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The Sphere, Wings Over Olympus, and Special Duties Published RAF official photographs taken proudly from The Sphere (a long out of print illustrated weekly), from Wisdom’s Wings Over Olympus and from Lee’s Special Duties. These long out of copyright works had and still have some of the best 211 photographs of the Middle East period, although copying is now difficult. I searched for 15 years for published pictures of my father. He recalled that a 211 Squadron story had appeared in The Illustrated London News during their time in Greece. Industrious trawling in the National Library of Australia through the 1940 and 1941 volumes found only a brief Valona raid entry and a little puzzle: a single weekly issue was missing from the 8 volumes, and from the March 1941 sequence at that. Confronted with this, Dad remarked “Well, maybe it was the Tatler!”. Back to the trawling...no result. Eventually Bill Baird solved part of the mystery for me, so back once more to the NLA and there, in the bound volumes of The Sphere from 1941 lay what seemed to be the story, all too brief. In the style of the time, these immensely popular illustrated weeklies relied heavily on official sources. Though profusely illustrated both by artist and by official photograph, they were carefully sparse on detail, both units and places remaining anonymous. It is very hard to get good copies from such enormous volumes. By persistent searching, fair copies of war-time issues can still be found, making for the much better copies of the plates now shown here. The Sphere
CO Gordon-Finlayson and Arthur Geary pose for the camera after their triumphant return. A pity Gerry Davies wasn’t close at hand to take part. The original caption reads: “An RAF bomber crew were reported “Missing feared killed” but they nevertheless made their way back to their base after a series of amazing experiences. Hits from anti-aircraft shells forced them to land on the beach of a tiny island. Later, they reached the Greek mainland in a fishing-boat. When their identity was discovered they were feted in the village and carried round in triumph. They were showered with bouquets, wine and other gifts, and the Squadron Leader (seen on the left above) made a speech from the Town Hall steps”. The Men Who Fought For Greece 3 May 1941
The rest of the caption read: “Two members of the crew of a Blenheim bomber who had just carried out a successful raid on the Italians in Greece”. Possibly WOp/AG Sgt Duffy, left, F/O Hugh Clutterbuck (pilot) right. The shot was cropped for publication, as explained on Clutterbuck’s page, where the original shot of the three-man crew is shown.
Greek liaison officer (left) with 211 Squadron aircrew. Sgt Bill Baird stands third from the left, Sgt James Dunnet fifth from the left. Between them, partly obscured, may be the Operations Sergeant, “Peggy” O’Neill. Sgt “Tam” Hughes stands hands in pockets, immediately to the right of Dunnett. The figure nearest the camera on the right is Sgt Bill Stack. Also obscured and third from the right, between Hughes and Stack, my father, Sgt CFR Clark. A fuller account from a better copy appeared for Christmas 2021. Several more years went by before Adrian Fryatt spotted odd copies of Parade Middle East Weekly at a local trash and treasure market in the summer of 2006, which prompted me to check once more in the NLA. There at last was the whole story—which now graces a page here, Return Trip Across the Styx. Wings over Olympus
Head bowed, The Bishop leads morning prayers. In Gerry Martin’s copy of the book he named most of these men briefly, from which the following list emerges. Left to right: F/Lt GD “Potato” Jones DFC (OC ‘C’ Flight), F/O “Willie” Williams (Squadron Intelligence Officer), S/Ldr HD “Jonah” Jones (84 Squadron CO), W/Cdr PB Coote (OC W Wing), partly obscured by F/Lt LB “Buck” Buchanan DFC with head down, head only P/O E “Smithy” Bevington-Smith, S/Ldr JR Gordon-Finlayson DFC CO 211 Squadron centre with head bowed leading the briefing, unidentified behind him largely obscured, Sgt P Dennis (facing camera), “Jock” (upper face only, possibly Sgt Marshall DFM), facing GF back to camera, Sgt W Stack, in front of him, back to camera, Sgt W Baird, next to him, back to camera, unidentified Sgt who by stance may be my father Sgt Clark. To the rear and left of Baird, Sgt Tickner (head only). To the right of Baird, unidentified head and shoulders only. Finally far right of frame, Sgt FJT “Rajah” Brookes. 10 miles long the valley, they say. How wide? Well, wide enough to do a go-round in a Blenheim with one engine out.
Left to right, “Peggy” O’Neill, TH Wisdom (author of Wings Over Olympus), Alan Godfrey, Jack Wainhouse. A cracking Blenheim shot. See also Wisdom’s Return Trip Across the Styx. Special Duties
Sgts JG Sharratt and GH Martin stand at the left rear by the tent, next stands Sgt WOp/AG “Ace” Martin, nearest the guy-ropes. Far right, Sgt Pilot JR “Jock” Marshall DFM in short sleeves and sheepskin jerkin. To Marshall’s left, Steve Geary stands back to camera, next to Geary and also turned away, Bill Stack. Seated in the foreground, Sgts Hughes, Tickner and Arscott. Immediately behind Hughes and also seated, my father, face only, side on and looking past Arscott. Taken sometime between mid February and early April 1941, this shot also appeared in Return Trip Across the Styx, in Lee’s Special Duties and later, partly named, in James Dunnet’s Blenheim Over the Balkans. At Christmas 2021 a clear scan of an original print, thanks to Ian Carter, showed my father clearly, as now noted, while Brian Martin identified his father in 2022 correspondence. The naming here is the most complete and accurate to date. Sources www.211squadron.org © D Clark & others 1998—2023 |
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