10 Group RAF and RAF Rudloe Manor Dave Wright and Barry Cox August 2018
Rudloe Manor (courtesy Carol Payne)
Background
In the summer of 1940, 2,937 aircrew took part in an historic battle against the Luftwaffe (German Air force) that was to become the only battle to be fought entirely in the air. This battle has become known as the Battle of Britain. The Battle of Britain was fought over the skies of Southern England over the period 10 July to 31 October 1940.
Those readers of a certain age may remember the 1969 film The Battle of Britain and the disputes between Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Sir Keith Park commanding 11 Group RAF and AVM Sir Trafford Leigh-Mallory commanding 12 Group RAF. The Big Wing controversy has been the subject of debate that has been raging within RAF circles since 1940 and is still a hot topic to this day. The Big Wing theory was devised by Squadron Leader Douglas Bader and was a tactic to repel Luftwaffe bombing raids with a wing-shaped formation of three to five RAF squadrons. The Air Defence of London and the South East of England was the responsibility of AVM Park and consequently most of the combat action of Fighter Command against the attacking forces of the German Luftwaffe took place within the boundaries of 11 Group RAF. On many occasions they were stretched to the limit, and initial research indicates that they would often call in reinforcements from 12 Group RAF who were responsible for the East Coast Air Defence North of London.
The Big Wing theory was intended to concentrate large numbers of Fighter aircraft in order to provide a killer punch. However, concentrating three, four or even five squadrons was time consuming and, not unsurprisingly, by the time 12 Group RAF had formed the Big Wing, the Luftwaffe had fled the scene. On the other side of the tactical debate, Air Chief Marshal (ACM) Sir Hugh Dowding Air Officer Commanding (AOC) Fighter Command, and AVM Park were both strong advocates of the Air Ministry Fighter Tactics in Combat which argued that each squadron operated independently, controlled by their own sector controller until the actual time that the independent squadron would engage the enemy. The arguments are finely balanced and have formed the centre piece of a good number of military books on the subject of the Battle of Britain.
RAF Rudloe Manor
However, what is less well known is the part played by RAF Box, later renamed RAF Rudloe Manor, in the Battle of Britain.
RAF Box was formed on1 June 1940 under the command of AVM Quinton Brand, the Headquarters (HQ) of 10 Group RAF was located at Rudloe Manor overlooking the Bybrook Valley towards Bath and Colerne. The original layout of the Headquarters was centred on the Manor House with a two storey Operations or Plotting Room and a single storey Filter Room established adjacent to the Manor House. The Filter Room was responsible for filtering large quantities of intelligence on enemy activity before it was passed to the Operations room. A Communications Centre linked Rudloe Manor with RAF Fighter Command at RAF Bentley Priory, 11 Group at RAF Uxbridge and the 10 Group Fighter Stations such as RAF Colerne, RAF Middle Wallop and RAF Charmy Down.
Simultaneous with the re-formation of 10 Group RAF, Mr FW Allan was tasked with converting Browns Quarry, a small quarry to the north of Tunnel Quarry into a secure underground Command Centre for 10 Group RAF. Mr Allan considered Browns Quarry as the most exacting difficult of all the construction tasks undertaken at Corsham as the operations room called for a single chamber, fifty feet square and forty five feet high. For most of the Battle of Britain, command and control of 10 Group aircraft was conducted from the RAF Rudloe Manor above ground site as the underground complex was being completed.
In the summer of 1940, 2,937 aircrew took part in an historic battle against the Luftwaffe (German Air force) that was to become the only battle to be fought entirely in the air. This battle has become known as the Battle of Britain. The Battle of Britain was fought over the skies of Southern England over the period 10 July to 31 October 1940.
Those readers of a certain age may remember the 1969 film The Battle of Britain and the disputes between Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Sir Keith Park commanding 11 Group RAF and AVM Sir Trafford Leigh-Mallory commanding 12 Group RAF. The Big Wing controversy has been the subject of debate that has been raging within RAF circles since 1940 and is still a hot topic to this day. The Big Wing theory was devised by Squadron Leader Douglas Bader and was a tactic to repel Luftwaffe bombing raids with a wing-shaped formation of three to five RAF squadrons. The Air Defence of London and the South East of England was the responsibility of AVM Park and consequently most of the combat action of Fighter Command against the attacking forces of the German Luftwaffe took place within the boundaries of 11 Group RAF. On many occasions they were stretched to the limit, and initial research indicates that they would often call in reinforcements from 12 Group RAF who were responsible for the East Coast Air Defence North of London.
The Big Wing theory was intended to concentrate large numbers of Fighter aircraft in order to provide a killer punch. However, concentrating three, four or even five squadrons was time consuming and, not unsurprisingly, by the time 12 Group RAF had formed the Big Wing, the Luftwaffe had fled the scene. On the other side of the tactical debate, Air Chief Marshal (ACM) Sir Hugh Dowding Air Officer Commanding (AOC) Fighter Command, and AVM Park were both strong advocates of the Air Ministry Fighter Tactics in Combat which argued that each squadron operated independently, controlled by their own sector controller until the actual time that the independent squadron would engage the enemy. The arguments are finely balanced and have formed the centre piece of a good number of military books on the subject of the Battle of Britain.
RAF Rudloe Manor
However, what is less well known is the part played by RAF Box, later renamed RAF Rudloe Manor, in the Battle of Britain.
RAF Box was formed on1 June 1940 under the command of AVM Quinton Brand, the Headquarters (HQ) of 10 Group RAF was located at Rudloe Manor overlooking the Bybrook Valley towards Bath and Colerne. The original layout of the Headquarters was centred on the Manor House with a two storey Operations or Plotting Room and a single storey Filter Room established adjacent to the Manor House. The Filter Room was responsible for filtering large quantities of intelligence on enemy activity before it was passed to the Operations room. A Communications Centre linked Rudloe Manor with RAF Fighter Command at RAF Bentley Priory, 11 Group at RAF Uxbridge and the 10 Group Fighter Stations such as RAF Colerne, RAF Middle Wallop and RAF Charmy Down.
Simultaneous with the re-formation of 10 Group RAF, Mr FW Allan was tasked with converting Browns Quarry, a small quarry to the north of Tunnel Quarry into a secure underground Command Centre for 10 Group RAF. Mr Allan considered Browns Quarry as the most exacting difficult of all the construction tasks undertaken at Corsham as the operations room called for a single chamber, fifty feet square and forty five feet high. For most of the Battle of Britain, command and control of 10 Group aircraft was conducted from the RAF Rudloe Manor above ground site as the underground complex was being completed.
RAF Box Plotter Room (courtesy Wikipedia)
The Air Defence of Great Britain was the responsibility of Fighter Command under the direction of ACM Sir Hugh Dowding. RAF Fighter Command comprised five Fighter Groups with 11 Group famously engaged directly with the Luftwaffe over Southern England. However, 10 Group RAF who were responsible for the Air Defence of Western England from the Hampshire Border with 11 Group RAF to the Scilly Isles. 10 Group supported 11 Group in the Battle of Britain by rotating squadrons, providing additional fighter support when needed, and supplying additional fighter aircraft as required by 11 Group to counter the Luftwaffe threat. The Air Officer Commanding (AOC) 11 Group, AVM Keith Park, had a far warmer relationship with AVM Brand than with the AOC of 12 Group RAF, AVM Trafford Leigh Mallory, who regarded Park with jealousy.
Format of 10 Group RAF
There were four Sectors within the 10 Group RAF area:
Format of 10 Group RAF
There were four Sectors within the 10 Group RAF area:
|
Filton Sector – RAF Filton
87 Squadron (Hawker Hurricane) 213 Squadron (Hawker Hurricane) St Eval Sector – RAF St Eval 234 Squadron (Supermarine Spitfire) 247 Squadron (Gloster Gladiator) |
Pembrey Sector – RAF Pembrey
92 Squadron (Supermarine Spitfire) Middle Wallop Sector – RAF Middle Wallop 152 Squadron (Supermarine Spitfire) 238 Squadron (Hawker Hurricane) 604 Squadron (Bristol Blenheim) 609 Squadron (Supermarine Spitfire) |
Squadrons from Middle Wallop operated from Forward Operating Bases (FOB) such as RAF Warmwell (Dorset), RAF Tangmere and RAF Thorney Island, in order to reduce the time required to get airborne, gain height and engage enemy aircraft. Aircraft were recovered from Middle Wallop to RAF Colerne for repair and crew recovery on a regular basis. 238 Squadron was one of the first units to be equipped with Airborne Interception Radar and operated throughout the Battle of Britain in the night fighter role.
The legendary Cats Eyes Cunningham was a founder member of the Night Fighter Squadron and went onto become a Night Fighter Ace.
609 (West Riding) Squadron was a Royal Auxiliary Air Force unit equipped with the Supermarine Spitfire Mark 1 (Mk1).
By the end of the Battle of Britain (31 October 1940), 609 Squadron became the first RAF fighter squadron to achieve 100 confirmed kills. 609 Squadron also boasted 9 Air Fighter aces. One of the 609 Squadron Aces, Sergeant Alan Feary was shot down and killed 7 October 1940 over Watercombe Farm South close to Warmwell, Dorset.
The legendary Cats Eyes Cunningham was a founder member of the Night Fighter Squadron and went onto become a Night Fighter Ace.
609 (West Riding) Squadron was a Royal Auxiliary Air Force unit equipped with the Supermarine Spitfire Mark 1 (Mk1).
By the end of the Battle of Britain (31 October 1940), 609 Squadron became the first RAF fighter squadron to achieve 100 confirmed kills. 609 Squadron also boasted 9 Air Fighter aces. One of the 609 Squadron Aces, Sergeant Alan Feary was shot down and killed 7 October 1940 over Watercombe Farm South close to Warmwell, Dorset.
609 Squadron Aircrew and Spitfire
Extracts from the logbook of Sgt Alan Feary describe the following action during the Battle of Britain:[1]
18 July 1940 Ju88 unconfirmed over Swanage
12 August 1940 Bf109E over east coast, Isle of Wight
13 August 1940 Ju87 over Lyme Bay
13 August 1940 Bf110 Damaged over Lyme Bay
14 August 1940 Ju88 over Boscombe Down
25 August 1940 Bf110 damaged over Warmwell
25 August 1940 Bf110 over Combe Keynes
7 September 1940 Bf109E probable over North London
7 September 1940 Ju88 damaged over North London
24 September 1940 Do17 5Km south of Isle of Wight
25 September 1940 Do17 damaged over Bristol Channel
Extracts from the logbook of Sgt Alan Feary describe the following action during the Battle of Britain:[1]
18 July 1940 Ju88 unconfirmed over Swanage
12 August 1940 Bf109E over east coast, Isle of Wight
13 August 1940 Ju87 over Lyme Bay
13 August 1940 Bf110 Damaged over Lyme Bay
14 August 1940 Ju88 over Boscombe Down
25 August 1940 Bf110 damaged over Warmwell
25 August 1940 Bf110 over Combe Keynes
7 September 1940 Bf109E probable over North London
7 September 1940 Ju88 damaged over North London
24 September 1940 Do17 5Km south of Isle of Wight
25 September 1940 Do17 damaged over Bristol Channel
John Robert Baldwin of Box
609 Squadron was active against the Lufwaffe bombing raids that followed on from the Battle of Britain with the Lufwaffe targeting Portsmouth, Weymouth, Plymouth, Bristol and Bath in a series of so called Terror Raids. 609 Squadron boasts a significant local Box connection with John Robert Baldwin the son of a prominent Box businessman. Johnny Baldwin became a fighter pilot and the top scoring ace flying the Hawker Typhoon which 609 Squadron were equipped with in 1941.
The only son of Chambré Baldwin (1884–1969) Director of the Murray and Baldwin Tennis Factory, Johnny Baldwin was born in Box at the end of the First World War (1918). Johnny Baldwin joined the RAF as ground crew with the RAFVR at the start of the second world war (1939) and served in France during 1940, spending the Blitz period on bomb disposal duties. Baldwin volunteered for aircrew in 1941 and trained as pilot. Commissioned as a pilot officer in March 1942, he joined 609 Squadron on 17 November 1942, flying the Hawker Typhoon. Johnny went on to become a Typhoon ace.
What is clear from this research is that RAF Box and the Headquarters of 10 Group RAF based at RAF Rudloe Manor provided considerable support to the Battle of Britain and the aircrew posted to fighter squadrons within 10 Group RAF contributed a significant amount to the successful outcome of the air battles over Southern England over the period July to October 1940.
609 Squadron was active against the Lufwaffe bombing raids that followed on from the Battle of Britain with the Lufwaffe targeting Portsmouth, Weymouth, Plymouth, Bristol and Bath in a series of so called Terror Raids. 609 Squadron boasts a significant local Box connection with John Robert Baldwin the son of a prominent Box businessman. Johnny Baldwin became a fighter pilot and the top scoring ace flying the Hawker Typhoon which 609 Squadron were equipped with in 1941.
The only son of Chambré Baldwin (1884–1969) Director of the Murray and Baldwin Tennis Factory, Johnny Baldwin was born in Box at the end of the First World War (1918). Johnny Baldwin joined the RAF as ground crew with the RAFVR at the start of the second world war (1939) and served in France during 1940, spending the Blitz period on bomb disposal duties. Baldwin volunteered for aircrew in 1941 and trained as pilot. Commissioned as a pilot officer in March 1942, he joined 609 Squadron on 17 November 1942, flying the Hawker Typhoon. Johnny went on to become a Typhoon ace.
What is clear from this research is that RAF Box and the Headquarters of 10 Group RAF based at RAF Rudloe Manor provided considerable support to the Battle of Britain and the aircrew posted to fighter squadrons within 10 Group RAF contributed a significant amount to the successful outcome of the air battles over Southern England over the period July to October 1940.
Reference
[1] Courtesy of Chris Shores, Aces High
[1] Courtesy of Chris Shores, Aces High