THE LOG BOOK STORY
1944
January
This month saw 2 ½ hrs Hamilcar flying time. Some was night flying with full load, some circuits, the latter with Major J.A.Dale, 'C' Squadron commanding officer. However, 20 January saw Aston involved in EXERCISE MANITOBA. The Hamilcar, LA633 with Sgt. Channell as second pilot had to force land after the glider tug lost power. Fortunately, there were no casualties and no serious damage to LA633.
‘EXERCISE MANITOBA’ - eight aircraft from No. 298 Squadron took part in paratroop drops with troops of the 1st Canadian Paratroop Brigade and, later, ten Halifax of the same squadron with Hamilcar gliders loading Mk VII Tetrach tanks. Average height of drop 1,000 feet. One glider over-shot and struck a nissen hut on the airfield and both hut and glider were destroyed. The tank, however, was thrown clear and there were no casualties. Weather fog becoming fair to fine.
February
More circuits and on 27 January, a night flying, cross-country tow lasting 2 hrs 5 mins with Major Dale as First Pilot. The total for the month was 2hrs 50 mins.
(Hamilcar training became intensive in February with 1,200 lifts being made in a four week period, a third of these being at night.)
March
Limited flying time this month, mostly circuits, but on 24 March Aston made a demonstration flight with Sgt. Rosenberg. The full flight was of 30 minutes’ duration. The month’s flying time was 1 hr 10 mins.
(It is likely the 'demonstration' was where Captain Aston landed a Hamilcar at General Eisenhower's feet. Eisenhower had been dubious about landing Hamilcars in France owing to the small field systems predominant there. Apparently, 'Ike' was now convinced.)
April
Four flights in April, mainly circuits and one with a full load. 24 April saw a lengthy cross country flight lasting 1hr 45mins. Total flying time 2hrs 30mins.
May
14 May saw Aston fly from Tarrant Rushton to RAF Langford Lodge, an airbase near Belfast in Northern Ireland. The following day, he and Sgt. Kerr flew Hamilcar LA633 from Langford Lodge back to Tarrant Rushton. (This is the same Hamilcar that force landed with Aston at the controls on 20 January during Exercise Manitoba.)
On 31 May, Aston and Sgt. Hulse, took Hamilcar LA669 for an Air Test with full load.
This month saw 2 ½ hrs Hamilcar flying time. Some was night flying with full load, some circuits, the latter with Major J.A.Dale, 'C' Squadron commanding officer. However, 20 January saw Aston involved in EXERCISE MANITOBA. The Hamilcar, LA633 with Sgt. Channell as second pilot had to force land after the glider tug lost power. Fortunately, there were no casualties and no serious damage to LA633.
‘EXERCISE MANITOBA’ - eight aircraft from No. 298 Squadron took part in paratroop drops with troops of the 1st Canadian Paratroop Brigade and, later, ten Halifax of the same squadron with Hamilcar gliders loading Mk VII Tetrach tanks. Average height of drop 1,000 feet. One glider over-shot and struck a nissen hut on the airfield and both hut and glider were destroyed. The tank, however, was thrown clear and there were no casualties. Weather fog becoming fair to fine.
February
More circuits and on 27 January, a night flying, cross-country tow lasting 2 hrs 5 mins with Major Dale as First Pilot. The total for the month was 2hrs 50 mins.
(Hamilcar training became intensive in February with 1,200 lifts being made in a four week period, a third of these being at night.)
March
Limited flying time this month, mostly circuits, but on 24 March Aston made a demonstration flight with Sgt. Rosenberg. The full flight was of 30 minutes’ duration. The month’s flying time was 1 hr 10 mins.
(It is likely the 'demonstration' was where Captain Aston landed a Hamilcar at General Eisenhower's feet. Eisenhower had been dubious about landing Hamilcars in France owing to the small field systems predominant there. Apparently, 'Ike' was now convinced.)
April
Four flights in April, mainly circuits and one with a full load. 24 April saw a lengthy cross country flight lasting 1hr 45mins. Total flying time 2hrs 30mins.
May
14 May saw Aston fly from Tarrant Rushton to RAF Langford Lodge, an airbase near Belfast in Northern Ireland. The following day, he and Sgt. Kerr flew Hamilcar LA633 from Langford Lodge back to Tarrant Rushton. (This is the same Hamilcar that force landed with Aston at the controls on 20 January during Exercise Manitoba.)
On 31 May, Aston and Sgt. Hulse, took Hamilcar LA669 for an Air Test with full load.
Log book extract June 1944
June
Only one entry this month. With Sgt. Hulse as his second pilot, Aston flew LA669 on OPERATION MALLARD. His load (probably tested on 31 May in this glider) was a Tetrarch tank that was successfully landed in Normandy that day. The diary entry is in red ink and the air time shown as 2 hrs.
Operation ‘MALLARD’ - 30 Halifax V aircraft detailed to release Hamilcar gliders over the LZ ‘N’. 2 Halifax Vs detailed to release Horsa gliders over LZ ‘N’ and drop 18 containers on DZ reference 683766 Sheet 7 F.2. Scale 1: 50,000. One aircraft piloted by Flying Officer CARPENTER failed to return from this operation. Weather fair to cloudy.
July
This month saw 40 minutes of circuit flying with one flight on 24 July being in a Hadrian glider 74433
August
Again, circuit flying but interestingly the flight of the 17 August the load was a 17pdr anti-tank gun. A grand total of 30mins flying time.
Only one entry this month. With Sgt. Hulse as his second pilot, Aston flew LA669 on OPERATION MALLARD. His load (probably tested on 31 May in this glider) was a Tetrarch tank that was successfully landed in Normandy that day. The diary entry is in red ink and the air time shown as 2 hrs.
Operation ‘MALLARD’ - 30 Halifax V aircraft detailed to release Hamilcar gliders over the LZ ‘N’. 2 Halifax Vs detailed to release Horsa gliders over LZ ‘N’ and drop 18 containers on DZ reference 683766 Sheet 7 F.2. Scale 1: 50,000. One aircraft piloted by Flying Officer CARPENTER failed to return from this operation. Weather fair to cloudy.
July
This month saw 40 minutes of circuit flying with one flight on 24 July being in a Hadrian glider 74433
August
Again, circuit flying but interestingly the flight of the 17 August the load was a 17pdr anti-tank gun. A grand total of 30mins flying time.
Log book extract September 1944
September
Red ink again. Aston, with Sgt. Gordon as second pilot, flying HH895 flew a 17pdr and Morris tractor into WolfHeze on the second lift of MARKET GARDEN, flying time 3hrs 20mins. The Battle of Arnhem is very well documented elsewhere, but Aston escaped by swimming the Rhine. 29 September saw him on a Dakota being flown back to Tarrant Rushton. Many of his comrades were not so lucky.
Eight Halifax-Hamilcar combinations of No. 298 Squadron and seven from No. 644 Squadron were detailed to release gliders over LZ ‘X’. All were successfully released except two from No. 644 Squadron, one tug U-’F’ piloted by Warrant Officer SHAPLEY developed port-outer engine failure and cast off its glider one mile east of CHILBOLTON airfield at 11.59 hours. The other tug, U-’O’ piloted by Wing Commander POPE owing to port-inner engine failure cast off its glider over the sea at 52 degrees and five minutes North and one degree 53 minutes East. The glider pilot Captain McNEIL and second pilot returned to base the following day and reported that the gun crew were safe but that Lieutenant McLAREN and Sergeant CRAWFORD were drowned.
October
Aston and Sgt. Gordon flew two Hamilcars over 28 & 29 October as part of EXERCISE ESSEX. 1hr 40mins flying time in total.
November
This month saw Aston carry out four circuits in a Hamilcar - one being designated as 'heavy', presumably with a load. Flying time was 1 hr 10 mins. Tye first of these circuits was with Sgt. Gordon, his second pilot at OPERATION MARKET.
December
More circuits of short durations again. The, over 30 and 31 December Aston flies as second pilot on a Halifax III from base to Tarrant Rushton, Tarrant to Netheravon and then back to base. Total flying time 1 hr 30 mins.
Red ink again. Aston, with Sgt. Gordon as second pilot, flying HH895 flew a 17pdr and Morris tractor into WolfHeze on the second lift of MARKET GARDEN, flying time 3hrs 20mins. The Battle of Arnhem is very well documented elsewhere, but Aston escaped by swimming the Rhine. 29 September saw him on a Dakota being flown back to Tarrant Rushton. Many of his comrades were not so lucky.
Eight Halifax-Hamilcar combinations of No. 298 Squadron and seven from No. 644 Squadron were detailed to release gliders over LZ ‘X’. All were successfully released except two from No. 644 Squadron, one tug U-’F’ piloted by Warrant Officer SHAPLEY developed port-outer engine failure and cast off its glider one mile east of CHILBOLTON airfield at 11.59 hours. The other tug, U-’O’ piloted by Wing Commander POPE owing to port-inner engine failure cast off its glider over the sea at 52 degrees and five minutes North and one degree 53 minutes East. The glider pilot Captain McNEIL and second pilot returned to base the following day and reported that the gun crew were safe but that Lieutenant McLAREN and Sergeant CRAWFORD were drowned.
October
Aston and Sgt. Gordon flew two Hamilcars over 28 & 29 October as part of EXERCISE ESSEX. 1hr 40mins flying time in total.
November
This month saw Aston carry out four circuits in a Hamilcar - one being designated as 'heavy', presumably with a load. Flying time was 1 hr 10 mins. Tye first of these circuits was with Sgt. Gordon, his second pilot at OPERATION MARKET.
December
More circuits of short durations again. The, over 30 and 31 December Aston flies as second pilot on a Halifax III from base to Tarrant Rushton, Tarrant to Netheravon and then back to base. Total flying time 1 hr 30 mins.