633 Squadron (1956) From cassette-box - ‘Vesuvius’ was the name of the mission on which the success of ‘Operation Overlord’ depended. The chosen squadron was No. 633, whose pilots flew with skill and daring.
Their target was a fjord in Norway where the Germans were known to be developing something so secret that not even the crews of the Mosquitoes which were to fly on the mission could be told about it. They knew it was a difficult mission, but they could not know just how dangerous it would turn out to be. Enjoy!
Frederick Escreet Smith (1919-2012) was born in Kingston Upon Hull, Yorkshire, U.K. His mother’s maiden name, Escreet, became his middle name. During WWII he served with the RAF and was a wireless operator and gunner. After the war he got married and moved to South Africa. During free-time from his accounting job, Frederick E. Smith wrote. He returned to Britain after an early book titled, Laws Be Their Enemy, which condemned South Africa’s apartheid policies, was banned and he received death threats. After returning to England he became a successful full-time writer, writing 40 novels and numerous short stories and travel articles. Two of his novels, 633 Squadron and The Devil Doll were made into movies. He fathered two children and was married once with his wife of almost 60 years dying in 2006.
Simon Ward (1941-2012) was born in Beckenham, England. He began his acting education at age 13 and then continued his training at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. He performed in theater, television, and film, becoming well know for portraying Winston Churchill in the film Young Winston. Other roles were in; Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed, The Black Tulip, The Three Musketeers, Orsen Welles’ Great Mysteries, All creatures Great and Small, and Supergirl. He also played alongside his daughter, Sophie Ward of Young Sherlock Holmes fame, in Wuthering Heights (1992). Now enjoy his performance in 633 Squadron.