No. 172 Squadron - 19th August 1942

 

Scarweather Point, Porthcawl

What other secrets lay on the seabed?

We will look at the events that were to take place on 19th August 1942.  The events at Dieppe, France, where the Allies carried out an unsuccessful amphibious attack on the German-occupied port of Dieppe. 

6,086 infantry troops notably Canadian, which were supported by a regiment of tanks were put ashore from a naval operation which was protected by RAF fighters.

For a short period, the port was captured, and to test the feasibility of the landing and to gather intelligence. German coastal defences, port structures and important buildings were demolished. The Raid was intended to boost the Allied moral. 

Sadly, aerial and the naval support was insufficient to enable the ground forces to establish their objectives.  The tanks on the beach were trapped, and the troops were largely prevented to entre the town by obstacles and German fire. In less that six hours and huge number of casualties, the resulted in a retreat. The whole operation was a fiasco, where only one landing forces made its objectives and some intelligence was gathered.

Out of the 6,086 men landed 3,623 had been either killed, wounded or taken prisoner. Both sides learned important lessons regarding coastal assaults. The lessons that the Allied learnt were to influenceable to the success of D-Day, 1944.

Meanwhile, back home at RAF Fairwood Common.  RAF Fairwood Common was opened 15th June 1941; it was built for both a day and night station.  During the Second World War, several different RAF Squadron were based here.

No. 172 Squadron
August 1942, No. 172 Squadron were based here.  No. 172 were formed April 1942, as an anti-submarine squadron which flew mainly Vickers Wellington aircraft.  Following VE-Day the squadron was disbanded.


On the 19th, Pilot Jamieson, took off from Fairwood Common, flying a Wellington VIII, ‘Leigh Light’ Bomber on a test and demonstration along with 8 people, including an US Army Officer and one ground crew. The aircraft was unarmed apart from a gun turret. The aircraft was flying over Swansea Bay, when she was mistakenly attacked by the anti-aircraft gunners on board the US tanker Gulf of Mexico which was in the Bristol Channel. Those on board didn’t have time to bail out and the Wellington caught fire before crashing into the sea a mile west of Scarweather Point, Porthcawl. The next day the US Gulf of Mexico, docked at Milford Haven and claimed that it had carried out instructions in accordance with the CAMSI (Confidential Admiralty Merchant Shipping Instructions). Sadly, the ship seems to have gone off the radar as I can’t find any trace of it. The plane wreck remains in Swansea Bay, protected by The Protection of Military Remains Act, 1986.

Wellington VIII


Victims of the crash that are buried locally at St. Hillary’s church, Killay are Sergeant Edgar Harold Dawe, from Newfoundland; Sergeant Edwin Thomas Arthur Deacon, from Reading, Berkshire, and Pilot Officer Ross Pringle Fahrni, from Manitoba, Canada

From left to right
Sergeant Edgar Harold Dawe, Sergeant Edwin Thomas Arthur Deacon and Ross Pringle Fahrni
St. Hillary’s church, Killay
credit - findagrave

Frederick Percy Charles Cross
Redan Road Cemetery, Aldershot
credit - findagrave

Gordon Cave Vincent Jamieson
Canford Cemetery, Bristol
credit - findagrave

John Stewart Haynes
Preston Cemetery, North Shields
credit - findagrave


The other victims of the crash who are buried in different cemeteries/burial grounds around the country are Sergeant Jack Mullins, buried at Macclesfield Cemetery; Aircraftman 1st Class Frederick Percy Charles Cross buried at Redan Road Cemetery, Aldershot.  He is buried with his father, and both their names are on the one headstone. Pilot Officer (Pilot) Gordon Cave Vincent Jamieson, from Wandsworth, buried at Canford Cemetery, Bristol and Pilot Officer (Pilot) John Stewart Haynes from Saskatchewan buried at Preston Cemetery, North Shields.

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