95 Squadron, bathurst, jui, half die

95 Squadron in the Gambia...

The Gambia is a small country in West Africa with total area of 4,000 square miles or 11,295 sq. km (about 320 km. long). It is surrounded by Senegal on all sides, except on the Atlantic coast


FREETOWN, Fourah Bay

Call Sign: VPU

Sunderland Flying Boat flying sorties of 10 hours, taking off and landing in daylight. A/S and Naval/Convoy patrols

9th April 1942 Operations Room at Fourah Bay Closed Dow - Moved to Jui (AIR-27-761-26)

Sunderland flying boat

Jui (Sierra Leone)

9th April 1942

Ops Room moved to Jui - a native village (now a town) in the Rural District in the Western area of Sierra Leone, just outside the east end of Sierra Leone's capital Freetown. The camp was formerly a staging point for Imperial Airways flying boats.

Accommodation was row of large Nissan huts,, each containing about 20 metal beds, a small metal locker and a mosquito net. The cookhouse and NAAFI building was a short distance away, a second building was used for entertainment and shows.

(Image © IWM CM 4873)


Bathurst (now called Banjul - Call Sign: MRU 3

8th March 1943 - OFFICIAL DATE FOR COMMENCEMENT OF OPERATIONS FROM BATHURST

Returned 8th March 1945 AIR-27-761-49

Half Die Ops Base at Bathurst (now Banjul)

Half-Die (Gambia)

District of South Banjul (formerly Bathurst) - Meaning" Swamp of Death", Half Die gained its name following the Cholera epidemic of 1869 in which most of the population died. It was re-populated by immigrant labourers from the Kombos and up-river areas.

"The spot was named "Half Die" by the locals, as of previous detachments of Army personnel before the war, half the number had perished with the various diseases endemic to this part of Africa (known as "The White Man's Grave")..." (Read Geof Walker's Memoirs)


RAF base at Port-Etienne 1944

Port-Etienne, Mauritania (Former French Colony, now called Nouâdhibou)

April 1945 records sortiescommenced from both Port-Etienne and Dakar (AIR-27-761-51)

Now called Nouadhibou, this is the second largest city in Mauritania and serves as the country's commercial centre. It is situated on a 40-mile peninsula or headland called Ras Nouadhibou, Cap Blanc, or Cabo Blanco, of which the western side, with the city of Lagouira, is part of Western Sahara. Nouadhibou is less than a mile from the border. On the edge of the Sahara.

Now known as the largest ship graveyard in the world,

Flt/Lt George Gregory - with Gus, local transportPictured, is Flt/Lt George Gregory with "Gus" - the local transport!)

 

 

 


Bintang

Bintang

A riverside settlement located 100 km from Banjul (formerly Bathurst). It has a rich pre-colonial history as one of the first European settlements along the River Gambia.
("Happy" Day from 95 Squadron)


Serrekunda

(or Serrekunda) is the largest city in The Gambia, lying southwest of Banjul. Its population as of 2006, was 335,733 people. Although Banjul is The Gambia's capital, it is on an island and cannot grow further, making much of the growth on Serrekunda.


Ninky Nanka of Berrending PoolBakau

A small town on the Atlantic Coast of Gambia. Legend has it that Bakau grew up around the holy crocodile pool in the central district of Bakau, Kachikally. It is one of three sacred crocodile pools used as sites for fertility rituals. The others are Folonko in Kombo South and Berending on the north bank.

Bakau itself was a small village at the turn of the 19th century and grew in importance as it became a favourite place for private residences of colonial administrators especially along the beautiful palm fringed beaches. Despite being a major town, the old village still exists.


95 Squadron Bases West Africa

Coastal Command Stations WWII - Google Maps

 


PEMBROKE DOCK HERITAGE CENTRE

 

 

Operational Records

 


October 1942

Submarine Patrol / Convoy Escort Jui / Bathurst
Aircraft in transit to and from the UK

Transit to UK
11th-15th October

Jui to Bathurst
Bathurst to Gib
Gib to Mt. Batten

Sunderland DV963 B/95
F/Lt Bailey
F/LT Gagesa
P/O Welton
P/O Tucker


Transit from UK
11th-15th October

Mt. Batten to Gib
Gib to Bathurst
Bathurst to Jui

Sunderland DV973 J/95
F/LT Davis
F/O Adams
F/O Coons


Transit from UK
12th-15th October

Mt. Batten to Gib
Gib to Bathurst
Bathurst to Jui

Sunderland DV975
F/O Steer
W/O Thewles
F/S McIntosh