During the 1939-1945 War, Hillsborough Workhouse was a secret, but very important part of Britain's defenses. At the end of 1940, the German airforce were making nightly raids on Coventry, Liverpool and Birmingham, using the Severn as a navigation aid. To counter this, No 81 Group Fighter Command moved top Tallow Hill to track the bombers and direct our night-fighters to intercept them. Among their successes were three Dornier DO 17 Bombers which were destroyed near Kidderminster, and one brought down on Malvern Common. Hillsborough was important enough for the German Command to send the world's first Pathfinder force of KamptGeshwader 100 to drop flares over Worcester and pin-point it. The bombs that fell on Tallow Hill were only feet short of their intended target. Hillsborough's operation room, it is said , was the most important in the West Midland's - and after the attack, brought Sir Sholto Douglas, C in C. Fighter Command flying to Perdiswell.
Kampt Geshwader 100 - Image Courtesy of cc Creative Commons
Sir Sholto Douglas
A significant figure in the Royal Air Force, Sholto Douglas rose through the ranks to become a key air commander during World War Two. His career highlights include succeeding Hugh Dowding as head of Fighter Command in 1941, a role he assumed after Dowding's dismissal. Douglas's successful leadership during the war led to his promotion to Marshal of the RAF in 1946.
Born in Headington in 1893, Douglas's early education took place at Tonbridge School in Kent, followed by studies at Lincoln College, Oxford.
The onset of World War One saw Douglas enlist in the Royal Field Artillery. His interest in aviation led to a transfer to the newly established Royal Flying Corps, where he trained as a fighter pilot. By the end of the war, he had achieved the rank of squadron leader and had been recognized for his bravery with the Military Cross and Distinguished Flying Cross.
After a brief stint as a test pilot with Handley Page, Douglas officially joined the Royal Air Force in 1920. His early RAF career included a posting as an instructor at the Imperial Defence College. His administrative and strategic abilities led to his promotion to Director of Staff Studies at the Air Ministry in 1936, followed by a further promotion to Air Vice Marshal in 1938, where he oversaw training programs and the acquisition of new aircraft.
During the critical Battle of Britain (July-September 1940), a strategic disagreement emerged between Douglas and other senior RAF figures, notably Keith Park and the then-leader of Fighter Command, Hugh Dowding, regarding how to counter the Luftwaffe. Douglas favoured intercepting German aircraft over the English Channel, a strategy supported by Trafford Leigh-Mallory. In contrast, Dowding and Park argued for a defensive strategy over British soil, even with the risk of Luftwaffe incursions. Air Chief Marshal Charles Portal's disagreement with Dowding ultimately led to Dowding and Park's removal and Douglas's appointment as the new head of Fighter Command.
Under Douglas's command, Fighter Command's tactics shifted significantly with the implementation of the 'Big Wing' strategy. This involved deploying large formations of fighters to engage the Luftwaffe over the Channel and the French and Belgian coasts before they could reach Britain. While this tactic proved successful in shooting down numerous German aircraft, some critics worried that diverting such large forces left Britain vulnerable to any German aircraft that managed to bypass the 'Big Wing'.
Douglas's career took him to Egypt in 1942, with Trafford Leigh-Mallory succeeding him as head of Fighter Command. In 1943, Douglas was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the RAF in the Middle East. The following year, he assumed the crucial role of Commander-in-Chief of Coastal Command in the lead-up to D-Day. In this role, his primary objective was to secure the English Channel from German naval and air threats to ensure the safe passage of Allied forces and the Mulberry Harbours. He successfully achieved this objective.
Following the defeat of Nazi Germany, Douglas was appointed as the military governor of the British Occupation Zone in Germany. His distinguished service was recognized with a knighthood in 1946. He retired from active service in 1948 and passed away on 29 October 1969.
Air Marshall Sir Sholto Douglas