Cover of the Book Blida's Bombers (J.A. Long collection)

The story of how 150 Squadron Royal Air Force came to become part of the night bombing force in North Africa and Italy begins in Blida, Algeria. Everyone who served on 150 Squadron after August 1943 received a copy of a book called Blida's Bombers which had been written and privately published, in the field, by S/L Eric Summers M.M., Intelligence Officer for 142 Squadron and 150 Squadron. In May 1943 these two units became 330 Wing. For a student of aviation history it is an unique primary document. While there is a certain amount of wartime jingoism in the book, it is by and large a very accurate account of the operations of 142 Squadron and 150 Squadron from December 1942 to June 1943. This is even more surprising given the oversight of wartime censorship - when it was published the stamp "RESTRICTED" was clearly printed on the front page. For any man who served with either squadron, his copy of "Blida's Bombers" marks him as unique and copies of the book are cherished and protected by all vets as the precious artifacts that they are.

One of the things that makes these copies of the book unique is that each crewman would have his crew and other mates on the squadron autograph his copy. Collections of autograph pages from the book have helped us to identify crew in photos and to get a real flavour for the personalities involved.

Autograph page from Blida's Bombers (H. M. Dawes Collection)

Even the cooks signed! (photo: Stan Lillburn)

As an interesting after note, Blida became a Maintenance Unit after the squadrons moved east and at the end of the war became a graveyard for thousands of unwanted Wimpies. An aerial photo taken in 1945 shows aircraft waiting to be broken up into scrap. This photo is even sadder when one considers the fact that only two complete Wellington airframes exist out of 11,000 plus built. The fact is that the war was over and the world wanted to get on with the business of peace. Today those thousands of aircraft exist only as pots and pans and other aluminum products.

Aerial View of Wimpies wanting for scrap man - Blida, May 1945 (photo: Erin C. Walker)

Blida Airfield as seen from the air (photo: Erin C. Walker)

  Click for the history of Blida's Bombers as told by Eric Summers

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