Balloon barrages were a passive form of defence designed to force enemy
raiders to fly higher, and thus bomb much less accurately. In July 1937
the siting of a barrage was started in London, and on September 21st 1938
it was ordered that this protection was to be extended to certain provincial
towns and cities, those initially chosen being Birmingham, Bristol, Manchester,
Liverpool, Hull, Newcastle upon Tyne, Plymouth, Southampton, Glasgow, and
Cardiff. A defensive survey of the Bristol area had already been carried
out in July 1938 and it had been decided that the presence of Filton aerodrome
prevented the use of balloons to cover the whole area. Two small independent
layouts were therefore proposed to protrect the harbour installations at
the Bristol City Docks and Avonmouth Docks.
The provincial barrages in each district were to be organised into Auxiliary
Air Force Balloon Squadrons, comprising 24 balloons each. The squadrons
further being sub-divided into 3 Flights of 8 balloons each, and these
units were to be administered by the local Territorial Association. In
each locality depots were to be formed to administer, to provide a peacetime
HQ for the balloon squadrons, and to be responsible for the assembly and
testing of balloons and the training of balloon crews in time of war, and
that serving the Bristol area was to be located at Pucklechurch.
On November 1st 1938 a separate Balloon Command, under the operational
control of Fighter Command, was formed, its purpose being to take responsibility
for the control and administration of the whole U.K. barrage comprising
No.1 Balloon Training Unit at Cardington in Bedfordshire, the London Balloon
Barrage Group, the Midlands Group, the Northern Group, and the Western
Group, which included the balloon squadrons to be formed at Bristol, Plymouth,
in the Solent area, and in South Wales. Temporary town premises were then
being obtained to house each provincial Balloon Centre, these being used
while the new specially designed centres were being built. On December
24th 1938 it was ordered that certain 'Key Buildings' were to be erected
in advance of others at all provincial centres then under construction,
thus enabling actual balloon training to be undertaken before the centre
was formally opened.
The standard barrage balloon used throughout the war was designated
the LZ (Low Zone). It was just over 62 feet long and 25 feet in diameter
at its widest part and had a hydrogen capacity of 19,000 cubic feet. The
LZ balloon was flown from a mobile winch and was designed for a maximum
flying altitude of 5000 feet. The winch speed limited the raising and hauling
down speed to about 400 fet per minute, which meant that the balloons required
11 minutes to reach 5000 feet from their close-hauled altitude of 500 feet.
When an aircraft struck the cable of an LZ balloon armed with a Double
Parachute Link, the cable was severed at the top and bottom by two cutting
links. The aircraft thus carried away the main portion of the cable and
an 8 foot diameter parachute opened at each end of the wire. Together the
parachutes exerted a drag about six times as great as the engine thrust
of a bomber, sufficient to stop it almost dead in its tracks, causing the
victim to fall out of the sky and crash. As the cable parted from the balloon,
a wire ripped off a patch which allowed the hydrogen to escape, causing
the balloon to descend slowly to the ground.
For the defence of the harbour installations at Bristol and Avonmouth
some three balloon squadrons were allocated, and No.11 Balloon Centre was
established at the HQ Territorial Army and Auxiliary Forces Association
at 17 Whiteladies Road, Clifton, Bristol, on January 16th 1939. February
6th saw the opening of a temporary Town HQ at 57 Victoria Street, Bristol,
and recruiting for the three 'County of Gloucester' Auxiliary Airforce
(Balloon Barrage) Squadrons, No.927 under S/L G.S.James, No.928 under S/L
J.P.Hitchings and No.929 under S/L R.A.A.Hall began immediately. An age
limit of 32 to 49 years was imposed for officers and 38 to 49 for men.
To complete Balloon Command's organisation in the South and West a new
parent Group to which No.11 Balloon Centre was to be responsible was formed
on May 15th. The HQ of No.32 (Balloon Barrage) Group was first established
at Portsmouth, but it moved to Romsey, Hampshire on June 23rd 1940. In
addition to No.11 Balloon Centre, No.32(BB) Group was responsible for No's.
12, 13, and 14 Balloon Centres, at Fareham (covering Eastleigh, Southampton,
Portsmouth, and Gosport); Plymouth; and Cardiff respectively. Finally on
November 9th 1941 the HQ of No.32(BB) Group moved to Claverton Manor, Bath.
A public demonstration of a barrage balloon flying took place on a very
hot July 8th 1939, when a balloon was flown on the Downs for the benifit
of the citizens of Bristol, while on August 9th the new camp at Pucklechurch
was taken over as the permanent home for No.11 Balloon Centre, and HQ for
its three Balloon Barrage Squadrons. War was now imminent, and on August
25th No.927 Squadron was embodied, followed by No.929 on the 29th, and
No.928 the next day. During 1939, with the massive increase in balloon
deployment throughout the country, it became necessary to provide additional
sources of suppy for the hydrogen gas used to inflate the balloons. Accordingly
Imperial Chemical Industries erected, at a cost of œ85,000, a new hydrogen
plant at Weston super Mare Gas Works, and this was to provide gas for the
balloons in the Southern and Western Barrages, located around Plymouth,
the Solent, and in the Severn area. By the end of the year the plant was
producing 2,500,000 cubic feet of hydrogen a week, with a holding capacity
of 500,000 cubic feet.
The station defence force at Pucklechurch, provided by the army, was
entrusted to The Gloucestershire Regiment. Initially this was undertaken
at Pucklechurch (Vulnerable Point GLO 13) by 'militiamen', but on August
30th they were relieved by a detachment of an officer and 30 'other ranks'
from the 7th (Territorial) Battalion. Their stay, however, was very short
for on September 16th they were replaced by a detachment of 'C' Company,
8th (Home Service) Battalion under Lieutenant H.R.Newman. This formation
remained at Pucklechurch until April 20th 1940, when RAF personnel finally
took over the responsibility for guarding their own establishment.
The Balloon Squadrons had meanwhile started to leave Pucklechurch and
occupy their wartime sites, forming skeleton barrages around the vital
port facilities at Avonmouth and Bristol. No.927 Squadron were the first
to move, commencing deployment at Avonmouth on August 27th 1939, its H.Q.
being established at 'The Chalet', Henbury, although this moved to 'Twyford
House', Shirehampton, before the raids commenced. No.928 Squadron followed
on September 7th, their balloons soon being deployed at Clifton, as well
as at sites across the River Avon at Pill, Portbury, and Sheephouse Lane,
Easton in Gordano, and their H.Q. was established at 3 Caledonia Road,
Clifton. Finally September 18th saw No.929 Squadron commence deployment
in the Bristol area with 'B' Filght occupying sites in Bedminster, while
'C' Flight were deployed in the East Bristol in the St.George, Whitehall
and Eastville areas. 'A' Flight, however, remained at Pucklechurch as a
Reserve. No.929 Squadron's H.Q. was the moved to 57 Victoria Street, Bristol.
On October 22nd 'A' Flight No.928 Squadron was re-designated 'D' Flight
No.927 Squadron bringing No.927 Squadron up to four flights, but leaving
No.928 Squadron with two flights only, while the following day No.929 Squadron
commenced their transfer to Queensferry in Scotland, where they were required
to protect the Forth Bridge, the vulnerability of which had been shown
by a German air attack on the area on October 16th. During September and
October almost all enemy air attacks had taken place in daylight, so not
surprisingly, the discovery of considerable activity low off the Essex
coast and over the Firth of Forth during the evening of November 18th was
a major event. These operations, carried out by minelaying aircraft, caused
a rapid response, and on November 22nd No.928 Squadron were ordered to
haul down their balloons and move in two groups to R.A.F. Felixstowe, in
Sufflok, where they re-deployed on the 24th. This left only the enlarged
No.927 Squadron to man both the Bristol and Avonmouth barrages, and although
a replacement was formed at Pucklechurch on December 15th it was not until
March 30th 1940 that No.951 Squardon, consisting of 5 Flights, was able
to take control of the Bristol barrage. When deployed its H.Q. was established
in the old No.928 Squadron accommodation at 3 Caledonia Place, Clifton.
Unfortunately during the winter of 1939/40 balloon production was unable
to keep pace with demand, and as losses due to unexpected changes of weather
far exceeded expectations the squadrons were forced to conserve their stocks
by keeping a large number of them deflated. On January 20th 1940 No.927
Squadron reported 32 balloons deployed at Avonmouth (10 inflated, 22 deflated
on site) and 50 balloons at Bristol (33 inflated, 17 deflated on site)
On May 27th 1940 Sir Stanley White, the Managing Director of the Bristol
Aeroplane Company wrote to Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Dowding Air Officer
Commander in Chief of Fighter Command requesting that a balloon barrage
should be provided to protect the company's works at Filton. He was well
aware of the difficulties involved by the proposal as a fighter squadron
had already been operational in the vicinity from Filton aerodrome. He
suggested therefore, that the balloons should be flown immediately the
fighters had taken off. On conclusion of their sortie the aircraft should
be detailed to land at Hullavington, or at some other suitable aerodrome
in the vicinity and await instructions to return to Filton when the balloons
had ben lowered.
Two days later Dowding informed White that he would get his balloons,
and No.32(BB) Group immediately ordered No.935 (County of Glamorgan) Squadron
to move from Cardiff to Filton to protect the Bristol Aeroplane Compamy's
plant, the squadron establishing its H.Q. at R.A.F. Filton. At 15.00 hrs
on the 31st, No.935 Squadron reported balloons flying at Filton, while
the existing two Flights were increased to three with the announcement
that 'B' Flight No.956 Squadron, then operating a waterborne barrage at
Deal in Kent, was to be incorporated into the squadron as from June 2nd.
Initially it was ordered that the balloons at Filton were to fly from one
hour after sunset to one hour before sunrise, but were to be close hauled
during the day, flying only on the receipt of air raid warning 'Yellow'.
Overall control was to be under the Officer Commanding R.A.F. Filton, but
during the hours of darkness they came under the orders of the Avonmouth
Barrage Control. In the Whitchurch area a number of balloons in No.951
Squadron's 'B' Flight were also controlled by Bristol Airport, the interests
of flying safety again being of paramount importance.
The completing of balloon barrages at Filton, Bristol and Avonmouth
by early June 1940 was a most sensible precaution, for it was on the night
of June 19th that the Luftwaffe carried out its first attack on the West
Country. The attack force of at least seven Heinkel He 111's of III/KG
27 based at Merville in Northen France were briefed to attack the Bristol
Aeroplane Company at Filton, in additon to harbour installations at Avonmouth
and Southampton. The attack was not a success, the nearest bombs falling
at Portishead at around 02.15 hrs, but this was just the first of a long
series of raids which were to last until May 1944. During the course of
the war the Luftwaffe successfully identified many of the most important
military and industrial targets in the area, and this included target number
GB 25 16 Pucklechurch - Sperrballonlager (Barrage Balloon Store), although
no specific attacks were actually mounted against the installation.
On May 31st the Air Ministry had written to Dowding instructing him
to provide the greatest possible protection for aircraft factories engaged
in the production of Hurricanes, Spitfires and Wellingtons. Accordingly
the Gloster Aircraft Company's plant at Brockworth, near Gloucester, which
had 24 acres of factory floor area devoted to Hurricane production, was
the next to be provided with a balloon barrage. No.912 Squadron, consisting
of 3 flights of 8 balloons was detailed to provide this protection, and
on June 26th it transferred from No.1 Balloon Training Unit at Cardington
to the Gloucester area, commencing operations at Brockworth on June 28th.
Initially they operated from a temporary squadron H.Q. at 'Hill Crest',
Ermine Road, but on August 5th this moved to 'Woodstock', Upon Lane, Barnwood.
The beginning of July 1940 saw the balloon barrage start to receive
damage and suffer casualties during enemy air attacks. At 17.15 hrs on
July 3rd 1940 three Junkers Ju 88's of II/KG 51 based at Orly near Paris
attacked what they identified as the harbour installations at Portishead
where they identified 12 barrage balloons flying. No.927 Squadron at Avonmouth,
however, reported bombs dropped between Sites 27/8 and 'C' Flight HQ. Windows
were damaged at the HQ and in huts at Sites 27/8 and 27/9. Several airmen
received minor injuries through glass and by flinging themselves to the
ground at the Cowley Farm Site. These were the first casualties suffered
by Balloon Command due to enemy action during World War II.
The following day, at 15.05 hrs, No.935 Squadron at Filton suffered
a direct hit by a high explosive bomb which fell on Site 35/10 located
opposite the Rodney Works on Filton Hill. It was dropped by a lone He 111
of III/KG 54 based at Le Bourget near Paris which was attempting to raid
the Bristol Aeroplane Company. Another bomb fell on the road beside the
site and during the raid 333413 WO H.T.Sharp; 865647 Cpl. N.Love; 865527
LAC R.H.Jones were all injured. The balloon was in the process of leaving
the bed at the time and the winch and balloon were completely destroyed.
The next important aircraft factory to be covered by a balloon barrage
was the Westland Aircraft works at Yeovil, where the Whirlwind fighter
was in production, and where Spitfires were soon to be built on a sub-contractor
basis. No.957 Squadron with three flights, which had only formed at Cardington
on July 7th, was selected for this task, and deployment commenced on July
24th. Two days later they reported that all balloons were inflated, and
the squadron H.Q. was established at 'Braggchurch House', Hendford Hill.
One of the biggest problems for the balloon barrages throughout the
war was the risk of lightning strike during a thunder storm, and probably
the most serious incident of this type took place in the Bristol area on
the night of July 26th 1940 when between 00.30 hrs and 00.47 hrs a total
of 28 balloons were struck by lightning and brought down in flames. Those
destroyed were at Sites 27/14, 27/18, 27/30, 27/12, 27/15, 27/23, 27/27,
27/21, 27,25, 27/26, 27/28, 27/1, 27/2, 27/5, 27/7, 27/31, 27/20, 27/32,
and 27/22 of No.927 Squadron at Avonmouth; 35/2, 35/3, 35/7, and 35/9 belonging
to No.935 Squadron at Filton; and 51/1, 51/3, 51/7, 51/27, and 51/30 of
No.951 Squadron at Bristol.
At Filton the danger of trying to operate a flying traing unit in an
area covered by a balloon barrage was quickly realised and on August 3rd,
the resident No.2 Elementary Flying Training School was moved to Staverton
airfield near Cheltenham. The problem of strikes on balloon cables by friendly
aircraft, however, continued throughout the war, sometimes with fatal results
to both aircraft and aircrew. The first occasion when this took place locally
was on August 13th 1940 when at 17.18 hrs Spitfire R6880 of No.4 Ferry
Pilots Pool hit cable of balloon 12/6 operated by No.912 squadron at Brockworth
causing the balloon to break away. The aircraft subsequently crashed in
flames 300 yards south east of Dean Farm, and although the pilot baled
out, it was only at an altitude of some 150 feet, and sadly he died later
in the evening.
On August 31st No.11 Balloon Centre was responsible for No.912 Squadron
(3 Flights with 24 balloons) at Brockworth; No.927 Squadron (4 Flights
with 32 balloons) at Avonmouth; No.935 Squadron (3 Flights with 24 balloons)
at Filton; No.951 (5 Flights with 40 balloons) at Bristol; and No.957 (3
Flights with 24 balloons) at Yeovil.
During the night of September 10th some 16 He 111's of the Bourges based
II/KG 27 carried nuisance attacks against Merseyside, Bristol, Cardiff
and Swansea, and a number of bombs fell in South Gloucestershire. At the
Pucklechurch R.A.F. Camp an airman suffered burns on the back due to the
presence of a reddish powder thought dropped from one of these aircraft.
He was taken to Cossham Hospital, and a sample of the powder was sent to
the Home Office for analysis. This proved to be a Sodium compound of dye-stuff,
resembling Uranium, which on contact with sea water turned yellow and caused
acute dermatitis. It had formed part of the German emergency equipment
carried in case the crew were forced to ditch in the sea.
On the morning of September 25th 1940 a large scale attack was carried
out against the Bristol Aeroplane Company at Filton by 58 He 111's of I,II,&
III/KG 55 based at Dreux, Chartres, and Villacoublay near Paris. At 11.48
hrs, No.935 Squadron at Filton reported that one salvo of H.E.'s had fallen
in the immediate neighbourhood of Site 35/6 and caused the instantaneous
death of 865570 AC1 S.T.Parnall who was fitting the lower Double Parachute
Link to the flying cable. A hut and tent on the site were also demolished,
but no other casualties were suffered. The following day it was ordered
that the balloons should be controlled during daylight by the Officer Commanding
R.A.F. Filton under orders of the Avonmouth Barrage Control, while at night
the flying of balloons was to be dependent at all times on the requirements
of the R.A.F. Station.
The first large scale raid on Bristol took place on the night of November
24th 1940 when 135 enemy bombers attacked the city between 18.30 hrs and
23.00 hrs. During this period No.951 Squadron at Bristol suffered its first
fatality due to enemy action when at 20.55 hrs a high explosive bomb was
dropped on Site 51/31 and the balloon set adrift. The site hut was damaged
and 996328 AC1 J.Bain suffered serious injuries from which he died two
days later in the Bristol Royal Infirmary. 'A' Flight HQ and billet were
also reported slightly damaged by the blast.
In addition to their normal operations, No.951 Squadron also controlled
Bristol's six 'Starfish' Decoy Sites, the construction of which commenced
in late 1940. They were eventually located at Stockwood, Chew Magna, Downside,
Kenn Moor, Yeomouth, and Cheddar, and it was during the city's second large
scale raid on the night of December 2nd that the first 'Starfish' site
in the country was lit in anger.
A new policy for the use of the small very low altitude Admiralty Mk.VI
Kite Balloons, which had been designed to protect shipping and harbours
was introduced on December 31st. The plan called for the substitution of
Mk.IV balloons in land barrages protecting certain aircraft factories,
and it was hoped ultimately to withdraw 60% of LZ balloons and substitute
with Mk.IV's in the ratio of two Mk.IV's to one LZ. Filton was one of the
factories selected, and here 28 V.L.A.'s were to be added to release 14
LZ's.
On the night of January 16th 1941 the Luftwaffe carried out a heavy
raid on Avonmouth. 178 aircraft were dispatched, of which 126 claimed to
have attacked the target between 19.30 hrs and 05.08 hrs. No.927 Squadron
at Avonmouth reported Site 27/18 damaged by a high explosive bomb, as a
result of which three airmen, 1291948 AC2 R.C.Lawrence, 1006143 AC2 R.Peck,
and 865245 AC1 C.H.Waters were killed. In addition seven airmen were slightly
injured, while the site hut and contents were completely destroyed.
The next deployment under No.11 Balloon Centre took place when a barrage
was installed to protect the Bristol Aeroplane Company's Shadow Factory
at Weston super Mare, where Beaufighters were to be built. On October 18th
1940 the sub-committee of the Deputy Chief of Staff (A.A.), under pressure
from the Ministry of Aircraft Production had decided to invite Dowding
to consider the provision of balloons to protect the nearly completed plant,
but this presented a formidable problem. H.Q. Fighter Command replied on
December 6th informing the Air Ministry that a survey had been made of
the proposed barrage and that a complication had arisen in that No.10 Elementry
Flying Training School was operating at Weston aerodrome, and that this
would be completely surrounded by the proposed balloons.
As the factory was considered more important it was decided to move
the flying school as soon as possible, and on January 21st 1941 No.955
Mobile Balloon Squadron, then at Cardington, was ordered to reform at Pucklechurch
with a view to operating the barrage at Weston. The 3 Flight squadron commenced
its move to the town on February 18th, although it was not until May 3rd
that the squadron eventually became operational with 17 of its balloons
flying,, its H.Q. being established at Banwell Castle, Banwell. The E.F.T.S.,
however, was still in occupation. It was therefore decided that no balloons
were to be flown in daytime except at such times as flying had stopped
at the E.F.T.S. When these occasions arose, the balloons were to be flown
by arrangement between the barrage commander and the chief flying instructor,
but were to be close hauled immediately flying commenced again. By night
it became subject to a control under which it was grounded, together with
a number of other barrages, from half an hour after the prescribed balckout
time until the cessation of the balckout period. The balloons were released
from this condition only if enemy aircraft were plotted approaching the
barrage area, or on receipt of an air raid warning 'Red' from the Home
Office. As a result the Weston balloon barrage was operational for only
very brief periods in each 24 hours.
A further fatality occurred on January 30th when 158620 AC2 Warren of
No.927 Squadron accidently drowned in Avonmouth Dock. At 16.15 hrs he was
observed riding a motor cycle along the pier when he became entangled with
the tie ropes and both rider and machine were thrown into the Dock. A dragging
operation was immediately carried out, but it was 15 minutes before the
body was recovered. On February 25th, the Bristol University Air Squadron
was formed and on May 16th set up a permanent HQ at 1 Tyndall Avenue, Clifton,
Bristol. The squadron was for accounting and equipment purposes attached
to No.11 Balloon Centre at Pucklechurch which remained its 'Parent Unit'
until 1945.
The first quarter of 1941 saw four balloon cable impacts by aircraft,
all of which were destroyed. The first on February 21st involved Hurricane
P3653 of the Filton based No.501 Fighter Squadron which collided with the
cable of the balloon at Site 35/20 operated by Filton's No.935 Squadron.
The aircraft crashed in a field at Patchway, about 500 yards from the Site,
the pilot 903560 Sgt. D.G.Grimmet being killed.
The following day it was the turn of No.927 Squadron at Avonmouth where
at 14.12 hrs Heinkel He 111H-3, Wnr. 3247, IG+GM of 4/KG 27 operating from
Bourges in France, and on a mission to attack Parnall's Aircraft Factory
at Yate, collided with the balloon cable at Site 27/29. The aircraft's
port wing was torn and it crashed a little less than a mile away from the
point of impact, while the balloon itself broke away. The only survivor,
Ltn. Berndt Rusche, the pilot, said that prior to impacting the cable he
was hit once in the port engine and at least twice in the fuselage by heavy
A.A. fire and one of these hits was thought to have carried away the entire
tail unit. The other crewmen killed killed were Fw. Georg Jankowaik the
Wireless Operator; Gefr. Erich Steinbach the Gunner; Uffz. Heinrich de
Wall the Flight Engineer; and Fw. Albert Ranke the Observer.
On March 20th 1941 Magister V1065 of the Service Ferry Pool collided
with the cable of the balloon at Site 35/5 operated by No.935 Squadron
at Filton and crashed 50 yards from the site. The pilot F/Lt. Smith based
at Kemble airfield was killed. The fourth victim impacted the barrage operated
by No.951 Squadron at Bristol, for at 21.40 hrs on April 30th Wellington
T2905 of No.11 Operational Training Unit at Bassingbourne collided with
balloon cables at Sites 51/21 and 51/23. The aircraft crashed at 'D' Flight
Site 51/25 in St. Andrew's Park, Bristol and was carrying both high explosive
and incendiary bombs, as well as ammunition which exploded after the crash.
Of the crew of six, 61048 P/O. K.G.Evans, the pilot, together with 979838
Sgt. T.L.Lever, and 744913 Sgt. C.J.Clarke were killed, and Sergeants,
J.S.Jones, L.H.Houghton and P.Wish injured. On the ground a balloon operator,
618025 AC1 Rowland was injured and admitted to the Bristol Royal Infirmary.
The balloon at Site 51/21 broke away after impact, but that at Site 51/23
remained flying. During April No.951 Squadron had been reduced to 4 Flights
of 8 balloons.
The night of May 7th 1941 saw a major attack carried out against Liverpool
and Birkenhead, during which 16 aircraft unable to locate that target attacked
Bristol as an alternative between 01.12 hrs and 02.35 hrs. No.951 Squadron
at Bristol reported that four airmen injured by shrapnel when a High Explosive
bomb fell on Site 51/11 of 'A' Flight had been sent to hospital. They were
named as 848380 LAC H.Bath, 979237 LAC A.Locket, and 861113 AC1 C.Parsons,
while the fourth, 925154 AC1 J.W.Pateman, sadly died soon after admission
to the Bristol Royal Infirmary.
As had happened earlier in Bristol, No.957 Squadron at Yeovil were also
entrusted with their local 'Starfish' site, control being assumed by them
at 12.00 hrs on June 1st. Not before time September 9th saw No.955 Squadron
at Weston super Mare take responsibility for the Bleadon Decoy Site, No.10
E.F.T.S. having finally departed that day for Stoke Orchard, near Bishop's
Cleeve, in Gloucestershire.
At 19.57 hrs on June 6th 1941 two Spitfires of a patrol protecting a
convoy in the Bristol Channel passed over the barrage area operated by
No.955 Squadron at Weston super Mare. The rearmost aircraft, P8143 of 501
Squadron operating from Colerne, hit the cable of the balloon at Site 55/19.
The Double Parachute Link fired and the balloon broke away, but the aircraft
crashed at Shiplate Court Farm, Hutton. The pilot, Sgt. C.J.Barton was
killed and the aircraft burnt out.
It was not long before the Bedminster area of Bristol again suffered
serious damage, for at 04.00 hrs on the night of June 11th a single He
111 of the Nantes based I/KG 28, unable to find its target at Birmingham,
dropped two 1000 kg Land Mines on the suburb No.951 Squadron at Bristol
reported that they had fallen on the edge of Victoria Park, Bedminster,
one impacting about 100 yards from Site 51/12 where 997865 AC1 D.McDonnel
was severely injured by falling debris. He was admitted to the Bristol
Royal Infirmary, but died there the following day.
The final serious aircraft impact incident took place at 05.40 hrs on
July 14th 1941 when No.955 Squadron at Weston super Mare reported that
a friendly aircraft had collided with the balloon cable at Site 55/12.
The balloon was said to have broken away and the aircraft to have crashed
after the pilot had successfully baled out.
The Bristol University Air Squadron received instructional airframe
2756M, a DH 60G Moth Major, in October 1941, this being installed in the
Senate Room of the University, and from the beginning of the following
month the squadron commenced training in signals, armament, and navigation
for air crew candidates from Balloon Squadrons in the vicinity, a task
which it continued to carry out throughout the war. The B.U.A.S. also employed
the R.A.F. station band from Pucklechurch at a number of its social functions!
As the main blitz on the region had now finished and in order to release
personnel for other duties the amalgamation of the balloon squadrons in
the Bristol area began, the first being on January 14th 1942 when No.951
Squadron ceased to exist, its personnel being absorbed into No.927 Squadron,
reducing the total number of balloons deployed in the Bristol area from
96 to 88. Upon amalgamation No.927 Squadron also took over responsibility
for the local 'Starfish' sites previously operated by No.951 Squadron.
By this time considerable aggrivation was being caused by the ballons,
which hampered flying training from local airfields. As a result of a trial
it was therefore decided, that from February 1942, No.11 Balloon Centre
would hand over control of the barrages to the local No.10 (Fighter) Group,
whose H.Q. was at Box in Wiltshire. Inland balloons would either be grounded
or close hauled if flying was in progress, and because of reduced enemy
activity ample warning could be given, sometimes as much as 15 minutes,
if hostile aircraft were approaching. This allowed sufficient time for
the balloons to be lifted aloft.
The R.A.F. raids on Rostock and Lubeck in April 1942 brought a response
from the Germans in the form of the so called 'Baedecker' Raids, when the
realatively unprotected centres of British culture were singled out for
attack. Exeter was the target on April 23rd and 24th, followed by Bath
on the folowing two nights. With the cancellation of the proposed balloon
barrages for Eire, the necessity for holding, within Balloon Command, and
organisation for the rapid deployment of balloons over an area likely to
be attacked was revived. This had luckily coincided with the start of the
'Baedecker Raids' and steps to combat the new menace included the deployment
of a mobile barrage. A mobile balloon squadron comprising 2 Flights of
10 balloons was authorised to be raised under No.32 Group, and possible
targets in No.10 (Fighter) Group's area were to be surveyed, these included
Salisbury, Swindon, Bath, Gloucester, and Exeter.
The new unit, No.992 Squadron, which was also known as the 'Rover Squadron',
came into being on May 5th 1942, 'A' Flight being formed at No.14 Balloon
Centre at Cardiff, and 'B' Flight at No.11 Balloon Centre at Pucklechurch.
Deployment to Broadclyst, near Exeter, under No.30 (BB) Group, commenced
on May 11th and this was completed by 15.10 hrs the following day. The
Squadron did not, however, stay very long in the Exeter area, for on June
3rd No.992 Squadron, back under No.32 Group control, was re-deployed to
Salisbury which was considered a likely target, and its balloons were all
flying by 22.10 hrs. H.Q. Fighter Command issued operational instructions
which outlined the action to be taken in the event of future deployments
due to a recurrence of raiding, and the operation was given the code word
'Crittall'.
Weston super Mare was the next town in the area to be attacked, being
raided by a force of 53 aircraft on the night of June 27th. A repeat attack
by a similar number of aircraft was carried out the following night, and
it was as a result of his efforts during that raid that 1020475 AC1 J.H.McNeill
of No.955 Squadron at Weston super Mare was awarded the B.E.M., which was
presented to him on February 2nd 1943. By the summer of 1942 No.927 Squadron
at Bristol was starting to receive W.A.A.F. operators to replace the men,
and the first three trained female balloon crews arrived on August 13th,
these being detailed to operate 'F' Flight Sites 27/59, 27/60 and 27/61.
In a further attempt to protect the local 'Cathedral Cities' No.912
Squadron at Brockworth commenced the re-deployment of 'C' and 'D' Flights
to Gloucester on August 17th, where they were declared fully operational
at 12 noon the next day. This was, however, to be a temporary arrangement
for from 14.00 hrs on October 30th the two flights at Gloucester were declared
non-operational, pending their return to Brockworth.
As a result of a major re-organisation within Balloon Command, No.14
Balloon Centre in Cardiff received an order from 32(BB) Group on March
6th 1943, advising them that with effect from March 31st, their Balloon
Repair Section would be closed and the work transferred to No.11 Balloon
Centre at Pucklechurch. At the same time the South Wales Balloon Squadrons,
No.953 at Cardiff/Barry, No.958 at Swansea/Port Talbot, and No.966 at Newport,
would also transfer to the control of No.11 Balloon Centre. In order to
further release men for alternative work it was ordered that by April 1st
some 31,800 W.A.A.F's were to be deployed on balloon sites around the U.K.
and No.11 Balloon Centre was allocated some 880 women.
The establishment of many local balloon squadrons was also reduced at
this time. In the Bristol area, April 14th 1943 saw the number of balloons
reduced from 88 to 65, this being achieved by the amalgamation of No.935
Squadron and No.927 Squadron, the resulting formation being designated
No.927/935 Squadron. Its H.Q. was at 'Drinagh', Sneyd Park, Bristol. This
unit now had sole charge of all the balloons in the vicinity of Bristol,
and now operated only 2 Flights at Filton. No.912 Squadron at Brockworth
and No.955 at Weston super Mare were both reduced from 24 to 20 balloons
each, and No.992 at Salisbury, which was now flying 32 balloons, was reduced
to 25. It had also been intended to reduce the establishment of No.957
Squadron at Yeovil from 24 down to 20, but this does not seen to have been
carried out.
The next change took place on April 26th, when No.992 Squadron at Salisbury
re-deployed to Swindon, becoming operational by 18.00 hrs the following
day. Their stay was, however, destined to be very short, for on May 13th
all balloons were deflated, and on the 18th the squadron left nearby RAF
Wroughton for attachment to No.11 Balloon Centre at Pucklechurch where
it became a temporary non-operational 'lodger unit' with an establishment
of 18 balloons. June 22nd saw No.992 Squadron commence reforming at Pucklechurch,
and on July 4th the unit left the Balloon Centre before taking operational
control of a number of sites at Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft, from No.1
Mobile Balloon Flight and No.995 Squadron, effective from 12.00 hrs the
following day. A further movement took place on the 7th when the relieved
No.1 Mobile Balloon Flight was transferred to Pucklechurch for re-equipping,
checking of site equipment, and making ready for re-deployment. During
its short stay the airmen were generally employed on harvesting work under
the Gloucestershire War Agricultural Committee! No.1 Mobile Balloon Flight
then became a self-accounting and self-equipping unit, and on August 8th
left Pucklechurch for Norwich where it took over further sites from No.995
Squadron.
Down at Weston super Mare, September 9th 1943 saw No.955 Squadron also
re-organised as a self-accounting Barrage Control Squadron, its 2 Flights
operating from a combined Squadron and Flight H.Q. Although not an integral
part of the Bristol Barrage, H.Q., No.101 and No.102 Flights of No.992
Squadron, then located at Edgbaston in Birmingham, undertook three training
deployments to Easton in Gordano, near Bristol, between April and June
1944. The first took place between April 20th and April 23rd, the second
lasted from May 12th and May 16th, and the third from June 6th to June
11th.
The last mission flown against the area by the German Airforce, an attempted
raid on the harbour installations at Bristol by a force of 91 bombers on
the night of May 14th 1944, was a complete failure. Only one aircraft succeeded
in even finding Bristol, dropping its three sticks of high explosive bombs
at Abbots Leigh, Kingsweston, and Headley Park at around 02.00 hrs. In
Bristol the 'All Clear' that night sounded at 03.07 hrs signalling the
departure of the last Luftwaffe bomber to threaten the City.
Soon after the balloon barrages in the West Country and South Wales
were withdrawn, with many personnel and some equipment being transferred
to the South Coast as part of 'Operation Crossbow', the 'Anti-Diver' measures
intended to combat the flying bomb menace. The deployment of the 'Anti-Diver'
barrage was authorised on June 16th, and on that day the South Wales squadrons,
still controled by No.11 Balloon Centre at Pucklechurch, were ordered to
deflate immediately. No.953 Squadron at Cardiff/Barry and No.958 Squadron
at Swansea/Port Talbot were disbanded and reformed the next day with a
new establishment at No.22 Balloon Centre, Biggin Hill, while No.966 Squadron
at Newport reformed at No.23 Balloon Centre, Gravesend.
On June 21st the four other balloon squadrons in the area were ordered
to deflate and pack. These were No.955 Squadron at Weston super Mare, where
many of the operators transferred to No.966 'Diver' Squadron, No.957 Squadron
at Yeovil and No.912 Squadron at Brockworth, where one flight from each
unit was re-deployed on 'Anti-Diver' duties prior to the squadrons disbanding,
and No 927/935 Squadron at Bristol, from which 80 operators had been transferred
to No.958 'Diver' Squadron on June 26th. This squadron was finally declared
non-operational at 23.59 hrs on July 12th 1944. No.11 Balloon Centre, however,
soldiered on and on November 30th 1944 its personnel still numbered 26
officers (including 2 WAAF's) and 487 other ranks (including 158 WAAF's).
A certain amount of excitement took place on December 22nd, when in
fog, an American UC64 aircraft mistook R.A.F. Pucklechurch for an airfield
and put down in a nearby field, happily without sustaining any damage.
It subsequently took-off successfully and completed its journey to Filton,
inspite of the fact that only about 200 yards of open ground was available.
The days of No.11 Balloon Centre were now numbered, and accordingly on
March 15th 1945 R.A.F. Filton took over 'Parent Unit' responsibility in
connection with the Bristol University Air Squadron. The demise of the
Balloon Centre finally came at 00.01 hrs on April 22nd when the station
transferred to Maintenance Command, the administration of the Pucklechurch
site passing to No.7 Maintenance Unit at Quedgeley, near Gloucester. The
vacated station was then earmarked as one of the centres for controlling
and supervising demobilisation, and for post-war use as a sub-storage site
for balloon equipment.
No.7 M.U. were not, however, to remain in control of Pucklechurch for
very long, for on July 19th 1945 the site was re-designated No.251 M.U.
a Mechanical Storage Unit dealing with motor vehicles. No. 251 M.U. continued
as a M.T. Store until December 31st 1946 when all its operations were taken
over by No.7 M.U. at Quedgeley. The station was now turned into an instructional
facility, and on February 25th 1947 was re-named No.22 Reserve Centre,
officially transferring to 62(Southern) Group, Reserve Command, which also
controlled the nearby Filton airfield. A detachment from No.7 M.U., however,
still occupied a number of buildings at Pucklechurch, including the Balloon
Sheds, where equipment was still kept. On February 16th 1948 recruiting
for Volunteer Reserve pilots started, with flying training scheduled to
commence on April 1st, this being carried out in conjunction with No.12
Reserve Flying School at Filton which opened that day.
Consequent upon the decentralisation of the radio servicing commitment
of the Radio Engineering Unit at Henlow, No.2 Ground Radio Servicing Squadro
A short history of No.11 Balloon Centre at Pucklechurch, 1939
to 1945, and