OTU Nassau 42-43

111 OTU Nassau, Island of New Providence,
Bahamas ~ 1942-43

Pilot, Navigator, Instructor – Average, 21st August 1942.
RAF No.111 ‘C’- OTU Nassau, Bahamas
A J L Craig – Posted: 29th October 1942 to 28th September 1943
Although Alan J L Craig was dark-haired & blue-eyed he had to protect himself from Tropical Sun as he did not tan readily.

Operational Training Units
Prior to WW2, Aircrew completed their Operational Training on their Squadrons, however, once War had broken out and Operations were begun, it became obvious that this Duty could not effectively be carried out by Units & Personnel actively engaged in Operations.  The 1st solution to this was to remove some Squadrons from Operations and allocate them the task of preparing new Crews for Operations.  It was not long before it was decided to formalise this arrangement by redesigning these ‘Training‘ Squadrons as Operational Training Units.  These units were usually larger than a Squadron and were Commanded by Officers holding the Appointment of Officer Commanding.

One area of Nassau where the Duchess felt at home was Cable Beach.  She and the Duke spent several weeks at Westbourne, the pink, 2-Storey home of Tycoon Sir Harry Oakes overlooking the Bay, while Government House was being refurbished.  He earned his fortune in Canada and in the 1930s moved to the Bahamas for Tax reasons.  Oakes soon proved to be a dynamic Investor, Entrepreneur & Developer in the Bahamas. He had a major role in expanding the Airport, Oakes Field, in the Capital Nassau; bought the British Colonial Hilton Nassau; built a Golf Course & Country Club; and developed Farming & new Housing. All of this activity greatly stimulated the struggling Economy in what had been a sleepy backwater, with only about 70,000 inhabitants in the early 1940s. This activity took place mainly on the principal Island of New Providence; it was estimated that Oakes owned about 1/3rd of that Island by the early 1940s.  Oakes had become the Colony’s Wealthiest, most Powerful & most Important Resident.  Oakes was Murdered sometime after midnight on 8th July 1943.  He was struck 4 times behind the left ear with a Miner’s Handpick and was then burned all over his body using an Insecticide, with the Flames being concentrated around the eyes. His body was then sprinkled with feathers from a Mattress. When Oakes was discovered, the Feathers were still being gently blown over his body by the Bedroom fan.  Sir Harry Oakes’s Funeral was held at the Family’s Bar Harbour Estate.

Masonic Hall, Bay Street, Nassau

Training in the Bahamas –
During WW2, Oakes Field was used by the RAF as a Training Base.
The RAF’s No.250 Air-Sea Rescue Unit was one of the Units based in the Bahamas and they were equipped with Amphibious Aircraft & Fast Launches. They Operated from Bases at Fort Montagu, Lyford Cay & Harbour Island. Their function was to Rescue the Crews of Aircraft which came down in the Sea and to Co-operate with Naval Forces in the Area.  There was also a fully-equipped RAF Hospital situated at Oakes Field to deal with Service Casualties. Apart from Transient Aircrew Personnel passing through these Units, over 3,000 Officers & men were Stationed in the Bahamas.  A Canteen for the RAF Officers & Men was opened by members of The Bahamas National Chapter of the IODE (Imperial Order Daughters of the Empire) in the Masonic Hall on Bay Street, which was kindly offered for this purpose by the Royal Victoria Lodge.  The 1885 Masonic Hall Temple, Bay Street Nassau New Providence Bahamas The 1st Freemasons came to the Archipelago more than 170 years ago.

Bahamain Club

Formed at Nassau in the Bahamas on 20th August 1942 to Train General Reconnaissance Crews on US-built Aircraft Types, mainly B52 Mitchells & Consolidated B24 Liberators.  Training began, initially on Mitchells and at the same time, the Unit operated anti-Submarine Patrols over the Western Atlantic.  When they were completing the B25 Mitchell Course they were actually undertaking anti-Submarine Patrols at the same time as an Exercise.

From the moment they sailed into Nassau Harbour the following morning, they entered a different World. RAF Crews found Nassau a dream place to be posted, unfortunately, some only stayed a few months to savour the delights of the Duchess of Windsor’s “Bahamian Club” which along with her Private Beach “Wavecrest” was completely at our disposal.  If Crews were not Flying, they were Swimming at Wavecrest Beach.  They were also given the use of the ‘Bahamian Club,’ on the Western Outskirts of Nassau all of those Facilities they were told, Granted by the Duchess of Windsor (Mrs Wallis Simpson-Windsor) whose Autograph they received during her Club Visits. Edward the Duke was Governor of Bahamas & Nassau was the Base for RAF No.111 Operational Training Unit.

In July 1940, Edward was appointed Governor of the Bahamas. The Duke & Duchess were purloined from neutral Lisbon on 1st August aboard the American Export Lines Steamship Excalibur, which was especially diverted from its usual Direct course to New York City so that they could be dropped off at Bermuda on the 9th August.  They left Bermuda for Nassau on the Canadian Steamship Lady Somers on 15th August, arriving 2 days later.  The Duke did not enjoy being Governor and referred to the Islands as “a 3rd-class British Colony“.   Despite initial discomfort, the Windsors kept busy, the Duchess with running the Red Cross and both with Official Duties. Despite attempts to restrain their Travel & Spending, they went often to the US & Canada and enjoyed prevailing upon the Wealthy contacts like the Sloans & Wenner-Grens to use their Yachts (Rene & Southern Cross) and also Homes (Marion Joe Carstairs at Whale Cay, Bahamas).  The British Foreign Office strenuously objected when the Duke & Duchess planned to Cruise aboard the Yacht belonging to a Swedish Magnate, Axel Wenner-Gren, whom British & American Intelligence wrongly believed to be a close friend of the Luftwaffe Commander Hermann Göring.  The Duke was praised for his efforts to combat Poverty on the Islands, although he was as contemptuous of the Bahamians as he was of most non-white peoples of the Empire.  He said of Étienne Dupuch, the Editor of the Nassau Daily Tribune:  “It must be remembered that Dupuch is more than half-Negro, and due to the peculiar Mentality of this Race, they seem unable to rise to prominence without losing their Equilibrium.“   He was praised, even by Dupuch, for his Resolution of Civil unrest over low wages in Nassau in 1942, even though he blamed the trouble on “mischief makers – Communists“ and “men of Central European Jewish descent, who had secured jobs as a pretext for obtaining a Deferment of Draft“.  After being the only Royal known to serve in a Civilian Post, the Duke resigned the Governorship before the end of the War, and left the Colony on 16th March, 1945.

The Unit had been formed in August 1942 to Train Crews in the General Reconnaissance role, using the Types of Aircraft then being delivered by the USA under ‘Lend/Lease’. By the end of 1942 111-OTU had nearly 30-B24’s on strength and had begun to perform Patrols in the Caribbean area in conjunction with the USAAF & USN. At this time it was also decided that the Unit would dedicate itself to Training Crews that were going to be operating the B24 in both the European & South East Asia areas of Operations. It was also decided that upon Completion of their Training the Crews would ‘Ferry’ a B24 Liberator across the Atlantic to Prestwick in Scotland.

B25 Mitchell

B25 Mitchell Training Wing 111 OTU
22nd August 1942 to 1st November 1943 – Above Average.

Coastal Command Nassau BWI.  Formed in August 1942 in the Bahamas to Train General Reconnaissance Crews.  Via USA & Canada – The Operational Training Unit also served as a Conversion Unit for not only Training newcomers to Flying Duties but moving already qualified Aircrew on from B25 Mitchells to the Consolidated B24 Liberators which were being assembled at 5 different US Aircraft Producers.  The location also enabled Canadian Air Force Members to Crew-up with their RAF Counterparts, whereby many Crews having completed Training at Nassau, would join No.45 (Air Transport) Group, to Ferry more badly needed Aircraft across the Atlantic ready for Active Service.  Pilots & Crew Members sent to Nassau for Liberator Training spent about 50-hrs Flying on the B-25 Mitchell Twin-Engine Bomber before moving on to the Liberator.  To speed Exercises up, a returning Crew would leave Engines running on Landing, and another Crew would immediately take over.

The B-25 had a maximum speed of 290 mph and carried some 4,000-lbs of Bombs. Almost 11,000 of the Type were built. Of these, 910 were diverted to the RAF under the Lend-Lease program.  Many of these Aircraft never crossed the Atlantic, being retained at No.111 Operational Training Unit (OTU) in Nassau or diverted to No.5 OTU at Boundary Bay, British Columbia.  In both Schools, the Type was used to introduce Pilots to a Tricycle Undercarriage before graduating to the heavier Liberator Bombers.

The Training was to be carried out in 3-Integral Squadrons, numbered 1, 2 and 3 (they had originally been A, B & C Squadrons). The 1st 2 were equipped with the B25 Mitchell, with ‘A’ Squadron providing Training for Pilots & Navigators. By 1943 Approximately 50-B25’s were based at Oakes Field. It was seen as an ideal Aircraft for Conversion to the B24, not least because of its similar Tri-cycle Undercarriage, something with which RAF Crews would not be particularly familiar. The Pilots & Navigators would then join the Wireless Operators & Air-Gunners in ‘B’ Squadron to form the new Crews. The B24 Liberators were operated by ‘C’ Squadron from nearby Windsor Field.

RAF Aircrew were to be trained by the unit during its 2-yrs in the Caribbean. Whilst classroom activities were, as might be expected, an essential part of the Training, Operating the Aircraft meant that a considerable number of Navigational & Radar Homing Exercises, Practice anti-Submarine Patrols, Fighter Affiliation Exercises, Low Level Bombing & Photographic Sorties, Air to Air & Air to Sea Firing Exercises were undertaken. All of which largely took place during Daylight hours. However, Night Flying also played a part, when exercises with the Liberators in the use of the Leigh Light would be undertaken. The Training Courses would usually finish with an up to 10-hr practice anti-Submarine Patrol, usually entitled ‘Esco’ or ‘Kingsley’.

A J L Craig –
Commendation by Air Officer Commanding No.45 (Atlantic Air Transport) Group, South Atlantic Ferry Route, dated 24th May 1943 for Rescue Work at an Aircraft Crash on 29th April 1943 (Windsor Field)

The 1st Mitchells to reach the RAF were 23 B-25B‘s which were designated Mitchell I by the RAF and assigned the RAF Serials FK161 through FK183.  They were delivered in August 1941 and were assigned to No.111 Operational Training Unit based in the Bahamas. These Planes were used exclusively for Training & Familiarisation & never achieved Operational Status.  The RAF was allocated 316 B-25J‘s as Mitchell III’s. Deliveries took place between August 1944 & August of 1945.  However, only about 240 of these Planes actually reached Britain, with some being diverted to No.111 OTU in the Bahamas, – some crashing during delivery and some being retained in the USA.
Flying Training at No.111 Operational Training Unit, Nassau, Bahamas, seemed too good to be true.  With good food, excellent sunny climate, loads of spacious skies to undertake Flying Training well away from interfering Enemy Aircraft; who would have guessed we were about to have our taste of ‘losing’ an Aircraft & Crew in strange, mysterious circumstances in such splendid peaceful conditions.
RAF No.111 OTU Oakes Field, Windsor Field & Ferry Command Nassau Association
Contemporary Account
No.111 Operational Training Unit Nassau 20th September – 27th December 1944 The journey to Nassau took 2 days by train to Miami, and a further day by Ship.  Nassau is on New Providence Island, 150 miles from Miami and I can hardly think of a more pleasant Site for an RAF Base.  We were soon settled into our Billets at Oakes Field, one of the Aerodromes on the Island, close to Nassau, where we would spend 2 months flying North American B52 Mitchells.  We were issued with very fine quality US Military Summer Wear – khaki Drill Trousers, Tunics & Shirts and the most comfortable brown shoes I have ever worn.  Extra pairs could be bought for £1 a pair.  There was a very fine Officer’s Club in Nassau with a Bar and a Swimming Pool.  The beer was the most expensive drink.  A Rum & Coke cost 3d.  We felt we were going to live the life of Riley.  The aim of the Course was to Assemble & Train a total of, I think, 12 Crews able to fly the Consolidated B24 Liberator on Coastal Command Operations.  There were 2 Groups of Pilots, 1 composed of ex-2nd Pilots from Squadrons, and in our case 2 ex-Instructors who had put in for Operations.  These were expected to become Captains, and they set about choosing Crew Members. The 2nd Group, of which I was one, were Pilots straight from Service Flying Training School, who were destined to become 2nd Pilots.  Most of the rest of potential Crew Members – Navigators, Wireless Operators/Air Gunners & Engineers were from earlier Training Courses, a few had Squadron experience.  It was evident from the start that this was a very intensive course.  Lectures were a continuation of subjects we had studied at General Reconnaissance (GR) School, with the addition of Bombing.  There was a ‘Planetarium’ for taking Astro-shots with a bubble Sextant.  This had a clockwork mechanism which ran for 1-min and averaged out the results – this to take into account any movement of the Sextant, something which was unavoidable when Airborne.  A Bombing Simulator had a Screen showing a low-level Bombing Run on a Ship.  The button had to be pressed at the optimum time for the release of a Stick of Bombs.  The accuracy or otherwise was recorded.  I found all this, when combined with Flying, a much more powerful & complex Aircraft, quite a strain, and I used to tumble into bed at night and fall asleep instantly.  Fortunately, we had a break at Weekends and were able to take advantage of the wonderfully relaxing fare available – Officer’s Club, fine Restaurants and especially swimming on Hog & Paradise Islands.  These were reached by Hog Island Freighters with glass bottoms giving views of the Subtropical Sea Life.  The OTU was divided into 3-Squadrons and we spent about a month in each.

No.1 Squadron – Flying began on 2nd October.  In this Squadron all Pilots received the same Training, which was to learn to Fly the Mitchell. This was a quantum leap for me – a Tricycle Undercarriage & 2 Wright Cyclone Engines of 1850HP with very large Propellers which nearly reached the Ground as I found out when I Taxied too close to a hurricane lamp and destroyed it.  It was a delight to Fly but very noisy and the effects of this on one’s ears lasted several hours after any flight.  The Training took a regular pattern – Familiarisation with all the Instruments & Controls, Circuits & Bumps, local Flying, flying on 1 Engine & 2 short Navigation Trips.  Early on I was corrected for approaching with 1 hand on the throttles – something which had been drummed into me by Sgt Scarlett at RCAF No.13 Service Flying Training School, North Battleford Station, St Hubert, Quebec.  The Mitchell could not be handled like an Oxford.  Two hands on the Controls were required.  All bar 2 of the last 3-Flights were done without Crew, and for some reason, flying times were logged as ‘Dual’ if under Instruction and as a ‘2nd Pilot’ if flying with another Trainee, even though no Instructor was aboard.  I flew 13-Flights under Instruction, 2 of which were at Night and 9 with another Trainee as 2nd Pilot, 3 of which were at Night.  I had gone ‘Solo’ after 7hrs 15mins.  During this 1st Month, one of the Trainees who had been an Instructor pulled out of the Course.  It had been a long time since he had studied Navigation, Meteorology etc and he found the going too hard.  Until I began to write this account, I hadn’t realised that I never flew in the right hand, 2nd Pilot Seat throughout the whole Course.  With the workload at the time I hadn’t queried this but just followed Daily Routine Orders (DRO’s) which gave the day’s Flying Schedule. In retrospect it is odd that no Senior Officer discussed this with me or gave me any explanation

B24 Liberator

111 OTU – B24 Liberators at Windsor Field, Nassau, LO is B.III BZ762 and MA is GR.V BZ810

No.2 Squadron – The Month in this Squadron was spent learning the Arts of War – mostly Bombing & Gunnery with additional Navigation & Practice Patrols.  All the Flights were done with a Crew.  For Bombing, there was a Target of Poles set up in shallow water, roughly in the shape of a Submarine.  The Attacks were made at a low-level, diving down to 50ft and releasing a stick of 12½ lb Practice Bombs.  The Approach was made at an angle of about 30° to the line of the ‘Submarine’ and I had to judge the moment to release the Bombs to straddle it.   A smaller number of attacks were practised dropping a single Bomb.  The results of both methods were recorded by a mirror camera.   Air Firing was done from the mid-upper Turret from 2 x 0.5-ins Browning Machine Guns.  We all had a go at this in turn as the Plane banked around a Target.  It was thunderously noisy and as I was wearing shorts, I got somewhat burned by the cascade of hot cartridge cases on my knees.  It was very satisfying to see the damaging effect of powerful Guns.  Early in the month, the remaining ex-Instructor Trainee flew into the Sea on a Practice Bombing Run, killing all aboard, including my friend who was his 2nd Pilot.  A tragic error of judgement.  About the middle of the month, there was a hurricane warning and a standard procedure was put into action to Fly all the Aircraft, including the B24 Liberators, to Florida.  I was assigned one of the Mitchell’s and had been issued with some $US when the Hurricane changed course and we were disappointingly stood down.  I flew 3-Flights under Instruction and 10 on my own with a 2nd Pilot, 3 of which were at Night.  The last Flight on November 21st was a Crew Test under Instruction and the final part of it was to go through the procedures prior to Ditching.  One of the responsibilities of the 2nd Pilot was to release the Upper Escape Hatch.  He had been warned to point to the handle but not to touch it as it was a Hair-trigger.   He forgot, did touch it and it flew off, leaving a howling gale blowing around the Cockpit.  The Instructor removed himself into the calm of the Nose position and stayed there until we reached Base.  I wondered if the Seabed was littered with Escape Hatches. 

Consolidated B-24 Liberator GR.Mk V’s & VIII’s – No.111 OTU Nassau, Bahamas. A new & sometimes final posting for many Officers & Crew.

No. 3 Squadron – This Squadron was Based at Windsor Field, named after the Duke who was Governor of the Bahamas.  It was situated about 10-miles West of Oakes Field and we were moved into Accommodation there.  It was now time for moving up another dimension, to learn to Fly the Consolidated B24 Liberator.  This was the 4-Engined long-range Bomber which had been used by Coastal Command so effectively to close the gap in the North Atlantic in the War against the U-Boat.  Most of the Techniques taught in the Course were based on this anti-Submarine background.  The Liberator was powered by 4-Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp Engines of 1200 HP and had a range of 2200-miles.  Flying began on 27th November and I had a Crew of 9.  It was now obvious that I had taken over the place of 1 of the ex-Instructors and was headed for a role as Captain.  Nothing had been said directly to me, and I just carried on as detailed in Daily Routine Orders.  The Flying Schedule was, as usual, intensive.  Procedures were more complicated than with the Mitchell and 5 Flights were fitted into the 1st 3-days, a total of 5hrs 55mins before I went ‘Solo’ and did my 1st Circuit without an Instructor.  Thereafter we flew mostly twice a day, excepting Weekends.  It was a mixture of Dual & Solo with programmes to exercise all the Crew, mostly in Anti-shipping Techniques- Turret-manipulation, Air-firing, Photography, Low-flying, Bombing, Evasive-action, Radar-homing and Fighter-affiliation.  Low-level Radar-homing over the sea was done keeping a Green-light lit on a Radio Altimeter set at 50-ft.  Dropping below this lit up a Red-light, rising above it, a Yellow.  It was advisable to Trim the Plane so that it required a slight forward pressure on the Control Columns.  Any wandering of the mind, though unlikely, meant the Plane would climb higher.  Navigational fixes were a rarity in Coastal Command and Navigation was almost entirely by Dead Reckoning (DR).  Every hour a small smoke float was dropped and sighted by the Rear Gunner who then read off the drift on a scale on the Turret Roof.  The Plane was then turned 60° and flown in that direction for 3-mins while the drift was again determined with a 2nd smoke float. It was then turned 120° in the opposite direction and the process repeated before turning back on the original Course.  This 3 drift Wind was used by the Navigator to adjust the Compass Course the Pilot had to fly to maintain the required Track.  The efficiency of the whole business required the Plane to be flown at a steady speed, direction & altitude.  I had no part in this new Crew selection, but they did form a very good working Team and were all very efficient at their jobs.  I think they felt the same about me, though I never did ask them how they felt about having a Captain with no Squadron experience.  The Final Test was on 20th December when we had to do a dummy Anti-submarine Patrol which lasted 8-hrs.  We had to fly a dogleg of over 300-miles, drop a large smoke float, circle and attack it with a live depth charge, then circle again to photograph the result.  It was almost impossible to be sure we could spot the exact place of the explosion, but we had been warned not to return without a photograph so the Beam Gunners took a guess and the result was accepted.  The explosion itself, of course, had been caught by the Mirror Camera.  Another dogleg of 400-miles got us safely home, the last few hours in the Dark.  We had our Last Flight to end the Course.  This was a Leigh Light Radar-homing at night on a Small Ship.  A few Planes had been modified to carry an Army Searchlight under the Starboard Wing so that Submarines could be attacked at Night when they were usually surfaced.  A clutch of Batteries was added to the Plane’s load, necessary to power the Arc.  The approach was made in complete darkness at 50-ft guided by the Radar Operator.  At a range of about a mile, the Arc was struck and a blinding light illuminated the Ship.  I had been warned never to be tempted to look up, but to keep flying on Instruments and be guided on the run-in by the Navigator.  It was a nerve-racking experience but we did manage to Home-in and pass over the Ship without any aggressive action being taken.  Total hours flown by No.3 Squadron were: Day 15hr 10mins, Dual 18hr 20mins, ‘2nd Pilot’ Night 4hr 30mins, Dual 6hr 45mins ‘2nd Pilot’.   We had a glorious celebration after the Course ended with an excellent meal in Nassau and plenty of booze.  We then had to get ready to leave this superb Station and travel over Hogmanay to be in Montreal again by 1st January.  – R Quirk

Leigh Light Pod

The Nacelle type Leigh Light, fitted on Liberators, was a 20-inch dia Arc-light mounted in a Nacelle 32ins dia slung from the Bomb lugs on the Wing. The Controls were Electric and the maximum Beam Intensity was 90M candelas without the spreading Lens and about 17M with the Lens.  Wing Commander Humphrey de Verd Leigh, an RAF Personnel Officer, came up with his own solution after chatting with returning Aircrew. This was to mount a Searchlight under the Aircraft, pointed forward and allowing the So be spotted as soon as the light was turned on. He then developed the Leigh-Light entirely on his own, in secret and without Official Sanction – even the Air Ministry was unaware of its development until shown the completed prototype.  At 1st it was difficult to fit on Aircraft due to its size. Leigh persisted in his efforts to test the idea, and garnered the support of the Commander-in-Chief of Coastal Command, Sir Frederick Bowhill. In March 1941 a Vickers Wellington DWI that conveniently already had the necessary Generator on board, (it had been used for anti-magnetic Mining Operations using a large electromagnet) was modified with a retractable “Dustbin” holding the Lamp and proved the concept sound.

“We finally finished our Oakes Field Training, but when VE Day arrived on 8th May 1945, both Canadians left us to go home.  The 3 remaining Crew members crossed over to Windsor Field, where we Crewed up with 2nd-Tour Pilots & Navigators where the emphasis seemed to be on low-flying in conjunction with Leigh Light Operations. This was the only time I was involved in any Accident at Nassau.  I was on Radar Watch on a Night Leigh Light Exercise when I noticed a ‘blip’ (the Liberator in front) had disappeared.   I, of course, reported this, but privately felt it could simply be a malfunction.  Unfortunately, this was not the case, and when we returned, discovered our accompanying Aircraft had not returned.  We were never told what happened, but all 8 Trainees were lost, and rumour had it, that it was due to the Pilot following the Leigh Light Beam into the Sea.”

B25 Mitchell

P/O A J L Craig – Qualified as 1st Pilot B25 Mitchell 4th January 1943
Rank – Pilot Officer
The North American B-25 Mitchell was an American Twin-Engined Medium Bomber manufactured by North American Aviation.

RAF Bahamas Operational Training Unit.  It was used by many Allied Air Forces, in every Theatre of WW2, as well as many other Air Forces after the War ended, and saw Service across 4-decades.  The B-25 was named in honour of General Billy Mitchell, a Pioneer of US Military Aviation. By the end of its Production, nearly 10,000 B-25‘s in numerous variants had been built.  The B-25‘s were operated by the RAF during WW2, among others.  The prototype XB-25 1st flew on 19th August 1940. It was a Twin-Engined, all-metal, mid-wing cantilever Monoplane with characteristic twin vertical Stabilisers. Mitchell‘s were produced in many variations including Medium Bomber, ground-attack, Trainer (TB-25) and long-range Photo Reconnaissance Versions, the latter being designated the F-10. The USN designation for the Mitchell was PBJ-1.  Power by 2-Wright Cyclone R-2600-13 double row Radial Engines with 2-speed Superchargers (1750 HP each).  The normal Crew was 6 and all Crew positions were protected by Armour Plate. Wingspan was 67ft-7ins, length 53ft-5.75ins, empty weight 21,100-lbs and loaded weight 33,500-lbs. Maximum speed was 303-mph and the Service Ceiling was 24,200ft.  Maximum internal Bomb load was 6,000-lbs (or a single 2,150-lbs Torpedo) plus up to 2,400-lbs of Bombs on external Racks.  Depth Charges could also be carried by Aircraft engaged in Maritime Roles.  Defensive Armament usually included 1-Fixed & 1-Trainable .50in calibre Machine Gun in the glazed Nose, a power-operated Dorsal Turret with 2 x .50in calibre heavy Machine Guns, waist positions on both sides of the Fuselage with a .50in Machine Gun in each and a Tail Gun position with 2 x .50in calibre Machine Guns. That is a total of 8 heavy Machine Guns, making the B-25J a very heavily defended Medium Bomber.  The B-25C/D versions had a power-operated Ventral Turret instead of the Waist & Tail-gun positions, but this was dropped when the latter was added.

Contemporary Account
I was sent to No.111 OTU (Operational and then a Train to Montreal. The Hotel Ford was our Accommodation while there. We were now attached to RAF Training Unit) in the Bahamas. Christmas Day 1943 we spent on a Train going through Georgia on the way to Miami, Florida.  A small Cargo Vessel took us over to Nassau.  The Ocean was rough and I spent most of my time in my bunk on the edge of being seasick.  Accommodations at Nassau were in Wooden Barrack Buildings and we were introduced to the practice of “Afternoon Tea” at 4pm.  Oakes Airfield was on the Outskirts of Nassau.  On 25th January 1943, we commenced Training on the B25 Mitchell.  The B25 was a fine Aircraft to Fly, visibility from the Pilot’s Seat was excellent.  However, the Wright Cyclone Radial Engines were very noisy.  Edward – The Duke of Windsor was Governor and we heard that when Night Flying was in progress he complained regularly of the noise.  The B25 Mitchell was used for most of our Flying, as it was more economical than the 4-Engined B24 Liberator.  Circuits & Bumps, Night Flying & Flights over the Islands of the Bahamas were what kept us busy.  As in RCAF Summerside (Prince Edward Island), all of our Flight Training Trips were over the Ocean.   At this time we were “Crewed-up”, that is we got together and Crews were made up.

Following Training on the B25, we moved to Windsor Field, some miles away from Nassau, and carried on Training with the B24 Liberator Aircraft.  After 27-Flights the last one was to Fly out to the vicinity of Bermuda and find a certain Ship.  At this time I received a promotion to F/O.  From the Bahamas, we had the usual rough ride on a small Coaster (Ship) back to Miami-F Transport Command.  At Dorval (Montreal) the total Flying time was 4-Trips on the Radio Range and the usual Circuits & Bumps with the B24.  On 26th May 1944 we signed for a brand new B24 Liberator No. EW257 and in the early morning left for Gander, Newfoundland with destination Karachi, India.  As well as our Crew we had P/O Woolverton to help Navigate. The Trip to Gander was, course 70º, 900-miles and it took 5-hrs Flying time. After the remaining hours of the afternoon, and refuelling, it was lift-off just as darkness fell.  On climbing away the Control Tower called to say that flames were coming from the No.2 Engine.  This proved to be the flame from the turbo-supercharger when at Take-off Power.  On reducing Power there was no problem.  Our destination was Lagens Airport in the Azores, course 120º,  1500-miles.  On landing at an Emergency Field on St Anna Island in the Azores Flight time was 9hrs, 5mins.  On this Flight, we flew at 9000ft mainly through the cloud.  On the ETA (estimated time of arrival) for Lagens we were still in cloud and could hear on the Radio other Aircraft down below trying to find the Airstrip.  Because a Mountain is beside the Airstrip we dare not let down in full cloud so it was necessary to divert to St Anna some miles to the South East.  Here the short, grass Airstrip had a Village at one end and a Swamp at the other.  We got down OK but tore up some of the sod while braking hard to stay out of the Swamp.  Facilities there were one RAF Officer and one Building for Housing.  For breakfast, I had some fat bacon.  In the afternoon we headed back to Lagens in low cloud & rain.  Found the Airstrip and with bad visibility got lined up and landed on the 3rd Attempt.  The Airstrip had a steel mat runway and with the stiff Crosswind, “Wayne “Wacky” Adams” Aircraft slid off the Runway and in getting back on had damaged one of the Tyres.

RAF B24 Liberator

15th July 1943 – Contemporary Account
We had left sub-tropical Nassau on the 27th of December and arrived by Train in frozen Montreal on New Year’s Day.  Tropical khaki had been exchanged for Temperate Blues, with scarves, gloves & greatcoats.  Winter in Canada is very different from that in the UK.  Temperatures were often well below freezing, but the air was dryer and it often felt, deceptively, not unpleasant.  It was possible to get frost nipped ears or nose without being aware of it.  The flesh became waxy white, and I was warned of this once by a passer-by and had to go indoors and do a spot of vigorous rubbing.  We again had Accommodation in a Civilian Flat near the centre of Montreal.  This was arranged through a Services Club.  Many kind Citizens had made unused Flats available for Servicemen.  A generous Transit allowance was added to our pay, and as we were there for nearly 7-weeks, we were able to take advantage of all the facilities of a big City and to have another short trip to the same Hotel in the Laurentian Mountains (Lac Beauport?).  I was the only one to have any additional Training during this time.  On the 6th of February, I did a short Flight at Dorval – a Dual check in preparation for the Flight to the UK.  On the 9th of February, I had another check, this time in a Hudson, to practice Radio Range Flying.  Although the Test was easy, it did not include the Radio Procedures for contacting the Ground Station as you passed over it, an omission which caused some concern when we used the Ranges in earnest.  

On the 11th of February, we all had to report to Dorval with our kit, to pick up a brand new Consolidated Liberator ready to Fly to the UK.  We were briefed to fly the Southern Route across the Atlantic, and we had a Staff Wireless Operator, familiar with the specialised procedures used, as a temporary Crew Member.  It was a very cold morning with complete cloud cover with a Base of about 2000ft.  Our destination that day was Elizabeth City in North Carolina.  We were to Fly almost due South, to pick up the Coast near New York, and onward to Elizabeth City using a number of Radio Ranges as we went.  Soon after Take-off, we were in the cloud, climbing towards our desired altitude of 8000ft.  The Plane was trimmed and the Automatic Pilot engaged.  While a check has to be kept on all the Instruments, the most vital are the 3 registering Airspeed, Direction & Altitude, and these are scanned frequently.  Less than ½-hr into the Flight, I noticed the Airspeed dropping off rapidly.  I immediately disconnected the Elevators from the Automatic Pilot and stuck the Nose down.  It was quickly apparent that we were gaining a lot of speed but the registered Airspeed continued to fall.  I levelled the Plane out using the Artificial Horizon and realised we were suffering from Icing.  Airspeed is measured by the Pitot Head, an open-ended tube pointing forward.  The pressure-induced gives a measure of the speed when compared with the Static Air Pressure, which is measured through slots in an outer tube.  The Plane had an Internal Static Head and when I switched over to this we got our Airspeed back.  We were lucky that the Icing had only after affected the slits in the Static head.  I also switched on a Pitot Head Heater and in a few minutes, all was back to normal.  We were soon out of the cloud and enjoyed a blue sky Flight down the Coast.  The Navigator kept his Navigators Log and gave any necessary alterations in Course, but in addition, I had to use several Radio Ranges.  This was successful except we failed to contact the Ground Stations, but they seemed to put up with our ignorance.  The Flight took just over 4-hrs.  As we were taxiing into our stance the Control Tower got us confused with another Aircraft which had landed just after us.  His instructions to turn right or left at the next intersection caused a few minutes of confusion but eventually, we were berthed successfully.  We spent the night there and the Aircraft was serviced & refuelled.  Next day we flew to Bermuda in just over 3-hrs and after a meal & refuelling took off for Lagens in the Azores.  After an hour it was dark so we didn’t see much of mid-Atlantic.  The Flight took 10½-hrs and we saw a magnificent Dawn.  We had been provided with a huge cardboard box full of US chocolate bars & cartons of fruit juice and we managed to consume about a 3rd.  We spent 2 nights there and then took off on 15th February for the final leg to Prestwick.  It was a blue sky day and we flew at 10,000ft looking forward to our 1st sight of Europe.  We did not discover immediately that our large cardboard box of chocolate goodies had been nicked by the Ground Crew and replaced with bread, margarine & jam!  It was wonderful to Fly up the Clyde Estuary and to find that the landing circuit took us over Arran and all the Hills I had climbed in 1940. – Robert Quirk
The mnemonic HTMPFFSGGBC for the vital actions before Take-off. If you are interested, it stands for: –
Hydraulics, Trim, Mixture, Pitch, Flaps, Fuel, Switches, Gyro, Gills, Brakes, Controls.

Widgeon (Duck) – The Grumman G-44 Widgeon is a small, 5-person, Twin-Engine Aircraft designed for the Civil Market

Supermarine Walrus

Supermarine Walrus
R J Mitchell’s Supermarine Walrus Bi-plane was less so. Like a Penguin, the Walrus lumbered on Land. It wallowed in the Air but was Supreme at Sea. It was useful for Air Sea Rescue and saved many lives during the war.
Technique of handling the Walrus
Firstly when in the Air it wallowed through the air and oscillated about 5° either side of the Course you were Steering – no point in fighting it – just let it trundle along.  The next thing was the different type of Landings according to the state of the Sea.
Normal Sea – a moderate chop – Glide in with the Engine ticking over at 65/70-mph, level out and it sank down in the water – very pretty.
Rough Sea – up to 7 or 8-ft waves bring it in with plenty of Power ‘Nose up’ and feel the Tail cutting the wave tops – judge your moment – close the throttle & touch down on the face of an incoming wave crest.  Very spectacular and for a few seconds looked as though you were playing Submarine.  At Night or surface of water obscured by Mist.  Get the Nose high, 55-mph, plenty of revs, sinking gently down and wait for the bang as it hit the water.
All the above Landings were made into the Wind.  One other condition was a Crosswind and a long lazy Swell where it was possible to Land and take off along the Swell.  After Touch-down you connected the Tail-wheel (to act as a Water Rudder) – Drop the Wheels – to cut Speed through the water & Taxi to the Dinghy.  Meanwhile the Gunner had scrambled to the Front Hatch, which he opened and either pulled the Survivor over his shoulder or hooked the Dinghy with a Boat-hook (with a detachable head) on a predetermined length of Rope floated down to the Rear Hatch which was lower in the water and easier to deal with an injury or more than one body.  The Gunner then slashed the Dinghy, closed the Hatch and settled the Survivor’s Amidships and we were then ready for Take-off.
Before describing it, I would mention that we carried 4 smoke floats with a burning time of 2-mins from the time of it hitting the sea – our aim was:-
1) to keep sight of the Body in the Sea
2) an Accurate Wind Direction, and Touch-down as close as feasible. Our aim was to carry out the Operation before the Smoke Float stopped burning and if there were no snags we could do it.  A mile off the Enemy Coast and 70/100 miles behind the Lines was a great Incentive (there were usually 2-Gunners on an occasion like this…)
So now we come to the Take off – the sequence is always the same.
Disengage the Water Rudder, pump up the Wheels, make sure you are headed into the Wind (if in doubt fire a Verey Cartridge into the air) – (A Verey Pistol Cartridge propelled a little packet of fused gunpowder some 50-ft into the air, where it went off with a very loud bang & a puff of Smoke) – to give you a final check then open the Throttle and do 3 things at once – hold Stick (in this case a Half-wheel) fully back in stomach.  Full Starboard Aileron (to pick up Port Float) and Full Starboard Rudder – then after clouds of spray again and Speeds picking up centralise everything.  You should now be on the step, picking up Speed and come off the water at about 60-65mph always provided you did not “Porpoise“.  No Pilot that I met really knew why this happened, whether it was Wave conditions or Swell but we all agreed that it started after you were “on the Step“.  A gentle bounce maybe 10ft long & 6ft high without sufficient Flying – the danger was that it doubled up successfully and as you came back on the Surface, Drag cut off your Speed until you were chucked in the Air and Stalled-out & nose-dived in.  The only remedy was to Shut-down & Start all over again.

A J L Craig – Above Average Pilot 27th September 1943

After WW2 on 1st June 1946, the RAF withdrew from Windsor Field and it reverted to Civilian use. Oakes Field (now Thomas Robinson Stadium) remained as the Main Airport in the Bahamas due to its close proximity to Downtown Nassau.  At the Regional Caribbean Conference of the International Civil Aviation Organisation held in Washington in September 1946, Oakes Field was recommended for designation as a Long-Range Regular Airport.  Oakes International Airport was kept in Operation until midnight, 1st November 1957, when Nassau International Airport at Windsor Field was brought into Full Operational Status.

In 1944 the normal Home Flight Route was via Nassau – Bermuda – Gander – Lagens and Prestwick to Lossiemouth, the Units new home in the UK. It was reconstituted later in the year with a mixed bag of Liberators and some Wellingtons.

 RAF Memorial Lytch Gate with Bronze Name Panels

Nassau War Cemetery, Maxwell Lane, Off Farrington Road, Nassau, Bahamas
60 Commonwealth War Dead of WW1 & 2 were commemorated in the Nassau War Cemetery, previously known as the RAF Cemetery.  In the entrance to the Cemetery are Bronze Panels forming part of the Local War Memorial erected by Public Subscription and which bear the names of the Airmen with no known Graves who were killed during Training while Based in the Bahamas.  All of the casualties Commemorated in the Cemetery were Airmen, including 6 Czechs, who were Serving in the RAF and who died Ferrying Aircraft or whilst on Training Duty. The other casualties include 2 from the Canadian Army, a South African (Lt John Griffith Owen) & 5 Contingents of the local Bahamian Forces, 2 of the latter being from WW1.  The task of providing a final resting place for those Airmen Killed whilst on Active Duty in the Bahamas was shared by their Colleagues and by many generous Bahamians who, together with the United States Post Engineers, constructed the Cemetery in the early 1940s when the Graves were initially marked by Crosses.  In the late 1950s, the Crosses were replaced by Headstones provided by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.