Rhubarb Over Somerset 1943
313 Squadron Disaster at Bradford-on-Tone

This, my second scale model build of an aircraft and train, is inspired by a local story I recently came upon of which there is much supposition - thus any inaccuracies in my understanding or retelling are solely my own!

The Story as I understand it …

Between June 1942-June 1943 No.313 Squadron, the third Czechoslovakian fighter squadron to be formed within the RAF, was stationed at Church Stanton, near Wellington in Somerset. During this time the squadron, flying the Spitfire Mk Vb and Vc, took part operation ‘Rhubarb’, the offensive low-level sweeps over northern France to destroy ground targets.

Having escaped the advancing German army a 26 year old Czech pilot, Jaroslav Čermák, joined the RAF on 26th February 1941. Over a year later he earned his RAF wings, was promoted to Flying Officer and on 12th April 1943 assigned to No. 313 (Czech) Squadron RAF.

On 4th June 1943, at 10:05 hours, Čermák and three other pilots took-off on an operation ‘Rhubarb’ training flight. Their task was to practice a low-level attack on a train. They came across a GWR locomotive and carriages en route from Plymouth to Liverpool near Bradford-on-Tone, Somerset. After one successful pass they made a second approach on the target. Čermák flying his Spitfire Mk.Vc serial AR512 this time applied insufficient power, got too close and when his Spitfire lost stability, it clipped the roof of one of the carriages with a tip of port wing. The aircraft rolled over and crashed approximately 100 metres from the line, in a field at Langs Farm, Bradford on Tone, just to the east of what is known today as Three Chimneys. Čermák was instantly killed in the crash and at least one Wren aboard the train was reportedly injured by flying glass.