Groups and Single Decorations for Gallantry Operation Tungsten
On 3 April 1944, H.M.S. Emperor took part in Operation Tungsten, the most successful of a series of Fleet Air Arm attacks on the Tirpitz, which were carried out during 1944. The main strike force consisted of 40 Barracuda dive bombers, from the Fleet carriers H. M.S. Furious and Victorious; H.M.S. Emperor supplying Hellcats from 800 and 804 Squadrons as support. The escort carriers H.M.S. Pursuer, Searcher, and Fencer also supplied fighter cover for the bombers and the fleets itself. The attack totally surprised the Germans and Tirpitz suffered a number of direct hits and was out of service for three months. A total of 438 of her crew were also killed or wounded and her supply ship C.A. Larrsen was additionally hit and damaged. During the attack, Hall led the 800 Squadron’s Hellcats in two sorties against Tirpitz that day (according to his logbook); initially as fighter cover for the carriers Barracudas, and then strafing gun enemy positions.
Operation Pot Luck
On 14 May 1944 Hall led Hellcats from his squadron on Operation Pot Luck, an attack on shipping at Rorvik, in company with aircraft from H.M.S. Striker. The attack resulted in three enemy merchant ships being hit and damaged and 5 He115 floatplanes were strafed and destroyed by pilots of 800 Squadron under Hall. The following day he led a similar attack which involved a further attack being made on the fish oil factory at Fossevaag. Two armed trawlers were strafed and sunk. For his services Hall was Mentioned in Despatches.
Further service with H.M.S. Emperor
Hall’s logbook for his service with H.M.S. Emperor records a large number of flights, squadron casualties and other operations. On 8 May he records that during Operation Hoops he led aircraft from his squadron against a convoy off Kristiansund, during which they were ‘bounced’ by four FW190’s and 2 Me109’s. In what was probably a unique combat between Fleet Air Arm Hellcats and German fighters, three German fighters were shot down, with the loss of two Hellcats.
On 9 June Hall records patrolling in support of the D-Day landings and for the rest of June was flying Spitfires, noting multiple staffing and dive bombing flights. In mid July he was back flying Hellcats and notes taking part in Operation Preface on the 15 August, and the following day in Operation Dragon, the invasion of Southern France. Over the following week, he notes dive bombing coastal defence batteries, beach patrols, armed reconnaissances, attacking bridges, strafing trains, leaving barges, tugs &c. in flames. On 21 August he notes: ‘Attack on 11th Panzer Div withdrawing up Rhone Valley, bombed and strafed transport on road. 70% of column wiped out’.
After service in the Aegean, on the 30 September, Hall left H.M.S. Emperor, the assessment of his service by the Commanding officer of this ship was as follows: ‘A most able, zealous, enthusiastic and hard working Squadron Commander whose services I loose with great regret. During many operations from the attack on the ‘Tirpitz’ in April to work in the Aegean in September, he has led his squadron with great skill and courage. He takes exceptional interest in the welfare and training of his pilots and squadron personnel and their magnificent morale is in no small degree due to the high standard which he has always set them.’
Three days later, on 3 October 1944, Hall was medically examined and found to be suffering from ‘exhaustion’, and he was sent on sick leave for six weeks.
During his leave, Hall married Miss Dorothy Muriel Gander, a W.R.N.S. Cypher Officer. After his leave, from 26 November 1944, he served as Commanding Officer, 718 Squadron, H.M.S. Dipper, the R.N. Air Station, Henstridge, Somerset, serving in this post until July 1945. During this period, he initially had very little flying and after that, no operational flights.
Post War and Sea Furies in Korea
In March 1946, Hall joined 807 Squadron (Seafire XVII’s), and was attached to the School of Naval Air Warfare in September of that year. Rejoining 807 Squadron as Commanding Officer in March 1947, from September that year the squadron converted to Sea Furies and were now part of 17 Carrier Air Group. On 11 June 1948 he served at H.M.S. Heron, R.N. Air Station, Yeovilton, and was promoted substantive Lieutenant-Commander on 15 February 1949; he served at this Air Station until May 1950.
On 24 October 1950, Hall was appointed Air Group Commander of the 14th Carrier Air Group, serving aboard the aircraft carrier H. M.S. Glory. On 23 April 1951 H.M.S. Glory arrived in Korean waters to start her operational tour, taking over from H.M.S. Theseus. Her arrival coincided with the Chinese Spring Offensive and the two squadrons operating from Glory, 804 Squadron flying Sea Furies, and 812 Squadron flying Fireflies, were immediately in action. Hall, piloting Sea Fury VW565, recorded his first operation on 28 April, an armed reconnaissance. Over the following five months, he would record a large number of sorties; armed reconnaissances, close air support, strafing attacks, strikes on enemy positions, as well as escort and spotting flights.
An example of some of the operations that 14 GAG aircraft took part in can be found on the Memoriam to Lieutenant John Harry Sharp of 812 Squadron. He was killed in action on 28 June 1951:
‘Glory’s second patrol started on 11th May, the Sea Furies were soon busy on AR details, attacking targets of opportunity, and on the 13th May, ox-carts became legitimate targets, as the enemy began using them to transport ammunition. On 14th, the ship replenished, and a stoker fell overboard, quickly rescued by the helicopter doing a photo-shoot. H.M.S. Nootka caused some consternation, when she was caught North, when daylight came, and had to have a CAP, until she reached the safety of the fleet. A simulated assault from the sea, was launched in the area of Cho-do, to relieve some of the Communist pressure on the army. While aircraft provided CAP for the diversionary force, led by Kenya and Ceylon, other aircraft spotted for the cruisers’ shore bombardments.
In the last three days of the patrol, variable weather affected flying, but 155 sorties were flown. A defective stern gland restricted Glory's speed on her journey to Sasebo, limiting her to 19 knots. The ship replenished and refitted at Sasebo, and the stern gland was fixed, while the hull was scraped. On 3rd June, Glory sailed for her Third Patrol, she relieved U.S.S. Bataan, and flying started on 4th June, with the Furies going into action against junks, at Hanchon and Kumsan-ni. Sorties continued throughout the patrol, Pilot 3 S.W. E. Ford, was forced to ditch his Firefly, after it took some damage, and the aircraft pitched forward and sank almost immediately, the pilot being unable to escape. The attack rules were changed, as a result of increasing aircraft returning with light flak and small arms fire damage, and general debris being picked up from low-passes over targets…’
On 24 September 1951, Hall was leading a Firefly escort and armed reconnaissance sortie when he was shot down. Crashing into the sea near Choppeki Point, he was picked up by a helicopter after an hour in the water. Although not wounded, amongst the collection photographs sold with the group, are photographs of the severe bruising he sustained during this crash. He would later receive the Sikorsky Helicopter Rescue Certificate for the award of the “Winged S”; for being rescued by a Helicopter.
Although he continued to serve and fly from H.M.S. Glory for a further seven months, it appears that Hall saw no further action. However, an example of just how much operational service he saw during the first five months of his Korean tour can be seen in his logbook. Having performed 126 deck landings during his service up until 23 April 1951, when H.M.S. Glory started her operational tour in Korea, by the time he was shot down, he had added a further 84 to that number. On leaving H.M.S. Glory in May 1952, Lieutenant-Commander Hall’s record of service notes; ‘Lt, Cdr. Hall has acquitted himself most creditably as an Air Group Commander. He flew with the same intensity as his pilots and led the Group in a calm, resolute and capable manner.’
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