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Left : The Norwegian 1985 “Forgotten” Sapper Memorial Stavanger & Double Hills
on Right
In 1985, in Norway, on May Liberation Day, a Memorial was raised to four Airborne
Royal Engineers that had no grave. They died after torture and murder by the
Germans after surviving the Glider crash which was piloted by Strathdee. Their
comrades’ bodies were recovered, and lie together mostly at Eiganes Cemetery
Stavanger. Her Royal Highness Princess Astrid was in attendance. The Commander
1st British Airborne Division of Arnhem fame, and who also commanded that
Airborne Division for the Norwegian 1945 liberation, was present.
Brigadier Sir Mark Henniker Commander Operation Freshman 1942, with a lone
survivor of the training, Corporal Syd Brittain unveiled that Memorial. Today little is
known of the Memorial in Britain, but it is cherished by the Stavanger people who
raised the funds to build it. It was inspired and organised by the Double Hills Arnhem
Memorial Group at Paulton Somerset. Double Hills Arnhem Memorial
commemorated the 21 Airborne Sappers and 2 Glider Pilots who died en route to the
Battle for the Arnhem Bridge. They were the first casualties of Arnhem. The
comrades of those killed at Paulton told Peter Yeates of those murdered in Norway
from Operation Freshman. Thus the inspiration continued, and this is just the story of
one of those brave men. He was killed on impact when his Glider crashed on
Operation Freshman. He was an example of those British single-minded brave men,
who live their lives in the way they see it, and are usually extraordinary characters and
some full of mystery. Here is once such man, who life fascinated me, and of which
the true story and facts have never been told... Untill now. .
The First Army Glider Pilot
Staff Sergeant Malcolm Frederick Strathdee, 320272, 1st Glider Pilot Regiment, Army
Air Corps, died on the night of 19th/20th November 1942 and is buried in Plot Z,
Grave 11.Eiganes Cemetery, and Stavanger, Norway.
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Wing Cdr. Lawrence Wright was Chief Ground Instructor at No 1 Glider Training
Squadron at Haddenham.
He wrote in his book “The Wooden Sword” that the qualifying of Frederick Strathdee
as the first Army Glider Pilot at Haddenham on 4th March 1941, as an “historic
occasion of a minor kind”.
.
The occasion of Strathdee’s first solo flight, which qualified him, as the very first
Army Glider Pilot, is of historic significance.
It is a window on the fascinating, very secret life of a courageous, and the absolute
first, Army Glider Pilot. Staff Sgt Frederick Strathdee.
Here below is the familiar picture of Strathdee in a Kirby Kite. He is surrounded by
Instructors and Officers at No1 G.F.S. celebrating this first solo flight.. This picture is
scanned from “Straths” own original of the picture. On the reverse of the picture are
the autographs of the other names on that first course. Autographs he acquired on the
day.
SSgt Strathdee above and displayed right his Civilian Flying License obtained when
in the RAF.
He was such a ‘mystery man’ both in his private life and his service life. He
encouraged and embellished the mystery. To his friend and fellow Glider Pilot course
pupil Jack Caslaw, he often hinted of his past civilian and service life. Jack Caslaw
was a close witness of his behaviour and character.
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“Strath” as his GPR friends were to know him, seemed to enjoy encouraging the
mystery. My research together with the late Major John Cross AAC Museum
Historian and archivist of the 80’s was difficult and complex.
Major Cross and I worked on research into the Double Hills Glider crash, and then
this lead to our interest in Operation Freshman.
The subject of Double Hills is well known. This was two Glider Pilots and 21
Airborne Sappers who were the first casualties of the Arnhem Battle when their
Glider RJ 112 crashed into a meadow called Double Hills in my village. I was 7 years
old.
That lifelong interest became my introduction to Army Flying and Airborne Sapper
history, mostly Arnhem and Operation Freshman.
Within that study we both, Yeates & Cross, became fascinated by this mysterious
character, the first Army Glider Pilot.
Authors and other interested people had constantly referred to Strathdee’s “Flying for
Franco” during the Spanish Civil War of the 1930’s and this apparent myth continues,
and it is often repeated in written histories.
It also remained in the minds as a fact for all those who knew him, and those who
came after, and who had heard about Strathdee.
I was able to first learn about Strathdee from talking at length with early Glider Pilot,
the late Jack Caslaw, in the 1980’s at Middle Wallop, on many occasions.
I was also able to talk and correspond with Strathdee’s sister Lillian whom I traced.
I arranged for her to visit the Museum of Army Flying and meet Major Clifton Moore,
the then Curator. She later presented Strathdee’s medals to the Museum for
exhibition.
Miss Strathdee was able to see the newly (1983) established Freshman Diorama
newly built then by Mr Ron Eastman, using relics we had brought back from
Norway...
Tracing Lillian Strathdee was difficult because SSgt Strathdee’s Headstone at Eiganes
Cemetery, Stavanger, Norway carries no family inscription or message.
Jack Caslaw thought this was in keeping with Strathdee. That his epitaph should be
blank.
The famous logbook often quoted, as having entry records of Strathdee piloting
Mechersmitts and/or Italian Fiat CR42’s for Nationalist Spain in the Civil War was
not found amongst his private possessions.
Lilian tried to find the missing log book. She was unsuccessful. She was however able
to find his Flying License obtained from the civilian Flying Club at Sywell, obtained
presumably under RAF auspices. .
There were other questions of Strath being indirectly related to his 2nd Pilot, Scotsman
Sgt Peter Doig. There is no evidence of this. Lillian did not think this was the case..
Jack Caslaw stated in another “Eagle” article “Strath was the best of a very good
bunch. Like some others he wore RAF wings. He was a great character. During an
‘initiative scheme’ from Salisbury to Suffolk, via the Berkeley Hotel, London, he
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taught Jack Caslaw how to use the best transport available. This was without spending
any money. An aptitude that was to prove of great value later for Caslaw later in the
war.
“Strath” was enterprising and was coolly audacious. Such as men for example Ronnie
Biggs and Alfred Hinds. These reminded Caslaw of Strath’s cool ability in audacious,
undetected motion in a devious line.
He always wore the look of a man badly done by, on the qui vive for another slosh
across the chops from unkind fate. But he was adept at coping with such situations.
The war artist E H Kennington portrayed his expression perfectly. Although making
him look leaner, than his stocky actuality.
There was some evidence that Strathdee tried to establish links with some Strathdee
relations in Scotland. They recalled being visited by Strathdee for this purpose. He
was very interested in establishing a Scottish pedigree.
There were rumours that Strathdee came from a titled family and had suffered some
disgrace, and thus was very secretive about it. Lilian said her family certainly were
not titled.
The facts are, according to what I was told by Lillian and in letters written to me by
Lillian Strathdee are these.
He did not go to Spain, or indeed “Fight for Franco”
Lillian said he certainly wanted to go. She describes her brother as a “colourful strong
romancing character in so many ways”
His name recorded at birth and in his RAF records is simply Frederick Strathdee. He
was born 24 March 1915 at 73 Grange Park Road, Thornton Heath, Nr Croydon.
Surrey.
Lillian quotes the additional names of Malcolm and Craig as “purchased names” and
thinks such acquisition was all “above board”. It does not seem that he legally added
these names.
I commenced my research into Strathdee’s character and background in 1980 but it
was not until 1984 that I traced Lillian. She had only vacated the family home at
Thornton Heath only six months before I traced and found her living in Eastbourne.
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This contact after 43 years came as a surprise to Lillian.
The family had learned little of the circumstances of her brother’s death both at the
time, and since.
Lillian had read “The Wooden Sword” and another book called “But for these men”.
The latter is a “fictional” account of Operation Freshman and carries still pictures of
an early film about the raid.
This total lack of news of what happened to the loved ones, who took part in
Operation Freshman revealed an awful neglect by the War Office.
Only after the war did Major John Chivers OC 261 Field Park Company RE
commence the investigations and unofficially informed some relatives, after he left
the army.
The Strathdee family comprised of three brothers, and the one sister Lillian who
survived them all. Frederick was killed on Operation Freshman; Pilot Officer John
Strathdee was killed in action in India. Ronald Strathdee served in the R.A.O.C, and
died in 1977. Lillian served in the W.A.A.F during the war. None of them ever
married.
She told me of Strath’s early life, attending Stanley School, Thornton Heath, joining
the Boy Scouts. He worked in a London office for some time. He was as much
secretive to his family concerning his ambitions and life, as he was to his comrades.
The fact he worked in a London office becomes relevant with another story told to
Jack Caslaw. It also ‘tied up’ with a story his sister mentioned that her brother “got
into trouble” with an RAF Officer. This is why Lillian thought he left the RAF.
In my lengthy telephone conversations with Lillian I always felt there was more she
could tell of Strathdee’s past. So the mystery remains.
Jack Caslaw states that Strath hinted many times about why had to leave the RAF,
including the oft quoted “Flying For the Nationalists” – the following recollection
does tie in with Lillian Strathdee’s recall.. Caslaw’s recollection was of a story that on
posting to an RAF Squadron he (Strathdee) was confronted by an officer already
there. This officer had been a policemen connected with Strath’s arrest and trial. The
arrest and trial following Strathdee being caught with” his hand in the till”, whilst a
job trainee “something in the City”.
Strathdee also told Jack Caslaw, that he was related to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
Caslaw stated that master of art he would have been delighted with Strath’s
impromptu historical romances... He goes on to describe a swimming trip down to the
river.
Strathdee made a great business of “Can’t swim much” and “will you look after me”
etc on the way. Once in the water Caslaw said “the rest of us paddled like ducks
whilst Strathdee shot around us like an otter”
Regarding the reason for “Strath”, abruptly leaving the RAF.
After civil flying training at Brooklands Flying School. Jack Caslaw suggested he
(Strathdee) could have been asked nicely to retire after the confrontation described
above. Hence there is no further mention in the Air Force Lists. Caslaw moreover
considered his flying standard when they flew together, was a much higher standard
for a pilot who might have been ‘bowler hatted’ after F.T.S.
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All those on the first course at the GTS were extraordinary characters. In describing
them all Jack Caslaw says that Strathdee was the best of a very excellent bunch.
His comrades and Instructors described him as a very experienced Pilot. By far the
best on the first course was a constant observation, by the instructors.
Dickie Keys another Glider Pilot pupil on the first course, describes Strathdee as very
‘close’ and noted it was difficult to find out much regarding his background. Dickie
Keys thought that ‘Strath’ had been a ‘black sheep’ of a good family.
Frederick Strathdee’s service records took some unravelling by Major John Cross.
This was complicated by the fact that in an early photograph of the first Glider Pilots
course, Strathdee is depicted wearing a tank badge of the Royal Tank Regiment on his
sleeve.
Later photographs show him wearing the badge of the 1st King’s Dragoon Guards. It
is thought the tank badge was something left over from the RAC training Regiment,
or perhaps another “Strathism” as Jack Caslaw often described Strath’s behaviour and
comments. His mixed insignia including RAF Wings certainly caused Lawrence
Wright and Strathdee some difficulties on one occasion.
The wearing of RAF wings on his army uniform, which was such an unlikely
combination that it nearly had Lawrence Wright and Strathdee detained as suspected
spies after a forced landing at an RAF Airfield.
1 Acting Pilot Officer on short-service commission in GD flying branch. 5 July
1937
2 Civil Flying School, Sywell
10 May 1937
3 7 FTS
17 July 1937
4 Commission terminated (reason not stated)
21 Jan 1938
5 Enlisted into King’s Dragoon Guards
13 April 1938
6 Mechanised Calvary Depot
Cpl (Instructor)
24 Jan 1939
7 51 Bn Royal Armoured Corp ( Pre OCTU )
4 Oct 1939
8 102 OCTU
11 Jan 1940
9 55 Trg Regt ( perhaps on failing OCTU)
15 Jun 1940
10 Att to 225 Sqn RAF
4 Nov 1940
11 11 SAS Bn
Cpl
1 April 1941
12 1 Bn GPR
Sgt SSGT
1 Jan 1942
13 Transferred to AAC(GPR)
27 Feb 1942
14 Killed Operation Freshman at Fyjesdal Norway
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Nov 1942
Looking at this service record it seems Strathdee was only out of the service for two
months thus would have been pushed to fight in Spain. It is thought the entries about
the KDG and RAC are possibly when the RAC took over all Calvary and RTR
persons in a holding Corps.
51 Battalion was probably a basic training unit and 55 Training Regiment an RAC
training unit: It looks as though he failed OCTU and went on as a soldier.
Lt Cdr Sproule described Strathdee as a splendid character and as brave as a lion.
Likewise he recalled seeing entries in his flying log, which aroused his interest. Cdr
Sproule was most surprised to learn, when he visited the Middle Wallop Museum in
the 80’s that Strathdee had not fought in Spain.
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This was also the case, when I in the 1980’s I had correspondence and conversations
with Major Willoughby, 2nd in command Glider Pilot Regiment (in 1942) , who
informed me he had selected Strathdee and Doig for Operation Freshman. He too
distinctly remembered the “Strathisim story” of “Flying for The Nationalists”.
Furthermore correspondence with 1st Kings Dragoon Guards fellows that served with
him at Beaumont Barracks, Aldershot, described him exactly as the same secretive
remarkable character, as his fellow Glider Pilots had experienced later...
In 1984 thanks to David Mallam, Commandant of the Army Air Corps, I flew in a
then Operational Beaver to Norway to organise and perform a ceremony of
Remembrance for all whom died on Operation Freshman.
We carried the Standard Bearer of the Glider Pilot Regiment, and I represented Bristol
Branch Royal Engineers with their standard.
We visited by Helicopter, before any roads were in place, that wild and bitterly cold
place called Fyjesdal. We took videos of this place, and the Helleland crash site.
Fyjesdal is a place surrounded by high mountains and comprised of a tiny piece of
rocky land and a lake. There is a farm close by, which is where survivors of the crash
first sought succour.
This is where Strathdee put down his Horsa Glider DP349, killing himself and his 2nd
Pilot immediately and six Airborne Sappers including the officer Lt Methuen.
That anyone at all survived the Fyljesdal crash was a because of the miracle of night
Glider flying by Staff Sergeant Strathdee and his 2nd Pilot Peter Doig.
Almost all we know of this single one and only operational flight of Strathdee, the
first Gliderborne Operation of World War Two comes from the most remarkable of
books.
of the early Glider Pilot Regiment. It is as referred to before in this article,
It is now out of print and expensive now.. Wright’s graphic description of the last
hours of Strathdee’s and his ill-fated Glider is below.
I have a lifetime of letters, documents, photographs etc concerned with Operation
\Freshman from my study of it for some 35 years.
Now new authors and new interest is being expressed in this brave ill-fated attempt to
destroy the Heavy Water stocks at Rjukan.
In 1984 Per Johnsen, one Eric Ward Mills, and myself established with the people of
Stavanger, a memorial to the four Airborne Sappers injured in the Fyljesdal crash
flown by Strathdee, and later tortured to death by the Germans and thrown into the sea
off Stavanger.
The funding by the City of Stavanger and the tracing of the relatives by Per Johnsen
enabled the relatives to attend. The ceremony was very much along the lines of the
Double Hills Arnhem Memorial Services which has been held now for some 31 years.
Per Johnsen was instrumental in getting relics extracted from the Fyjesdal and
Hellleland Gliders to the Museum of Army Flying and the Royal Engineers Museum
at Chatham.
With “Blood Sweat & Tears” (Per’s description) they hauled with British Defence
attaché’ Oslo Colonel Graham Owens, plus a good team, removed heavy relics from
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the sites. These were taken down to the Fjord and Stavanger. From here they were
transported with relics from the Halifax crash to UK... There they were afterward
airlifted to RAF Lyneham and now reside in the Museums.
The following is extracted from “The Wooden Sword” it contains the best
description of the enormous skill of Strathdee in putting down his Fyjesdal Glider.
On the day of the operation, November 19, thick cloud was forecast over most of
the route, but clear sky and moon were promised over Norway. There was rain and
unbroken low cloud at the Skitten base. Rain on a Horsa windscreen limited the view
to two small openings, and entry into cloud must sooner or later mean a broken rope,
followed by ditching or a crash-landing. Before take-off one tug wingtip light, and
both towrope telephones, had again failed; and as the use of radio was frowned upon,
only a simple code of light-signals could be improvised. With the delay caused by
these incurable faults, darkness had fallen, and night take-off had not been
attempted before with full load. The glider pilots were given the option to
postpone till next day, but they chose to go. Strathdee’s glider, towed by Wilkinson
with Cooper as navigator, stayed on tow for five-and-a-half hours.
Height had been gained to 13,000 feet by skilful use of cloud gaps, but though
Cooper was a brilliant navigator, the maps were poor and the ground snow-covered,
the radio beacon at the objective failed to respond, and the landing zone could not be
found. The fuel level was already marginal for the long tow home when they turned
back. Going through some unavoidable cloud-tops the glider kept station, but the
aircraft and even the towrope iced up, and they sank into unbroken cloud.
Surprisingly, Strathdee managed to stay on tow while another 3,000 feet were
gradually lost, but inevitably the towrope broke, and the glider went down, still over
land. The other tug, flown by Flight Lieutenant Parkinson, R.C.A.F., had been
flying below the cloud, and the only further news was an enemy report that this tug,
and both gliders, had crashed. Only Wilkie’s Halifax returned.*
Strathdee’s Glider DP349, descending through falling snow, crashed onto the floor
of the Flyjesdal fjord area, there was a limited area of undulating ground available
first, until it smashed into the boulders at the foot of the mountainside. Of the 17 on
board, eight were killed and four Sappers badly injured. These four badly injured
were later taken to Prison’s’ in Stavanger and tortured to death.
They are now commemorated by the 1985 “Missing Sapper Memorial” at Eiganes
Cemetery. They are thus now remembered with their comrades who lay a short way
from the Memorial.
In this new Memorial area too, is buried, in a secret place, close to his friends, and
as he wished, the remains Sapper Syd Brittain. I had in 2004 arranged for the burial
of the remains of this one Airborne Sapper, injured during training, but who
accompanied his fellows to Skitten and saw them leave.. Syd Britain of Coleford
Somerset and he now rests with his comrades.
Syd had exchanged the last conversations with them at Skitten. Had enjoyed the last
“tea and wads” on the runway canteen. He closed the door of the Helleland Glider.
He saw them depart into the gloomy late winter afternoon sky. He slept alone that
night 19th November 1942 in the now deserted Nissen huts. He later next day saw the
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lone Halifax return and stand alone on the runway. He wrote a poignant poem. He
returned in Colonel Henniker’s car the CRE of the Operation to Bulford. He never
forgot his mates.
He died a few years ago. Now he rests with them. I thank all my Norwegian and
British Friends in Stavanger, but in particularly Peter Jevons RAF who arranged for
this. Sid Britain kept the secret of Freshman until he told it to Per Johnson and Peter
Yeates in 1983.
Five uninjured Sappers were later taken to Oslo, imprisoned at Grini
Concentration Camp, and later shot at Trandum together with a Sailor of the Royal
Navy Able Seaman Evans. This rating had been captured shot and injured after an
aborted “Chariot” raid on the Battleship Tirpitz.
Eight aboard were killed including Strathdee and Doig .Nine survived to be
murdered.
There is evidence that Lt Methvem was working feverishly with the Pilots to get the
Heavy Horsa Glider down safely in the Fjiord.
Finally this article is about Staff Sergeant Strathdee. The 9th Field Company
(Airborne) & 261 Field Park Coy Sappers together with the aircrew of the crashed
Halifax are not forgotten. 1985 Four Missing Sapper Memorial, the graves at
Eiganes, Trandum and Helleland are our constant memory of their lives. And that
“they gave their tomorrow for our today” the inscription on the 1985 Sapper
Memorial so loved by Captain Per Johnsen who devoted so much of his life to the
memory of those who died on Operation Freshman.
There must however be a special mention here of Sergeant Peter Doig, Strathdee’s 2nd
Pilot
Another Hero of Telemark.Together with Strath he put the Glider down and saved
what lives they could. Peter Doig was a humble laboratory technician at Glasgow
University aged 25.
Jean Mclean his niece enabled a memorial to Peter to be placed at University Chapel
some years ago. Doig relatives again were simply told he went mssing in Norway.
Peter worked in the University’s medical department before signing up in 1940,
joining the Cameroonians and then volunteering for the Glider Pilot Regiment.
Peter Yeates 2010 Double Hills Arnhem Commemoration Organiser ( Est.:1978)
Honorary Member of the Glider Pilot Regimental Association (1980)
Honorary Member of the Airborne Engineers Association (1980)
Awarded Corps of Royal Engineers Fowke Silver Medal (1984) ( General Hackett
presented 1984 40th Arnhem)
Royal Navy 1955-1960
Royal Aux Air Force- RAF Lyneham 1986-1988 (Reserve)
Acknowledgements with thanks to Editor David Brooks of “The Eagle”. The Journal
of the Glider Pilot Regimental Association for the Jack Caslaw and other extracts. To
the publishers of “The Wooden Sword” , and to the Museum of Army Flying for the
extracts from the Lawrence Wright files extracts.
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In special appreciation of the work and friendship of that gallant Officer and
Gentleman who did so much for Army Flying History. The late Major John Cross
AAC. “Early Days” Archivist and Librarian of the Museum of Army Flying, Middle
Wallop.1984
In 2012 Peter Yeates was invited as a Guest to the Remembrance weekend of
Stavanger. This time as compared with 1985, there was a great NATO British
Military presence at the ceremonies. He conveyed a message from the Chief of the
General Staff General Peter Wall thanking the Norwegians for their Remembrance of
Freshman.
Through efforts by British Ion Drew and Peter Jevons, relatives of Freshman were
again returned to Norway.
In some way the delay and suffering imposed by the British Authorities in 1945, in
not informing the relatives, was mitigated by these British and the Norwegian
authorities of Stavanger in remembering “Operation Freshman” 70th anniversary.
This article regarding Staff Sgt Strathdee was refused publication/inclusion the
Glider Pilot Regimental Association Journal “ The Eagle, as considered
“unsuitable.
It was an effort to amplify the bravery and heroism of Strathdee. It was the result of
original investigations I undertook on behalf of Major Cross, and investigated the
secrecy surrounding his enlistment into the Glider Pilot Regiment and his background.
His late sister gave me full permission to write this. She also gave me all the pictures
and documents which I have now donated to the University of Stavanger.
Peter Yeates 2012 ,
/