HAROLD McLENNAN "NOBBY" BLUNDELL 2.11.1914

MARY PATRICIA "MOLLY" BLUNDELL nee McKay 20.9.1913 -- 17.2.1972

Married at Nariah Homestead by travelling Methodist Parson based in Weethalle,

on 4-2-1936.

M.2 - Married at Dubbo Registry Office 11.10.1974

 to Gwen Mary Pattison. born 28.11.1923...deceased 04.10.2003

Gwen' s Children

Genevieve McFarlane Hammond 22. 2.1956

Guy Eaton McFarlane Hammond 16.11.1957

H.M. "Nobby"Blundell, Farmer, Author. (Books listed below, Motor Engineer, Historian mostly 'Vanity Printing')

Served R.A.A.F. September 1939 - September 1945. Mentioned in Dispatches (M.I.D.) for D-Day 1944. Awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (O.A.M.) for Services to War Veterans, on 26-1-1995.

"They Flew from Waddington" - A history and souvenir for the 1975 Reunion Tour to England and Europe.

"467 Squadron RAAF" - A history of the crews who served on 467 Squadron RAAF.

"463 Squadron RAAF" - A history of the crews who served on 463 Squadron RAAF.

"Friends on Active Service" - A personal history, for family and friends.

"467/463 Squadrons RAAF" - A history and souvenir for the V.E. Day plus 50 YPRrs tour to England and Waddington.

"Moments in History"- A history of the Blundell family in Canberra, 1826 to present day.

My call up into the RAAF was late in January, 1940, although I had joined in August before the war broke out.

I was stationed at RAAF Richmond, N.S.W., and a party of men were in the old pub at Clarendon, when one chap asked me "If you were established farming, why did you join this outfit?". I replied that it had taken me a year's work farming to finish up owing the storekeeper four pounds, and the pay scale in the RAAF for tradesmen was ten bob a day, and I could pay the storekeeper his four pounds in just eight days!

After initial training at RAAF Richmond, I was posted to Ascot Vale, Melbourne, for specialist training. Molly and baby Patricia, came to Melbourne and took a flat at St. Kilda. I could then go home at night, life was better than farming.

ENGLAND

We left the ship and traveled to the Personnel Reception and Dispatch Centre at Bournemouth. From there I was dispatched to RAF Valley on the Isle of Anglesey, Wales, to join 456 (RAAF) Night Fighter Squadron, flying Boulton Paul Defiant aircraft. We were taking over from the RAF personnel.

Radar location had been developed and was working successfully on the ground. A version was being developed for aircraft, and it was fitted to the Beaufighter. 456 Squadron was re-equipped with the Radar carrying Beaufighter, Mk II.

Learning to survive and use this new equipment, meant a major retraining program, the airborne operator could not see outside the aircraft, his set was his eyes, and the pilot could see very little in the dark; absolute team work was essential.

The Beaufighter had impressive fire power, four 20 M.M. cannon and six 303 machine guns. The Squadron's first victory with the new equipment was spectacular, the crew had been vectored on to a German raider by ground radar. They picked it up on their airborne, set and the operator guided the pilot and said "Fire". The pilot, who could not see the enemy in the dark hesitated, and the operator shouted over the intercom "Fire, fire, you silly sod, Fire". The pilot pressed the firing button with astonishing results, a stream of tracer shattered the enemy aircraft and the pilot had sane evasive action to avoid a collision.

The German aircraft crash landed on the side of our drape. I was in charge of night flying and the pilot called me over the R/T to look after it and the crew until he could land.

617 Squadron

A WAAF driver took me to RAF Scampton, where I reported to the 617 Squadron Engineer Officer, F/Lt. Paddy Funicane. Paddy had worked in Hollywood, USA, and still had the manner of speech, his first words were "What bloody part do you play in the picture"? I produced my papers and the movement order. Paddy then said "Where the bloody hell have you been, I requested that you be sent here ten days ago. I might have known the one bloke in the RAF suitable was not available. However time is the essence, we will take you straight to work".

The Squadron was new and being formed from experienced men and equipped with Lancasters, fitted with a frame that resembled a child's Mechano set, designed to carry a special drum type bomb.

Paddy and the C/O explained what was required, and reminded me that I was already sworn under the Official Secrets Act, and was not to discuss the job with any person other than them and the Scientist Barnes Wallace.

The reason I was called to secrecy was that I was redesigning the Lancaster Undercarriage to be able to carry the special drum type bomb on the Dams Raid.

Frequent flight tests were carried out over the water of the Derwent Dam on the Welsh border. A test bomb was made of concrete and had a buoy fitted, and when dropped the buoy floated up and a Navy team recovered it for testing again. We did not know what it was intended for, but rumors were plentiful.

The remains of this test bomb now stands at the 617 Memorial at Petwood Hall, and I visited it in 1995. (see photo P.105).

On the night of 16/17 May, 1943, 617 Squadron flew over Germany and using these now famous bouncing bombs wrecked the Mohne and Eder Dams.

The Dambusters were now firmly set in history.........    

Following this operation, the crews and fitters were given seven days leave, and we all went to London, where the C/O, Wing Commander Guy Gibson, was invested with the V.C.       We all joined in the celebrations.

My leave pass said I was to return to 456 Squadron on expiry, but the 617 Squadron crews kept supplying me with alcohol and I failed to report on time. When I did arrive-back, the 456 Squadron Adjutant was upset, he had phoned 617 Squadron at Scampton and been told that I was on my way several days before. I was paraded to the 456 Squadron C/O, who was aware of the job done by 617 Squadron and was reluctant to take disciplinary action. Searching his desk he found a paper which required an NCO with Napier Sabre engine experience. The C/O suggested that I volunteer for it.

463 Squadron

In November, 1943, I was posted to 463 RAAF Squadron, Lancasters, at RAF Waddington, near Lincoln, which was a new Squadron forming from 'C' Flight of 467 Squadron. 'C' Flight 467, now became 'A' Flight 463, and 'B' Flight 463 had to be formed from scratch. I was detailed to 'B' Flight and given three Lancasters to service and look after.

No time to lose, scrounge equipment, get fitters organized, then fuel and bombs. On the night of 26/27 November, 1943, the new squadron joined in a major attack to Berlin, and F/Sgt. Fowler and crew failed to return, all crew were killed, and 463 Squadron had its first loss.

A chance came for senior N.C.O's to attend a course at the Rolls Royce factory at Derby. I accepted and at the briefing the first morning there was an American civilian who had with him a brief case. He stated that he was from the Packard engine factory in America, who intended building the R/R engine under licence, and he was to pick up the blue prints. He agreed to be shown over the factory for the day. It was a lesson in British humour. The day was spent visiting every section and being instructed on the reason for each process. At the evening briefing, a bottle of Scotch was produced and the American thanked the manager for his tour, then said if he could have the blue prints he would get away. "Good", said the manager, "they are packed and waiting". He then opened the storeroom and said "There they are, Mr. Brown, all eleven tons of them." The British had known all day that the Yank intended carrying them in his brief case!! The Packard Merlin eventually entered service and was an excellent engine.

On 5th September, 1944, I had been posted on a Glider recovery course at Portsmouth Naval Base, where it was explained that experienced men were required and recovering gliders.

The airborne attack at Arnhem for which we had trained was a disaster and no glider recovery was possible. Refer to the book "A Bridge Too Far" which gives a thoroughly researched account of this attack.

On 15th March, 1945, the station tannoy blared out, "Sergeant Blundell report to the orderly Roan immediately". It did not sound a friendly message, and I reported with thoughts of trouble in my mind. The Squadron Adjutant said "Sergeant, you are required in the interview roan". I made the standard entry, stating name, number, etc. There were three officers in the room, none of them known to me. The high ranking officer said "At ease, Sergeant. We understand that you have completed the glider recovery course at Portsmouth, prior to the Arnhem landing 18th September, 1944." I replied "Yes, Sir, I did, but I did not go to Arnhem!". He said "All right, Sergeant, you are to stand by for possible immediate action. You are not to leave the station, or fly, until further notice. Also make sure that your No. 2 on dispersal can take over fron you at a moment's notice. You are reminded that you are sworn under the Official Secrets Act, and this interview is not to be mentioned outside this roan. Thank you, Sergeant. Dismiss." I returned to dispersal with more unanswered questions in my mind than when I started.

On the night of 23/24 March, 1945, the RAF carried out a saturation raid on the German City of Wesel on the Rhine, by the request of General Montgomery. On the morning of 24th March, the largest airborne glider and paratroop attack of the war landed across the Rhine at Hamminkeln, several miles inside Germany, from Wesel, and after savage fighting linked up with the Army fighting through the shattered town of Wesel. The action was coordinated and a complete success.

15-9-1944, "Tirpitz":

463 Sq had dispatched the Lancaster of the RAF Film Unit to join 38 Lancasters and 1 Mosquito of 5 Group on 11th September in an attack on the German battleship "Tirpitz".

The 463 Sq aircraft returned onthe 15th, andthe report by the crew follows:

Report by F/L B. Buckham and Crew on "Tirpitz" operation 15 September 1944

"We carried 2 camera men, and for this op 2 news men, Mr. Guy Byams, BBC News, and Mr. W.E. West, Press Association British War Corre­spondent.

The force flew to Omega Bay north of Murmansk, then next day to Yagodnic. Nobby and his ground crew had been positioned at Yagodnick to maintain the aircraft a few days before.

On September 15 the Lancasters took off and headed for Alten Fiord where 'Tirpitz' was anchored. From 15 miles back we could see heavy smoke screens covering the ship, the early warning system had warned them. Some bombs were dropped successfully through breaks in the smoke and the ship was damaged, one bomb had actually gone right through the bows of 'Tirpitz' and exploded in deep water under her. The bombing force flew back to Archangel, and the 463 Lancaster carried on and returned to the UK after a 15 1 /2 hour flight, the longest on record for a Lancaster."

Authorized by

 Max Johnson

 Max Johnson

National President 467/463 RAAF Squadrons Association 2003-->2005.