Flak Leave The stress on a B-17 crew flying strategic bombing missions deep into enemy territory is hard to imagine. They witnessed the disappearance of men like themselves every day over the skies of Europe and in their barracks. Recognizing this, the Eighth Air Force authorized each combat crew a one-week leave during their tour at a “flak house” to relax, sleep and loosen up their jangled nerves. These flak houses were set up in English country estates and were a considerable improvement from the conditions that the crews had at Thorpe Abbotts. The Don Jones Crew was no exception. After paying their respects to four more German cities, they departed for a leave, which began on January 23, 1945 and ended on the thirtieth. Although the crew operated as a team and looked upon one another as equals, the USAAF separated them by rank. The enlisted men went to Walhampton Park and the officers to Eynsham Hall. Built in 1711, Walhampton Park rested on 500 acres upon the shores of the Solent in Boldre Parish. Owned by the Viscount and Viscountess St. Cyres, the USAAF leased the property for $1,000 a month. Hundreds of enlisted combat crewmembers were to walk its halls before the end of hostilities. Flight Engineer Al Marcello was fairly impressed with Walhampton Park. He wrote, It is a very nice place. It’s a large house that used to belong to some English royalty I think. I sure would like to stay here a month instead of a week. We eat five times a day, wear civilian clothes, and they have just about everything one could think of to do. Boy it sure feels good not having to wear a uniform of some sort or another. The day before yesterday we played softball in the snow. You can imagine how that turned out. Yesterday we had a dance at night, and in the afternoon some of us went to the show in town. The name of the picture was “In Society” with Abbott and Costello. Went to church this morning at a town six miles from where I’m staying. I believe someone said the church was built about 1204, anyway it looked pretty old and I darn near froze. The officers at Eynsham Hall had no complaints either. Their respite from fighters and flak over the heart of Germany was enjoyed immensely. Co-pilot Grant Fuller wrote, It is an old mansion, not so old, 1905 – and it is beautiful. Must be about fifty rooms in the place with rambling stairs, large halls, and large, beautiful sitting rooms. On the bottom floor there are five rooms… one a dining room, one a library, a living room and the other two unknown… The second floor is all bedrooms and a couple of baths, and I haven’t investigated the third floor. Our bedroom is on the second. We have four beds in it with room to spare. All the bedrooms have wood paneling – in fact, most of the rooms are paneled except for three of the large ones on the first floor, which have silk wallpaper. Surrounding this place is a large estate complete with forests and a lake (which is frozen over but not for skating). The landscaping immediately around the mansion must have been beautiful before the war… What do we do? Nothing, and we are glad of it. We usually sleep until 9 or 10 – the beds are soft with nice warm blankets – when one of the workers wakes us up with a glass of juice. If we want to go to breakfast, OK, if we don’t, OK. We usually go because it is either hot cakes or fried eggs. We dress in civilian clothes they pass out. After breakfast, read, ping-pong, hike. They have a small gym for badminton. Shoot a few goals, play cards, or just sit. Dinner at 12:30 and good. Served at nice tables as at a big dinner. After dinner, the same. Tea and sandwiches at four. Supper at 7 and we have to wear blouses. This is the big dinner. After supper, play cards or read and play the phonograph, monopoly etc. Snacks at 10. Imagine eating five times a day, and I don’t miss a time. At the Convenience of the Government: The Donald A. Jones B-17 Crew with the 100th Bomb Group (Heavy) in World War Two Paul J. Marcello
Posted on: Mon, 19 Jan 2015 20:26:18 +0000