218 SQUADRON - Bomber, Fairey Battle | Bristol Blenheim Mk IV
AASF - 75 Wing | Bomber Command
History | Operations and losses | Sources | Links | Books | Questions and/or remarks
Disbanded in 1919, the squadron was re-formed in 1936 and became one of the comparatively few bomber squadrons to serve continuously through the war against Nazi Germany.
No. 218 Squadron flew to France on 2nd September 1939, and made valuable reconnaissance flights and leaflet raids in Battle aircraft in the early days of the war. In June 1940, after having hindered the German advance into France by bombing the enemy's lines of communications and troop concentrations (and having suffered heavy casualties in the process) it was evacuated to England to be re-equipped with Bristol Blenheim Mk IV medium-range bombers.
Only a limited number of operations were flown during the summer of 1940. Most of the raids flown were against the masses of barge's concentrated in coastal waters along France and Holland.
Five months later, when it was equipped with Wellington long-range aircraft, it became a heavy-bomber squadron. Its targets were of the widest variety - from industrial centres, railways, Noball (V-weapon) sites and gun batteries, to the Channel ports, oil and petrol installations, and concentrations of troops and armour.
jimmiej, RAF 218 Sqd., BBc WW2 People's War: 'During the month of May 1940 the airfield and aircraft at Auberive were severely damaged by German bombs. I remember that a delayed action bomb landed on the east end of the airfield near the cross roads. 218 Squadron was evacuated to Nantes, on the West Coast of France. The roads were crowded with refugees and frequently fired on by German aircraft. Airmen were killed on one lorry.'
'June 7th 1940 in Nantes I and a few 218 colleagues were posted to 65 Wing Servicing Unit, which was formed sometime during 1940 and abandoned 24/06/1940. (Wings can be a sub-division of a Group acting independently or can be a sub-division of a station or establishment and these are usually sub-divided further into Squadrons.) . The remainder of 218 squadron were shipped to UK via Cherbourg. (Dunkirk evacuation 30.05.1940)'
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Operations and losses 10/05/1940 - 30/12/1940
Not all operations listed; those with losses are.
10/05/1940: Luxembourg. 1 Plane lost, 1 KIA
11/05/1940: St.-Vith, B. 4 Planes lost, 4 KIA, 8 POW
12/05/1940: Bouillon, B. 2 Planes lost, 4 KIA
14/05/1940: Sedan, F. 5 Planes lost, 4 KIA, 2 MIA, 4 POW
16/05/1940: transfer
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22-23/08/1940, Bruges, B. 1 Plane lost. 2 KIA, 1 POW
08/09/1940: Reconnaissance. 1 Plane lost, 1 KIA, 2 MIA
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Losses 01/01/1940 - 09/05/1940 (incomplete)
Sergeant (Obs.) Frank Dewar, RAF 522984, 218 Sqdn., age 24, 01/03/1940, Terlincthun British Cemetery, Wimille, France
Aircraftman 1st Class (W. Op. Air) Robert F.J. Wiltshire, RAF 550694, 218 Sqdn., age unknown, 01/03/1940, Terlincthun British Cemetery, Wimille, France
Aircraftman 1st Class (W. Op.) Albert Bailey, RAF 552069, 218 Sqdn., age unknown, 20/04/1940, Durnbach War Cemetery, Germany
Sergeant (Obs.) Edward Davison, RAF 563790, 218 Sqdn., age 26, 20/04/1940, Durnbach War Cemetery, Germany
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10/05/1940: Luxembourg
The overall British commander, Air Marshal Barratt, acting on his own initiative, orders 32 Battles from No. 12, 103, 105, 142, 150, 218 and 226 Squadrons to attack German troops advancing through Luxembourg at noon. In a chilling scene-setting series of events, 13 are shot down by mobile anti-aircraft and machine guns. The remainder all suffer damage of some kind. In a second attack during the afternoon, a further 10 Battles from 32 ordered into the air are lost to German fighters and flak.
Type: Fairey Battle 1
Serial number: L5402, HA-?
Operation: Luxembourg
Lost: 10/05/1940
Airborne 1430 from Auberive-sur-Suippes. Returned to base very badly damaged. left behind inthe fall-back to Moscou Ferme. Crew names not appended.
Leading Aircraftman (W.Op.) Herbert Baguley, RAF 529181, 218 Sqdn., age 22, 10/05/1940, Terlincthun British Cemetery, Wimille, F
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11/05/1940: St.-Vith, B
In the afternoon, 8 Battles of Nos 88 and 218 Squadrons are despatched to attack German troops in Luxembourg. None make it to the intended target area as German fighters account for 7 aircraft en-route and the eighth returns early.
Type: Fairy Battle 1
Serial number: P2326, HA-?
Operation: St.-Vith
Lost: 11/05/1940
F/O C.A.R. Crews PoW
Sgt T.S. Evans PoW
Sergeant (Obs.) Cedric M. Jennings, RAF 580427, 218 Sqdn., age 20, 11/05/1940, Heverlee War Cemetery, B
Airborne 0930 Auberieve-sur-Suippes. Hit by ground fire and abandoned in the target area. F/O Crews was repatriated Sep44. F/O C.A.R.Crews (also spelled Crewes) was interned in Camp L1, probably injured, no PoW No. Sgt T.S.evans in Camps 8B/344, PoW No.27365.
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Type: Fairy Battle 1
Serial number: P2203, HA-?
Operation: St.-Vith
Lost: 11/05/1940
Sergeant (Pilot) Charles J.E. Dockrill, RAF 563473, 218 Sqdn., age 26, 11/05/1940, Bas Bellain Churchyard, Luxembourg
Sergeant (Obs.) Percival F. Dormer, RAF 563966, 218 Sqdn., age 27, 11/05/1940, Bas Bellain Churchyard, Luxembourg
Aircraftman 1st Class (W. Op./Air Gnr.) Kenneth G. Gregory, RAF 551303, 218 Sqdn., age 20, 11/05/1940, Bas Bellain Churchyard, Luxembourg Airborne 0930 from Auberive-sur-Suippes. Crashed at Troisvierges in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, 14 km E of the Belgian town of Houffalize.
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Type: Fairy Battle 1
Serial number: P2249, HA-?
Operation: St.-Vith
Lost: 11/05/1940
P/O H.M. Murray PoW
Sgt Peter Stubbs PoW
AC2 I.G. Adams PoW
Airborne 0930 from Auberieve-sur-Suippes. AC2 Adams was interned in Camps 8B/L6/357. PoW No.13084. P/O H.M.Murray in Camps 9AH/L3, PoW No.1130. Reported as 'badly burned', but no record of Hospitalisation. Sgt P.Stubbs in Camps 8B/L1/L3/L6/357, PoW No.18818. Lost little finger and Hospitalised near Limburg. see 'Silk and barbed wire' for Peter Stubbs memoirs as a PoW.
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Type: Fairy Battle 1
Serial number: K9325, HA-D
Operation: St.-Vith
Lost: 11/05/1940
F/O A.J. Hudson PoW
Sgt N.H. Thompson PoW
AC1 A. Ellis PoW
Airborne 0930 from Auberieve-sur-Suippes. Shot down over the target. AC1 A.Ellis was interned in Camps L1/L6/357, PoW No.742. F/O A.J.Hudson in Camps 9AH/L1/L3, PoW No.329. Sgt N.H.Thompson in Camps 8B/357, PoW No.13068.
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12/05/1940: Bouillon, B
The AASF's Battles carried out an operation during the afternoon when 15 aircraft (from 218 and ? Sqdn.) attacked German troops near Bouillon. Six aircraft failed to return. During the day, the Battles had suffered an amazing loss rate of 62%.
type: Fairey Battle 1
serial number: P2183, HA-?
operation: Bouillon
lost: 12/05/1940
Pilot Officer (Pilot) Frederick S.Bazalgette, RAF 70790, 218 Sqdn., age 22, 12/05/1940, Nouvion-sur-Meuse Communal Cemetery, F
Sgt W.H.Harris Evd
LAC H.B.Jones Evd
Airborne from Auberive-sur-Suippes. shot down near Nouvion-sur- Meuse (Ardennes), 7 km WSW of Sedan, France. The pilot was killed, but his crew evaded and eventually returned to their Squadron, where both were recommended for the Military Medal for evading capture under hazardous circumstances.
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type: Fairey Battle 1
serial number: K9353, HA-J
operation: Bouillon
lost: 12/05/1940
Leading Aircraftman (W. Op./Air Gnr.) Leslie D. Davies, RAF 537015, 218 Sqdn., 12/05/1940, Sensenruth (Corfuz) Communal Cemetery, B
Sergeant (Obs.) Leonard C. Flisher, RAF 564186, 218 Sqdn., age 26, 12/05/1940, Sensenruth (Corfuz) Communal Cemetery, B
J.B. Horner, 218 Sqdn., 12/05/1940, Sensenruth (Corfuz) Communal Cemetery, B
Airborne from Auberive-sur-Suippes. Shot down at Sensenruth (Belgium), 3 km N of Bouillon, Belgium.
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14/05/1940: Sedan, F
The events of 14th May determined both of the A.A.S.F. and of the campaign. The French High Command called for a supreme effort at Sedan, where the ground forces massing for counter-attack had been rudely scattered. Arrangements were accordingly made for the whole strength of the Allied bombers in France to be hurled against the Sedan bridgehead in a series of waves, and soon after noon the few French aircraft available went into action. Attacking bridges and columns of troops, they suffered losses so severe that their remaining operations for the day were cancelled.
Then came the turn of the A.A.S.F. Between 1500 and 1600 hours the entire force of available Battles and Blenheims was flung against the same objectives. But the Me.109's absent in the morning, were now on guard. No. 12 Squadron lost four aircraft out of five; No. 105 Squadron, six out of eleven; No. 142 Squadron lost four, No. 150 Squadron, four out of four; No. 139 Squadron, four out of six; No. 218 Squadron, ten out of eleven (?). In all, from the seventy-one bombers which took off, forty did not return. No higher rate of loss in an operation of comparable size has even been experienced by the Royal Air Force.
Type: Fairy Battle 1
Serial number: L5235, HA-?
Operation: Sedan
Lost: 14/05/1940
P/O A.M. Imrie PoW
Leading Aircraftman (W. Op. Air) Arthur J. Taylor, RAF 540413, 218 Sqdn., age 21, 14/05/1940, Thelonne Communal Cemetery, F
Airborne from Auberive-sur-Suippes to attack bridges and roads in the area around Sedan. Shot down at Thelonne (Ardenness), 8 km S of Sedan, France. P/O A.M. Imrie was interned in Camps 9A/L3, PoW No.505.
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Type: Fairy Battle 1
Serial number: L5232, HA-?
Operation: Sedan
Lost: 14/05/1940
P/O W.A.R. Harris Inj
Sergeant (Obs.) Norman B. Herriot, RAF 580956, 218 Sqdn., age 22, 14/05/1940, Sauville Communal Cemetery, F
Aircraftman 1st Class (W. Op.) William Robinson, RAF 633727, 218 Sqdn., age 20, 14/05/1940, Sauville Communal Cemetery, F
Airborne from Auberive-sur-Suippes to attack bridges and roads in the area around Sedan. shot down at Sauville (Ardennes), 19 km SSW of Sedan, France. P/O Harris, although wounded, made his way back to his unit.
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Type: Fairy Battle 1
Serial number: P2360, HA-?
Operation: Sedan
Lost: 14/05/1940
Pilot Officer Robert T.L. Buttery, RAF 70894, 218 Sqdn., age unknown, 14/05/1940, missing
Aircraftman 2nd Class William C. Waterston, RAF 630224, 218 Sqdn., age unknown, 14/05/1940, missing
Airborne Auberive-sur-Suippes to attack bridges and roads in the area around Sedan. Lost without trace. Both crew members are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.
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Type: Fairy Battle 1
Serial number: P2324, HA-?
Operation: Sedan
Lost: 14/05/1940
F/O (Pilot) D.A.J. Foster PoW
Aircraftman 1st Class (W. Op.) T.J. Bryan PoW
Airborne from Auberive-sur-Suippes to attack bridges and roads in the area around Sedan. Shot down by intense small arms ground fire. AC1 T.J. Bryan was interned in Camps 21B/21D/8B/3D/21A/383. PoW No.2635. Ended up in Stalag 111A. F/O D.A.J. Foster in Camp L3, PoW No.576. Burnt in the crash.
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Type: Fairy Battle 1
Serial number: L5422, HA-?
Operation: Sedan
Lost: 14/05/1940
Flying Officer (Pilot) John F.R. Crane, RAF 39858, 218 Sqdn., age unknown, 14/05/1940, Noyers-Pont-Maugis French National Cemetery, F
AC1 T.W. Holloway PoW
Airborne from Auberive-sur-Suippes to attack bridges and roads in the area around Sedan. Shot down at Thelonne (Ardennes), 6 km S of Sedan, France. AC1 T.W.Holloway was interned in Camps 8B/L3, PoW No.13060.
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16/05/1940: transfer
Two of the Battle squadrons, Nos. 105 and 218, had only four aircraft left between them; these and the surviving crews were transferred to the other Battle squadrons.
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22-23/08/1940, Bruges, B
Type: Bristol Blenheim Mk. IV
Serial number: T1990, HA-?
Operation: Bruges
Lost: 23/08/1940
Squadron Leader (Pilot) Charles C. House, RAF 32197, 218 Sqdn., age 29, 23/08/1940, Guines Communal Cemetery, F
Sergeant (Obs.) Percy T. Lefevre, RAF 516225, 218 Sqdn., age unknown, 23/08/1940, St. Tricat Churchyard, F
Sgt J.D. Howard PoW
Airborne from Oakington. Cause of loss not established. Crashed at Guines (Pas-de-Calais) 10 km S of Calais, France. Sgt J.D.Howard was interned in Camps L1/L6/357, PoW No.219.
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08/09/1940: Reconnaissance
Type: Bristol Type 142M/L, Blenheim Mk. I/IV
Serial number: L8848, HA-?
Operation: Reconnaissance
Lost: 08/09/1940
Sergeant Gerald L. Clayton, RAFVR 741533, 218 Sqdn., age 23, 08/09/1940, missing
Sergeant Frederick C. Coish, RAF 581203, 218 Sqdn., age 23, 08/09/1940, missing
Sergeant (W. Op.) Gordon Taylor, RAFVR 965631, 218 Sqdn., age 20, 08/09/1940, Bergen-op-Zoom War Cemetery, NL
Airborne 1555 from Oakington. Cause of loss not established. Crashed into the North Sea. The body of Sgt Taylor was eventually washed ashore. His comrades have no known graves and are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.
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Sources
No. 218 (Gold Coast) Squadron
218 (Gold Coast) Squadron Association
Air Force POWs 1939-1945
Belgian Aviation History Association Archaeological Team
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Lost Bombers
Milestones - Sedan area - 14 th May 1940
Royal Air Force - 218 Squadron
RAF - Campaign Diary - The Battle of France (May-June 1940)
RAF History - Bomber Command
RAF Museum: British Military Aviation in 1940
RAF Order of Battle, France, 10th May 1940
Royal Air Force History Section
The Royal Air Force, 1939-1945
The Second World War - a day by day account
War over Holland
Books
F R Chappell 'Bomber Command: a biography of Wing Commander Donald Teale Saville DSO DFC'
W.R. Chorley, Bomber Command Losses of the Second World War, Volume 1, 1939/40, Midland Counties Publications, ISBN 0 904597 85 7
Peter D. Cornwell, The Battle of France, Then and Now, 2008
Jack Dickinson 'The time of my life: life with 218 & 623 Sqns'
G Gray 'Green markers ahead skipper' (Newton 1993)
Desmond Plunkett & Rev R Pletts 'The man who would not die' (Pentland Press 2000)
M.Tripp 'The Eighth Passenger' (Robin Clark 1979)
Chris Ward '218 Squadron' (Bomber Command Profile no. 72)
Graham Warner, Bristol Blenheim: A Complete History. 2nd Edition. (Manchester, U.K.: Crecy Publishing, 2005)
Links
Discussion Groups
Luftwaffe and Allied Air Forces Discussion Forum
RAF Commands Forum
Other
Abbreviations used in the Royal Air Force
Code Names & RAF Vocabulary
Air Aces
Airwar over Denmark
Allied World War II Casualties in the Netherlands
Armée de l'Air - Order of Battle, 10th May 1940
Australian Wargraves
Axis History Factbook
Battle-of-Britain.com
De Belgen in Engeland 1940-1945 (in Dutch)
Belgian Aviation History Association Archaeological Team
British Aircraft Directory
British Aviation Archaeological Council - Books and research links
Canada's Air Force History
HMS Cavalier
Ciel de Gloire (in French) RAF Squadrons
CWGC Cemeteries Germany
CWGC Cemeteries Netherlands
Czechoslovak airmen in the RAF 1940-1945
Danish WW2 Pilots
Dutch Pilots in RAF Squadrons
Eagles Squadrons (American pilots in the RAF)
Foreign Aircraft Landings in Ireland 1939-1946
Håkans aviation page (from Sweden, in English)
'High flight', poem by John Gillespie Magee
An Irish Airman Foresees His Death, poem by W.B. Yeats
Jagdgeschwader 27 (in German)
Luchtoorlog ('Arial War', in Dutch, with many photos)
Land Forces of Britain, the Empire and Commonwealth
The Luftwaffe, 1933-1945
Luftwaffe and Allied Air Forces Discussion Forum
The National Ex-Prisoners of War Association
Naval History.net
Nordic Aviation during WW2
Order of Liberation (in French/English/Spanish)
Pilotfriend.com: aircraft of WW2
Polish Air Force 1940-1947 Operations Record Books
RAF Battle of Britain
RAF Upwood
RAF WWII 38 Group Squadrons Reunited
De Slag om de Grebbeberg (Dutch)
Warbird Alley
War over Holland
World War II Aircraft wrecksites in Norway
www.bomber-command.de
Aircraft crashes on the North Yorkshire Moors, England
Bills-Bunker.de
The Lancastershire Aircraft Investigation Team
Luftfahrt-Archäologie in Schleswig Holstein (in German)
North East Diary 1939-1945
Wartime Leicester and Leicestershire
The Aerodrome - Aces and Aircraft of World War 1
WW1 Cemeteries
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This page is dedicated to the men of 218 Squadron.
© Bart FM Droog / Rottend Staal Online 2008. Permission granted for use of the data gathered here for non commercial purposes, if this source is mentioned with a link to http://www.epibreren.com/ww2/raf/index.html
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