**Ted Budd Thread**

Flight Sergeant Edward John Budd

150Sq & 614 (pathfinder) Sq, 205Gp RAF, 15th USAF

Italy 1944-1945

1)

Ted was the illegitimate son of my Great Aunt Eve, brother of my paternal Grandfather, Frank.

Pic: Budd family post #FWW Burgh Heath, Surrey.

My GF is standing right, with Eve next to him.

2)

Ted was raised by Eve alone until her employer, an apparently firm tempered/aloof property owner named Horace, married.

It seems Ted did not care for him, telling Eve that he would one day be able to support them financially, without Horace.

3)

Horace though, was at least materially supportive, by paying for Ted’s education, which resulted in Ted joining the Civil Service.

By the War’s start, Ted was 17yo & soon to start his career & join the RAFVR.

Then in 1942 he joined the RAF.

4)

Ted was selected for pilot training, but failed selection, then being placed onto training as an Air-Bomber.

His path leading U.K., to South Africa, Palestine & finally Italy.

His exposure to pilot training appears to have benefitted his first crew as we will see.

5)

The op in question was on 01.07.44 where Sgt Henry Taft died of wounds rec’d on a ‘Gardening’ Op.

This was a <200ft deployment of x2 mines on the Danube as part of a wider campaign to target German supply shipping (particularly oil), to & from the Eastern Front.

6)

It involved low-level night flying at low speed, required to ‘sow the seeds’ (mines), hence the term ‘Gardening’.

It was skilled work. Some accounts refer to altitudes of no higher than 50ft.

150Sq were flying Wellingtons at that time. A staple of 205Gp.

7)

On the night of 01.07.44, after successful prior raids, German defences were heavily re-enforced with flak (including floating platforms) in anticipation of further ops.

Pic - illustrative example. Do not know if Siebel’s were used.

8)

Ted’s a/c was caught in a searchlight on their approach & rec’d multiple hits from flak/mgs from both riverside/floating positions.

Taft (navigator) rec’d a serious head wound & collapsed on top of Ted lying prone in the Air-Bomber position.

9)

The Pilot, P/O Stonham pursued the attack at <200ft until both mines were dropped into position.

Gaining altitude, the searchlight still gripped them, with Stonham urgently telling rear gunner Dick Heathcote to knock it out.

10)

Heathcote though, was unable to get enough depression on his guns to bring to bear.

He eventually dislocated them & was able to target & knockout the searchlight, bringing much needed respite.

This was at the cost of cordite burns to his face.

11)

Stonham, Taft & Nixon (Radio Op) were all badly wounded, Ted seemingly unscathed & Heathcote with his burns.

Taft & soon Nixon were out of action.

The a/c was badly damaged. No nav aids, auto-pilot, most flying instruments, flaps damaged or inoperable & no undercarriage.

12)

Ted went back to Heathcotes RG position to get him to nurse the mortally wounded Taft during the attempt to get home.

But not before he told Heathcote to mind the man-sized hole in the fuselage floor outside his door.

13)

Stonham, despite his injuries (inc head) then handed control of the a/c to Ted (recall his ltd pilot training) & went to the Nav position to plot a route back across the Adriatic.

Soon after, Ted reported the starboard engine failing due to fuel loss.

14)

Between him and Stonham, they put in place an auxiliary fuel line.

Ted retained control of the a/c while Stonham could ‘rest’, until approaching the Italian coast & their airfield at Amendola, when Stonham re-took control for an attempted belly landing.

15)

He did successfully, despite his wound whereupon the a/c broke out in flames, but with help from Ted & Heathcote, all safely exited & were taken to hospital.

Henry Taft died on 02.07.44.

Pic 2: illustrative only.

16)

Stonham & Nixon recd the DFC & DFM, all the injured being invalided for weeks/months.

As such, Ted being the uninjured crewmen gave the de-brief. Providing evidence for their citations.

150Sq was disbanded from 205Gp soon after, whereupon Ted volunteered for 614Sq.

17)

Here’s the crew of the fateful Op. L-R: Nixon (Rad), Taft (Nav), Stonham (Pilot), Budd (B/A), Heathcote (R/G).

Taken Palestine April 1944.

18)

614Sq were the organic pathfinder Sq for 205Gp, operationally active from March 1944.

They were unique in being the only PFing Sq outside of Bomber Command.

They flew Halifaxes & then Liberators.

Pic: Unofficial Sq emblem © RAF Museum

19)

Ted’s primary operational training to become a PF Air-Bomber was under Australian F/O Tom Scotland & his crew.

As part of my research into Ted’s service, I was fortunate enough to correspond with Tom prior to his passing a few years ago.

20)

Tom wrote an autobiography on his wartime service called ‘Voice from the Stars’.

This gave my family a clearer understanding of Ted as he is mentioned several times.

Including the decades long uncertainty over his death.

21)

Here Tom discusses 2 ops, a proposed attack on the Berghof on Christmas Eve 1944 to try & eliminate Hitler, but subsequently cancelled.

And another, where their a/c ‘Altair’ was riddled with incendiaries from their own side.

Ted was on both.

22)

Christmas 1944, was Ted’s last.

Pic 1: A Christmas card to my Grandparents.

Pic 2: 614Sq Christmas Day dinner that Ted could enjoy after the Berghof op was cancelled.

Pic 3: Tom Scotland’s & crew living accommodation, Christmas Day 1944. ©Tom Scotland

23)

In the New Year, Ted wrote to my Great Grandmother, along with a card & recent picture he had taken of himself in Italy.

‘It is not very good but I suppose cameras cannot lie. I should have smiled a little more, but it is too late now’

How prophetic. And incredibly sad.

24)

It seems I cannot add anymore to this thread, so please look out for the final elements in part 2.

Thank you.

25/end