Early in August past, Alec F. Johnston a retired member of the New Zealand Air Force who had been stationed at Castle Archdale during World War 11 returned to pay a visit to the place he first came to 65 years ago. Johnny to his friends left his native South Island home in […]
During World War 11 large numbers of American air craft were ferried across the Atlantic Ocean to be allocated to Squadrons based in England. This is the story of Boeing Flying Fortress B17 number 42-31468 – code named ‘Galley Uncle’. The plane left its base – North Atlantic Wing, Air Transport Command, Dow Field, Bangor, […]
Sergeant Clifford Gurney Fort. Age 21. Died on 31st July 1942 when Lough Erne, Co. Fermanagh based Sunderland Flying Boat number W4025 was shot down in error by ‘friendly fire’ from an Allied shipping convoy. In poor weather it was mistaken for an enemy plane Sergeant Vivian Lewis. Age 21. Died in […]
Philip Callahan was born on 29th August 1923, in Fort Benning, Georgia. He joined the American Army Air Force in 1943 and was posted to Ireland where he became a member of staff of the U.S. radio station situated at Magheramena, Belleek, Co. Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. He was after the war was over to […]
Land Plane crashes connected to the Donegal Corridor or buried in Irvinestown. 1939/45. 23rd May 1942. F/Lt. James Constabaris, RCAF. Lockheed Hudson FH 223 crashed into sea off Sligo. P/O K.B. Dyer & Sgt. D.E. Engemoen both RAF. 15th March 1943. Martinet. 131 SQ. HP133. Crashed Crannagh, Omagh. Died Pilot, W/O A.L. Card. RCAF. […]
Sunderland’s that crashed with loss of life while based here in W.W.2. 3rd December 1941. W3988. 201 Sq. Crashed Doonbeg. Co. Clare. P/O Wilfred S.Emmet, Eric Marker, Sydney J. Epps, Maurice W.G. Fox, Eric W. Jackson, Arthur E. Bennett, Arthur Doncaster, Frederick W. Lea, Andrew P. Walker. 22nd December 1941. at […]
Catalina’s – Castle Archdale – Killadeas. 1941/45. List of Catalina Flying boats based on Lough Erne during World War 11 that crashed with loss of life. A Roll of Honour for the crewmen who died in crashes. 21st March 1941. Catalina AM 265 of 240 Squadron crashed on Aunagh Hill, Glenade, Kinlough, […]
I grew up during those years of World War 11 in the 1940’s and as a teenager I watched the Allied aircraft fly in the sky’s overhead on their way to and from patrols in the Atlantic Ocean. The amount of knowledge that I have acquired from a variety of sources including the memories […]
BELFAST BLITZ. Extracts from an article on The Belfast Blitz, 1941. By Jonathan Bardon. Lecturer of History, Queens University, Belfast. As war approached Lord Craigavon, Prime Minister of Northern Ireland since is inception in 1921, claimed; ‘Ulster is ready when we get the word and always will be.’ On Monday 4th September 1939, […]