Today sees the publication of a new article which contains a fascinating conjunction of two accounts, one from the British viewpoint, one from the German viewpoint, of the shooting down of a Mosquito of 109 Squadron on 14 January 1944, eighty years ago. Mosquitos were difficult aircraft to shoot down, […]
109 Sqd (M)
109 Squadron, Mosquitoes
Cologne Op, 23 December 1944
On 16 December 1944, German Panzers spearheaded a surprise attack in the Ardennes that smashed through thinly held Allied lines, catching the Allied commanders completely off-guard. Men from 1st SS Panzer Division in a Schwimmwagen at Kaiserbaracke crossroads, between St. Vith and Malmedy, 18 December 1944 © IWM EA 47958 […]
109 Squadron Photograph
Amazingly, the Mosquito and aircrew in the photograph of an unknown squadron was identified very shortly after the publishing of yesterday’s post. Gary Godel, who runs the Bomber Command No.8 (Pathfinder Force) Group on Facebook, tracked down a photograph of the same Mosquito, P-Peter, with its unique nose art and […]
Unknown Mosquito Sqd
Does anyone recognise this picture of a Mosquito Squadron, probably at the end of the war? It is a photo which should be immediately recognisable because of the highly notable aircraft and the fabulous dog at the front. It is believed to be a Pathfinder Squadron but there is nothing […]
PFF Mosquito Ground Crew
The ground crew who worked on Pathfinder aircraft were the unsung heroes of the bombing war, working hard through all weathers. Mosquito ground crew had a particularly close relationship with their aircrew, as can be seen in the main photograph in this article … READ THE FULL ARTICLE
Winston Johnson, navigator, Special Duties
Winston Johnson’s wartime service was as a navigator/specialist wireless operator. He was involved in top-secret work, some of it with 109 Squadron, a founding Mosquito squadron of the Pathfinders. On 31 January 1945, Winston was posted overseas to the BLA, the British Liberated Area, where he remained until 18 May […]
The Three Pathfinder VCs
The three Victoria Crosses awarded to Pathfinders were all gazetted in 1945, some time after the deaths of the recipients. The three men who performed extraordinary feats of heroism and self-sacrifice were Ian Willoughby Bazalgette, Robert Anthony Maurice Palmer, and Edwin Swales. Read the Full Article: The Three Pathfinder Victoria […]