Wings Over Wick
1939 - 1945
Squadron 269

M Saunders, Renfrew

I was a wireless operator/air gunner serving with 269 squadron RAF and based at Montrose at the outbreak of the war. Our squadron moved to Wick about November 1939.

Our squadron patrolled the waters north of Shetland as far as the Faroes, engaged in anti submarine patrols for Coastal Command. Our arrival at Wick was welcomed by all the local people and we all enjoyed their warm hospitality. The aerodrome was, of course, grass, no runways and being winter, cold and wet, the flying field was badly rutted and frozen over in most places.

I remember - the "Air Raid Warning" was the "laundry hooter' and on one occasion I heard one mother shouting to her children to "take cover the CHERMANS are overhead".

I lived in Wick as did my wife with a Mr and Mrs Swanson in Willowbank and we both have happy memories of our stay there. We left in January 194O but our old squadron (269) Avro-Ansons stayed here until they were equipped with more up to date American Hudson aircraft.