Wilhelm Mohr

PART I – The Contribution of the Norwegian Air Forces
Wing received the decision to be part of the Tactical Air Force enthusiastically
while regretting that an additional squadron was not formed. 31
One effect of the curtailed build-up was a gradual surplus of new
pilots who were frustrated by being kept out of action. Eventually they
were assigned to the Wing from where to some extent seasoned pilots
were made available for other RAF squadrons.
Operations on the Continent.
In preparation for the invasion the Tactical Wing, called in the beginning
No. 132 (N) Airfield, was established on 1 November 1943. It
formed an independent fully mobile unit, containing all the elements
necessary to serve the deployed squadrons. In March 1944 it was enlarged
by the addition of RAF 66 Squadron, which was supported mainly
by Norwegian servicing crews. Some British Signal and Intelligence
elements were also added. 132 (N) Airfield thus comprised about 70 per
cent Norwegian and 30 per cent British personnel, and a joint command
structure was established. Before the invasion two RAF Regiment squadrons
were attached for the purpose of local air and ground defence.
The Airfield was made mobile with some 280 vehicles of different kinds
used for salvage, servicing, flying control, medical and cookhouse facilities
etc.
In July 1944 an additional RAF Squadron, No. 127, joined the 132 (N)
Airfield, now termed 132 (N) Wing. The events and the variety of operations
of the campaign into Europe are beyond this paper. The route
began at Funtington (UK), crossed the Channel to the first airfield B
16 north of Caen on 20 August, then to B 33 Campneusville, B 57 Lille,
B 60 Grimbergen (near Bruxelles), B 79 Woensdrecht (in Holland)
where the Dutch squadron 322 joined the Wing, B 85 Schijndel near
31 The question of the third Norwegian squadron was reopened in the autumn of 1944, but
due to the progress of the war it did not materialize (this is the only footnote provided by
Wilhelm Mohr. All other footnotes in this book have been inserted by the author).
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