199 Squadron
199 Squadron reformed on the 7th November 1942 within 1 Group of Bomber Command, firstly operating from RAF Blyton flying Vickers Wellingtons two engine bombers.
Young men volunteered from the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. All signed up knowing that they were going to be exposing themselves to many dangers and risks, and that every day could be their last. As each crews was formed, so began an incredible bond between these young men.
​
​“RAF Blyton was right out in the sticks” (according to the crews). With basic brick buildings and Nissen huts made from corrugated iron used for accommodation with little electric, lack of heating and little running water.
Sleeping conditions were cold and damp, certainly not the best, made only worse by the bitterly cold winter of 1942/3.
the move to
raf ingham
In January 1943, the Squadron received a movement order to operate from RAF Ingham which was only a few miles down the road. On the morning of 2nd February 1943 an advanced party started the move and then the following day the rest of the Squadron moved by road to find RAF Ingham being an improvement of that of RAF Blyton with much better facilities on site.
With no time to lose, operations from RAF Ingham began on the night of 4th February 1943. In total 9 aircraft were detailed to bomb Lorient. All aircrafts returned safely back to base after a successful raid.
Daily Life on the base would have consisted of lectures, training, air test, air test formation, discussions and anxiously waiting for their daily briefing of the next operation. Crews would gather in the briefing room to take notes of the next “BIG JOB” as they called it. Each crew were like band of brothers, this was shown in a letter that FL/Sgt Terry Hockley wrote to his parents, he said “Who could be browned off for long with this crazy mob we have here”. The young men looked forward to any spare time to relax with a game of football, table tennis, reading or writing letters to their loved one, or a visit to the local pub was always on the cards or the occasional night in Lincoln.
Not forgetting Ground Crews, personnel, mechanics, electricians, armourers, wireless operators and cooks etc who worked long hours for the airbase be operational. Working tirelessly on aircrafts that were damaged from a mission or had engine problems, they were under a great deal of pressure to get the aircraft airworthy as quickly as possible for the next mission.
RAF Ingham's first loss
The first missing aircraft from RAF Ingham was on the 6th February 1943 with the loss of all the crew.
Sgt. George Moses, age 30, from Bangor Caernarvonshire
Sgt. Derek Wilfred Turner, age 20, from Gloucester (upper photo)
Sgt. Ronald Stevens Guy, age 29, from Weymouth
W/O Class 11 Leonard James Switzer, age 21, from Alberta Canada (lower photo)
Sgt. Howard Jack Read, age 22, from Hampshire
Wellington BK-367 took off from RAF Ingham at 18.10hrs along with six other aircrafts. Detailed for sea mining in the Artichoke field. Artichoke covered the area around Lorient and Lie De Groix.
There are two possibilities of what happened that night. There were reports of heavy flak in the area of St Nazaire one aircraft of the Squadron was badly damaged but managed to return safely to base. There were also reports of serious icing on the aircrafts, which could have caused loss of control of the aircraft. The Wellington and crew are believed to of crashed into the sea near Lorient.
199 Squadron remembered
Pam and Duncan McDonald visiting RAF Ingham in August 2020 to lay a wreath in honour of their Uncle Kenneth A Pinchin age 21. Lost at sea 9th April 1943. His aircraft and crew crashed into the sea between Lorient and St Nazaire after being hit by flak.
All are remembered at Runnymede.
The Squadron remained at RAF Ingham until 14th June 1943 before moving over to RAF Lakenheath. During these short months FIFTY-SEVEN of the Squadron lost their lives, some laid to rest in foreign soil or lost at sea. These brave young men are all remembered on the Memorial Wall here at the RAF Ingham Heritage Centre, along with the names of all Polish airmen who too were stationed here before and after 199 Squadron.
In September 2022 Ian Hyde (Nephew of Sgt Archibald M Cormack part of the Hockley crew - see note below) and his wife Jen came to visit the Heritage Centre. After a lovely chat and a tour, we then had a walk over to the Sgt Mess where Archie and his crew would have spent time-out, reading or writing letters home. This was a poignant moment for Ian…
THE HOCKLEY CREW were assigned for an air test to check engine boost on Wellington BK 158 that was repaired a couple of days before. About 20 minutes into the flight and over the area of RAF Skellingthorpe the aircraft lost control through the dinghy cover breaking free from its securing pins, the dinghy broke free and wrapped around the starboard tail plane. The aircraft broke up mid-flight and fell at high speed to the ground, the main wreckage burst into flames on impact and all crew were killed instantly. All are buried in their hometowns except for W/O Albert G Shorten who being Canadian was laid to rest at Newport Cemetery in Lincoln. He was given a full military funeral and the pall bearers being members of the Royal Canadian Air Force.
Researcher's Note
My research on the Squadron has been quite challenging at times tracking down descendants of the airmen, for over seven years of research the hard work paid off and I am now in contact with descendants in Canada, Australia, and all across the UK and each one have been happy in providing me with copies of personal documents and photos for the research to grow. I have compiled a file for each crew, giving individual information before they enlisted into the Squadron, then adding what happened to the crew that fateful night or day. I found some documents rather hard to read including personal letters airmen wrote and posted the day before they were killed in action. Telegrams sent to their loved ones informing them they are missing. Inventory letters of personal effects that were returned to their loved ones.
THEIR WORDS: REMEMBER ME
Now that RAF Ingham/Polish Bomber Squadron Centre is now open to the public I do hope that you find the time to visit my 199 Squadron exhibition which was part of the Airmen’s Mess as well as the 199 Squadron's own Memorial Garden which I created and designed myself with a rose bush called Remember Me, each poppy is named of those failed to return.
​​
Click on the image to enlarge
 |  |  |
|---|---|---|
 |  |
My personal connection
My RAF Ingham journey started in 2011 after reading through my uncle, Flight Sergeant Tom Wharmby’s war records. Knowing that he was stationed there, I wanted to find out more about the base and the rest its history.
​
I feel privileged that I am the only volunteer at RAF Ingham with a direct connection to the base through my uncle.
​
Unfortunately, Tom was one of the unlucky ones. He and his fellow crew members failed to return from a successful raid on Duisburg, Germany.
Flying over the Netherlands on their way back to RAF Ingham, they were spotted by German fighter pilot Oberleutnant Rudolf Sigmund who opened fire on the Wellington. Tail gunner Flt/Sgt Tom Wharmby fired back but it was too late, the Wellington bomber caught fire, made a turn towards the coast and crashed into farm fields near Drostenweg- Horseweg in Doornspijk.
​
All five crew lost their lives on the 13th May 1943. They were the only crew that failed to return that night.
Carol Wharmby-Gordon​
RAF Ingham 199 Squadron Researcher
email - rafingham199sqn@aol.com
