J.E. Lydall Log Book No.2
Lydall joins No.113 Squadron June 16th 1941 and stays with them until Nov. 6th 1941. During this 5 month period he flies 230 hours in total, almost all of them on 'Long Nose' Blenheims, with 6 or so hours spent on side trips in Magister, Lysander, Hurricane, and after ten minutes dual takes his first solo (3 circuits) in a Beaufort (of which, more later). He logs just over 120 of the 230 total hours as Operational Hours accumulated in 26 Operations. The Squadron had no permanent base but operated from Ma'aten Bagush, or one of it's satellites, in the western desert. By the end of Aug. I note that he signs his log J. E. Lydall. F/O O.C 'A"Flight, but by the end of Sept. and Oct. he signs as J. E. Lydall S/Ldr Commanding 'A' Flight.
Some excerpts from his entries for this period :
June 17 Blenheim V6136 OP. No. 2. Flight bombing attack on concentration of enemy tanks In region of SIDI OMAR. Self No. 2. Heavy AA fire encountered. Did 2 runs over target (photos taken). Later that day returned (OP.No. 3). same target. Self No. 3. Dropped 2 250 lb bombs + 1 container 40 lb bombs. Hits scored among tanks. (1 run).
June 18 Blenheim T1821 OP. No. 4. Machine gun attack on MERHILI aerodrome. I flight Vic formation. Self No. 2. Rear gun jammed shortly after taking off.
July 6 Blenheim V6136 OP. No. 8. Night bombing attack on DERNA aerodrome, (single A/C). 1st. run target obscured by cloud. 2nd. run dropped bombs on aerodrome. Intense AA fire over large area.
July 8-9 Blenheim V5870 OP. No. 9. Night bombing attack (single A/C) on DERNA, MARTUBA, TIMIMI and GAZALA N. aerodromes. One 250 lb bomb on each. Visibility poor. On instruments for 4.15 hours.
Aug 9-10 Blenheim V5941 OP. No. 12. Night raid on GAZALA aerodrome. Dropped 4 250lb bombs. Visibility very poor. Much low cloud. Shot at by TOBRUK AA guns.
Aug 10 Blenheim V5641 Flew Air Chief Marshal Sir E Ludlow-Hewitt & G/Capt Venn from BAGUSH SAT. to BARANI MAIN and return.
Sept 3 Blenheim Z5907 OP. No. 16. Ground strafing attack on BARCC road. Unable to complete attack because chased off road by 3 Me. 110s.
Sept 11 Blenheim T3919 SORTIE No. 3. Standing night fighter patrol from FUKA MAIN to SIDI HANEISH. Intercepted and shot down one SAVOIA SM79. Enemy A/C caught fire after 3 bursts and crashed in flames near FUKA. Enemy's return fire set floor of own A/C on fire. This was stamped out by observer who was wounded in both feet.
Oct 25 Blenheim T2243 OP. No. 26. Machine gun attack on M.T. on road between ACEDAGIA and EL AGHEILA. Destroyed 6 10-ton lorries & killed numerous personnel. A/C was hit in port motor by fire from the ground & oil tank holed. Approaching JARABUB port motor seized and airscrew sheared off. Pumped u/c and flaps down manually and landed safely on JARABUB old aerodrome.
Oct 25 Beaufort L9875 One circuit with Sgt Harvey .10. FIRST SOLO ON TYPE 3 landings .30
Oct 27 Beaufort W6518 Ferrying Beaufort back to its Squadron. This A/C had had hydraulic trouble and I flew it with u/c locked down. On approaching Alexandria stb. motor started to surge. Boost pressure varying from -4 to +3.5. Altered course to AMIRIYA to make emergency landing. During left hand turn near AMIRIYA port motor burst into flames & cut. With port motor dead and stb. surging A/C was uncontrollable and turned over on her back & went down in steep left hand spiral dive. Position of throttle lever and c/s control had no effect on stb. motor so was forced to switch off. A/C became controllable with both motors dead so pulled out of dive at 300 feet and landed safely cross wind on southern edge of AMIRIYA aerodrome. Fire on port motor went out when motor was switched off.
Lydall was returned pax to his unit in another Beaufort later that day.
He was posted to No. 272 Beaufighter Squadron on Nov.26 1941.
IanBB