Traces of World War 2 
RAF - No. 242 (Canadian) Squadron
10/05/1940 - 30/06/1940

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242 (Canadian) SQUADRON - Fighter, Hawker Hurricane Mk I

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No. 242 Squadron, the R.A.F.'s "All Canadian" unit, originally a coastal reconnaissance unit in World War One, was re-formed on the 30th of October 1939, at R.A.F. Station Church Fenton. It comprised Canadian aircrew serving in the R.A.F. before the Second World War. Initial training commenced in November with a compliment of three Miles Magisters (from No.'s 53 and 66 Squadron), a single North American Harvard Mk.1 (on loan from No.609 Squadron) and a Fairey Battle Mk.1 (from No. 235 Squadron). These numbers were further complimented with the arrival of seven twin-engine Bristol Blenheim Mk.1F's and three more single-engine Fairey Battle Mk.1's in December 1939.

No. 242 Squadron received the Hawker Hurricane Mk.1 in March 1940. On the 23rd of March 1940, under command of Squadron Leader Fowler Morgan Gobeil of Ottawa, No.242 (Canadian) Squadron was declared operational for daytime operations. It was cleared to fly night ops the following month on May 11th. The unit's first operational sortie was flown on 25 March 1940, when 'A' Flight comprising seven Hurricanes flew a convoy patrol.

First Blood

Ten pilots of 'A' Flight were sent to France on the 16th of May 1940 where they flew with No.'s 607 'County of Durham' and 615 'County of Surrey' fighter squadrons.

The first Canadian from No.242 Squadron to die in action was Flight Lieutenant John Lewis Sullivan of Smiths Falls, Ontario.
He was shot down on the 17th of May 1940, while providing air cover for the evacuation of the beaches at Dunkirk France. [the CWGC: Flight Lieutenant (Pilot) John Lewis Sullivan, RAF 37643, 607 Sqdn., age unknown, 14/05/1940, Perwez Churchyard, Belgium]

By the time the Canadians returned from France, albeit a brief respite from combat, they had accounted for 6 enemy aircraft destroyed, as well as the death of F/L Sullivan, one became a Prisoner Of War (Flying Officer Lorne Edward Chambers of Vernon, B.C.) and two others wounded (Pilot Officer's Marvin Kitchener Brown of Kincardine, Ontario and Russell Henry Wiens of Jansen, Saskatchewan).

An RCAF First

The squadron reported to RAF Station Biggin Hill on the 21st of May 1940. The following day, eight of the units Hurricanes shot down a trio of Henschel Hs 126B-1 army co-operation monoplanes near Arras, France. This was a great morale booster, for the squadron up to that point had lost several members in combat without avenging their losses. The honour of the first victory by a member of the RCAF went to No.242 Squadron's commanding Officer S/L Gobeil. He shot down a twin-engine Bf-110C 'Zerstorer' on the 25th of May.

French Adventures

After numerous patrols, encounters and incidents, No.242 (Canadian) Fighter Squadron in its entirety was sent back to France. They arrived at Le Mans on the 8th of June, accompanied by No.17 (F) Squadron RAF. They were right on the doorsteps of the advancing Germans. By this point in time, the situation was one of desperation. The Germans were literally steam rolling over the hapless British and French.

No. 242 (RCAF) Fighter Squadron provided a rear-guard action to allow the British forces time to retreat in which would soon lead to the wholesale evacuation from the beaches of Dunkirk. While in France, they moved about from Chateaudun to Ancenis and finally, Nantes. With little hope of saving France, the Canadians flew on into the face of adversity. It was a lost cause to say the least.

Back to England

On the 18th of June 1940, the last of the pilots flew back to an England, which was recovering from the embarrassing shock of the loss of so many personnel and much valuable equipment. The remnants of the squadron were re-assembled at R.A.F. Station Coltishall. It was not until the 9th of July 1940, that No.242 (RCAF) Fighter Squadron was once again operational.

Source: Chris Charland, http://www.itsar.ca/av8r/battle.htm

Commanding Officer: Squadron Leader D.R.S. 'Douglas' Bader, June 1940

Stations

Coltishall 18 June 1940
Duxford 26 October 1940


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Operations and losses 10/05/1940 - 30/06/1940
Not all operations listed; those with fatal losses are.

16/05/1940: transfer to France
18/05/1940: Patrol, F. 2 Planes lost, 1 POW, 1 WIA
22/05/1940: Arras, F

23/05/1940: Escort, B. 3 Planes lost, 2 KIA, 1 WIA
24/05/1940: ?, F. 2 Planes lost, 2 MIA
28/05/1940: Dunkirk, F. 1 Plane lost, 1 KIA
31/05/1940: Dunkirk, F. 1 Plane lost, 1 MIA
09/06/1940: Dunkirk, F. 1 Plane lost, 1 MIA
14/06/1940: Patrol, F. 1 Plane lost

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LOSSES 01/01/1940 - 09/05/1940 (incomplete)

Flying Officer (Pilot) Richard Coe, RAF 39273 (Canada), 242 Sqdn., age 28, 10/01/1940, Kirkby Wharfe (St. John the Baptist) Churchyard Extension, UK

Pilot Officer (Pilot) Henry L. Niccolls, RAF 42145 (Canada), 242 Sqdn., age 22, 03/03/1940, Kirkby Wharfe (St. John the Baptist) Churchyard Extension, UK

Corporal James M. Clavering, RAF 528648, 242 Sqdn., age 24, 18/04/1940, Ashington (Holy Sepulchre) Churchyard, UK

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16/05/1940: transfer to France

Operations over France began on 16 May, a detachment being based at French airfields until evacuated on 16 June to take part in the Battle of Britain.

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18/05/1940: Patrol, F

Type: Hawker Hurricane Mk. I
Serial number: N2320, LE-?
Operation: Patrol
Lost: 18/05/1940
P/O M K Brown bailed out after a combat with Me-l10s of ZG26. He is wounded in the right leg.

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Type: Hawker Hurricane Mk. I
Serial number: L1922, LE-?
Operation: Patrol
Lost: 18/05/1940
Flying Officer Lorne E. Chambers bailed out with burns after a combat with Me-l10s - taken prisoner next day in hospital.

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22/05/1940: Arras, F

Eight of the units Hurricanes shot down a trio of Henschel Hs 126B-1 army co-operation monoplanes near Arras, France.

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23/05/1940: ?, F

Type: Hawker Hurricane Mk. I
Serial number: ?, LE-?
Operation: ?
Lost: 23/05/1940
Flying Officer (Pilot) John W. Graafstra, RAF 39381 (Canada), 242 Sqdn., age 27, 23/05/1940, Wancourt Communal Cemetery, F

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Type: Hawker Hurricane Mk. I
Serial number: ?, LE-?
Operation: ?
Lost: 23/05/1940
Pilot Officer (Pilot) Garfield A. Madore, RAF 42143, 242 Sqdn., age unknown, 23/05/1940, Anzac Cemetery, Sailly-sur-la-Lys, F

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Type: Hawker Hurricane Mk. I
Serial number: P2550, LE-?
Operation: Escort
Lost: 23/05/1940
P/O J Benzie was shot down by Me 109 near Ypres, Belgium. He bailed out and was evacuated via Dunkirk. Wounded.

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24/05/1940: ?, F

'Now for the first time,' noted the German General Halder in his diary on 24 May, 'enemy air superiority has been reported by Kleist.' And on the same day the War Diary of the German 19 Corps recorded: 'Enemy fighter resistance is so strong that our own air reconnaissance was practically impossible.'

Type: Hawker Hurricane Mk. I
Serial number: ?, LE-?
Operation: ?
Lost: 24/05/1940
Pilot Officer Robert L. Hill, RAF 41925 (Canada), 242 Sqdn., age 24, 24/05/1940, missing

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Type: Hawker Hurricane Mk. I
Serial number: ?, LE-?
Operation: ?
Lost: 24/05/1940
Pilot Officer James W. Mitchell, RAF 41942, 242 Sqdn., age 24, 24/05/1940, missing

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28/05/1940: Dunkirk, F

Type: Hawker Hurricane Mk. I
Serial number: ?, LE-?
Operation: ?
Lost: 28/05/1940
Pilot Officer (Pilot) Dale F. Jones, RAF 42131 (Canada), 242 Sqdn., 28/05/1940, Oostduinkerke Comunal Cemetery, B

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31/05/1940: Dunkirk, F

Type: Hawker Hurricane Mk. I
Serial number: ?, LE-?
Operation: ?
Lost: 31/05/1940
Pilot Officer Gordon M. Stewart, RAF 41625, 242 Sqdn., age unknown, 31/05/1940, missing

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09/06/1940: Dunkirk, F

Type: Hawker Hurricane Mk. I
Serial number: ?, LE-?
Operation: ?
Lost: 09/06/1940
Pilot Officer (Pilot) Donald G. MacQueen, RAF 42142 (Canada), 242 Sqdn., age 20, 09/06/1940, Courtisols (St Memmie) Churchyard, F

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14/06/1940: Patrol, F

Type: Hawker Hurricane Mk. I
Serial number: ?, LE-?
Operation: Patrol
Lost: 14/06/1940
Became separated and lost bearings following combat with Bf110s of 9./ZG26 over Conches 4.05 p.m. Wrecked undercarriage by hitting a ditch during forced-landing near Blain, north of Nantes. Pilot Officer N. K. Stansfeld unhurt. Aircraft a write-off.


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Sources

Bail-Outs for 1940
Battle of Britain Sunday
The Canadian Virtual War Memorial
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
RAF Battle of Britain - 242 Squadron
RAF - Campaign Diary - The Battle of France (May-June 1940)
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

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Books

Paul Brickhill 'Reach for the sky: the story of Douglas Bader' (Collins 1954)
Hugh Halliday '242 Squadron, the Canadian Years' (Midland Counties)
James Home 'Their Last tenko'
Lucas 'Flying colours: epic story of Douglas Bader' (Hutchinson 1981)

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Links

Air Aces
Airwar over Denmark
Allied World War II Casualties in the Netherlands
Australian Wargraves
Battle-of-Britain.com
De Belgen in Engeland 1940-1945 (in Dutch)
Belgian Aviation History Association Archaeological Team
British Aviation Archaeological Council - Books and research links
CWGC Cemeteries Netherlands
Czechoslovak airmen in the RAF 1940-1945
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)
The National Ex-Prisoners of War Association
Naval History.net
Nordic Aviation during WW2
Pilotfriend.com: aircraft of WW2
Polish Air Force 1940-1947 Operations Record Books
RAF Battle of Britain
De Slag om de Grebbeberg
(Dutch)
Warbird Alley
World War II Aircraft wrecksites in Norway
www.bomber-command.de


The Aerodrome - Aces and Aircraft of World War 1


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This page is dedicated to the men of 242 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