This is how Bob Spurdle learned about the attack..
"New Years Eve came & went with a big thrash & we staggered off to bed confident it would be our last year of war.
Next day, as we drove along the road from Uden to Volkel, I spotted some low-flying planes heading our way. It was about 9 o' clock.
'109's! Out!' & we slid to a stop & rolled out & into a snow-filled ditch. The Jerries roared across the airfield in front of us, firing in a sustained crackle of MG & cannon-fire.
They didn't turn for another go, but continued on towards Eindhoven, some 12 miles away.
We dusted ourselves off, & climbing back into the Jeep, sped off to dispersal.
'What's up?' I asked the duty airman.
'We've just been strafed! They just made one pass!'
'Right! Have you rung Ops?'
'Yes - the officer just said they were too busy to talk to me. They won't answer our phone calls!'
This was madness."
Spurdle ordered a section scramble for airfield defence & climbed into his own Tempest..
"...on taking off my wind-shield got covered in oil - someone hadn't cleaned out weepage trapped in the spinner... I was furious at having to abort,
& even more so when the others returned after a hectic hour.
They had intercepted some 190's at tree-top height & 'Judy' ( F/O J.W. Garland) had shot 2 down in flames."
&,
"From prisoner interrogation we learned that Volkel was to have been hit by a force of 90 machines,
but due to a fluke only 4 or 5 arrived & they continued on to Eindhoven where almost complete
carnage wiped out the Canadian, Polish & 124 Wing's planes."
Bit of a poor show, all around - apparently..
