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Aviation History
1954
1954 - 1230.PDF
From north of the Border: The strictly Scottish element of the squadron—photograph taken at Gambut in 1943-44. with six aircraft for Berka III on detachment, and the next day they carried out an offensive patrol in the Peloponnese area. Bombs were dropped on a landing ground at Kalamata and in the adjacent harbour. Next day S/L. Atkinson led four aircraft to attack shipping in the harbour at Missolonghi in Western Greece. These offensive patrols were flown each day from Berka until the end of the month, when preparations were made for a move to Borizzo in Italy. On the 3rd and 4th six Dakotas moved personnel and equipment; and all serviceable aircraft, number ing 14, were flown to the new station. The squadron formed part of No. 325 Wing, No. 242 Group, N.A.C.A.F., coming under 62nd Fighter Wing U.S.A.A.F. for operations. Despite the promise of busier days, the first three weeks were spent on entirely nega tive convoy patrols; but on September 24th the squadron got its first "enemy aircraft destroyed" after being equipped with Beaufighters. A section of four took off on a sweep in search of enemy transport machines evacuating Corsica. One Beaufighter returned with electrical trouble, but the others (W/C. Chater, P/O. Megone and W/C. Doube) sighted six Ju 52s, and each shot one down in flames; the wing commander also damaged another. Though transport Ju 52s were considered easy meat, each of the Beaufighters was damaged by return fire. Megone, with his port inner fuel-tank on fire, made for the nearest land, Pianosa Island. On a quick decision he made a wheel landing in his still blazing aircraft on a flat strip of ground and was eventually able to put out the fire. The Italian population proved friendly and explained that the Germans were in the habit of visiting the island from Elba every evening. Megone and his observer, P/O. Williams, accordingly decided to chance taking off again. They did so suc cessfully, and just managed to make base. For this exploit Megone received the immediate award of the D.F.C. There were no more brushes with the enemy during September, and prepara tions were made for another move, this time to Landing Ground 91 in Egypt, near Alexandria. On January 27th. 1944 : A Mediterranean battle scene after the Beaufighters of No. 603 Squadron had met five Arado 196 escorting two Junkers Ju 52s loaded with petrol. The Junkers were also destroyed. W/C. J. R. H. Lewis, D.F.C., a CO. of the "Med" period. Except for a convoy inci dent on October 7th, when one of the Beaufighters was jumped by two Me 109s and lost, most of the flying for the next three weeks was spent in ferrying. All the Mark 6 and Mark 11 Beaufighters were handed over to Nos. 227 and 252 Squadrons in exchange for Mark 10s. Then followed a series of offensive escorts to B-25s engaged on shipping strikes, mostly in the Kos area. In one raid, on Antimachia, the Beaufighters destroyed a Ju 52 which had just landed, hit some troops that had disembarked from it and further attacked parked aircraft — including some Spitfires! The unit was now operat ing from Gambut; but not for long was it allowed to remain as a complete squadron. On Novem ber 1st five aircraft flew to El Adem, from which station it was decided the squadron should operate pending the completion of the runways at Gambut. From here roving attacks were made on targets—mostly shipping—in the Aegean Sea. Intense flak was experienced over these targets and occasionally enemy fighters put in an appearance. A typical sortie was one which took place on November 11th. Four 603 aircraft, in company with four torpedo Beaufighters of No. 47 Squadron, attacked barges and caiques at Port Naussa. Two barges were set on fire and one of three Arado 196s which tried to interfere was damaged. Beaufighter "Y" (P/O. Hopkins) shot down another Arado but was forced to ditch also. F/Sgt. Truesdale was wounded and had to crash-land on arrival back at base. P/O. Hopkins and his observer, W/O. Roget, were subsequently picked up by submarine and landed at Malta, returning to the squadron a week later. Two days later, in a similar affray, F/Sgt. Coulstock, navigator in "H," shot down an Arado with his V.G.O.* The work the squadron was doing obviously stung the enemy badly, for they began to employ larger and larger air escorts, which they could ill afford. On November 16th, for instance, a Siebel ferry and two small barges bound for Leros had no fewer than seven Arado 196, four Ju 88 and four Me 109s to look after them. Even so, the ferry was sunk in a matter of minutes. Meanwhile, the Beaufighters had been fitted with rocket rails, and the last week or so of November, and the first half of December, were spent in training to use the projectiles. On December 15th, the first R.P. sorties by a Middle East squadron were made, but no targets were sighted. Each day sorties were flown, but no targets suitable for the new weapons were found. It was, in fact, December 22nd before the first opportunity came. On this day four pilots attacked caiques at Amorgos and Mykonos in the eastern and central Aegean respectively. They were F/O. Smith (Beaufighter "N") and Sgt. Gow ("Q"), each carrying 60 lb R.P.s; F/O. Wilson ("P"), with 25 lb R.P.; and F/L. Partridge, with cannon only. The first caique, one of * Vickers gas-operated: the Beaufighter's rear gun.
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