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Aviation History
1949
1949 - 1826.PDF
59O Above : Left, Some of the squadron's aircrews at Predannack shortly before leaving for North Africa. W/C. A. G. Miller, D.F.C., the CO., is third from the right. Right, Sir Archibald Sinclair, who was the Honorary Air Commodore from 1942 to 1949. Below : The squadron's camps rejoiced in familiar names; the two shown are Old St, and Finsbury Pavement, where Christmas dinner is being exercised. THE QUEEN'S SQUADRON ... no longer a mystery to anyone; and what we can't do with a cannon is not really worth doing." So it proved. Early in 1941 there were further changes in command. W/C. George Stainforth, A.F.C., of Schneider Trophy fame, took over from S/L. Maxwell, and the death of Lord Lloyd in a London nursing home deprived the squadron of its honorary air commodore. Sir Archibald Sinclair was next appointed. March, 1941, saw the whole squadron at Drem with a detach- ment at Prestwick for the defence of Glasgow. It was while flying one of the old Blenheims in this unlikely area that P/O. G. Denby scored the squadron's first certain kill. Near Glasgow he got a Heinkel 111 and with it (as was afterwards discovered) the leader of many of the fire raids on London, Bristol, Swansea and Plymouth. A month later, to everyone's joy. No. 600 was posted south once more—this time to the partly finished airfield at Coleme, near Bristol. Immediate success came with the destruction of a Ju88 over Shepton Mallet and from then on kills are recorded with almost monotonous regularity until the battle fizzled right out at the end of July, 1941. The spirit of No. 600 was typified by one instance at Colerne in May of that year. On the fifth a F/L. John Barnes turned up " to do a little night fighting.'' He was a pre-war member of the squadron, and this was his method of enjoying a few days' leave from operational flying! Then followed a somewhat uneventful year. There were three changes in command: W/C. Pearson took over in Octo- ber; W/C. Miller, D.F.C., in the following April, and W/C. Watson four months later. The squadron had by now moved from Colerne and was at Predannack first and later at Church Fenton. Here preparations were made for going overseas, and on November 14th, 1942, 18 Beaufighters flew to Port- reach to leave again three days later on a non-stop flight to Gibraltar. The first aircraft left at 0500 hours and all arrived safely at the Rock between io3ohr and midday. The next day the flight was continued to Blida, in North Africa. Although it is such a familiar fitting to-day, in 1942 A.I. radar was dreadfully secret—so much so that it was all removed from the Beaufighters before they started on their overseas flight, in case a forced landing in occupied or neutral territory should be necessary. Eight sets were flown out by Fortress and, on arrival, were re-installed by the Beaufighter navigators, as all the ground crews were still on the high seas in S.S. Otbita. The first aircraft was ready for ops on November 29th and on the same day drew the first overseas blood for the squadron by destroying a Cant Z.506B over Cagliari harbour. The next interception was a Red Cross 506B which was looking for the Italian seaplane's crew. An attempt was made to head it towards Bone, bat it was finally allowed to proceed on its mission. Night defence of Algiers was the next job to be tackled— this duty was taken over from No. 255 Squadron—but very few targets presented themselves. In fact, it seemed to become a habit, and a very wise one at that, for the enemy to keep away from any area controlled by No. 600. At the end of 1942 came another change of command. W/C. Watson was posted and W/C. C. P. Green, D.F.C., who earlier in the war had been a flight commander with No. 600, was flown out by Fortress to take over. Within a fortnight of the change a most important spell of duty was assigned to the unit. On January 8th, 1943, W/C. Green and P/O. Gillies (with G/C. D. F. W. Atcherley as passenger), S/L. Elwell and P/O. Barker, and P/O. Crab- tree and Sgt. Waddell left in three Beaufighters to maintain the night air guard over Casablanca during the historic conference between Mr. Winston Churchill and President Roosevelt. Other crews followed. Whether the enemy had no knowledge of the events taking place, or whether he knew that No. 600 were in the area, has never come to light; but no raiders put in an appearance. When the conference ended the squadron moved to Setif, with a detachment of four Beaufighters at Gouberine. During April, 1943. the last month of the North African campaign, the squadron score was 18 destroyed. The final five were shot down within ten minutes. At 0330 hr on the 30th, F/Sgt. Downing, with Sgt. J. Lyons as nav/rad, were given vectors which led them to find five JU52S carrying enemy V.I.P.s to Italy from the trapped forces in North Africa. They were flying below 100ft, and the Beaufighter destroyed the first at 04-55 br and the last at 0505. In readiness for the invasion of Europe from the south the squadron's motor transport was raised to the fully mobile standard and all kit "lowered to a reduced state." On June 23rd, ground crews left Sousse in an L.S.T. and arrived at Malta the following day. The Beaufighters flew TfiAIHilf AVKO TttTtH1936
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