RAF units in Iceland WW2

[Richard G]

Hi, I'm looking into my Gandfathers RAF career and he too served as an LAC with 98sqn at Chateau Bougon, was one of the lucky advance party evacuation, re-formed in Gatwick and on to Iceland. He has quite a story of this period in his journal if you are interested to read.

Many thanks

Richard

rjgamblin AT hotmail DOT co DOT uk

Nearest next-of-kin can apply to MoD for WW2 service record of individuals - the records can be sketchy as they were being kept in combat conditions!

RAF 98 Sqd was also in Iceland operating Fairey Battle light bombers.

In early 1940 as part of Bomber Command, 98 Sqd was posted to Chateau Bougon near Nantes in France suffering heavy losses among the Fairey Battle aircrews. As a result the Fairey Battles were withdrawn from front line operations - during the relocation back to UK, the ground crew suffered heavy losses as they were on the SS Lancastria when she sunk after enemy bombing.

98 Sqd was re-formed at Gatwick, including some of the surviving personnel and Fairey Battles from other Squadrons which had been equipped with more modern aircraft.

In 1940, Britain invaded Iceland to prevent it falling into enemy hands and as a base to patrol the sea lanes in/out of the Atlantic - politically Iceland couldn't offer the use of the island as a military base but they preferred to host the Allies rather than the enemy!

In mid 1940 having been transferred to Coastal Command, 98 Sqd moved to Kaladarnes and Melgerdi on Iceland - the poor performance of the Fairey Battle and the difficult terrain soon took it's toll on aircraft - redundant groundcrew being transferred to other Squadrons, in some cases out to Singapore but that's another sad story.

After Pearl Harbour and the end of US neutrality, US forces took over operational responsibility in Iceland, using longer-range and more effective aircraft.

My father served as Flight Mechanic Engines with 98 Squadron in France and Iceland, before being posted to 67 and then 100 Squadron in Singapore.

[Nicolina]

I remember my father mentioning seaplanes in Iceland during his three years stationed there, but unfortunately he was in the Army, at GHQ, and also on loan to the Americans.
There are old Pathe Newsreels showing UK troops in Iceland at

www.
britishpathe.com/

Just use the advanced search option for "Iceland" and where it says Decade. select 1940s.
Elaine

[Eddie Arnold]

My father served in the Air Force as a fully paid Acting Sergeant band leader on an air base in Iceland early in the war. He told me that airfield was chosen as it was not on prewar charts having only recently risen above sea level. They bombed the river in the spring to break up the ice before it thawed but one year this did work and the base flooded. I seem to remember him mentioning Stirling Bombers but I am not sure that this was in Iceland. He did say when the Americans came they were so shocked the British food (Mconaci?)that they invited a quarter of the camp every week for a decent meal. After the first attempted they had to send the trucks to pick up the personnel as theirs had winches and could cope with the conditions. Any ideas where it was. His name was Tommy Arnold. I can be reached on eddiearnold1(at)aol.com My eldest son who is in his forties was very fond of his Grandad and is very interested in anything he did.