New Zealanders with the Royal Air Force (Vol. II)
Contents
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Contents
| Page | ||
| PREFACE | vii | |
| CHAPTER 1 | INTRODUCTION | 1 |
| Strategic situation at opening of fourth year of war – Growing Allied power in the air – Success of Commonwealth Air Training Plans – New Zealand contribution to increasing RAF strength – Outstanding leaders and personalities – The task ahead. |
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| CHAPTER 2 | AIRCRAFT AGAINST U-BOAT | 15 |
| Most critical period in the Battle of the Atlantic – Uncertainty about counter-measures – The renewed bombing of U-boat building, ports, and bases – No. 75 Squadron's part. Air patrols in the North Atlantic – New Zealanders fly with Coastal Command from Iceland and United Kingdom – Victory in the North Atlantic – Patrol and attack in Bay of Biscay – Changing German tactics – Success of this air campaign – Patrols from Gibraltar and West Africa – No. 490 Squadron's work – Doenitz threatens new type of U-boat war. |
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| CHAPTER 3 | BOMBER COMMAND AND THE BATTLE OF THE RUHR | 40 |
| Bomber Command's campaign against Germany during earlier years – Allied strategy for 1943 – Stronger British force now available – Harris in command – Prominent New Zealanders and the part of No. 75 Squadron – Advent of new technical aids – The sustained assault on the Ruhr, March – June 1943 – Some exploits and experiences – Attacks on other German towns – The Dam raids – Some difficulties in the development of the combined bombing offensive. |
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| CHAPTER 4 | LONGER-RANGE ATTACKS | 83 |
| The Battle of Hamburg – Bomber Command's inability to repeat this success – Raids against Italy – Deeper into Germany – Attacks on enemy aircraft industry – New Zealanders and the work of No. 75 Squadron – German counter-measures to heavier RAF raids – The Battle of Berlin – Renewed attacks on German aircraft industry – The Allied bombing achievement by March 1944. |
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| CHAPTER 5 | WITH MINE, BOMB, AND TORPEDO | 114 |
| Growth of the air assault on German sea communications in North-West Europe – Minelaying by Bomber Command during 1943 – The increasing German defences – Development of high-level minelaying – Major effort by No. 75 (NZ) Squadron – New Zealanders with other bomber squadrons. Coastal Command's attacks on ships at sea – The work of No. 489 (NZ) Squadron – New Zealanders with other squadrons – Development of Beaufighter Strike Wings – Some typical attacks – Formation of Anzac Strike Wing and the part of No. 489 Squadron. |
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| CHAPTER 6 | DAYLIGHT RAIDS BY THE LIGHT BOMBERS | 137 |
| Development of RAF daylight raids – New Zealanders with No. 2 Bomber Group – The part of No. 487 Squadron – A memorable mission to Amsterdam – Mosquito crews and their work – Some notable attacks – Reorganisation – Bombing raids during latter half of 1943 – The opening attacks on flying-bomb sites – No. 487 Squadron and the raid on Amiens prison. |
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| CHAPTER 7 | DAY-FIGHTERS AND FIGHTER-BOMBERS | 169 |
| The British fighter force at the beginning of 1943 – Its changing role – Two fighter support missions – New Zealand wing leaders – Exploits of Jameson, Deere, and Compton – Other prominent personalities – No. 485 Spitfire Squadron – An active period at Biggin Hill – Some typical missions – Checketts' escape from France – No. 485's work under Hume – No. 486 Typhoon Squadron and the interception of coastal raiders – Change to offensive patrols under Scott – An interesting air-sea rescue mission. Fighter operations during early months of 1944. |
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| CHAPTER 8 | NIGHT FIGHTERS | 210 |
| Decline of the Luftwaffe's night-bomber force – Hitler's demands for reprisals – Renewed German effort during 1943 – The British night-fighter force, its equipment and technique – New Zealanders with this force – Their part in both defence and ‘intruder’ patrols – The work of No. 488 Mosquito Squadron – The ‘Baby Blitz’ against Britain and its failure – Decline of the German Air Force and its effect on Allied preparations for invasion. |
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| CHAPTER 9 | PRELUDE TO INVASION | 234 |
| Maturing plans – Reorganisation of the Allied air forces – Coningham in charge of Second Tactical Air Force – Other New Zealanders holding senior posts – The pre-invasion air – xi – campaign – Bomber Command's attacks on transport and theGerman aircraft industry – Fighter and fighter-bomber assault on V-weapon sites and transport – The part of the New Zealand squadrons – Typical missions and some individual exploits – Air operations at sea against enemy ships and U-boats – The eve of the landings. |
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| CHAPTER 10 | NORMANDY | 282 |
| The landings succeed – Strong Allied air support – Weak Luftwaffe reaction – Enemy uncertainty – Covering the advance inland – Highly effective attacks on communications – Crisis in the Allied build-up – Progress of the land battle – The supporting air operations. New Zealanders play their part with Second Tactical Air Force – Achievements of New Zealand squadrons – Attacking enemy ships and U-boats – With Bomber Command in close support, bombing, and minelaying – No. 75 Squadron's varied operations – Allied air power is decisive. |
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| CHAPTER 11 | FLYING BOMBS AND ROCKETS | 318 |
| German plans are upset – Eventual opening and development of the attack – Its relative failure – Allied counter-measures to the V-1 – The fighter patrols – Their difficulties and achievements – Notable part played by No. 486 Squadron – New Zealand pilots with RAF units – Bombing the launching sites and supply depots – Raids by No. 75 Squadron – The campaign against the V-2 rocket. |
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| CHAPTER 12 | FORWARD TO THE RHINE | 339 |
| Progress of the land campaign – Marked contrast in Allied and German air support – Bomber Command's missions – The part of No. 75 Squadron – Second Tactical Air Force – Mobile Wings – Fighter and medium-bomber operations – New Zealanders with 2nd TAF – Prominent personalities – The work of Nos. 485, 486, 487, and 488 Squadrons – New Zealanders with Fighter Command. |
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| CHAPTER 13 | TRANSPORT AND SPECIAL DUTIES | 369 |
| Achievements of Transport Command – Its early development – New Zealanders with the RAF organisation – Operations with No. 44 Group – Atlantic ferrying with No. 45 Group – Transport and supply with Nos. 38 and 46 Groups – Normandy, Arnhem, and the Rhine – Supporting the final advance – Special duties with No. 38 Group and Bomber Command – Dropping supplies and landing agents over Europe – Hazards involved and the success achieved. |
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| CHAPTER 14 | BOMBER COMMAND AND THE BATTLE OF GERMANY | 387 |
| The battle is renewed – Bomber Command operates at greater advantage – German cities, especially in the Ruhr, heavily attacked – Effect of this onslaught – Enemy communications also bombed – The Dortmund-Ems canal blocked – Controversy over oil targets – Heavier attacks by British bombers – Tirpitz is sunk – The climax. New Zealanders with Bomber Command – Some remarkable experiences – The work of the Mosquito crews – Radio counter-measures – No. 75 Squadron's prominent part. What the bomber offensive achieved – Harris's tribute to his men. |
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| CHAPTER 15 | COASTAL COMMAND PATROLS | 413 |
| A notable contribution to victory – Last phase of the U-boat war – German plans frustrated – New Zealanders in patrol and attack – The part of No. 490 Squadron – Attacking enemy ships – Prominent New Zealand leaders – No. 489 Squadron in action – New Zealanders share in photo- reconnaissance, air-sea rescue, and ‘met’ flights. |
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| CHAPTER 16 | THE LAST PHASE | 428 |
| The advance into Germany – Supporting operations by 2nd TAF and Bomber Command – Operation exodus – Last weeks of the war at sea – Final missions of the New Zealand squadrons. |
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| CHAPTER 17 | MISSION COMPLETED | 442 |
| APPENDICES— | ||
| I | Principal events of the Second World War (1943–45) with particular reference to air operations in Europe | 447 |
| II | Strengths and Casualties | 455 |
| III | Notes on the New Zealand Squadrons | 456 |
| IV | Principal types of British and German operational aircraft (1943–45) | 463 |
| V | Glossary | 467 |
| VI | Bibliography | 469 |
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