Some events have such an impact on our
personal lives that we remember them not only for
themselves, but also where we were at the time
and what we were doing. Who can forget the day
and time we heard about the tragic death of
Diana, Princess of Wales in Paris, or the
assassination of President John F. Kennedy
outside the Bookstore in Dallas. More recently we
felt the enormity of the crash of the twin towers
in New York, the result of international
terrorism, as we watched it unfold on television.
These pivotal points in history leave us with
vivid memories. As family historians we can, with
the help of original records and photographs,
build a picture of events in the past, but rarely
can we be so precise as to say what happened at
21.27 hours on 6 June 1944, or 23.00 hours on 30
July 1944. Barbara Dove, with the help of RAF
records and the memories of her father, can say
with certainty what happened and where he was at
that time.
My father, Ernest Albert Sumner, was in the
RAF on 6 June 1944, as a wireless operator/airgunner.
Other than the memories that he has about that
particular date, what records are there today,
and how much do his memories coincide with the
records? He served at Tarrant Rushton in Dorset,
between March and November 1944. He was one of
the first air crew to become part of the newly
formed 644 squadron based at Tarrant Rushton, a
small village between Blandford Forum and
Wimborne in Dorset. The celebrations for the 50th
anniversary of D-Day on 6 June 1994 prompted my
father to seek out his flying log book to show
where he was on that day, and share his memories
with us, his family, something he had rarely done
in the past. There were also some other dates
that he remembered during that year, particularly
Arnhem, of which he had vivid memories. I was to
discover that the 298 and 644 squadrons were the
first to take gliders into France, my father was
not one of the first but as his log book reveals
he did fly twice out to France; on D-Day.
Having seen the log book I was tempted to find
out what was in the RAF documents at the Public
Record Office. There are several different
classes that cover these records, but the first I
examined were the squadrons’ records (AIR27).
I was very excited when I saw my father’s
name on the page in front of me, with the names
and service numbers of all the men transferred
from 298 to the newly formed 644 squadron in
March 1944.1
<image to be inserted here>
Log Book of Ernest
Albert Sumner on D-Day
The records reveal that with the rest of the
crew on 5/6 June 1944 ‘take off 01.25 and
landing 05.00’, this was his first lift (Operation
‘Tonga’).2 The Glider Raid
Reports for that day give the following
information: towing glider 104 (Horsa), names of
the two pilots in the glider, five troops,
equipment: a Jeep and six pound gun. Later in the
records was another Glider Raid Report, the
second lift for my father (Operation ‘Mallard’):
‘lift off 19.42 and landing back at base 3.5
hours later, towing glider (Hamilcar), one pilot
with eight troops, and one light tank’. My
father remembers seeing a gun shooting at the
aircraft on their return from France. On the
Glider Raid Report are various ways the landing
zone was recognised.
30 July 1944, ‘take off 23.03 Special
mission, not completed as ‘GEE’ (a
radio navigation system) was not working,
returned to base. This was taken from a
Parachute Raid Report’.3
19 September 1944, Operation ‘Market’
3rd lift, (Arnhem) Glider Raid Report (Horsa)
Glider 128
10. Observations by crew of tug:
1. Horsa appeared to be making for? and
‘Z’.
2. Horsa seen hit in port wing 20 miles
from R.V. on track. Glider crashed 14.45
hours 2500ft.
3. Horsa (broken rope) last seen circling
near R.V. 1500 hours 2500ft.
4. A number of Horsas seen burning on L.Z.
'X‘ (perhaps 20).4
These reports give much detail, but for a more
detailed picture other records need to be
examined for these dates. One mentions distemper
being used for the aircraft, especially for D-Day,
this was so that they would be recognised by the
allies and not shot down. As you might expect the
records mention the weather in detail. In other
records I found out when the summer scale for
blankets was introduced (three for each
individual) and when the station was sealed
before and during the D-Day Operations.5
Prior to D-Day a number of exercises were carried
out.
11 October 1943, Fledgling Exercise, eight
Aircraft of 298 Squadron ordered to drop 80
paratroops (3rd Paratroop Brigade 8th Battn.)
at pinpoint, two miles south of Handley at 15.00
hrs
20 November 1943, notification received
that this establishment of Airborne Forces
Tactical Development Unit forming at this
station is amended from WAR/SR/33 to LWE/SR/1033
Part 1, Service contractors virtually
finished contract for aerodrome.
27 March 1944. Crew for 644 Squadron
completed. Fine but Hazy.
Without my father’s log book most of this
information would have been found, but it makes
it much quicker and easier if you have some guide
lines to follow.
On 21.27 hrs on the 6 June 1944 my father was
flying in a Halifax Mkv., 600ft in the air just
off the coast of France, making an SOS call, as
he could see a Halifax ditching, with three men
in a dinghy which was still attached to the
aircraft. He was in the aircraft with Stan
Woodward (pilot) K. Cleaver (navigator), L Hayes
(flight engineer), E.A. Smith (bomb aimer), and A.J.
Alexander (gunner).6
<image to be inserted here>
Some of Ernest
Arthur Sumner's wartime papers
My aim now is to search through all the
records at Kew for anything connected with the
squadrons he served with and the stations he was
at during his time in the RAF, from 1942 to 1946.
This may be recent history to many but to me it
is true family history, and if anyone has
ancestors in the RAF and they were air crew, then
find the squadron and visit the PRO at Kew. You
may find more about your family and who they were
with during the Second World War.
My parents have photocopies of the only
remaining records of their service. These were
compiled at the time of service and contain basic
details of movements, ranks etc. as they occurred.
My father served in the RAF from February 1941
until July 1946. My mother served in the WAAF
from October 1941 until August 1945. This
information was obtained from the RAF at
Gloucester, by sending their service number and a
stamped addressed envelope for a reply. I was
unable to get this information as both my parents
are alive. I am not sure if descendants would
qualify if their parents had died. I found that
the information for my father complemented some
of the information in his log book, as well as
adding to what we knew. It gives a physical
description of the person on joining the forces,
next of kin, date of marriage and to whom. It
also gives promotions etc. My mother was
discharged when her services were no longer
required (she was pregnant carrying me). My
father’s records give my name and date of
birth. I was born in December 1945 after the war
had ended.
References:
1 PRO AIR/27/2159
2 PRO AIR/27/2159 fol 32 (form 541)
3 PRO AIR/27/2162 fol 168/9 Parachute raid
report
4 PRO AIR/27/2162 fol 138/9
5 PRO AIR/28/818 Tarrant Rushton (Operations
Record Book form 540)
6 PRO AIR/27/2161 fols 28 & 29 Glider Raid
Report
with any queries
