Traces of World War 2 
RAF - No. 264 Squadron
10/05/1940 - 30/06/1940

264 SQUADRON - Fighter, Boulton Paul Defiant

History | Operations and losses | Sources | Links | Books | Questions and/or remarks



264 Squadron was formed under Squadron Leader Stephen Hardy at Sutton Bridge on 30th October; 1939. For the first few weeks the only aircraft flown were Magisters and Fairy Battles. Soon after the Squadron moved to Martelsham Heath in December, the Boulton Paul Defiant began to arrive.

Being the first Squadron to be equipped with these new aircraft, 'teething' troubles were numerous, difficulties being experienced with items such as the four gun electro-hydraulic turret and the undercarriage system. Tactics for operating the Defiant, the only fighter with a turret and no forward firing guns, took a considerable amount of working out, and the great success of these when employed was largely due to the skill and inspiration of Squadron Leader Hunter who assumed command in March 1940.

A few convoy patrols were flown in March and April, but partly because the war was still in its 'phoney' stage, the Squadron was not deemed operational until May the 8th, when the Allies were being driven back in France.

On May the 10th, 264 Squadron was suddenly moved to Duxford, when the Low countries were being invaded and two days later did its first genuine operational trip. That was when 'A' Flight flew up to Horsham St Faith and took off in company with a flight from 66 Squadron for a swoop over Holland, hoping to catch German Troop carrying aircraft.

Unfortunately the Squadron was a day late as a large number of Ju 52's had already discharged their cargoes on the beach and also on the airfield at The Hague, which had been captured by paratroopers. All the 264 Squadron crews saw were three bombers of which the Squadron shot down a Ju. 88 and a He. 111, returning to Duxford without further incident.

At dawn the next day, 'B' Flight took off from Martlesham Heath again with a flight of Spitfires, with enemy aircraft as their main objective. This time the Luftwaffe seemed to have had prior warning of 264's approach as it was severely outnumbered by Me.109's and Me.110's. In the resultant melee three Me.109's and 4 Ju.89's [?] were destroyed, but P/O.Kay was the only pilot of the six to bring back his aircraft, with a badly damaged machine, he had managed to refuel at Knokke and reached Duxford in the evening. Two further pilots and gunners managed to escape and returned to base a few days later. On May 14th, 'A Flight' having taken off from Martelsham heath for a further show over Holland, were recalled as they crossed the Suffolk coast because the Dutch had capitulated.

The following week was spent in further practice but from 23rd May, 264 Squadron flew each day to Manston for operations along the French coast to support the withdrawal of the British Army. Opposition increased day by day with one German plane being shot down on May the 24th, 5 on the 27th, 6 on the 28th, 37 on the 29th and 9 on the 31st. The score of 37 enemy aircraft destroyed in one day by an RAF squadron, for no loss (that is, except for one casualty, Sergeant Evan Jones and one or two planes lost) was an achievement, which remained unequalled throughout the war. [after the war it was found out that only 14 of the 37 claimed were confirmed by German records]

The aircraft destroyed during these last few days of May were almost all over or around Dunkirk during the evacuation period. The Squadron's score for this first month of being operational was 67 enemy aircraft destroyed with a further unrecorded number damaged, for the loss of 8 or 9 crews and 14 aircraft.

This extraordinary successful month led to the award of the Distinguished Service Order to the Commanding Officer (Sqd./Ldr Hunter) as well as a Distinguished Flying medal for other members of the Squadron.

May saw the first of the Squadron's Night Patrols but it was after the Squadron had moved to Kirton Lindsey in July that 264 Squadron had its first night combat. At this time fighters on patrol had to show a coloured downward light for easy recognition by the Observer Corps. It was thanks to this that one aircraft (P/O Whitley and Sgt. Turner), whilst on patrol, suddenly had tracers flashing past. On following the tracers to their source a He. 111 was discovered and promptly shot down.

Stations

Duxford 10 May 1940
Fowlmere 3 July 1940
Kirton-in-Lindsey 23 July 1940
Hornchurch 22 August 1940
Rochford 27 August 1940
Kirton-in-Lindsey 28 August 1940
Rochford 29 October 1940


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

12/05/1940: Fighter sweep, NL
13/05/1940: Fighter sweep, NL. 5 Planes lost, 2 KIA, 1 MIA, 2 POW
23/05/1940: Calais - Boulogne - Dunkirk patrol, F
24/05/1940: Dunkirk, F
27/05/1940: Dunkirk, F
28/05/1940: Dunkirk, F. 3 Planes lost, 4 KIA, 2 MIA
29/05/1940: Dunkirk, F. 1 or 2 Planes lost, 1 KIA
31/05/1940: Dunkirk, F. 5 Planes lost, 2 KIA, 3 MIA
11/06/1940: ? 1 KIA or DOW

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'A' Flight from 264 Squadron took off in company with a flight from 66 Squadron for a swoop over Holland, hoping to catch German Troop carrying aircraft.

All the 264 Squadron crews saw were three bombers of which Sqdn.Ldr Cooke and his gunner Corporal Albert Lippett (KIA 31/05/1940) shot down a Ju. 88, returning to Duxford without further incident.


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Type: Boulton Paul Defiant Mk I
Serial number: L6960, PS-?
Operation: fightersweep, Dutch coast
Lost: 13/05/1940
Blue 3, C/n 11
Pilot Officer (Pilot) Gordon E. Chandler, RAF 33559, 264 Sqdn., age 20, 13/05/1940, Made-en-Drimmelen Protestant Churchyard, NL
Leading Aircraftman (Air Gnr.) Douglas L. McLeish, RAF 581467, 264 Sqdn., age 20 jaar,13/05/1940, Werkendam Protestant Cemetery, NL

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Type: Boulton Paul Defiant Mk I
Serial number: L6958, PS-?
Operation: fightersweep, Dutch coast
Lost: 13/05/1940
Blue 2, C/N 09
Leading Aircraftman John S,M. Bromley, RAF 521432, 264 Sqdn., age 24, 13/05/1940, missing
Pilot P/O S. Thomas returned by boat to England.

On 06/09/1994 the engine and several parts of L6958 were recovered in the Biesbosch (recovery RNLAF-(184?).

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Type: Boulton Paul Defiant Mk I
Serial number: L6969, PS-?
Operation: fightersweep, Dutch coast'
Lost: 13/05/1940 (1 KIA?)
Blue 1
F/Lt George F.A. Skelton
P/O J. Hatfield
Both returned by boat to England. F/Lt G.F.A. Skelton (1909-1985) ended his carreer in the RAF as Air Commodore in 1959.

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Type: Boulton Paul Defiant Mk I
Serial number: L6977, PS-?
Operation: fightersweep, Dutch coast'
Lost: 13/05/1940
Green 1, C/n 28
Crashed near Dordrecht, NL
P/O P. Greenhous (POW)
Sgt F. Greenhalg (POW)

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Type: Boulton Paul Defiant Mk I
Serial number: L6965, PS-?
Operation: fightersweep, Dutch coast'
Lost: 13/05/1940
Green 2, C/n 16
Crashed near Dordrecht
P/O E. McLeod and LAc W. Cox returned by boat to England.


P/O Kay, pilot of the only surviving Defiant of 264 Sqdn. flew in L6974 (Green 3, C/n 25)

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264 Squadron claimed thirty seven German planes destroyed. The Squadron flew two missions this day.

On the first mission, in the morning, it was attacked from behind by 6 Me. 109's and 21 Me 110's. 264 Sqdn. claimed 17 enemy aircraft destroyed.

On the second mission, in the evening, 264 Sqdn. intercepted 40 Ju 87's and drie Ju 88's. Of these at least 19 were claimed by the Squadron.

One Defiant made a crash landing at Manston airfield.

Type: Boulton Paul Defiant Mk I
Serial number: L6957, PS-?
Operation: Dunkirk
Lost: 29/05/1940?
Pilot unknown - safe?
Sergeant (W.Op./Air Gnr.) Evan J. Jones, RAFVR 744999, 264 Sqdn., age 31, 29/05/1940, Dunkirk Town Cemetery, F
Bailed out after his turret was hit by a Me110.

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Type: Boulton Paul Defiant Mk I
Serial number: L7019, PS-?
Operation: Dunkirk
Lost: 29/05/1940
Pilot Officer (Pilot) R.W. Stokes
Leading Aircrafman (Air Gunner) Fairbrother
Air gunner bailed out, after plane was damaged in combat. P/O Stokes crash landed the aircraft at Manston.

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Type: Boulton Paul Defiant Mk I
Serial number: ?, PS-?
Operation: Dunkirk
Lost: 31/05/1940
Pilot Officer (Pilot) Guy L. Hickman, RAF 42225, 264 Sqdn., age 19, 31/05/1940, Coxyde Military Cemetery, B
Leading Aircraftman (W.Op./Air Gnr.) Alfred Fidler, RAFVR 743039, 264 Sqdn., age 27, 31/05/1940, Coxyde Military Cemetery, B

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Type: Boulton Paul Defiant Mk I
Serial number: ?, PS-?
Operation: Dunkirk
Lost: 31/05/1940
Flight Lieutenant Nicholas G. Cooke, RAF 37652, 264 Sqdn., DFC, age 26, 31/05/1940, missing

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Type: Boulton Paul Defiant Mk I
Serial number: L6980, PS-?
Operation: Dunkirk
Lost: 31/05/1940
P/O (Pilot) M H Young
LAC (Air Gunner) Johnson
Collided with Defiant L6961. Crew baled out o.k. Fate crew Defiant L6961 unknown.

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The planes and pilots of which these two air gunners were crew members is (at this moment) unknown by the editor of this page:

Sergeant Stanley B. Johnson, RAFVR 747782, 264 Sqdn., age 37, 31/05/1940, missing
Corporal Albert Lippett, RAF 348039, 264 Sqdn., DFM, age 37, 31/05/1940, missing


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Pilot Officer (Pilot) George A. Hutcheson, RAF 79161, 264 Sqdn., age 30, 11/06/1940, Edinburgh (Warriston) Crematorium, UK

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Sources

264 (Madras Residency) Squadron Association
Bail-Outs for 1940
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Fighter Command Air Combat Claims 1939-1945
Luchtoorlog.be - Boulton Paul Defiant (in Dutch)
Obituary Wing Cdr Eric Barwell, Telegraph 26/12/2007
RAF Battle of Britain - 264 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
www.rafweb.org
The Second World War - a day by day account
War over Holland

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Books

Peter D. Cornwell, The Battle of France, Then and Now, 2008

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Links


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
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)
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
De Slag om de Grebbeberg (Dutch)
Warbird Alley
War over Holland
World War II Aircraft wrecksites in Norway
www.bomber-command.de

Bills-Bunker.de
The Lancastershire Aircraft Investigation Team
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 264 Squadron.

Special thanks to Allert Goossens and Hans Onderwater.

© 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