Quest for Freedom (On DVD)

Published: 26 October 2009

This privately funded DVD documentary was put together to tell the story of four airfields in south-west England and reveal the part that they played in World War II.

Following the Battle of Britain, there were just three fighter squadrons available to defend the entire south-west area of the country, as there were not enough airfields in existence at the time. Although Exeter airfield had opened two years before the war began, more were needed.

To solve the problem, three new airfields were built in the Blackdown Hills between 1941 and 1943. They were Culmhead, Upottery and Dunkeswell.

The documentary also features interviews with two WWII veterans; the first is Devon farmer Philip Jenkinson, who was an air gunner in RAF Bomber Crew. While on a night raid over southern Germany, Philip was forced to jump from his Halifax bomber after it was shot down by a Junkers 88 night fighter. Once on the ground, we went on to become a PoW.

The second interview is with American paratrooper Donald Malarkey, who served with 101st US Airborne Div, 'E' Company 506th PIR and took part in the D-Day landings. In the documentary, Donald recounts how he and 12 other paras attacked and knocked out the enemy guns, which were firing from Braycourt Manor Farm towards Utah Landing Beach.

Copies of Quest for Freedom are available directly from Dave Chapman-Andrews for £9.50 (including p&p). To order a copy, please write to 26 Cranford Avenue, Exmouth, Devon EX8 2PZ. Please make cheques payable to D Chapman-Andrews.