Frith crew 75 (34 missions; Feb - July 1944)

Reunion at Croft, Yorkshire.

L to R

Neil McCaskill - (Ground Crew; Engines) F/Sgt. Hugh D.F. Frith (Pilot), Sgt Jim Addison (F/E), Gordon Marshall (Nav.), Sgt H. "George" Whittingham (MU-AG), W/O Jim L. Stark (W/Op)

Missing; P/O "Wilf" J. Gliddon (B/A) and Sgt "Ed" E. McQuinn (R-AG)

Flight Sgt. Hugh Frith, DFC.

January 29^th, 1996

Thanks Hugh “Skipper” from members of your crew for your; Steadiness, Courage, Knowledge of your aircraft, Your flying ability.

Our crew was formed in Sept. 1943 at Atherstone O.T.U. near Stratford Upon Avon. After completing training on Twin Engine Wellington bombers we were moved to Yorkshire (Dishford) to train on 4-engine multi purpose HALIFAX bombers.

Sgt "Ed" E. McQuinn (R-AG), center - Sgt Jim Addison (F/E), Gordon Marshall (Nav.).  

We then moved to CROFT Aerodrome, just south of Darlington to fly our bombing missions between March and July 28^th 1944. We completed 38 to 40 missions with close to 200 operational hours. Average 5 hours per trip. Some trips were longer 8 to 9 hours depending on target. i.e. Baltic. Most of our missions were in preparations for D-Day landing in France. We worked on targets such as; Railway yards, Rocket launches V2 pads, Railway bridges, Oil refineries and the odd German city where U-boats were under construction.

Map of missions flown by Frith crew

Most of our trips were done in marginal aircraft such as the Halifax II and V until we got the Mark III. Hugh found this aircraft to have lots of power and on his first training take off he had a hard time keeping the aircraft on the runway long enough to build up speed for a safe take off. The plane just wanted to fly. Hugh has since expressed that the Mark III Halifax was a better aircraft the much-praised Lancaster that he later flew on training command.

The Frith crew received a "Target Token" for best aiming drop of bomb load for a mission to LeMans, France. 13th/14th March 1944

When we were told we were screened (no more operations for a while) after a hair-raising trip to Hamburg July 28^th we were greatly relieved but not for long. The following night we got word Hugh was raising hell in the officer’s mess – we went to rescue Hugh - He was having a great time with a coffee urn full of beer, handing out a stein of beer to anyone who could get in the small mess hall. The urn never ran out and Hugh spilled a lot on the floor. Most of us lost our ties for they were cut off as a tradition and our shoes were ruined from beer saturation of the leather. Maybe you do not know this side of Hugh??

Hugh and Starky (the wireless operator) were considered old boys at 26 – 27 years of age. Their age and attention to details played an important part in our safe return to England. Most of Bomber Command crews were between 19 and 21 years of age.

Hugh’s decision and quick response in several tight situations such as times when we were in search lights and anti-aircraft fire saved our lives. Hugh’s trust in our gunners and their directions saved our hides in several enemy aircraft attacks. We did not welcome a descent into darkness over enemy sky or into the cold North Sea. Hugh I’m sure you will meet many of your young ex-pilot friends in the GREAT AIRCRAFT HANGER IN THE SKY. Maybe you will meet many of the young pilots and crews that were lost from our base at CROFT.

Reunion at Croft - F/Sgt. Hugh D.F. Frith, Sgt Jim Addison, Sgt H. "George" Whittingham 

Maybe they will still be young and will have a lot of questions on how it was like to grow old on Earth? Maybe the GREAT HANGER will have some of our lost Halifax’s and LANCASTERS parked – I am sure Hugh will be back in the cockpit checking out engines and throttles.

HUGH – THANKS AGAIN FROM YOUR CREW – GOD BLESS – UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN - GORDON MARSHALL.

Special thanks to Sgt. Jim Addison, and David Suttie