DAVIES, Jeff (#213)

Alan Pollock’s Rough Notes:

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Corporal Jeff DAVIES, RAF AIRCRAFT FITTER (633435) of No. 39 SQN BLENHEIMS and MARYLANDS, before special training to join the newly formed No.3232 SERVICING COMMANDO UNIT in the MIDDLE EAST, MALTA SICILY & ITALY, where, as first SCU in, they landed at REGGIO 4 Sep 1943 at 0715hrs, soon to service SPITFIRES & USAAF WARHAWKS at SALERNO then LECCE, onwards via BARI, where he saw, 2 Dec 1943 at 1935hrs, the German Raid on BARI HARBOUR & AMMO SHIPS, first SS John L Motley, going up, then John Harvey & its mustard gas, the worst devastation he ever saw, although bombed & V-bombed later; 3232 embarked TARANTO 2Jan44 & disbanded 31Jan44 in Blackpool.

Represents ALL 2.400 Officers & Men of the 15 ROYAL AIR FORCE SERVICING COMMANDO UNITS, the VOLUNTEERS of 3201-3210, 3225/6 & 3230-3232 SCUs, formed Mar42-Apr43 trained INVERARAY & MIDDLE EAST, also for TORCH, HUSKY, AVALANCHE, OVERLORD & DRAGOON INVASIONS, plus Nos 1 & 3 SERVICING PARTIES in CHINDIT Operation THURSDAY 5Mar44: Jeff joined RAF at 19 & after 39 SQN (including MARYLAND flight and crash landing!) & 3232SCU was at 13MU, 3502 SU & 170TU WELLINGTONS; there were surprisingly low battle casualties for the RAF SERVICING COMMANDOS, fewer than two dozen being killed, perhaps reflecting the change in air superiority, which thankfully made forward SCUs less important, as our own aircraft strength and range increased