Operations Record Books of No. 51 OTU based at Cranfield
...sounds more like an episode from Dad's Army! - Bernice Maynard
25 November 1943
An Evade Exercise "Kingo" was carried out. Eleven crews were dropped about five miles away and nine crews got back to the camp without being caught. The Police were on the lookout for escapees, they were successful in capturing two crews who were taken to the Police Station and had to be bailed out by the Intelligence Officer. All crews paid 1/- (5p) into a "kitty" and the crew taking the shortest time shared the "kitty". The winning crew were believed to have been either cross-country runners or short of cash, there being a Squadron party on that night, because they covered the distance in one and a quarter hours all over ploughed fields and not using the roads at all.
27 November 1943
An Evade Exercise "Kingo" was carried out, 13 crews were dropped in a different district to the previous Exercise. The weather was not good, being foggy with slight rain. This, in conjunction with the muddy nature of the ground made the going rather difficult. On this occasion the police were warned and also an Army Captain of a Military Camp nearby was advised of the Exercise and asked to co-operate and try to catch as many crew as possible seen by him or his men.
The Captain, however, seems to have entirely misunderstood his duties, for not only did he or his men fail to capture a single crew but the Captain in question, on entering a 'bus and seeing three crews on the 'bus, proceeded to give them minute instructions on how to get back to the Camp, at the same time making certain that they all had their compasses. None of the crews spoke to the Captain in English. The crew that got back first, travelled in the 'bus with the Captain to a small village near the Camp. They spoke Persian the whole time. On getting out of the 'bus they started to walk down the road, but had not gone far when a WRNS from the local "Wrennery" thinking that they had had a crash stopped the van she was driving, and offered them a lift back to the Camp. The "escapees" still speaking Persian, were then driven back to about 100 yards from the Camp, from which spot they managed to enter the Camp through the barbed wire, and proceeded to the Intelligence Room unmolested.
Another crew had also travelled on the 'bus, and spoke German to each other, the pilot causing heart palpitation to a civilian by offering him a cigarette. Each cigarette was carefully marked over the word "Players" with a swastika.
Two other crews also had some amusing moments. The first crew had not got further than 100 yards when they were confronted by the policemen, they however dived through a hedge hotly pursued by the policemen. This chase lasted for three quarters of an hour. The crew, taking advantage of the fog, managed however to throw off their pursuers by hiding in a ditch. After walking a little further, they were given chase by an armed Dispatch Rider, this was followed by two more policemen, and later two farmers. The crew, however, managed to get back to the Camp, only to be chased straight across the airfield by two airmen on bicycles. The second crew arrived back after dark and the fog by then was rather thick. They lost themselves crossing the airfield and found themselves walking up and down the main runway. It took this crew over an hour to find the Intelligence Room.
Two crews were caught by the police, the remaining crews returning safely without anything of interest to report.
Bernice Maynard
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