80 years on, remembering Arthur Alfred Frederick.

In January 1936, aged just 15, Arthur Alfred Frederick commenced his RAF apprenticeship at Halton, one of the 33^rd intake of ‘Trenchard Brats’. Two days after his arrival at Halton, he sent the first of his many letters home to his mum Elsie:

A Frederick. 569385

Block 5, Room 5

“A” Squadron

No. 4 Wing

Maitland Barracks

Aylesbury

Bucks

30^th January 1936

Dear Mum,

I am sorry I have not written before but I have been busy settling down. I passed the doctor today and now I am in uniform. It took us most of the afternoon to get fitted and stamp our uniforms. We had a bus ride from Wendover to here. We have three meals a day and they are good. All of them are hot.

I have picked up with a boy who lived in Ontario until three years ago. The medical exam was pretty stiff. We go to bed at 9.30 because it’s “Lights Out” at 9.30. We have to get up at half past six, have a wash and make our beds. I have been told to send my testimonial and birth certificate home in case they are needed. I hear that we are changing rooms on Saturday so I advise you not to write until I let you know my new address.

Hoping you and all are alright,

I remain your ever-loving Son,

Arthur xxxx

At the start of 1939, after three years, and now a fully trained mechanic, Arthur took up his first posting with No2 (Army Co-operation) Squadron, stationed at Hawkinge, Kent.

On the 3^rd October, with Europe now at war, Arthur arrived with the squadron at Drucat, near Abbeville, France. This location remained his home until, in the face of escalating German aggression, he and his squadron colleagues had to make a very hasty and difficult retreat, eventually returning to England via Boulogne. Arthur’s first letter home when back in England, summed up his experience in a few reassuring lines:

569385 L.A.C. Frederick A.A.

R.A.F. Station

Bekesbourne

Nr Canterbury

Kent

28^th May 1940

Dear Mum,

Well at last I have a few moments to spare to write. As you can see by the address I am in good old England again. With the Germans advancing so fast we had to move over here but we are giving them what for from here instead of over there. As you have read in the papers the place where we were in France, Abbeville is a mass of ruins. It was terrible but I am still O.K. I will tell you about it later as I haven’t much time because we are working all day & most of the night. Well cheerio for now. Hoping you and all are O.K.

I remain, your affectionate son,

Arthur xxxxxxxx

In 1942, after time spent repairing damaged aircraft through the Battle of Britain, and then as a lecturer, teaching future RAF mechanics, Arthur realised his dream of becoming a crew member of ‘one of those big bombers’, when he joined 158 Squadron at the time when the squadron were completing the conversion from Wellington Bombers to the Halifax II. After completing many hours of training, his first flight over enemy occupied territory was 25/26^th July with a successful Nickel (propaganda leaflets) drop over Chartres. The rookie crew on that first flight were, Pilot, Sgt. M.M. Caplan, Flight Engineer Sgt. A.A. Frederick, Navigator Sgt. A.G. Fleet, Wireless Operator Sgt. D.A. Harcourt, Mid Upper Gunner Sgt. J.C. Stait, and Rear Gunner A.M. Daubon. This crew would fly together for many of the 30 ops that Arthur would complete with the squadron.

After witnessing the losses of many of his fellow 158 Squadron friends and colleagues, and the many losses of aircrew and aircraft from other squadrons, Arthur completed his final operation with 158 Squadron on 7^th February 1943, their target being Lorient. Their aircraft was Halifax II NP-O W7783, the other crew members were Pilot Flight Sgt. M.M. Caplan, Navigator Sergeant A.G. Fleet, Air Bomber Sergeant J. Laws, Wireless Operator Sergeant J.C. Stait, Mid Upper Gunner Sergeant F.C. Howe, Rear Gunner Flight Sgt. A.M. Daubon. The report from Maynard Caplan stated “very large fires in centre of town and dock area. One large building of several stories burning particularly fiercely with fires spreading.”

Arthurs letter home told his mother the good news that she had been waiting for:

569385 Sgt. Frederick A.A.

Sgts. Mess

R.A.F. Rufforth

Nr York

Yorkshire

23.02.43

Dear Mum,

Well I’m starting off this time with some good news, which I’m sure you have been waiting to hear. I have finished my tour of operations (30 trips) & am now at the above address as an instructor of Flight Engineers. I don’t know how long it will be before I go back on ops. again but not for a few months yet anyway. Well this camp is not so bad but I miss my dancing because we can’t get into York very easily from here & there are no decent dances in Selby. I should just about manage to get into York once a week for a good dance just to keep in trim. By being an instructor I shall be able to let you know when I am coming on leave now because we get it quite regular here. I have had a letter from George & I am going to write to him as soon as I have finished this letter. Another thing is that you will hear from me more often because we have every night off here. By the way I managed to get a very nice dynamo set in York just before I left Rufforth. I will have to make sure that I don’t get this stolen.

Well Mum, I’m afraid this is all for now but will write again soon. Hoping you and all are O.K.

I remain,

your affectionate son,

Arthur xxxxxx

Arthur’s time at Riccall was successful but not without personal tragedy, losing his close friend, fellow trainer at Riccall, and pilot for all of Arthur’s 158 Squadron flights, Maynard (Rusty) Caplan, when he was killed in a training accident. As a pilot with 158 Squadron, Maynard Caplan with the assistance of his crew, had safely flown his aircraft over thousands of miles, through fighter attacks, flak, engine failures, other technical issues, and perilous weather, returning the aircraft and crew home safely each time, his bravery, skills and achievements were recognised by the award of the DFM. Sadly, on 7^th September 1943, he was tragically killed along with the other nine passengers when the Halifax II (DT524) crashed during fighter affiliation training. The website www.yorkshire-aircraft.co.uk reports the incident as follows:

On the 7th September 1943 those on board this 1658 Heavy Conversion Unit aircraft took off from Riccall airfield at 10.05hrs to undertake a fighter affiliation training flight, on board was a regular crew of seven trainees working up to becoming an operational crew and with them were three instructors. The exercise involved a fighter aircraft, in this case a Hurricane, making simulated attacking passes towards the Halifax, with the crew of the Halifax keeping lookout for it and the instructor pilot of the Halifax would then demonstrate taking evasive action. The Hurricane pilot made several attacks and later stated that the evasive action taken was very effective during all but the final one. When the final attacking pass was made the Halifax initially went into a 90 degree bank and the starboard outer engine emitted a considerable amount of smoke, the aircraft then rolled over on to its back and lost height, it appeared to witnesses to have lost its starboard outer propeller at this stage, and having been out of control for a time was then partly recovered from being inverted. After almost levelling out again it then went into a spin, the starboard outer engine then broke away from the wing and it dived into the ground. The aircraft crashed at midday at the edge Intake Platation near Wressle. All ten airmen flying in the Halifax were sadly killed. A detailed examination of the wreckage followed. By chance the detached starboard outer engine landed in the main wreckage trail and was quickly proven to have broken away before the aircraft hit the ground. Various other portions of the aircraft were discovered to have become detached from the aircraft as it fell and were found some distance from the main wreckage concentration.

Arthur mentioned the loss in his letter home.

569385 Sgt. Frederick A.A.

Sgts. Mess

R.A.F. Riccall

Nr York

Yorkshire

18.09.43

Dear Mum,

I’m sorry I haven’t written before but I’m afraid I haven’t been myself recently. You see Rusty was killed in a crash near here, also another great pal of mine so you can understand how shaken I was. Flying with Rusty all this time & the tight corners we.ve been in together makes it hard to believe he’s gone. Still I suppose I shall get over it in time, although it will be a long time I’m afraid. I also went to the funeral.

Well I hope Hilda is O.K. again now. She is probably like you, works too hard. I hope you didn’t overdo it whilst you were there because I don’t want you ill too. I arranged to see George in York a fortnight ago but was unable to manage it. Still I hope to see him tomorrow (Sat.) at the dance. He is getting well on with his trips now isn’t he & I hope he will soon be here as an instructor. Although by that time I shall be back on ‘ops’ again myself I suppose. I have been bothering our Section Commander to get back because I don’t feel as if I’m doing anything here. But instructing is essential I suppose although it’s rather boring. I shall be on leave some time next month. I will tell you the date probably in my next letter. Well I think that’s all for now so cheerio. Hoping you and all are O.K.

I remain,

your affectionate son,

Arthur xxxxxx

Having already contributed more than his fair share towards the war effort, and now an officer, Arthur was back in the air, realising his wishes and joining 640 Squadron at Leconfield, he broke the news to his mother in another of his letters home:

Officers Mess

Royal Air Force

Leconfield

Nr. Beverley

Yorks.

2 March 1944

Dear Mum,

As you can see from the above address I have been posted. It’s back on the “old job” again too, much to my wishes but I suppose you don’t think so. But, Mum, don’t worry too much because I shall be O.K. You are a very lucky mother & have 2 lucky sons & believe me you won’t lose any of them in this war. George and myself are both destined to die of old age.

I have only received your last letter & have still not had the one before that so I guess it’s been lost now. I didn’t know that George was on leave again. He is lucky isn’t he. This place is the best camp I have been in since the war started. I live in a room on my own with a nice bed & plenty of furniture also the best part about it is that it is centrally heated. The mess is just marvellous with excellent food. Have you had any oranges lately? I was posted here on Monday & it is only Thursday now & I have had 19 oranges already. If they will keep until I come on leave, I will fetch some for you. The weather has been pretty awful here too. Snow, sleet, wind & very cold. These last two days have been nice & fine, sunny but bitter cold. I’m glad to hear that the boys out East are still O.K. Well I think that’s all for now but will write again soon so cheerio. Hoping you & all are O.K>

I remain, your affectionate son,

Arthur xxxxxx

His first op with the new squadron was on 6^th March to Trappes, located south-west of Paris with Halifax III LK757. Arthur was joined by Pilot Flight Sgt.R. Crockett, Navigator Pilot Officer H. Tomlin, Air Bomber Pilot Officer R. Walker, Wireless Operator Pilot Officer Beaumont, Mid Upper Gunner Flying Officer R. Weller, and Rear Gunner F/Lt S. Auntan. For this mission the aircraft carried nine 1000 pound bombs and six 500 pound bombs, the Halifax III having a significantly higher payload than the Halifax II’s that Arthur flew in with 158 Squadron. There was a full moon, no cloud and the crew had moderate visibility. The crew reported a good and concentrated attack.

Arthur sent his final letter home on 29^th August 1944:

Dear Mum,

I received your letter yesterday. There must have been a slip up in the mail somewhere if you have only received one letter from me. I addressed them to Hilda’s so perhaps they arrived after you had gone.

Well I hope you are O.K. now & that Alec is well again. Yes you have worked too hard, as usual. You shouldn’t do so much Mum as you are not as fit as you used to be. I wish there was some way in which I could ease the work from you but I am so far away to be of much help. If you can think of any way just let me know. By the way I am enclosing another cheque, if you can’t get out to cash it send it back again. I think it’s a month they allow. Also Mum I would like to send you a small cheque now & again if you will accept it. You have done everything for me & there has been no way in which I could show my appreciation so maybe a little money now & again will help you to get a few extras for yourself & help you out in some way. I have always felt so selfish, taking everything from you, but dear Mum, I have appreciated all that you have done for us. Maybe you haven’t noticed it but as you probably know I am not one to show my feelings.

I heard today that George has just got his commission. Good isn’t it? I knew he’d do it O.K. We are still very busy but it’s all for a good cause so we don’t worry at all.

Well I guess that’s all for now so cheerio. Hoping you & all are O.K.

I remain, your affectionate son,

Arthur xxxxxx

Arthur’s final flight was on 13^th September 1944, the target was Gelsenkirchen – Nordstern. This was his 13^th op with 640 Squadron, Halifax III “Y” MZ 912 was one of 13 aircraft sent by 640 Squadron. The crew joining Arthur were Pilot S/Ld. H.A. Woodhatch, Navigator Pilot Officer T.E. Tranter, Air Bomber Flying Officer K. Pearce, Wireless Operator C.F. Hatch, Mid Upper Gunner Sergeant G. Tickner, and Rear Gunner T. Gould, the aircraft failed to return from this op.

After a number of months, it was eventually confirmed that all of the crew, except for the pilot Harry Woodhatch had perished in that flight. It would take many official letters and anxiety before Arthur’s mum Elsie Smith and his fiancé Edna finally received the confirmation that they had been dreading.

Arthur’s younger brother George followed in Arthur’s footsteps and became a Flight Engineer with 77 Squadron, flying 30 ops in Halifax’s from Elvington. He survived the war and died in 1998. Arthur and his fellow crew members from MZ912 are all buried at Reichswald Forest War Cemetery.

Sixty years after Arthur’s final flight, Bill Norman, Author of the book Halifax Squadron, had the opportunity to talk to the pilot Squadron Leader H.A.M. Woodhatch, the ‘B’ Flight Commander, and thanks to his words, he was able to capture the final moments of MZ912/Y and the crew in his book.

“We were on our bombing run, with about ten seconds to go to bomb release, when a shell exploded directly beneath us. It started a fire amidships and I gave the order to put on parachutes. Having dropped our bombs it was clear that the situation was hopeless and it was now urgent for everyone to bale out. I had no acknowledgement from either the mid-upper gunner or the engineer, who I glimpsed through a momentary break in the smoke. F/O Frederick was using a small fire extinguisher to little effect. He was wearing his parachute but had removed his flying helmet, which contained the headphones and a microphone. Consequently, I was not able to communicate with him. The noise in those aircraft precluded any speech without headphones.

In the circumstances, I made my way to ‘midships to signal to them both to get out. I do not recall seeing the mid-upper gunner, but I was able to indicate to F/O Frederick to get out. He acknowledged and turned to go further back to the exit door, where I would have followed him. However, we were only a few yards apart when suddenly the aircraft’s back broke and the rear part vanished instantly and I saw no more of F/O Frederick. At the same instant, the floor in the front part where I was standing appeared to fly up and gave me a violent strike to the head. For some seconds – I have no idea how many – I was oblivious to everything. I now know that the tail-less front part, being completely unstable, was performing some wild gyrations before going downwards vertically. When I recovered some sense, I seemed to have a foot caught in something and I could not cover the yard or so to the open end. As a last resort, I pulled the ripcord and the parachute shot out of the hole where the tail used to be. The parachute took me with it but I left one boot behind. I was hanging on my parachute for only a few seconds – maybe as few as five or ten – when I landed on what may have been part of a garden or a small field. I was picked up right away and taken to a police station, which was quite nearby. All of the foregoing covered, I would guess, not more than about one and a half minutes: everything happened very quickly.

I was anxious to hear news of my crew during my spell as a POW but heard absolutely nothing until I got back. I was deeply shocked to learn that none had survived. They were a good crew and after 60 years, I still grieve their loss. The anti-aircraft fire on that particular day was the most intense I had experienced and I was not surprised to learn that every one of 640’s aircraft that returned had sustained flak damage. During my de-briefing on my returned I learned that the Halifax was known to break its back when sustaining mid-fuselage damage.”

To explain how the other six crew members might have lost their lives, Bill Norman also used a report from Australian pilot Fred Papple (flying MZ544/Z). Fred claims that he saw the aircraft going down and that he counted all of the crew bailing out. However, as the parachutes neared the ground he saw tracer bullets arcing up towards them.

In 1945 and after the war had ended, Arthur’s fiancé Edna sent a letter to Elsie, her words summed up the heartache that so many had suffered throughout the war and would continue to feel for a long time after:

64 Vancouver Street

Darlington

Dear Mrs Smith,

I have just been going through some of Arthur’s letters. I have listened to speeches of praise on the radio for all the boys who didn’t come back, I have tried to understand sermons on how proud we should feel that someone we loved gave his life to save his country & “Greater love than this hath no man” but all this never seems to fill the desolate breach of loneliness when I think that we won’t be together again. Mother & Dad often talk about Arthur. He & dad used to sit & chat for hours. He used to often talk to me about his Mam & Dad & his young brother who he was trying to prevent joining the Air Force. His Sister & Brother-in-law at Bath. Whenever he was going back from leave he used to give me a little shake by the shoulders & say “You’re just like Mother, worry, worry, worry, over something that can’t possibly happen to me. You don’t think I’d stay in a dump like Germany when I’ve got two homes in England to come back to do you? Arthur never seemed to be afraid & always so sure he would come back, that I sometimes feel he will & yet it’s too long ago now.

I have been off work ill for a few weeks & Ivy came to see me last week. Maybe you’ve heard of Ivy through Arthur. She lives, or used to live, at the top of our road & was fiancé to one of Arthurs friends – Douglas. Doug was killed a long, long time ago but Ivy and I have carried on the friendship although she is now married & living at Barnards Castle. I used to like Doug because the first time I was introduced to him by Arthur he pulled me to one side & said “I’ve heard a lot about you & you’re a very lucky little girl having a boy like Freddie he is absolutely true sterling”. True sterling – I don’t think two words could describe him more fully than those.

Lots of times I have started a letter to you & failed to make myself write all I wanted to say. I wanted to express my sympathy to you & yet I realised how much worse I felt when my friends did that for me. I’ve often wanted to come & see you just to be able to talk to someone who had been close to Arthur.

I do hope you don’t mind me writing to you again Mrs Smith & if you do have time to drop me a line sometime could I ask you as a favour if you have a spare photograph of Arthur could I please have one.

Sincerely yours,

Edna

Marking the 80^th anniversary of Arthur’s death, this article is dedicated to the memory of Arthur and his fellow crew members, T.E. Tranter, K. Pearce, C.F. Hatch, G. Tickner, T. Gould, killed in action 13^th September 1944.

The above is just a brief account of Arthurs time, his more detailed story will eventually be captured in a book that is long overdue.

Sources

In Brave Company (158 Squadron Operations), W.R.Chorley

Arthur Fredericks letters home, lovingly preserved by his mum Elsie through to her death in 1988.

RAF Operations Logs (accessed at the National Archives)

Halifax Squadron (640 Squadron), Published by Bill Norman, 2005

Royal Air Force Commands (www.rafcommands.com)

The Bomber Command War Diaries, An Operational Reference Book, 1939 – 1945, Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt.

Yorkshire Aircraft (www.yorkshire-aircraft.co.uk)