In Memoriam - Squadron Leader John Herbert Crotch DFC - 192 Squadron, RAF Foulsham - 1912 – 1994
John Crotch had practised as a solicitor in Norwich since 1935, and was also a Freeman of the City of Norwich. He married his wife Mary in May 1937.
John volunteered to join the RAF in September 1940 (aged 28), and from November 1940 was stationed at No. 8 I.T.W (Initial Training Wing) Newquay – having had no previous flying experience. John left behind his wife Mary and daughter Linda (born 1939) at home.
John commenced practical flying training when he was stationed at No. 1 E.F.T.S. (Elementary Flying Training School) Hatfield in March 1941. Flying lessons were taken in Tiger Moths and Oxfords during the period March 1941 to December 1943, before moving on to Wellingtons.
He qualified as a bomber pilot in March 1944 when he commenced Command Operations. He was stationed at Holme-on-Spalding Moor (Yorkshire) in 76 Squadron, before moving to 192 Squadron RAF Foulsham in August 1944. John was appointed Squadron Leader in that same month, and was awarded the D.F.C. on 16th February 1945 aged 33.
On 28th May 1945 John was invited to fly A.V.M. (Air Vice Marshal) Addison (A.O.C [Air Officer Commanding] for the RAF 100 Group) to Schleswig and back.
On 5th July 1945 John was invited to fly General Edward Curtis Peck (USAF) to Grove airfield (Denmark). John’s son Andrew remembers John recalling flying General Peck on a tour of UK bases, to enable him to congratulate each base for their wartime efforts in achieving a successful outcome of WWll.
With effect from 5th September 1945 John assumed command of No. 192 Squadron as Acting Commanding Officer Squadron Leader.
In 1994 John was contacted by author Martin W Bowman in connection with his proposal to write a book about the operational history of RAF 100 (Bomber Support) Group. We all recall several meetings taking place, when John supplied Martin with photos, information and his experiences during his service in the RAF. The interview and photographs can be found in the book ‘Confounding the Reich’ by Martin W. Bowman and Tom Cushing.
John recalled:
•He and his crew moving from 76 Squadron (Holme-on-Spalding Moor) to their posting to the RAF 100 Group, based at Foulsham, near Norwich.
•Flying Halifax llls over enemy territories and monitoring German fighter frequencies using Radar sets in the aircraft.
•Dropping ‘Window’ over the Continent to simulate raids of large numbers of Allied aircraft.
•On the 31st August 1944 John led five Halifax bombers to Lossiemouth, to participate in an exercise involving the Tirpitz which took place on 2nd September 1944. John and the other Halifax bombers returned to Foulsham on the 5th September 1944. The Tirpitz was anchored in Norway; in the Arctic Circle. Data gathered from this mission (and other similar missions over a number of nights) was successful in finding ‘blank spots’ in the Tirpitz’s Radar frequencies, which was instrumental in the Allies being able to carry out bombing missions against the Tirpitz, culminating with the Tirpitz finally being sunk on 12 November 1944; by 617 Dambusters Squadron.
It remains a matter of deep regret that John Crotch died before the book was published.
Amongst John’s papers we found correspondence (dated 1988) which he entered into with William J and John E Rees regarding WWII 192 Squadron activities. Some of the memories shared are as follows (quoted verbatim from their correspondence):
‘I had only been at Foulsham about a week when the Lossiemouth affair (Tirpitz operation) occurred. My first trip in the Squadron was to Stettin and the next day (a Sunday) I went home for the night as I lived near Norwich. Squadron Leader Kendrick knew where I was, and I was woken at about 6 AM on the Monday morning by Kendrick throwing stones at the bedroom window. We got back to Foulsham as soon as possible and I went to Lossiemouth without any breakfast. I didn’t go to bed on the Monday night as we had an early return. On Tuesday, I went myself and flying low level over the sea for 9 hours 45 mins is very tiring. The local Station Commander invited me to dinner at his house on Wednesday and after dinner we played cards and almost immediately I fell sound asleep at the card table!’
‘You will see from my Log Book that I always got landed with when a ‘Big Wig’ was told to take a trip. You will also notice that Kendrick (who was completely screened and was the Group Liaison Officer on the Squadron) came on several trips with me. We were great friends and he used to say that this was to get the sweet ration. We had to get Group dispensation on each occasion. I would think that this was fairly unique.’
‘Were you at Foulsham for the Open Day after the War? We were advised by A.M. to expect 10,000 people, but we laughed and expected about 2,000 and made no preparations and in the event more than 50,000 came and there was complete chaos.’
John’s daughter Linda has one vivid memory of this Open Day; (as a very young child) as she managed to fall out of one of the planes’ (open) bomb doors to the ground below!
‘In October 1945, the Squadron moved to Watton and become the Flying Wing of the Radar
Warfare Establishment and in November 1945 I was demobbed.’
Some of John’s WWII photographs & re-collections appear in the book ‘Espionage in The Ether’ published in 1999, by William J and John E Rees.
Left to Right: Back: F/Sgts: Tony Leonard, D H Moore, Lysaght, A Martin, Front: V Worsley, J Crotch, C Ashworth
Following some internet research, Julia also found mention of John’s wartime activities as recalled by Douglas Holmes Moore (WWII Wireless Operator), on the ‘North Staffs 1940’s Association’ website www.northstaffs1940s.co.uk. Doug first met John when John was Doug’s Pilot Instructor and met again later during the war when he was part of John’s regular crew.
As a teenager Julia remembers John showing her his Flight (Log) Books and the reconnaissance photographs that he still had. She remembers him telling her about:
•Joining up, his training, some of the Bases he was stationed at, some of the Polish and Canadian Servicemen he trained and served with, and the purpose of the reconnaissance missions.
•Remonstrating with Norwich residents who failed to follow blackout regulations.
•Describing the 9hrs 45mins flight to Norway – the conditions of the flight etc. It is only now, however, I understand the significance of that flight in particular.
Whilst these were fascinating memories he shared at the time; Julia now realises that, with the benefit of hindsight, she should have asked so many more questions.
After the war John returned to civilian life as a Solicitor and farmer, until his death in 1994.
Linda, Andrew and Julia all recall meeting up – on more than one occasion – with the (then) surviving member of his crew, Tony Leonard (his former Flight Engineer). We were able to accompany him on visits to various Norfolk based aerodromes, including RAF Foulsham. Sadly, these visits were made after John had passed away.
At the recent RAF 100 Group Association Reunion held at Foulsham in May 2017, we met Mr. ‘Doc’ Elliott, from Essex – 92 years young – who recognised John from photographs, during his time at Foulsham.
Some of John’s WWII photographs
Reconnaissance Photos:
Cologne: destroyed bridges and Cathedral
Cologne Cathedral
The Krupps works at Essen
South of Cologne: Thousands of German POW’s in makeshift bivouvacs
Personnel Photos:
Halifax B111 NP970 DT-T. W/Cr D.W. Donaldson (4th from R), CO 192 Squadron with O/C and pilots of B Flight – including John Crotch (3rd from R)
S/Ldr J Crotch, DFC O/C B Flight and F/Lt A Hazelhurst. As Acting C/O S/Ldr Crotch signed the last entry in the Squadron Operation Record Book
192 Commanding Officer and Section Leaders:
L – R back row:
F/Lt T Y Hicks RNZAF, O/C; F/Lt A Kelly (Flight Engineer), F/O G Savage (Bombadier), F/Lt R L A Woolgar (Gunner), F/Lt H W Churchill (Wireless Operator), F/Lt E Groves (Special Operator), F/Lt J N Barren (Navigator), F/Lt I Thomas (H2S Instructor).
L – R Seated:
S/Ldr B M Fawkes (O/C: A Flight), S/Ldr A R Kendrick (Operations and Deputy CO), W/Cdr D W Donaldson (Squadron Commander), S/Ldr J H Crotch (O/C B Flight), F/Lt Loudden (Adjutant)
by Julia Read (Granddaughter), Linda Read (Daughter) Andrew Crotch (Son)
This article is from the Winter 2017 issue of Confound and Destroy
