Aircraft: Mosquito

In June 1943 the Mosquitoes of 2 Group Bomber Command were merged with 8 Bomber Group, already known as the Pathfinder Force, under the command of Air Commodore Don Bennett. Part of the unit, starting with 139 Squadron, were scheduled for night time high level nuisance bombing, known by the crews as ‘spooks’ ---- this was the beginning of the Light Night Striking Force. Initially using Mosquito B. Mk IV’s and IX’s, the force flew operations over many targets including Berlin, Cologne and Düsseldorf, dropping incendiaries and 500lb bombs. The speed of the Mosquito enabled even short breaks in the weather to be used for bombing, in fact Berlin and back took only four hours.
In February 1944 the 4000lb ‘cookie’ bomb was first used operationally using modified Mk IV’s, however in March the B. Mk XVI was introduced. With its swollen ‘bomb bay’, a pressurised cabin and an operational height of 35000 feet the Mk XVI arrived only just in time as the enemy had developed flak that was accurate to nearly 40,000 feet, far too much for the heavy bombers which attacked at half this height.
Flying from such bases as Downham Market in Norfolk and Woodhall Spa in Lincolnshire they attacked singularly, in pairs or sometimes with as many as ninety aircraft. The force was so successful that Don Bennett ordered a fleet of 200 Mk XVI’s and from April 1944 Mosquito’s were undertaking constant nightly attacks on cities in Western Germany. Equipped with 50 gallon wing tanks the Mk XVI could easily reach cities such as Berlin, often taking longer routes to mislead the enemy.
One of the most remarkable things about the Mosquito was its versatility and the Strike Force turned its attention to many different duties such as the low level mining of canals. In the lead up to D – Day, 8 Group undertook marking operations and bombing of tunnels and dropping ‘window’ to confuse enemy radar before a major attack.
Between May 1943 and May 1945 the Light Night Strike Force flew nearly 27,000 sorties dropped about 10,000 ‘cookies’ or 26,000 tons of bombs and flew 68 percent of its operations when heavy bombers were not operating. Due to the speed and manoeuvrability of the Mosquito they lost only 108 of their number, a truly amazing achievement for a little unarmed, wooden, two man aircraft.
It is June 1944 and Mosquito B. Mk XVI’s of the Light Night Strike Force, with their distinctive bomb doors and wing tanks return from a raid over Berlin having despatched their 4000lb ‘cookie’ bombs. The sun is just beginning to rise and the peaceful tranquillity is shattered as these majestic aircraft power in from the North Sea and continue their route, flying at low level over the Norfolk Marshes.

Gerald coulson, one of the worlds most highly regarded aviation Artists has captured the scene perfectly with this evocative painting, proving once again that he is a master in his field.

Overall print size:35"wide x 22" high

The signatures:

Air Marshal Sir Ivor Broom KCB CBE DSO DFC AFC

Entering the RAF in 1940 he joined No. 114 Squadron as a sergeant pilot flying Blenheims. After 12 operations he and his crew were allocated to No. 105 Squadron and then No. 107 Squadron, the last remaining Blenheim Squadron at Malta. The Squadron remained in Malta without relief for five months carrying out low level attacks on the shipping. Very few of the original crews survived the detachment in fact he was commissioned during this period, when 107 Squadron had lost all their officers and for a short time was the only officer, other than the CO, in the Squadron. At the end of this tour he was awarded the DFC. In early 1943 he became one of the first Mosquito instructors in the Pathfinder force and later moved to No. 571 Squadron with the Light Night Striking Force. He then formed No. 163 Squadron as acting Wing Commander. He was awarded a bar to his DFC for a low level moonlight mining attack on the Dormund –Ems Canal from 50ft and then a second bar for getting a 4000lb bomb into the mouth of a railway tunnel during the final German Ardennes offensive. During his time on Mosquitoes his navigator was Tommy Broom, together they formed an inseparable combination.
Remaining with the RAF after WWII and in accordance with peacetime rules for a much smaller Air Force he was reduced in rank first to Squadron Leader and then to Flight Lieutenant in 1948. Promoted to Air Marshal in 1974 he became the Head of the UK National Air Traffic Services and was the first serving officer to be appointed to the Board of the Civil Aviation Authority. Retiring from the RAF in 1979 he has been actively engaged in civil aviation since then.

Squadron Leader T.J. ‘Tommy’ Broom DFC

As an observer with 105 Squadron he spent the early months of the WWII on Fairey Battles in France and then on Blenheims back in England. After spending a period as an instructor at 13 OTU he rejoined 105 Squadron on Mosquitoes, they were in fact the first squadron in the RAF to receive them. Through early 1942 he was navigator on many of the daylight raids carried out by 105 Squadron. In 1943 he became navigator to Ivor Broom (no relation) in 163 Squadron and together they formed an inseparable and very successful combination. Known as ‘the Flying Brooms’ they were together throughout their time on Mosquitoes including the low level attack on the Dortmund – Ems Canal and 22 attacks on Berlin.

*Wing Commander Ernest Rodley DSO DFC AFC AE
He initially joined the RAFVR in 1937 and was commissioned and posed to Bomber Command in 1941. Joining 97 Sqn, flying Manchesters he was involved in the famous Ausberg daylight raid for which he received a DFC. At the end of 1942 he joined RAF Scampton helping to convert to Lancaster bombers before rejoining 97 Sqn at Bourne as a Pathfinder. After a spell at Warboys as an instructor he took command of 128 Sqn at Wyton, flying Mosquitoes as part of the Light Night Striking Force. Staying with this unit he finished the war having completed 87 operations.

*Flight Lieutenant Geoffrey Perks DFC
Joining the RAF in July 1941 he trained as a pilot in the USA and was posted to 420 Sqn as part of no 6 Group (RCAF) initially flying Wellingtons. The unit then converted to Halifaxes and he moved firstly to 427 Sqn and then to 434 Sqn still flying this aircraft. In November 1944 he joined OTU as an instructor on Halifaxes, converting to Mosquitoes in January 1945. He then joined 571 Sqn as part f the Light Night Strike Force, flying the B. Mk XVI and dropping 4000lb ‘cookie’ bombs over Germany. He left the RAF in 1946 but rejoined, finally leaving in 1958.

*Wing Commander Norman Mackie DSO DFC
Joining the RAF in 1940 he was posted in April 1941 to 83 Sqn at Scampton flying Hampdens and Manchesters, joining OTU as an instructor on Wellingtons in March 1942. He then rejoined 83 Sqn, now at Wyton, as a Pathfinder flying Lancasters until he was shot down by German Night Fighters in March 1943. Having been captured he escaped to Switzerland and after a period there managed to return to Britain through France and Spain. In May 1944 he joined 571 Sqn flying Mosquitoes with Light Night Striking Force taking part in many of the units operations over Western Germany. He left the RAF in December 1967.

*Strike Force Edition only

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295 - Signed and Numbered 2 signatures - £180 inc vat (£153.19+vat)

75 - Strike Force Edition 5 signatures - £295 inc vat (£251.06+vat)

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