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OPERATIONS RECORD BOOK
Details of work carried out
By .......30 O.T.U. Hixon.......
For the Month of .......March......., 19..43...
23.3.43 Wellington III
971 'O'
Sgt Forbes T.B.
Sgt Sneesby R.
Sgt Matthews L.
Sgt Deasley G.L.A.
Sgt Thomas H.G.
1911
Landed at Base
Target area identified & Nickels dropped
As you can see, the full Lancaster crew of 7, are now partly formed, a full 2 months before their first operational flight. I have discovered via Wilfred Sneesby - brother of Reginald - that the "target" for this Flight was Lille, France
Some details from the ORB - gained from the Public Record Office
OPERATIONS RECORD BOOK
of (Unit or Formation) ............30 O.T.U. Hixon..............
Date
Summary of Events
Operations
4.3.43
23.3.43
A NICKEL Operation was carried out by five crews - Details given in Form 541
A NICKEL Operation was carried out by four crews - Details given in Form 541
Station Defence
Defence Flights have had much more training during the month of March and are now becoming more Defence conscious. All of them have now had at least one four days tour of duty as Inlying Defence Flight, and Flight Commanders have taken the opportunity of giving lectures and weapon training during the evenings on duty.
The number of station personnel who have had at least one weeks training is now in the region of a thousand.
On Sunday, 21st March, some 13 officers of the Station including Commanding Officer and L.D.A took part in a 7 hour exercise around Stafford which gave an opportunity of seeing how the Home Guard work, and proved to be very interesting and instructive.
Aircraft Accidents
Wellington III 21683 - Seighford - Undercarriage collasped on take-off.
Wellington III DF.641- Seighford - The pilot did not put the propeller into fine pitch on coming into land and made a belly landing to the left of the runway.
Entertainments
Cinema shows were held at Hixon on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursdays of each week, and on alternative Saturdays at Seighford.
Station Dances were held each Wednesday and Sunday at Hixon in the Recreation Room.
Buses were sent from the Hostels at Swinnerton to convey airmen to Dances approximately three times weekly.
1.3.43 - Seighford Concert Party gave a show at Seighford
2.3.43 - "" ""
2.3.43 - Visit of Hednesford Concert Part to Hixon
4.3.43 - Sgts Mess Dance at Hixon
13.3.43 - Hixon Corporals Club Dance
15.3.43 - Visit of E.N.S.A Show to Hixon
17.3.43 - Visit of E.N.S.A. Show to Seighford
19.3.43 - Corporals Club Social Evening at Hixon
22.3.43 - Visit of Seighford Concert Party to Hixon
23.3.43 - Hixon Concert Party gave a show at Hixon
25.3.43 - "" ""
27.3.43 - Hixon Corporals Club visit to Theatre at Wolverhampton
29.3.43 - Visit of 16 M.U. Concert Party
30.3.43 - Visit of Hixon Concert Party to Seighford
Strength of Officers as at 31.3.43 - 217
Strength of Seniors NCO's and Other Ranks as at 31.3.43 - 2638
Day - 1,444 hrs 5 mins
Night - 483 hrs 20 mins
[signed H.M White]
Group Captain, Commanding
RAF Station, HIXON
