Air Fronts: Theaters of Operation - European Theater of Operation: Hubert Griffith - R.A.F. in Russia - 6. Action
R.A.F. IN RUSSIA; by HUBERT GRIFFITH; DEDICATED TO WING-COMMANDER H. N. G. ISHERWOOD, D.F.C., A.F.C., Order of Lenin, and MAJOR - GENERAL KUZNETSOV, Red Air Force ; to the Fighter-Boys of No. 151 Wing, R.A.F. and to their Soviet opposite numbers. LONDON 1942.
CHAPTER VI - ACTION
Vianga
September
THROUGHOUT the Wing's stay in Russia a nightly signal was wirelessed to the Air Ministry by the Wing-Commander, giving briefly and in official language a résumé of the day's doings. The first operational patrols took place on September 11th : - Front line patrols were carried out by 81 and 134 Squadrons. " Nil combats - nil casualties " ; and there followed a few technical details about the initial difficulties with engines and machine-guns pending the arrival of the Engineer-Officer's party, still at Archangel, and notes on the quality of the aviation spirit supplied.
The next day there was quite a good bit more to say, with six patrols and escorts flown :
" Enemy bombers were sighted by the first patrol of three aircraft of 134 Squadron but they avoided combat. In the second patrol one Me.110 was attacked and damaged by two aircraft of 81 Squadron.
" Three aircraft of 134 Squadron gave escort cover to Soviet bombers in the third patrol, but there were no engagements. On the fourth patrol three aircraft of 134 Squadron gave cover to Soviet bombers but there were no engagements. Four Me.109's and one Henschel were intercepted by four aircraft of 81 Squadron in the fifth patrol. Two Me.109's were destroyed, one probably destroyed and the Henschel was damaged.
" In the sixth patrol five aircraft of 134 Squadron intercepted three enemy bombers which were attempting to attack Archangel, the enemy evaded combat and dropped bombs ad lib without causing damage. The four Me.109's escorting the bombers evaded combat.
" Casualties for day : - Own, 1 aircraft, Sgt. Pilot N. I. Smith killed. Enemy : 3* aircraft destroyed, one probable, one damaged."
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* During the coding of the signal, the "probable" victory had been confirmed as "certain."
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The gist of the above signal is quoted because in the first place it is a record of the Wing's first day in full and intensive action ; and because, in some respects, it is an epitome of the other days when flying was continuous and close action was frequent. It had been a day of good visibility, and favourable conditions generally. The Wing had carried out offensive patrols - i.e., patrols on the look - out for trouble and the intention of finding it. It had also carried out important escort-patrols with the job of protecting Soviet bombers - i.e., patrols whose first mission was to see the Allied craft safely up to their target and back, rather than to seek desultory combat as opportunity offered.
Our own aircraft had been guided towards combat by accurate Soviet anti-aircraft fire, as was to happen again in the future. Three enemy aircraft had been destroyed for certain, with one other a " probable," while another had been fired at and hit. The Wing had lost one of its own pilots - a casualty which, by the grace of luck - and good leadership on the part of squadron-commanders and flight-leaders - and the qualities of the fully-armed twelve-gun Hurricane - was not once to happen again during the Wing's stay on Soviet soil. On balance the Wing had certainly notified its presence to the enemy, the Germans across the line not so very far distant ; and certainly the conversation in German messes that night must have turned on the fact that " einige Jagd-staffeln " of British Hurricanes, squadron-number and wing-number unknown, had dropped in on their sector of the Front with a vengeance.
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The next day's fighting of any importance took place very few days later, on September 17th. (There had been an interim of days with " Nil patrols - weather inclement," or merely " Six patrolsflown - nil combats - nil casualities.")
On the 17th there was more activity :-" Three patrols. Aircraft 81 Squadron engaged enemy Me.109s. Three destroyed, one probable. Nil casualities." Next day corrected this under-statement : " probable" of September 17th now " destroyed."
And that was that. After two days of full operational flying the score stood at seven-to-one in the Wing's favour, apart from any enemy aircraft " probably " destroyed, or damaged. Except for the loss of our one Hurricane and pilot, there had not been a single bullet-hole in any No. 151 Wing machine.
It was just at this time that two signals passed between the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Fleet and Air Service (under whose supreme command the Wing came) and the Chief of the British Air Staff. The signals were published in the London and Soviet Press, and were relayed to the Wing at Murmansk-Vianga.
Message from
AIR CHIEF MARSHAL SIR CHARLES PORTAL
Chief of the British Air Staff
to
ADMIRAL KUZNETSOV
Head of the Soviet Navy and Naval Air Service
on the occasion of
The First operations by No. 151 Wing, Royal Air Force
MURMANSK
" British Air Squadrons have arrived in the U.S.S.R. and are now operating from Soviet territory against the common enemy. On this first and memorable occasion of our two Air Forces fighting side by side on Russian soil I send you the warmest congratulations of all ranks of the Royal Air Force on the skilful and heroic resistance maintained by the Soviet Air Forces against the German invaders.
" Permit me to express the confident hope that this may prove the beginning of ever wider and closer collaboration between our two Air Forces, each of which is already straining to the utmost to hasten the final defeat and collapse of the Nazi aggressors."
Reply from
ADMIRAL KUZNETSOV
Head of the Soviet Navy and Naval Air Service
to a message of greeting from
AIR CHIEF MARSHAL SIR CHARLES PORTAL
Chief of the British Air Staff
on the occasion of
The First operations by No. 151 Wing, Royal Air Force
MURMANSK
" Dear Air Chief Marshal,
I am happy to confirm receipt of your telegram on the occasion of the first R.A.F. operations at MURMANSK. These operations are the very real expression of the inflexible will of the two great freedom loving peoples who have mobilized their armed and economic might for a decisive and merciless fight against the German invaders.
I am sincerely happy at the fact that the lucky chance of beginning operations against the common enemy side by side with the R.A.F. on an important part of the Front has fallen to the Air Force of the Soviet Navy.
I take this opportunity of expressing to you, Air Chief Marshal of the British Royal Air Force, my sincere regards and respect.
N. KUZNETSOV,
Admiral, September 1941. People's Commissar for the Navy."
It has been remarked before that wars are not won by " symbols " and " gestures " ; but, as between Allies on the battlefield, symbols and gestures can help them along towards successful fulfilment.
The full text of the two signals was roneod and put up on all notice-boards about Vianga Camp. " The first operations of No. 151 Wing in Russia. . . " The Wing in general, speaking of it as a unity and a personality (which by now it had become) felt that it was being handsomely treated by the world at large, and by the Higher Command, and went about its business in good humour.
