Page 6 - Dennis Ovenden

On the 23 June 1943 Dennis, as part of the RAF draft No: 7808 sailed to Canada in a fast Liner
rd
to out run any German U-Boat. The three main embarkation ports in the north of England were
Liverpool (No.3 Embarkation Unit at South East Hornby Dock), Stranraer, No.14 Embarkation Unit
and Greenock, (No.8 Embarkation Unit), Greenock located to the west of Glasgow. The exact port
Dennis sailed from is not shown on the service record.
nd
Arriving in Canada on the 2 July, Dennis was sent to No. 31 Personnel Dispatch Centre at
Moncton, New Brunswick. At this RAAF station Dennis and his fellow airmen would await a
posting to the many training establishments in Canada. Dennis stayed at No.31 PDC until the
rd
23 August, then was posted onto No.4 Air Observer School at London. Ontario. At this RAAF
establishment Dennis would be taught the art of navigation. Dennis undertaking his first airborne
th
navigation course at 16-00pm on the afternoon of the 17 September in Avro Anson 6908, the
th
civilian instructor being a Mr. Brunelle. Completing this course on the 14 January 1944 having
undertaken 37 airborne lessons, Dennis was promoted Temporary Sergeant.
Initial navigation training thus completed, Dennis along with other airmen were held at an
th
Aircrew Holding Unit at Moncton until allocated a ship to take them back to the UK. On the 7 April
he was on his way again back to the UK, arriving at No.7 Personnel Reception Centre in
rd
Harrogate, North Yorkshire on the 23 May.
Within a few days Dennis was posted onto No.10 (O) AFU (No.10 (Observer) Advanced Flying
th
Unit) at RAF Dumfries, Scotland, arriving at this RAF station on the 28 May to continue his
th
navigation training. His first training flight, on the 5 June in an Avro Anson, his instructor on this
first flight at 16-30pm that afternoon was Flight Sergeant Celerier. This unit was equipped with the
following training aircraft, Avro Anson, Airspeed Oxford, Vickers Wellington medium bomber and
the Miles Magister and the de Havilland Tiger Moth.
At this unit Dennis flew in the Tiger Moth, be it just once (the date of this flight is not entered in his
log book) but, on the last page it is mentioned as the first aircraft type he flew in. The conclusion
as to why it is not mentioned as a flight entry is possibly this was an unofficial method employed
by the units Chief Instructor to establish if this new intake from Canada, has airmen present who
were having second thoughts of being not just a navigator, but an airman. It is possible the unit
having received airmen previously and finding out during more expensive and time-consuming
training, that they were having second thoughts. What better way of sorting the wheat from the
chaff by sending them up with a pilot in an open-air Tiger Moth. They would either on landing be
enthusiastic for more or a nervous wreck.
Dennis qualified as a Navigator after 7 airborne exercises, the final airborne exercise being at
th
23-30pm on the 17 June (this being his third night exercise). His service record indicates his
character as very good with satisfactory examination results.

Dennis was now ready to meet his crew and posted on to No.30 Operational training Unit
th
(30 OTU) at RAF Hixon, Staffordshire on the 20 June. At this RAF station the new intake of
airmen would be put into a hangar and instructed to form themselves into crew’s. By this
unorthodox method the airmen sorted themselves out into 6-man crew’s (the Flight Engineer was
not present, he joining the crew later at Heavy Conversion Unit). This method of crewing up was
found to be very successful with only a few crew’s during the war not bonding. Friendships made
during this time would, if the crew’s survived operations last a lifetime.

The Vickers Wellington was the RAF’s primary twin engine medium bomber training aircraft. The
main danger crews faced by these aircraft was that they were operational squadron castoffs and
thus worn out. It was not unusual for these Wellingtons to develop serious mechanical faults whilst
airborne, resulting in the loss of both crew’s and instructors.
The crew’s first training flight in a Vickers Wellington medium bomber was at 15-50pm on the
th
afternoon of the 16 July, the instructor being Flight Lieutenant Wingwood.
th
The new crew having completed 18 day and night exercises, the last on the 26 August,
th
(a night exercise starting at 21-00 pm), passed out with flying colours and on the 8 September
and were posted onto RAF Lindholme, South Yorkshire, to await a decision as to which Heavy
Conversion Unit they were going to be posted to.