312 (Czechoslovakia) Squadron

© Crown Copyright: Marks of the Secretary of State for Defence and used with their permission.

Amazingly, one of 312 Squadron's Spitfires is still flying! Here's a beautiful shot of DU-Z (AR614) in flight. It's currently owned by the Flying Heritage Collection in America. Here's a link to their website.
Our thanks to them for providing the picture and allowing us to use it here.
Photo © Flying Heritage Collection

9.45am: At the start of the film, the Band is seen playing beside 312's Squadron Office, with 312 personnel lined up alongside them. The Band is the Czech Army Band. (The vehicle in the back ground is the van belonging to the 'Czech Film Unit', it appears several times in the background during the film!)

An absolutely cracking picture!
The Band is marching up the taxi-way from the Crapstone direction. The two large buildings in the background are the Fire Tender Garage and the Fuel Tractor Store.

The Band continue to march up the taxi-way, past the assembled Squadron personnel. There's the van again on the right!. The 'bar' in the top right corner is actually the door extension runner on the Bellman Hangar, (Harrowbeer had two of these) which is where a Mass takes place, led by S/L Vesely.

A few frames further on and the Bellman Hangar comes into shot. This is looking into the hangar - or it would be if the door was fully open. Note the colourful camouflage paint! The next section of the film is shot inside the Hangar and doesn't reproduce well. The Mass was held between 10am and 10.30am according to 312's ORB.

Spitfires of 312 Squadron parked on the grass, near the Watch Office. The building back left is the Bellman Hangar from the earlier shots.

The cameraman has panned to the right and now the second Bellman Hangar can be seen in the background on the right, together with the shape of Harrowbeer's large water tank, which towered over the airfield.

10.50am: A change of postion and a view over the wing of an unknown Spitfire, with the Parade marching past the house now known as 'Brigadoon'. Presumably, the Squadron has marched round the perimeter track from the Hangar, which is out of site behind the nose of the Spitfire, as we are now on the opposite side of the airfield.

A few frames further on and the parade is marching past 312's 'B' Flight dispersal huts. From the flags, we can deduce that the wind was from the North-East, and blowing quite hard!

Another cracking shot! The camerman is either on a ladder or the the arm of the dispersal bay. In the background can clearly be seen the huge water tower, the bellman hangar and also the Watch Office. Not quite so clear is a large, white twin engine aircraft parked to the right of the hangar, possibly a Wellington or Warwick. The figure bottom right may be Sitensky, taking still pictures of events.

The cameraman pans to the left and the other Bellaman Hangar can be seen, doors open, in the background. (This is the hangar in which the Mass had been held)

Frank Mares is presented with his Distinguished Flying Medal (DFM) by Air Vice Marshall Orlebar, Commander of 10 Group. He was the first Czech Pilot to be so honoured and told us he was completely shocked when he received the telegram announcing his award! Incidentally, he was only told of the award on the 3rd September! (Frank passed away in 2007)

Following the medal ceremony, the pilots relax outside the Mess. This is almost certainly Site No 2, the Communal Site. The Officer's Mess was building 136 on the map. Go to the Dispersed Sites page if you want to know more.

More shots of the Officers at rest. The lower half of the Communal Site can be seen in the background. The chimney of the Dining Hall is clearly visible on the left. Again, go to the dispersed sites page for more.

The Cameraman has panned around and is now looking north. Behind the cars is the Gymnasium.

This picture is a bit of a puzzle. This is obviously Pilots with Ladies, but who/what/why we've no idea. Also the location is a bit of a puzzle too. When the camera pans round, (see below) we are still on the Communal Site but what are the piles of stone(?) for? Runway repairs perhaps?

Here's the Band again, still playing! Apparently they gave a concert in the Mess at lunchtime, then in the Gymnasium between 5pm & 6pm and there was a Squadron dance in the evening. Maybe the Ladies in the previous photo are here for the dance?

And I included this because the 'lump' in the background is almost certainly an air raid shelter. This is still there!

The last section of the film shows a Spitfire being brought to dispersal after a mission. It is turned, refuelled and re-armed! Note the Hangar and the two buildings seen earlier in the background. The Spitfire is passing the house that is now called 'Brigadoon' (out of site to the left).

This shot included to show the airfield buildings in the background.

Here's the Water Tower and Bellman Hangar again.

The Fuel Bowser Tractor and Trailer arrives. Note the Watch Office in the background.

The Armourers get to work! The Squadron mascot dog takes in the sun on the wing!

Armourers work on and below the wing. Note the 'Trolley-Accumulator' used for starting the Spitfire's Merlin Engine.

The last shots of the film show the Squadron taking off. They were apparently flying down to Portreath. They aren't really clear enough to be used here.