Uno Animo Agimus - We Act With One Accord. 35 Squadron Motto

Archie arrived at RAF Linton-on-Ouse, near York, to join 35 Squadron on 11th October 1941.

Accommodation for personnel stationed at Linton-on-Ouse was either at the base, or a few miles away at Beningbrough Hall near Newton-on-Ouse. A bus transported personnel between the airfield at Linton-on-Ouse and Beningbrough Hall. The rooms on the ground floor of the Hall were used by the Sergeants as Dining Room, Ante Room, Bar etc, and the two floors above were sleeping quarters.

Click here to read a brief history of 35 Squadron.

Beningbrough Hall

ATTACK ON ESSEN CARRIED OUT ON 7/8TH NOVEMBER 1941

Halifax L9582-T

Sgt Archibald
P/O H G B Mays
Sgt G Murray
Sgt A McLaren
Sgt R M G Jones
Sgt D Francis
Sgt S Palmer

1958

 0034

Took off from Linton-on-Ouse for Essen (Krupps) at time stated. Attacked Essem from 17,500 feet at 2145 hrs. Bomb burst in target area but results not observed. 7/10 cloud with tops 18,000 feet with big breaks in target area. One 1000 lb bomb hung up and was brought back. Landed safely at base at time stated.

Halifax L9582-T

Sgt Archibald
P/O H G B Mays
Sgt G Murray
Sgt A McLaren
Sgt R M G Jones
Sgt D Francis
Sgt S Palmer

1716

 2335

Took off from Linton-on-Ouse for Hamburg at time stated. Attacked Hamburg area at 2010 hrs from 18,000 feet. H.E. flashes seen in town, east of aiming point. Identified Norder Elbe and docks. Weather over target area very dark, no cloud but ground haze made pin-pointing difficult. Landed safely at Leeming at time stated.

Halifax L9582-T

Sgt Archibald
P/O H G B Mays
P/O L J P Foster
Sgt A McLaren
Sgt R M G Jones
Sgt D Francis
Sgt S Palmer

1610

 2208

Took off from Linton-on-Ouse for Brest at time stated. Attacked docks from 17,000 feet at 1900 hrs. Observed orange flak in dock area. There was no cloud and visibility was good. The port pump of the hydraulics became unserviseable on approaching the French coast. Landed safely at base at time stated.

Halifax R9377-B

F/Sgt Archibald
P/O H G B Mays
Sgt G Murray
Sgt A McLaren
Sgt R M G Jones
Sgt D Francis
Sgt S Palmer

1004

 1602

Took off from Linton-on-Ouse for Brest (Scahrnhorst and Gneisenau) at time stated. Attacked primary in line astern formation at 1235 hrs at 15,500 feet. Very many bursts seen in immediate vicinity of the two cruisers. Some bursts definately on the stern of both vessels causing a whitish grey explosion. Some bombs seen to fall in water south of dock in which Gneiseneau was berthed and some in quay between torpedo boat station and No.1 dry dock. No cloud and visibility unlimited.   Small holes from heavy flak and the inner starboard engine became unserviceable. Landed safely at base at time stated.

Halifax L9377-B

F/Sgt Archibald
P/O H G B Mays
Sgt G Murray
Sgt A McLaren
Sgt R M G Jones
Sgt D Francis
Sgt S Palmer

1127

 1710

Took off from Linton-on-Ouse for Brest (Scharnhorst) at time stated. Attacked primary at 1407 hrs from 16,000 feet. Results unobserved owing to violent evasive action from extremely heavy flak. Starboard inner engine damaged by flak. Visibility perfect, no cloud or smoke over target area. Landed safely at base at time stated.

Halifax V9983-N

F/Sgt Archibald
Sgt Nelmes
F/O R E Cheeseman
Sgt A McLaren
Sgt Jones
Sgt D Francis
Sgt S Palmer

0405

 0935

Took off from Linton-on-Ouse for Brest at time stated. Attacked primary, West bank of Port Militaire at 0622 hrs from 20,000 feet. Cloud obscured observation of results. Cloud 8/10, tops 6,000 feet. Large cloud break at Rade de Brest and mouth of the river. One 1,000 lb bomb hung up and was brought back. Landed safely at base at time stated.

Halifax L9485-L

F/Sgt Archibald
Major King
F/O R E Cheeseman
Sgt A McLaren
Sgt Jones
Sgt D Francis
Sgt S Palmer

0403

 0935

Took off from Linton-on-Ouse for Brest at time stated. Attacked believed primary target at 0621 hrs from 19,500 feet. Bomb flashes seen through cloud and just afterwards large white fire observed but not claimed as result of own bombs. Weather 9/10 cloud with small breaks, tops 10,000 feet. Landed safely at base at time stated.

Halifax L9440-L

F/Sgt Archibald
Sgt Nelmes
Sgt G Murray
Sgt A McLaren
Sgt Staff
Sgt D Francis
Sgt S Palmer

2334

 0520

Took off from Linton-on-Ouse for Essen at time stated. Burst of one bomb seen with a large red dull flash, giving off much smoke. Very brilliant dummy fires were seen in open country south of target area and the numerous flares being dropped made pin-pointing of the target difficult. No cloud over the target area but a slight industrial haze. Vertical visibility was moderate to good.

Halifax L9440-L

F/Sgt Archibald
Sgt Nelmes
Sgt Murray
Sgt A McLaren
Sgt Staff
Sgt D Francis
Sgt S Palmer

1914

 2305

Took off from Linton-on-Ouse for Cologne at time stated but was unable to reach the primary target (Cologne) owing to starboard inner engine failing. Amsterdam was therefore attacked and fires were seen in the area due west of the Naval Dockyard. On landing at Linton-on-Ouse the aircraft overshot the runway and crash landed. Crew uninjured.

Halifax R9496-L

Click on a/c no to find out more about what happened

Sgt Archibald
Sgt Nelmes
Sgt Murray
Sgt A McLaren
Sgt Staff
Sgt D Francis
Sgt S Palmer

1909

 Missing

Took off from advanced base, RAF Kinloss, at 1909 hrs. This aircraft was not heard from after leaving base.

First formed in February 1916 as 35 Squadron RFC (Royal Flying Corps), it was disbanded in June 1919 at Netheravon. Ten years later in March 1929, 35 Squadron was reformed at Bircham Newton in Norfolk. The first aircraft the newly reformed squadron flew were DH 9 A's and then Fairey III F's. By 1932 the Squadron were flying Gordon's.

October 1935 saw the Squadron despatched to Sudan to reinforce the Middle East Command where they were to remain for the following 10 months before returning to the UK where they were then based at Worthy Down. 1938 saw the Squadron on the move once again, this time to Cottesmore where the aircraft used were Battles.

With the outbreak of WW2 in 1939, 35 Squadron became a training unit until in April 1940 it merged with 17 Operational Training Unit and ceased once more to exist as a squadron.

In the latter months of 1940, the RAF required a squadron with which to introduce their latest heavy bomber, The Handley Page Halifax, in an operational role. Consequently, 35 Squadron once again reformed and took delivery of the first Halifax MkI Bombers produced.

Their first operational sortie was flown on the night of March 11/12th 1941. The target was Le Havre. Seven aircraft from 35 Squadron were detailed to participate, but in the event only six took off. The seventh aircraft, flown by Pilot Officer Murray, did not take off due to a hydraulics failure. Sadly, one of the six aircraft that had bombed Le Havre failed to return to base. It was shot down by a British night fighter on the return journey and crashed in flames at Normandy in Surrey. The Pilot and the Flight Engineer managed to parachute to safety, but the rest of the crew were killed.

As the war in Europe intensified during 1941, 35 Squadron made raids by day and night over Germany and occupied France. In 1942 they were involved in several attacks on the German Cruisers, Scharnhorst and Gneisenau during their Channel dash, and in March and April made three attacks on the German Battleship, Tirpitz, in Norway. They also participated in the 1,000 bomber raids over Germany.

In August 1942 they moved from their base at Linton-on-Ouse to Gravely and were one of the several squadrons drawn from to form the Pathfinder Force. Pathfinder aircraft lead the way on operations and dropped flares and incendiary bombs to mark the targets clearly for the following aircraft.

The Squadron continued to operate after the war, moving from Gravely to Stradishall in 1946 and to Mildenhall in 1949. In February 1950 it was again disbanded and became the basis of the B-29 Conversion Unit. Reformed once more in September 1951 at Marham as a Washington Conversion Unit redesignated they moved to Upwood in July 1956. Once more in September 1961 the Squadron was disbanded, only to be reformed again in December 1962 at Coningsby with Vulcan aircraft. Between 1964 and 1975 they were to move three more times to Cottesmore, Akrotiri and Scampton before being disbanded for the final time in March 1982.