Tag: Operation Sea Lion

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Biggin Hill

Why did I pick this topic for today’s blog? Well, I ran across a BBC story (click here to read the article) about the women in the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF), a British military service during World War II. The article focuses on three women assigned to the RAF Biggin Hill air base during the Battle of Britain. These women were awarded the Military Medal (MM) while only six women received the MM during World War II.

DC-3 under the command of the Royal Air Force Transport Command. Standing in front from left to right: Leading Aircraftwoman Myra Roberts, Corporal Lydia Alford, and Leading Aircraftwoman Edna Birbeck. These were the first WAAF nursing orderlies selected to fly on air-ambulance duty to France. Photo by Stanley Arthur Devon (c. 1943). Imperial War Museum. PD-U.K. public domain. Wikimedia Commons.
DC-3 under the command of the Royal Air Force Transport Command. Standing in front from left to right: Leading Aircraftwoman Myra Roberts, Corporal Lydia Alford, and Leading Aircraftwoman Edna Birbeck. These were the first WAAF nursing orderlies selected to fly on air-ambulance duty to France. Photo by Stanley Arthur Devon (c. 1943). Imperial War Museum. PD-U.K. public domain. Wikimedia Commons.

I’m always intrigued with stories of women’s contributions during World War II and other historical events. Some of the past blogs include Women Agents of the SOE (click here to read), Killed in the Service of Her Country (click here to read), The Ten Percenters (click here to read), The Wrens (click here to read), The White Mouse (click here to read), and The Night Witches (click here to read).

Biggin Hill is likely a topic that our British friends and historians know very well. However, outside of England, the story of Biggin Hill during the war may be a topic that is not well-known. So, apologies to those of you who are familiar with RAF Biggin Hill and the role it played during the Battle of Britain. If you have comments, suggestions, or perhaps other information you think should be added to this blog, please contact me.

Did You Know?

Did you know that I live in Punta Gorda, Florida and have you ever heard of Punta Gorda? Well, our little town dates to 1884 and Punta Gorda has a very strong and proud history with all its citizens. One of the families that settled here in 1905 was Archie and Josephine Bailey. The Baileys were African American, and they had eleven children: nine boys and two girls.

The oldest boy, Maurice (1906−1990), enlisted in the army and served in World War II and the Korean conflict. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery. Berlin (1912−1997) served in the navy in the Pacific theater during World War II. Following the war, Berlin returned to Punta Gorda and was elected to the city’s planning commission. Charles (1918−2001) enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps and became the nation’s first African American armed forces pilot from Florida. He joined the 332nd Fighter Group and the 99thFighter Squadron commonly known “The Tuskegee Airmen.” Second Lt. Bailey, flying either a P-40 or P-51, flew 133 combat missions in Northern Africa and Europe as part of the “Red Tail Squadron.” After the war, Charles obtained his college degree and became a teacher. Harding (1920−1984) enlisted in the navy and served in the Atlantic theater. He became a school principal after the war. Paul (1922−1987) joined the army in 1943 and was a chaplain’s assistant in the Pacific theater. Paul obtained a music degree and became a high school music teacher. Arthur (1925−1959) enlisted in the U.S. Marines in February 1945 and saw action in the Pacific theater. Carl (1929−1957), the youngest son, served in the U.S. Air Force and flew F-84 Thunderjets. He was one of only two African American fighter pilots from Florida during the Korean conflict. Tragically, Carl died in an automobile accident.

Lt. Charles Bailey next to his P-51 Mustang named for his father. Photo by anonymous (date unknown).
Lt. Charles Bailey next to his P-51 Mustang named for his father. Photo by anonymous (date unknown).
Lt. Carl A. Bailey standing beside his F-84 Thunderjet. Photo by anonymous (date unknown).
Lt. Carl A. Bailey standing beside his F-84 Thunderjet. Photo by anonymous (date unknown).

Collectively, these sons of Mr. and Mrs. Bailey are known as “The Fighting Bailey Brothers.” Today, five of the brothers are interned at the Lt. Carl A. Bailey Cemetery in Punta Gorda. The passenger terminal at the Punta Gorda Airport is named in their honor.

The plaque in the Punta Gorda Airport Bailey Passenger Terminal. It commemorates the seven Fighting Bailey Brothers from Punta Gorda. Photo by anonymous (date unknown). Courtesy of Punta Gorda Airport.
The plaque in the Punta Gorda Airport Bailey Passenger Terminal. It commemorates the seven Fighting Bailey Brothers from Punta Gorda. Photo by anonymous (date unknown). Courtesy of Punta Gorda Airport.

 Click here to watch the video Meet the “Fighting Bailey Brothers.”

Biggin Hill 

The town of Biggin Hill is located in the south-east of Greater London. It is situated on one of the highest points of Greater London and its airport, Biggin Hill Airport, supports general aviation needs including private and business jet traffic. Although large enough for Boeing 737 aircraft, the airport is not a commercial (i.e., paying passengers) airport. Read More Biggin Hill

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Fashion or Resistance?

Several years ago, I wrote a blog about the famous fashion designer and perfume entrepreneur, Coco Chanel. (click here to read the blog Coco Chanel: Spy or Collaborator?) Today, we will focus on the sister of one of France’s post-war fashion trendsetters, Christian Dior (1905−1957). His famous perfume, Miss Dior, was named after his beloved younger sister, Catherine, who was a French resistance fighter during the German occupation.

A bottle of Miss Dior perfume. Photo by Antoine Kralik (date unknown). Christian Dior Parfums.
A bottle of Miss Dior perfume. Photo by Antoine Kralik (date unknown). Christian Dior Parfums.

Did You Know?

Did you know that shortly after Germany invaded and occupied neighboring European countries there was a widespread concern among the British that the Germans would soon invade England? In fact, Hitler had plans drawn up for the invasion (click here to read the blog OB West and here to read Professor Dr. Six) called “Operation Sea Lion.” The British developed a plan for the defense of their island with a contingency plan for the development of England’s last line of defense. Secret auxiliary units known as “scallywags” were formed by volunteers. These groups of elite fighters were scattered throughout England and Scotland and tasked with sabotaging the Germans as they advanced through the country. These men knew the countryside and were trained in guerilla tactics. One of the strategies was to build underground bunkers where they could lie in wait for the Germans to pass by before emerging to attack. About five hundred bunkers were constructed around England. However, very few have ever been found and when one is found, it is purely by accident. The “scallywag” units were one of the most secretive British operations and the men who signed the Official Secrets Act never divulged their mission, often taking the story to their graves.

The bunkers measured about twenty-three feet long and ten feet wide. You entered through a hatch and exited from a rear hatch. These bunkers were stocked with enough food, weapons, and supplies to last five weeks for the seven soldiers who would occupy the bunker. The men knew that in case of an invasion, their life expectancy would likely be a maximum of two weeks. They recognized they had signed up for a suicide mission.

The few bunkers that have been found remain classified with respect to their locations. The government has converted the bunkers to artificial caves for bats to roost in.

Catherine Dior

Ginette Dior, or better known as Catherine Dior (1917−2008), was born in the coastal town of Granville on the western side of Normandy, south of Cherbourg-en-Contentin, near where the English Channel meets the Atlantic Ocean. Her family was financially well-off and lived in a large home known as Villa Les Rhumbs. She was the youngest child of Maurice and Madelaine’s five children: three brothers (Raymond, Christian, and Bernard) and a sister, (Jacqueline). The two closest siblings (albeit separated by twelve years) were Catherine and Christian. They shared a passion for gardening, art, and music. By the time Catherine was born, the family had moved to Paris, but they kept Les Rhumbs. The economic disaster of the early 1930s destroyed her father’s fertilizer company and after the death of her mother in 1931, Catherine and the rest of her family moved to Provence where her father purchased farm property known as Les Naÿsses near Callian, France. Read More Fashion or Resistance?