very pleased to hear from anyone who would like to run a fund-raising project of their own for the Deverill Collection.

The Deverill Collection is now on display at RAF Wyton, and can be visited by appointment.

Early next month we will be adding the first details of our projected commemorations for the 75th anniversary of Black Thursday, 16/17 December 1943, which will centre around the Deverill Collection at RAF Wyton. We will be giving further details of our fund-raising for the Deverill Collection at the same time.