I encourage anyone that has more information (Flight Log Book entries) or photos on 112 Squadron please send an e-mail to raf_112_sqdn@yahoo.com before the history is lost.
RAF 112 Squadron Photos 1944-45
Greg Peters sent this photo in from Bernie Peters' album, the caption says: The Bar. Bruno" & Ben Haskyne, Bruno & Ben were locally recruited to the bar. Anyone remember them? Looks like they were remunerated in RAF shirts! This was probably at Mileni, where a big farm house was acquired as "the mess", for about 3 months.
Some small luxury.
a prize of a "Self applied Pat n the back" to anyone who can identify the pin-up girls on the wall
There is mention of this Bar in the Bill "Yippie" Barwick story under Late 1944, a follow up note from Greg,
you point out that Bill Barwick also mentions a bar, in late 1944. However, I am pretty sure that this is a different bar. My Dad, Bernie Peters, left the squadron about the same time Bill arrived - end of July, 44 (just after 112 got its P51s). But, I think Bernie's photo of the bar is from earlier - sometime between late Oct 43 and Jan 31, 1944 [when at Mileni, near Foggia]. (Two different Bars but both a great find, Rob)
"There was no let up with the flying until the weather clamped down. Work went on just the same. I felt at home on the squadron and we were almost sure we would be in Fano for the winter so we could make ourselves as comfortable as we could. We built a fireplace out of an old oil can and stole timber from wrecked buildings. The food was pretty good and Benny (Benny DeHond) really came into his own by setting up The Shark Bar. This became quite famous or perhaps infamous would be more accurate. Here there was entertainment, darts, skittles and bets could be placed on almost anything. It was more or less open to anybody. The booze was cheap sometimes free if Benny had worked one of his fiddles" Bill "Yippie" Barwick
Unknown Kittyhawk Mk III due to the helmets worn by the soldiers ( I think they are American) I believe the photo was taken in Italy circa late 1943 or on, Photo contributed by Chris Buzzy
Slight possibility it is Kittyhawk Mk. III FL886/ GA B short tail, later GA K, Fg Off James Osborne Gray, J16543 RCAF (American),
29/2/44, A/C force landed in Anzio beachhead, took off at 15:25hrs as part of 11 aircraft formation, target was an Army concentration at Grid G.0233. Medium intense AA fire from south of the target was encountered and this aircraft was Hit by AA and force landed near Anzio beach head Flak in the radiator 45774,Jul 1942. DBR when force landed near Anzio Feb 29, 1944 following flak damage
also
on that date Flt
Lt Lance Neville
Due to the complete lack of weapons carried by the soldiers one can only guess that this photo was taken well behind any front line action.