The Operational Wimpy

Designed originally as a pure bomber by Sir Barnes Wallis it was used as a submarine hunter, torpedo-striker, reconnaissance eye, troop carrier, parachute training aircraft, supply dropping aircraft, VIP transporter (called the Warwick}, communications vehicle, experimental and test bed vehicle, and an operation training aircraft for would be bomber crews.

In the early part of WW2 it was the RAF's front line bomber. It saw service in the Middle & Far East. Coastal Command Wellingtons claimed more than 50 enemy submarines either sunk or severely damaged during 1942-45.

Famed for the strength of its famous geodetic construction, invented by Barnes Wallis, it could withstand enormous battle damage and brought many crews home safely. For example, on the night of July 7th when attacking Budapest, a Wimpy of 70 Squadron was in collision with another aircraft over the target. Eventually the pilot managed skilfully to arrive safely back to base at Tortorella in Italy. After landing it was seen to have had ten feet of its port mainplane sheared off.

Production
"At the start of W.W. 2 hostilities there were 160 Wellingtons on strength with squadrons and a further: 11 with the makers, 1 on  a training unit, 2 at other locations and 1 in store. 37 Squadron had taken its first Wellington L4325 on the  6th May 1939 and was fully equipped by the 15th June 1939. In total there were 11,461 built being the largest number of bombers produced compared with the 7,377 Lancaster's and 6,176 Halifax's, the other main R A F Operational Aircraft

I joined the squadron in Italy in February 1944 and completed 40 operations with them. After a 6 month rest period I joined 40 squadron and did a further 9 operations with them. No 37 Squadron motto "Wise without eyes" first saw life in The Royal Flying Corps. Being formed as an experimental squadron at Ordforness, Suffolk, on April 15th 1916. One of its first momentous events was when Lieutenant L.P. Watkins, a Canadian Army Officer, attached to the Squadron, destroyed Zeppelin  L.48. over Suffolk on the night of June 16/17. He was flying a BE.12.

At the outbreak of World War 2.  37 Squadron flew its first operation only seven hours after the declaration of war with Germany.
Six Wellingtons were ordered to carry out a sweep over Heliogoland to seek and attack German Warships. By the time they reached the area, because of bad weather and approaching darkness, they failed to locate any warships and returned to base with their bombs.

In November 1940,after many more operations in Northern Europe, mainly at night, they moved to the Middle East. Here they made their mark in the North African desert campaign, operating also in the Balkans and islands in the Mediterranean.  From there they took part in the invasions of Sicily and Italy finally moving to Italy in December 1943.

Decorations won by 37 Squadron during World War 2 included 4 DSO's 47 DFC's and 40 DFM's
(It is interesting to note that the majority of the aircrew were NCO's, … DFM recipients)

Unofficial W.W.2 name " Abingdon's own squadron" Badge .. A Broom Motto.  " hostem  acelo  expellere" (To drive the enemy from the sky) The broom was chosen to immortalise the frequent exhortation of Major Mannock, the famous World War One pilot, who served with the squadron to  "sweep the --------- Hun from the sky". No 40 Squadron, Royal Flying Corp, was formed in Gosport, Hampshire on the 26th February 1916 and from August 1916 served as a fighter squadron on the Western Front.

During this time it clamed the destruction of 150 enemy aircraft, and 40 kite balloons and the driving down of a further 144 aircraft out of control and ten balloons in a damaged condition.

Disbanded in 1919 it was reformed as a bomber squadron in 1931. and in the Second World War served in many theatres; flying first Blemheims and  later Wellingtons from bases in England. It bombed targets in France, The Low Countries and Germany, until it became operational with 205 Group in the Middle East and finally Italy.

"At first equipped with Wellingtons, the squadron completed conversion to Liberators in February 1945. I piloted the last Wellington to carry out bombing operations with a 4,000lb bomb (cookie) in the European theatre of war".