Dear Rick,
To follow up our message to you about the follow-up report released by the Glenn Miller Archive last week, here is information about an interesting reply that we received this morning from the Imperial War Museum. I posed a message about the reply on the Yahoo "Glenn Miller Fans" website, and it follows.
You are welcome to use this information as you please.
Best regards,
Dennis
Dennis M. Spragg
Glenn Miller Archive
University of Colorado, Boulder
"Imperial War Museum Responds"
Yahoo Glenn Miller Fans Discussion Group, 13:47 hrs. EDT 21 Jun 10
The other day, we requested that if anyone had any facts to add to the discussion of the recently-released GMA Communiqué #2, we would be happy to publish their comments.
Although your GMA UK and USA team are puzzled that none of our members have yet publicly commented on the interesting hints about "The Wehrmacht Hour" broadcasts that appear on page 13 of Communiqué #2 (or much else), we did receive a reply today that we wish to share with GM Fans members.
The Imperial War Museum in Duxford and their Curator have weighed in with specific details about 15 Dec 44 in "unqualified support" of GMA Communiqué # 2. The IWM has comments about radio communications, which GM Fans members may find of interest. The IWM is very interested in "setting the record straight" in the face of what they consider to be "serious disinformation" contained in a rebuttal.
Among other things, the IWM are interested in clarifying for members that 1960s "telex" radio technology did not exist in the 1940s. They want to correct the Harry Witt story that Alconbury could telex Villacoublay and the Muriel Dixon (Dixie Clerke) story that Twinwood Farm could hear Bovingdon radio communications. The IWM have the operating manuals and several working physical examples of the 1940-vintage DF-Loop airfield radios that were used by Twinwood Farm, Alconbury and Villacoublay. This equipment had a twelve (12) mile incoming and receiving radius. They had valves and broke down a lot during transmissions. The IWM confirm that Fecamp, Orly, Villacoublay and all airfields operating in France in 1944 used the same DF-Loop airfield radio equipment that was installed at Alconbury, Twinwood Farm and all other UK RAF and USAAF airfields. These details about radio communications equipment and capabilities published by the GMA, USAF and RAF in Communiqué #2 are now verified by the IWM.
The UK and French airfields as well as traffic control facilities had radar with sufficient range to monitor operations and traffic at a 150 mile radius. But not radios. All airfields used the DF-Loop radio system which was also used on the aircraft which flew in and out of the airfields.
The IWM have carefully checked the Wycombe Abbey log of coded and still classified Morse Code transmissions of 15 Dec 44 and 16 Dec 44 from the top-secret Mole's Hole communications centre, which was located at Wycombe Abbey. None were sent on 15 Dec 44. Forty five (45) were sent on 16 Dec 44 from 09:00 hrs. and 24:00 hrs. All of the 16 Dec 44 messages pertain to combat operations and the Battle of the Bulge. Members may recall that Gen. James A. Doolittle gave then-Capt. Glenn Miller a personal tour of Mole's Hole during a Miller visit to Wycombe Abbey.
The only way that Alconbury could have told Fecamp or Villacoublay of the UC-64A #44-70285 departure piloted by Morgan (13:21 hrs.) to pick up Miller and Baessell at Twinwood Farm, or have sent any mistaken transmission about an earlier departure request which was rejected by Alconbury (about 08:00 hrs.), would have to have been by coded Morse Code (see above). That would have had to have been telephoned by Alconbury to Mole's Hole at Wycombe Abbey. The Mole's Hole communications facility would have to authorize and then draft a coded message. Mole's Hole would then send along the coded Morse Code message. Telex did not exist in 1944. Further, routine transport flights did not warrant the attention of Mole's Hole who were normally busy with combat messaging.
So the reality is that no transmission was sent from Alconbury at or about 08:00 hrs. about a Morgan departure. No transmission would have been sent unless Morgan departed with clearance and no record of a transmission exists in the 15 Dec 44 Mole's Hole logs. Morgan's later and actual departure from Alconbury at 13:21 hrs. was not transmitted to Villacoublay because Morgan was only cleared for local flying to Twinwood Farm.
The bottom line is that the memory of Capt. Harry Witt, 35th Repair Sqdrn., is incorrect and impossible regarding any search that he claims he flew from Villacoublay on 15 Dec 44 in response to a message from Alconbury to Villacoublay. No such message was transmitted. It is possible that Witt may have remembered word that came several days later that Morgan was indeed missing and at that time Witt flew a search back along the normal route of flight to Fecamp. Memories forty to fifty years after the fact can be cloudy and inaccurate, if well-intended and honest to the best of the veteran's recollection.
The information from the IWM further substantiates the USAF and RAF evidence as to why the memory of Muriel Dixon (Dixie Clerke) was wholly exaggerated and impossible.
Here is some additional information for GM Fans members to consider.
Wing Commander Tuppin was the man in command of RAF Twinwood Farm in Dec 44. He met and knew Major Glenn Miller. WC Tuppin passed away in Dec 09. He lived in Southampton. WC Tuppin confirmed the military personnel records that GMA and RAF reported, which is that Anne Carroll was a control tower WAAF and that she was indeed on duty 15 Dec 44. WC Tuppin also confirmed that Muriel Dixon (Dixie Clerke) was an administrative clerk with no access to radio communications. Another deceased Twinwood Farm witness was Sgt. J. Mockridge, who took the photographs of the 27 Aug 44 Glenn Miller concert at Twinwood Farm. Sgt. Mockridge also confirmed that Dixon (Clerke) was an administrative clerk.
Your GMA UK and USA team has all of these interviews, along with the complete Sid Robinson, Wilbur Wright and many other interviews.
The RAF, British Crown and top museum staff support GMA Communiqué #2 and are whole-heartedly assisting us with our follow-up investigation.
We will get to the bottom of the Hunton Downs and Barry Turner mystery.
Meanwhile, we highly recommend two fascinating books about the Troop Carrier Command for interested GM Fans members. "Into the Valley" was written by Col. Charles H. Young, who was the commanding officer of the 439th Troop Carrier Group. This is a detailed and definitive account of the combat unit to which Lt. (later Capt.) Joseph R. Dobson was assigned in 1944 and 1945. "Gooney Birds and Ferry Tails" by Jon A. Maguire tells the story of the 27th Transport Group. The latter book offers a detailed account of IX AAF non-combat passenger and cargo operations."
*The Imperial War Museum is located in the former Bethlehem Insane Asylum...for short, it was the infamous "Bedlam."
Visit the Memory Lane Shop for everything "Glenn Miller"
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