Log book of 35 Raids, on Wellingtons, Halifax & Lancasters. An airman with many “close call” sorties, Ron Instrell did some serious operational flying during the Air War over Germany & Occupied Europe. Log book spans 13th January 1942 to 13th November 1952.
[BIOGRAPHY]
Ronald Charles Instrell was born on 6th May 1914 in Wandsworth, London. Prior to the war he had been a member of the Cadet Corps in Winchester. He enlisted into the RAF on 27th May 1941 as No.
1319438, Aircraftman 2nd Class *Aircrafthand/Observer.
He entered Aircrew training in South Africa on 18th December 1941 where he remained until 3rd June 1942 with a posting back to 3 PRC at Bournemouth. From there via three operational training units he was posted to 431 Squadron, Bomber Command at RAF Burn.
He was commissioned Act P/O on 16th May 1942 with later war substantive promotions to Flt/Lt & Sqd/Ldr and served with 431 Sqd (RCAF) almost exclusively until the end of the war with 35 sorties (some highly eventful) to his credit.
He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross on 23rd March 1945.
[CITATION / RECOMMENDATION]
Flight Lt Instrell has completed 32 operational sorties against the enemy as an Air Bomber with attacks against such important targets as Berlin, Frankfurt and Leipzig as well as targets in the Ruhr Valley and minelaying missions. Regardless of opposition and adverse weather conditions, he had repeatedly pressed home the attacks with the utmost determination by directing his aircraft onto the most difficult targets, showing at all times courage of the highest order. On 12th March 1943 whilst attacking Essen, his navigator was killed by flak and the aircraft severely crippled.
Flt Lt Instrell took over the navigation and was largely responsible for the aircraft’s safe return. On many other occasions, this officer has been instrumental in extricating his crew from perilous
situations, thereby proving a shining example of courage and fortitude to the whole squadron.
[12/13 March 1943 (ESSEN)
THE 2nd KRUPPS FACTORY RAID.
On this night a second major raid was made on Essen.
457 aircraft took part - 158 Wellingtons, 156 Lancasters, 91 Halifaxes, 42 Stirlings,10 Mosquitos conducted another very successful Oboe-marked raid.
The centre of the bombing area was right across the giant Krupps
factory complexjust west of the city centre, with later bombing
drifting back to the north-western outskirts.
Photographic interpretation assessed that Krupps received 30 per
cent more damage on this night than on the earlier successful raid
of 5/6 March.
A total of 23 bombers were lost on this night due to the heavy flak defences. 8 Lancasters, 7 Halifaxes, 6 Wellingtons, and 2 Stirling’s failed to return.This was 5% of the force.
[A BAPTISM OF FIRE] for F/O INSTRELL. His 1st OPERATION.
(12/13 March 1943 (ESSEN) THE 2nd KRUPPS FACTORY RAID).
Many other aircraft were seriously damaged on this infamous Krupps raid. Wellington HE205 (SE-X)was flown from RAF Burn by Flt/Sgt R. Hamby of No. 431 Squadron and his crew who were on their first raid. The aircraft was badly shot up when it was caught in a cone of searchlights almost directly over the target and repeatedly hit by accurate flak.
The navigator, Pilot Officer John Tully Clark, age 31 of Edinburgh was killed when shrapnel from an exploding flak shell entered the aircraft. Despite this, the target was successfully bombed.
The pilot, Flt/Sgt R. Hamby, along with Flying Officer R.C. Instrell, the Bomb Aimer, who acted as emergency Navigator, put up a fine show by flying their aircraft back to the U.K. The hydraulics were also badly hit with the undercarriage having to be locked down by use of the emergency hand pump. The Gee navigational aid and the wireless set were also both totally wrecked.
The aircraft effected an emergency landing at RAF East Wretham but due to the excessive fuel consumption caused by the massive drag of flying with the undercarriage extended, it landed with just 20 gallons of remaining petrol !
[THE OPERATIONAL SORTIES] 431 Squadron from 30/11/42
(1943)
March 12. ESSEN (Badly shot up, navigator killed)
March 19. BOCHUM (Returned early rear gunner airsick)
April 28. BALTIC (mine laying)
May. 4. DORTMUND (Returned early, severe prop’ vibration)
May. 13. BOCHUM
May. 16. St NAZAIRE (mine laying)
June. 2. St NAZAIRE (mine laying)
Oct. 3. KASSEL (Returned early, severe prop’ vibration)
Bombed TEXAL on way home, (Large Flak hole in Stbd Wing.)
Oct. 4. FRANKFURT
Oct. 8. HANNOVER (Saw ME110 & JU88,
(Port outer engine hit and on fire)
Oct. 22. KASSEL (Returned early, oxygen system U/S)
Nov. 22. BERLIN (port engine on fire over target, feathered)
Nov. 26. STUTTGART (stb engine iced up, on fire on landing)
Dec. 20. FRANKFURT (saw 2 ME 109’s and nearly collided with one)
(1944)
Jan. 28. BERLIN (returned early, rigging problem)
Feb. 19. LEIPZIG (fighters all the way there and back)
March. 2. MEULUN LES MUREAUX
March. 6. TRAPPES (Marshalling yards)
March. 13. LE MANS
March. 15. AMIENS (Holed by the explosion of another Halifax LL152 (SE-U) which blew up on the taxiway after a hung up 500lb Bomb fell from the aircraft and exploded, the two gunners were killed)
March 16. AMIENS
March 18 HELIGOLAND (mine laying)
April. 20. LENS
April. 22. DÜSSELDORF
April. 27. MONTZEN (saw 12 a/c shot down, 4 missing from the 8 sent by squadron. Attacked by fighter.)
May. 7 St VALERIE EN CAUX
July. 23. DONGES - ST NAZAIRE (as mid-upper gunner)
Aug. 7. CAEN (bombed 700 yds in front of our lines)
Aug. 8. FORET DE CHANTILLY (rear turret hit by flak)
Sept. 9. LE HAVRE
Sept. 28. CAPE GRIZ NEZ
Oct. 6. DORTMUND
Nov. 30. DUISBERG
Dec. 4. KARLSRUHE
(1945)
Jan. 17. ZEITZ (near Leipzig) .......END OF TOUR. (35)
After the war he served in several capacities in Specialist Navigational roles and in Air Armament and Radar reconnaissance.
He again flew in Lancasters, Lincolns and PR / Experimentally equipped Canberra jet bombers.
He was again decorated with the MBE (Military) on 1st June 1953 for “His service with the Radar Reconnaissance Flight, (RAF BENSON) experimenting with H2S radar”
His work was very important, and was Top Secret as it formed a critical part of the further development of the post war H2S system that was then being fitted to the RAF’s V-Bomber force of Valiant, Victor & Vulcan nuclear bombers. The group also includes several important letters of personal appreciation from officers holding the very highest ranks in the Royal Air Force.
A Seriously Important WW2 and Post War Gallantry Group.
The log book is highly unusual as it’s the original “SOUTH AFRICAN AIR FORCE” (Observers & Air Gunners) log book with which Sqd Ldr Instrell was issued at the very start of his training in South Africa. Indeed, he quite clearly had a great attachment to it as the highly detailed entries are far more comprehensive in composition than those actually required by standard regulations. Log book spans 13th January 1942 to 13th November 1952. (Avro Ansons to Canberras)
The DFC & MBE (Mily) are both EF in their original cases.
Campaign medals are all original GVF and as worn by the recipient.
SOLD