254 Squadron
R.w. Smith
| When we first arrived at Sumburgh, those tents were pitched in neat rows, but at one end of the one and only long runway. Story was that Army units had done this work and that the location was their idea of a joke! While this situation was being considered, but at pretty low priority, by our C.O., about 5.0 am (but day- light up there) there was a terrific roar and the tents were about blown down around our ears. Turned out to be a Beaufort with engine trouble and overshooting the runway on an emergency landing, saw our tents so he opened up and just managed clear them. Happy ending, he splashed down in the adjacent bay - no serious injuries. That pilot couldn't buy a beer while he was at Sumburgh and those tents were promptly moved to that mess you saw on the photo.... |
| .... Here's another shot at the Blenheim pictures - hopefully in gif, and no, I don't mind those yarns going on your site. That was a great job you did of researching for it. I was surprised they let you into the squadron log-book, but I suppose even they loosen up a bit after 50 years.The most complete history of 254 Sqd. I know of is in "Blenheim Squadrons of WW2" published by Osprey Publishing. The Blenheim was pretty well outclassed by this time and all squadrons using it took pretty high casualties I stayed with the squadron until the Fall of '41 and we returned to Sumburgh sometime after that visit in '40. By this time it was more like any other airfield with Nissan huts, toilets and the works. On that first visit we dug holes in the sand dunes for toilets and the M.O. insisted they be on top of those on the east side of the field. We didn't care much for this location, feeling too exposed to the perpetual high wind and some imagined long term disabilities also injuries from some super-sniper in Norway. |