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Wings Over Wick |
| Charles W Brown, Banff
I was at Wick in 1941-1942 with 48 Squadron RAF Coastal Command. We had Hudson aircraft, which were really American civil aircraft altered to carry depth charges and anti-submarine bombs. I was a wireless mechanic and kept the transmitter and receiver in working order. The only flying I did at Wick was to join in practise bombing trips. There was a target floating on the sea just outside Wick harbour and our bomb aimers dropped smoke bombs on it to see how good they were. I did not meet many Wick folk, for "other ranks" were not encouraged to leave the aerodrome. I was an AC2, the lowest of the low. We did get to visit the "breadline". That was a cinema in Wick. I think its real name was the Breadalbane. Many local people helped in canteens for the troops. I was young ant the time and did not appreciate their voluntary work. Maybe I could say thank you now to those who are still alive. We stayed in nice warm wooden huts, the warmest we ever met in Britain. Of course when the squadron went to Gibraltar and then India the huts were too warm. |