254 SQUADRON - Fighter/Bomber, Bristol Blenheim Mk IVF
History | Operations and losses | Sources | Links | Books | Questions and/or remarks
The squadron was reformed as a coastal fighter unit on 30 October 1939 at Stradishall. Equipped with Blenheims, it carried out coastal patrols and convoy escort operations along the East Coast. From April 1940, it added reconnaissance and fighter escort for anti-shipping strikes to its range of duties.
254 Squadron was (on 10 May 1940) based at RAF Hatson in the Orkneys. On May 16th the squadron moved to RAF Sumburgh in the Shetlands. The aerodrome was a grass field and the men were living out of tents and marquees. Most of the operations of the squadron in May and June 1940 were flown in the Norwegian area..
On Tuesday 28th May 1940, four Blenheim IVF aircraft of No 254 Squadron 'A' Flight were detached to RAF Detling in Kent to operate with No. 248 Squadron on sea patrols covering the Dunkirk evacuation. These aircraft completed their first 3 hour patrol of the North Foreland Calais-Dunkirk circuit on 29th May and this was repeated later in the day on 30th May, after their first attempt was aborted due to fog over the Channel.
The squadron moved to Aldergrove in May 1941 and then to Dyce in December, where it converted to Beaufighters in June 1942.
back up
Operations and losses 01/01/1940 - 30/06/1940
Not all operations listed; those with fatal losses are.
09/05/1940: Bergen, Norway. 1 Plane lost, 2 KIA (1 RN), 1 MIA
11/05/1940: Bergen, Norway
12/05/1940: Bergen, Norway
15/05/1940: Bergen, Norway (aborted)
27/05/1940: Stavanger, Norway. 1 Plane lost, 3 MIA
01/06/1940: Patrol, Dunkirk, F. 2 Planes lost, 1 KIA, 4 MIA
12/06/1940: Reconnaissance, Norway. 1 Plane lost, 3 MIA
15/06/1940: Trondheim, Norway. 1 Plane lost, 3 KIA
20/06/1940: ?, Norway. 1 WIA
21/06/1940: Escort, UK. 1 KIA (unknown if this casualty can be linked to this mission)
24/06/1940: Trondheim. 1 Planes lost, 3 MIA
24/06/1940: Stavanger, Norway. 1 Plane lost, 3 MIA
25/06/1940: Stab, Norway. 2 Planes lost, 3 KIA, 2 MIA, 1 POW
back up
09/05/1940: Bergen, Norway
Eight Skuas of 806 Squadron and six Blenheims of 254 Squadron as escort departed Hatston to attack Bergen, where German training ship Bremse was reported.
Type: Bristol Blenheim Mk IVF
Serial number: L9482, QY-?
Operation: Escort, Bergen
Lost: 09/05/1940
Flight Lieutenant Alick C. Heath, RAF 37173 (South Africa), 254 Sqdn., age 25, 09/05/1940, missing
Sergeant (Obs.) Stanley A. Nicholls, RAFVR 746976, 254 Sqdn., age 20, 09/05/1940, Bergen (Mollendal) Church Cemetery, Norway
Lieutenant (A) Robin B. Nuthall, RN, H.M.S. Sparrowhawk, age 27, 09/05/1940, Bergen (Mollendal) Church Cemetery, Norway
Took off 16.20 hrs from Hatston as fighter escort. L9482 was hit by flak and was last seen spinning into the harbour.
Sources: Ross McNeill, Coastal Command Losses of the Second World War, Volume 1 (1939-1941), Midland publishing, 2003. ISBN: 1 85780 128 8;
British and Other Navies in World War 2 Day-by-Day and CWGC.
back up
11/05/1940: Bergen, Norway
HMS Sparrowhawk (RNAS Hatston): Acting Captain C. L. Howe unleashes 806 Squadron on Bergen, targeting a newly discovered oil tank farm on Asko Island. At 0510 the Lt.Cdr. C. L. G. Evans, RN led off six Skuas of 806 Squadron, each carrying 1x250lb SAP and 4x20lb Cooper bombs, escorted by three Coastal Command Blenheims of 254 Squadron, RAF, each carrying 8x25lb incendiaries. Several tanks were hit and all aircraft returned safely.
back up
12/05/1940: Bergen, Norway
HMS Sparrowhawk (RNAS Hatston): Station OC, Acting Captain C. L. Howe, RN again dispatched the Skuas of 806 Squadron on Bergen. At 1000, Lieutenant-Commander C. L. G. Evans, RN led off six Skuas, each with a single 500 lb. bomb, escorted by three Blenheim fighters of 254 Squadron, RAF.
Unknown to all involved, the target a ship, carrying badly needed anti-aircraft artillery to the port and due to arrive at noon, had been identified by ULTRA intercepts. The aircraft attacked at 1158, catching the target, escorted by two torpedo boats, entering the fjord, but the two sections underestimated the target's speed and all bombs missed astern. All aircraft returned safely.
back up
15/05/1940: Bergen, Norway
Nine Skuas of 806 Squadron and three Blenheims of 254 Squadron departed Hatston to raid Bergen, but were forced to return owing to fog.
Source: British and Other Navies in World War 2 Day-by-Day
back up
27/05/1940: Stavanger, Norway
Six Bristol Blenheim IVF from 254 Squadron 18 Group flying out of Sumburgh RAF station were sent in two sections of three to sweep the Norwegian SW coast from 62N to Lister, mainly in search of enemy airfields, but also to locate the auxiliary naval vessel Königsberg.
Type: Bristol Blenheim Mk IVF
Serial number: R3624, QY-M
Operation: Stavanger, Norway
Lost: 27/05/1940
Pilot Officer Edwin H. Alexander, RAF 41977, 254 Sqdn., age 19, 27/05/1940, missing
Sergeant Basil A.J. Henrick, RAFVR 747704, 254 Sqdn., age 19, 27/05/1940, missing
Sergeant Thomas P.N. Hammond, RAF 625785, 254 Sqdn., age 23, 27/05/1940, missing
Took off 05.30 hrs from Sumburgh. Shot down by Lt Deuschle from Staffel/J.G.77. Ross McNeill: 'Hptm Lang of II/JG77 reported shooting a Blenheim down off Stavanger.' Coastguards reported that an aircraft had crashed into the sea and the Thurso lifebot was launched. See the Tom Hammond page on the 254 Squadron site for more information and photos. The crew are commenorated on the Runnymede Memorial.
Sources: CWGC and Ross McNeill, Coastal Command Losses of the Second World War, Volume 1 (1939-1941), Midland publishing, 2003
back up
01/06/1940: Goodwin
At 0450 hours on Saturday 1st June 1940, two Blenheims of No. 254 Squadron and two of No. 248 Squadron took off from HAF Detling to make a three-hour shipping cover patrol of the Dunkirk evacuation shipping route. The patrol was commanded by Flying Officer J.W. Baird in Blenheim L9481.
Soon after take-off at 04.47 hrs first one and then the other of the No. 248 Squadron Blenheims radioed that they were returning to Detling due to aircraft unserviceability, The two No. 254 Squadron aircraft commenced their patrol at about 0500 hours and had made several circuits up to 07.45 hours. During two of these circuits, they engaged in unresolved encounters with first a Junkers 87 aircraft and later with a Heinkel 111.
At about 07.50 they started their last circuit before returning to Detling and at 07.55 they were at 8,000 feet approaching Dunkirk, two miles out to sea flying parallel to the shore, when they were attacked by eleven ME 109 aircraft diving on them from the South in line astern.
Type: Bristol Blenheim Mk IVF
Serial number: R3624, QY-A
Operation: Goodwin
Lost: 01/06/1940
Flying Officer (Pilot) John W. Baird, RAF 39408, 254 Sqdn., age unknown, 01/06/1940, Malo-les-Bains Communal Cemetery, F
Pilot Officer (Observer) G.W. Spiers - safe
Sergeant Richard Roskrow, RAF 536061, 254 Sqdn., age 21, 01/06/1940, missing.
The observer crash landed the plane in see and was rescued by a ship. Slightly injured. Read his account on the site of 254 Squadron.
Type: Bristol Blenheim Mk IVF
Serial number: R3630, QY-Q
Operation: Goodwin
Lost: 01/06/1940
Sergeant Richard A. Bate, RAF 564536, 254 Sqdn., age unknown, 01/06/1940, missing
Sergeant James C. Love, RAFVR 745109, 254 Sqdn., age unknown, 01/06/1940, missing
Leading Aircraftman William T. Harrison, RAF 629949, 254 Sqdn., age unknown, 01/06/1940, missing
Took off 05.00 hrs from Detling. Jumped by 11 Me 109's at 07.45 [or 07.55 hrs] whilst attacking Ju 87's. Shot down near Goodwin Sands. The crew are commenorated on the Runnymede Memorial.
Sources: CWGC and Ross McNeill, Coastal Command Losses of the Second World War, Volume 1 (1939-1941), Midland publishing, 2003
back up
12/06/1940: Reconnaissance
Type: Bristol Blenheim Mk IV
Serial number: N3627, QY-R
Operation: Reconnaisance
Lost: 12/06/1940
Sergeant [Pilot] Richard H. Brown, RAF 561051, 254 Sqdn., age 27, 12/06/1940, missing
Sergeant [Observer] Herbert G.J. Gannaway, RAF 627060, 254 Sqdn., age 26, 12/06/1940, missing
Sergeant Wilfrid Dixon, RAFVR 751897, 254 Sqdn., age 20, 12/06/1940, missing
Took off from Sumburgh tasked with an operation to Trondheim. Shot down at 22.30 hrs by Oblt Walter of I/ZG76 and crashed west of Romsdalsfjord.
The crew are commenorated on the Runnymede Memorial.
Sources: CWGC and Ross McNeill, Coastal Command Losses of the Second World War, Volume 1 (1939-1941), Midland publishing, 2003
back up
15/06/1940: Trondheim, Norway
Two Blenheims took off from Sumburgh Shetland at 09:45. Destination Trondheim harbour. There they were attacked by two Messerschmitts. One was shot down, the other escaped.
Type: Bristol Blenheim Mk IVF
Serial number: L9480, QY-F
Operation: Trondheim, Norway
Lost: 15/06/1940
Pilot Officer (Pilot) Peter C. Gaylard, RAF 41995, 254 Sqdn., age unknown, 15/06/1940, Trondheim (Stavne) Cemetery, Norway
Sergeant (Obs.) John D. Wicks, RAFVR 751253, 254 Sqdn., age 20, 15/06/1940, Trondheim (Stavne) Cemetery, Norway
Sergeant (W.Op./Air Gnr.) Colin A.C. Burran, RAF 552645, 254 Sqdn., age unknown, 15/06/1940, Trondheim (Stavne) Cemetery, Norway
Shot down at 12.45 hrs by Ltn.Bender and Helmut Lent of 1/ZG 76, west of Smola island. The crew was at first buried in a marsh at the crash site during the war. (source: World War II Aircraft wrecksites in Norway). In 2004 the wreck was still to be seen at the crash site.
Other sources: CWGC and Ross McNeill, Coastal Command Losses of the Second World War, Volume 1 (1939-1941), Midland publishing, 2003
back up
20/06/1940: ?, Norway
One of the Squadrons Blenhems engaged in combat with a He 115 west of Smola but was hit by return fire, and arrived back at base with pilot wounded.
Source: Fledging Eagles, via Paul McMillan
back up
21/06/1940: Escort
Three 254 Squadron Blenheims escorted 204 Squadron Sunderlands, but broke away to attack an He 115 - inconclusively as it turned out.
Sergeant (W.Op./Air Gnr.) Patrick F. Clarke, RAF 546660, 254 Sqdn., age unknown, 21/06/1940, Lerwick New Cemetery, UK
Killed in action on operations against the enemy
It is (yet) unknown if Sgt Clarke was aboard one of these three Blenheims.
Sources: CWGC and Fledging Eagles, via Paul McMillan
back up
24/06/1940: Trondheim, Norway
Type: Bristol Blenheim Mk IV
Serial number: L9409, QY-J
Operation: Trondheim
Lost: 24/06/1940
Flight Lieutenant Peter S. Joliffe, RAF 33263, 254 Sqdn., age 24, 24/06/1940, missing
Sergeant Alan B. Norfolk, RAFVR 751127, 254 Sqdn., age 28, 24/06/1940, missing
Sergeant [W.Op./Air Gnr.] James Price, RAF 626267, 254 Sqdn., age 24, 24/06/1940, missing
Took off 03.55 hrs from Sumburg in formation with other squadron aircraft. Attacked escort ship Schiff 47 with bombs and machine-guns at 06.35 hrs. H/254 reported wingman missing and the ship claimed one Blenheim shot down. The crew are commenorated on the Runnymede Memorial.
Sources: CWGC and Ross McNeill, Coastal Command Losses of the Second World War, Volume 1 (1939-1941), Midland publishing, 2003
back up
24/06/1940: Stavanger, Norway
Type: Bristol Blenheim Mk IV
Serial number: R3826, QY-Q
Operation: Stavanger
Lost: 24/06/1940
Sergeant [Pilot] Hugh G. Hughes, RAF 580302, 254 Sqdn., age 28, 24/06/1940, missing
Sergeant [Observer] James F. Borrows, RAF 624811, 254 Sqdn., age 19, 24/06/1940, missing
Sergeant [W.Op./Air Gnr.] Stanley Longstaff, RAFVR 755125, 254 Sqdn., age 20, 24/06/1940, missing
Took off from Sumburgh. Shot down west of Stavanger by Ofw Jakob Arnoldy of 4./JG77 at 13.30 hrs. Sgt Hughes had possibly attacked Sola airfield with bombs.
The crew are commenorated on the Runnymede Memorial.
Sources: CWGC and Ross McNeill, Coastal Command Losses of the Second World War, Volume 1 (1939-1941), Midland publishing, 2003
back up
25/06/1940: Stab, Norway
Type: Bristol Blenheim Mk IV
Serial number: N3604, QY-?
Operation: Stab (Stavanger to Bergen (patrol))
Lost: 25/06/1940
Flight Sergeant (Pilot) Percival G. Cory, RAF 564105, 254 Sqdn., age Sergeant (Obs.) David F.S. Campbell, RAFVR 743031, 254 Sqdn., age 19, 25/06/1940, Haugesund (Rossebo) Var Frelsers Cemetery, Norway
26, 25/06/1940, Haugesund (Rossebo) Var Frelsers Cemetery, Norway
Sergeant (W. Op.) Francis G. Kinghan, RAF 535306, 254 Sqdn., age 23, 25/06/1940, Haugesund (Rossebo) Var Frelsers Cemetery, Norway
Took off 12.48 hrs from Sumburgh. Shot down by Ofw Arnoldy of 4./JG77 at approximately 14.25 hrs, while attacking a ship off Stavanger.
back up
Type: Bristol Blenheim Mk IV
Serial number: R3622, QY-K
Operation: Stab (Stavanger to Bergen (patrol))
Lost: 25/06/1940
P/O A.J. Hill, 42004, POW
Sergeant George W.H. Kendall, RAF 563559, 254 Sqdn., age 27, 25/06/1940, missing
Sergeant Richard C. Trowbridge, RAF 550858, 254 Sqdn., age 20, 25/06/1940, missing
Took off 12.48 hrs from Sumburgh. Shot down by Ofw Arnoldy of 4./JG77 at approximately 14.25 hrs, on a sweep to Stavanger/Bergen.
Sources: CWGC and Ross McNeill, Coastal Command Losses of the Second World War, Volume 1 (1939-1941), Midland publishing, 2003
back up
Sources
254 Squadron
Air of Authority - 254 Squadron
Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph Database
Australian War Memorial
Bail-outs for 1940
British and Other Navies in World War 2 Day-by-Day
The Campaign in Norway
Canadian Virtual War Memorial
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Royal Air Force - 254 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
The War in France and Flanders, 1939-1940, by Major L.F. Ellis, 1954
back up
Books
Ross McNeill, Coastal Command Losses of the Second World War, Volume 1 (1939-1941), Midland publishing, 2003. ISBN: 1 85780 128 8
H C Randall 'Moths to Mosquitos' (Historic Military Press 2001)
back up
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
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
back up
This page is dedicated to the men of 254 Squadron.
With special thanks to Peter Davies, Dave Earl and Paul McMillan
© 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
|