Grumman Martlet I, AM975, Cloughfin, Donegal, 1941

On the 21st of December 1941, a young pilot from Wellington, New Zealand, strapped himself into the cockpit of a brand new Grumman Martlet fighter on the deck of the Royal Navy's aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious.  She had sailed from Norfolk, Virginia only a few days previous with twenty three of these new fighter aircraft for the Fleet Air Arm.  Illustrious and her sister carrier, HMS Formidable had been in the USA undertaking repairs to combat damage from operations earlier in the year in the Mediterranean.  On the night of 15/16 December 1941, the two ships collided in the Atlantic causing Illustrious to have to have further repairs in Birkenhead into the new year in 1942.

The compliment of Martlets were launched from Illustrious that afternoon bound for the naval air stations at Abbotsinch and Machrihanish in Scotland.

At around 1600A hours an aircraft attempted to land in the townland of Cloughfin near the village of Carrigans on the banks of the Foyle River, as little as two miles from the border with Northern Ireland.  The field on which it landed unfortunately was unable to sustain the aircraft's wheels and it dug in, causing the aircraft to somersault and ending up on it back.  The pilot was assisted from the aircraft by two members of the Irish police, the Gardai, who dug him out watched by a gathering crowd of onlookers.

He was taken in a car to the Garda station in the village where he learned he was in neutral Ireland, or Eire and not as he had hoped in Northern Ireland.  And so began the twenty two month internment of Sub-Lieutenant Bruce Nathaniel Girdlestone.  Bruce was born in September 1917 to XX and XX Girdlestone in Wellington.  He studied Architecture at the University of New Zealand and

The Otago Daily Times on 22 March 1941 reported on the New Zealanders then undertaking flight training in England with the Fleet Air Arm.  It quoted an English instructor as saying:  "No," he added.- "Most definitely I'm not shooting a line for your boys just because they are from the Dominion. Here is proof. Of the 16 New Zealanders in our last course, three were above average, only one was below average, and only one was judged unfit for pilot duty. But he was recommended for an observer.  One of them. B. N, Girdlestone (Wellington), went solo in 7 hours 35 minutes, and another in 8 hours 15 "minutes.  The average time the whole course required to go solo was 10 hours 30 minutes, which is below the minimum. Just half of that course were recommended to be fighter pilots, which is well above the average."  

He appeared in the photo below on November 15, 1941 in The Evening Post, just days from his arrival in Ireland.  The men in the photo with him are thought to actually be S/Lt Peter Gerald Burke and either Hugh Morrison or John Craig Morrison.  Neither of the two Morrisons from Bruce's class, and likely therefore to be the other man in the photo survived the war.

At the time of his arrival in Ireland, Bruce was serving with 881 Squadron of the Fleet Air Arm.

Newspapers across new Zealand carried the following story on the 23rd/24th September 1942:  Sub-Lieut. Bruce Girdlestone, of Wellington, who is in the Fleet Air Arm and who was interned in Eire recently, has made a second attempt to escape. He was one among 20. He helped to lift off the main gates at the second barrier. Ten men got away but all were finally rounded up. Girdlestone was discovered last. He spent five days at Dublin before being retaken. Girdlestone was interned as a result of being forced down in Eire during aircraft-carrier training operations.

The following month a long article appeared in the "The Press" newspaper: 

INTERNED IN EIRE

FLEET AIR ARM PILOT LONDON. July 24
“Restlessness is the chief irritant in an internment camp in Eire” writes Sub-Lieutenant (A) Bruce Girdlestone (Wellington), who crashed in that neutral country while he was taking part in exercises from an aircraft carrier. “Our compound is situated on the outskirts of Eire’s largest military centre,” he says. “The plain on which the huge collection of buildings stands is called the Curragh, an extremely desolate spot. To the north lies the bog of Allan, to the south is the rest of Ireland, and on either side the rolling green plain ends at Kildare and Kilcullen.

“Five huts form our living quarters. They are built of wood, raised two feet from the ground to prevent tunnelling, and heated by small iron stoves. Three tall fences of thickly coiled barbed wire enclose these huts, patrolled by armed guards, and brightly illuminated by night. The Irish have had much experience of detention camps and our security leaves nothing wanting.
“Parole is granted daily. We pass out through a triple set of gates for our long walks over the Curragh and return for tea behind the wire. A picture show at the main Eire camp is our usual nightly outing, but the majority of the evenings are spent in reading and writing in the camp.
“My smack from the crash last December has healed up and I am feeling fit once again but restless. Our cosmopolitan collection includes English, French, Polish, Canadian, and American pilots, the strength being 30 odd. Immediately adjacent is the German compound, similar in size and security, and a tall iron fence prevents us from continuing the war privately.”

Finally, after twenty-two months interned, Bruce was selected as one of the Allied internees that would be released in October 1943.  After his arrival back in the UK, he and the others released at that time filed escape and evasion reports with the MI9 organisation:

1. Internment
I took off from HMS Illustrious, North of Donegal, on 20 or 21 Dec 1941.  I came down at CLOUGHFIN, CO. DONEGAL, the same day and was interned by the EIRE authorities in the Curragh Camp.
2. Attempted Escapes
(a) On 9 Feb 42 a big attempt was made to escape from the camp with outside assistance.  Ladders were constructed in the camp, and a number of us were able to get over the first wire fence.   At the second fence, however, the ladder broke.   Several of us were taken to hospital.  I made a break from the hospital.  I was recaptured and had a beating up from two of the Irish Corporals who had formed part of the escort to the hospital and who had caught me again.  They pinned my hands behind my back and beat me on the face and head with their fists.  The officer in charge of the detail did not take any action.  A report on this incident was sent to Sir John MAFFEY, the British representative in DUBLIN.   We were confined to the camp for a fortnight.  At the end of that period I made another attempt, but was  caught getting through the wire.
 

Shortly after his release from internment, S/Lt Girdlestone is found posted to 748 'B' Squadron on the December 1943 Royal Navy list.  In this period, where he had to no doubt refresh his flying after internment, he possibly suffered two accidents during landings.    On the List of January 1944 shows him now posted to 1832 Squadron, who were flying Grumman Wildcat, his old mount, from various escort carriers.   In April 1945 he is with 757 Squadron.

Bruce returned home to New Zealand on the SS Andes in October 1945.  He had a long career in

Bruce was a key person in the 1980's who told his story of being interned and the many adventures that were had.  In 1983, he made a recording with Radio New Zealand and this is saved in the NZ National Archives under the title "Prisoner of the Green" but not available online.

The 1989 publication, "The War Years: New Zealanders Remember, 1939-1945", edited by Anna Rogers included a chapter by Bruce entitled "Prisoner of the Green".  He corresponded with many of the early writers on the subject including Ryle T Dwyer for his book, Guests of the State.

Sub-lt Girdlestone's aircraft, Marlet AM975 was salvaged onsite and transported across the very nearby border.  It was not returned to service.  The Martlet was the name assigned by the Fleet Air Arm to the Grumman Wildcat aircraft carrier fighter.

Compiled by Dennis Burke, 2024, Dublin and Sligo. With thanks to the Girdlestone family.