1 |
16 May 1939 |
Formed aboard HMS Argus, Portsmouth, Hampshire |
2 |
25 May 1939 |
Disembarked at Alexander to Egypt |
3 |
26 May 1939 |
Helwan "B" Flt detached to Sudan 2 June 1940, sub
- flts at Port Sudan, working with 14 Sqdn, Khartoum, Gedarf, (finally detached from 112
Sqdn 31 August
1940 to form 250 Sqdn) |
4 |
17 July 1940 |
Maaten Gerawla, by 25 July the move of "A" and
"C" flights was completed. Jackson
of 3 Sqdn RAAF, arrived at Gerawala on 5 December 1940 and found 3
Sqdn RAAF, located on a flat patch of desert with aircraft
dispersed hundreds of yards apart and members well entrenched in dugouts
in the sides of wadis. He complained that although the area was
mostly sand there was a bit of rock and that it was “no joke digging
dugouts”. However the effort must have been worth it because he
comments, “Moved into a dugout on the side of a wadi, and
it’s a beaut – a home away from home. We have earth and corrugated
iron walls but it’s just paradise after the tent.” |
|
3 August 1940 |
"A" detached to Sidi Barrani |
|
17 August 1940 |
"A" Flt at "Z" LG (LG 08) Matruh West |
|
|
C Flt at "Y" LG, (LG 06) about 18 kilometres (6 miles)
further west. |
|
30 August 1940 |
"C" Flt at Sidi Barrani ( E and W satalites) |
5 |
3 September 1940 |
Sidi Barrani LG 30 |
6 |
7 September 1940 |
Sidi Haneish |
|
14 September 1940 |
"C" Flt at "Z" LG |
7 |
1 January 1941 |
Amiriya |
8 |
23 Jan 1941 |
Eleusis (Greece) |
9 |
1 Feb 1941 |
Yannina Greece |
|
7 March 1941 |
"A" Flt to Paramythia Greece (Paramythia means
"the valley of the fairy tales") |
10 |
16 April 1941 |
Sqdn was in retreat from German advances, arrived at Agrinion |
11 |
17 April 1941 |
Hassani (Athens) |
12 |
22 April 1941 |
Aircraft left for Heraklion (Crete) Chania
Town also called CANEA, city and capital of Crete (together with
Iraklion, since 1841). It lies along the east corner of the Gulf of Chania
and occupies the neck of a low, bulbous peninsula between the gulf and
Soudhas Bay on the site of ancient Kydonia. The city was occupied in 1252
by Venetians, who held it, except for a brief period under the Genoese
(1267-90), until 1645, when it fell to the Turks. In 1878, after numerous
revolts against Turkish rule, various privileges were granted to the
Cretans. Chania joined the kingdom of Greece in 1912. It was severely
damaged in 1941 during the German aerial invasion of Crete. After World
War II improvements to Soudhas Bay strengthened the city’s position as a
major port of Crete. Chania exports most of the island’s citrus fruit as
well as olive oil and wine. The population of the city is about 50000
souls. |
|
|
Ground personnel left for Argos |
13 |
24 April 1941 |
Ground personnel moved to Naphlion |
|
25 April 1941 |
Ground personnel arrived Suda Bay, Crete |
14 |
29 April 1941 |
"A" Flt to Aboukir, then Lydda, Palestine |
15 |
31 May 1941 |
Fayid, |
|
11 August 1941 |
sub Flt to Haifa detachment from "A" Flt to
Mariyut |
16 |
12 Sept 1941 |
Sidi Haneish, LG 102, inland from Maaten Bagush at Sidi
Haneish (via LG 92, south of Alexandria) |
17 |
14 Nov 1941 |
Sidi Bahraini LG 110 |
18 |
19 Nov 1941 |
Fort Maddelena, LG 122 |
19 |
19 Dec 1941 |
EL Adem |
20 |
21 Dec 1941 |
Msus |
21 |
13 Jan 1942 |
Antelet (satellite) |
22 |
21 Jan 1942 |
Msus |
23 |
24 Jan 1942 |
Mechili |
24 |
28 Jan 1942 |
Gazala |
25 |
2 Feb 1942 |
El Adem |
26 |
5 Feb 1942 |
Gambut main |
27 |
16 Feb 1942 |
El Adem |
28 |
17 Feb 1942 |
Gambut main |
|
22 Feb 1942 |
112 ran a satellite air strip at Gambut |
|
9 Mar 1942 |
Gambut satellite No 2, , was located about 20 miles from the
Mediterranean coast and between Tobruk and the Egyptian border |
29 |
17 June 1942 |
Sidi Azeiz |
30 |
18 June 1942 |
Sidi Baranni LG 75 |
31 |
24 June 1942 |
Sidi Haneish LG 102 |
32 |
27 June 1942 |
El Daba LG 106 |
33 |
28 June 1942 |
Amiriya LG 91,According to "RAF Squadrons" by
Jefford: Between 28 June and 6 Nov they were based at LG 91, which is
approx 40 miles east Alamein and 15/20 miles south of Alexandria.Co-ordinates
(and names where known) for the LGs are listed on pp132-135 of 'Jeff'
Jefford's 'RAF Squadrons' (2nd ed, 2001, pub by Airlife). |
34 |
25 August 1942 |
Amiriya LG 175, According to "RAF Squadrons" by
Jefford: They also had a detachment at LG 175 which is approx 5 miles NNE
of LG 91.Jefford definitely states that the squadron was operating
Kittyhawk IIIs from October 1942 (just converting from P-40Es, or
Kittyhawk IAs), but the USAAF variant would have been the rather ugly
P-40K-1 rather than the P-40M (which was not even in production at this
stage of proceedings). P-40E-1s were produced up to July 1942, and
P-40K-1s commenced deliveries (acceptance by USAAF) in August, with P-40Ms
following from November 1942. The RAF designations for Kittyhawks were
rather a mess when compared to the original USAAF designations, with all
the K and M variants designated as Mk.IIIs and all Fs and Ls as Mk.IIs,
which is probably why the RNZAF and RAAF preferred to use the rather more
useful American designations. When one considers that all P-40s for the
RAF had to be broken down after test flying in the USA, then shipped out
of New York or other East coast ports, unloaded in North Africa (Takoradi?)
and ferried up to Egypt for the squadrons, it would take probably 6 to 8
weeks for any particular P-40 to reach an operational squadron in Egypt. |
35 |
6 Nov 1942 |
El Daba LG 106, We
are on the move again for a place named Sidi Haneish. I have never
seen so much transport on the road before. |
36 |
8 Nov 1942 |
Sidi Haneish LG 115 |
37 |
9 Nov 1942 |
LG 76 (South west of Maaten Bagush) It seems as if all the lorries
in the MEF are moving. We have just been told to carry on to 074 LG or
West Barrans that is 190 miles from El Rata. We had no breakfast this
morning that was because we would make better progress and miss the bulk
of the transport. Our lorry/defense lorry left the convoy to find the LG
as two of the lorries had got flats. We were expecting our kites in this
morning and the remaining part of the squadron tonight. Gerry has put oil
and petrol in the water wells. We are having to have our water flown to us
by Lockheed Hudson? We are not allowed to wash or shave. We are moving to
Gambut(?) tomorrow which is forty miles from Tobruck.. It is 04.45 in the
morning and we are all ready for moving. The whole wing is moving and
there are about 500 lorries all moving breast wise off. We passed a
British Cemetery with about 35 graves in, miles from anywhere. We stopped
the night at Lide agiz just over the Egypt-Libya Border.
The 11th of November marked an exception, when the Allied air forces collided with the GAF based at Gambut and El Adem.
The score reported that day: eleven Stukas, six Ju-52's, and five Me-109's, against six Kittyhawks and a P-40.
The 57th Fighter Group caught and destroyed three Stukas about to land at Gambut.95
The 57th's 66th Squadron had gone forward with the advance, under the operational control of No. 239 Wing, RAF.
Upon reaching Gazala it received orders to join the 64th and 65th Squadrons at Martuba.
|
38 |
15 Nov 1942 |
Gazala No 2, We
left today for Gazala from there we had to move on to Martuba. We
had to wait an hour before we could get on the airfield out of the rain
while our Army rounded up the Gerries that were loose. There was a great
assortment of kites on it even to Gliders. I should guess about 200 kites
altogether at Sidi Haneish
there were 500.We shall have to stay here longer than expected
owing to the rain. |
39 |
19 Nov 1942 |
Martuba, Gerry
just paid us a visit and dropped a few bombs. The CO went after him so
I guess their kite won’t get back. Xxxx xxxx got my A/C through from
Sept. We had a Gerry again this morning the CO went after him got on his
tail and found there was no response from his guns. The reason was we were
on 48 hrs inspection and they had taken his guns out. The Squadron has
just joined a Yankee Group (57 Fighter ?).
By 20 November, therefore, in company with the RAF's 112 Squadron, the 57th Fighter Group, USAAF, was in action for the first time
as a tactical unit;96 between 6 November and the end of the month it carried out the impressive total of 477 sorties
|
40 |
6 Dec 1942 |
Belandah No 2 (Alam-el-Gzina), 15
miles from Agedabia. W have not far to go for I can see a village
ahead of us that must be Agedabia. Just a moment here comes trouble I am
riding in a lorry that has 12, 500lb bombs and a trailer with 900 gallons
of aviation juice and Jerry has to pick this time to start strafing and
bombing us. A 109 was diving on a Yankee bowser that had 2,000 gallons of
juice when an army truck deliberately drove in front of it and forced it
off the road and took all the cannon shells and therefore saved the bowser
from going up. The driver and mate were wounded badly in the legs. We are
stopping for the night only 15 miles from the drome . We just got settled
down and then we had to move to a drome 5 miles away. We had a xxxx (censored)of
Black Watch here today on the way back from fighting. We took them a few
packets of fags and bars of chocolate as they had no fags for 3 weeks. We
did not tell them that it was the first lot that we’d had. The Stuka
we captured xxxx brought xxx them up. Gerry was over at breakfast time
and killed 14 of our boys just a little way from us. Our kites have just
taken off. Lets hope they shake Gerry up. Our pilots had orders to get any
Gerry recce kite at all cost. Rumour of
a big show on the 15th of this month. Just to give you
an idea of what solitude means out here, A chap here Alf Wilks has been
out here over two years and on the desert all the time (married) he is
playing crib with a non-existing partner every time he scores points he
gives out a bloodcurdling laugh, Our boys have just put up a big artillery
barrage. Pilots have just taken off to bomb Marble Arch. The CO got shot
down in flames but landed on our side of the lines (Sqn/Ldr Billy Drake, 11 Dec 42). He has just come in flying a Hurricane |
41 |
9 Jan 1943 |
Hammraiet, 31/12/1942,
We moved this morning. We had not been on the road long when when
of the yank lorries hit a mine. The MO gave us a tot of RUM – New Years
Eve you know. We took the
desert track and shortly alright but when we got it (the rum), it was like
mud. But we drank it. You get like that out here. We’re waiting for the
drome to be finished. We are three miles from it.Someone was getting a
bashing from Jerry it seems to be Agheida. It’s a good job Jerry
didn’t come after us as both sides of the road were mined.
5/1/43 We
moved up to the drome then Jerry came. The guns were clogged with sand and
wouldn’t fire.
9/1/43
The Sharks (P-40 Kittyhawks of RAF 112 Sqdn) arrived
today also Gerry was over today otherwise nothing happened. The lorries of
the other party have just pulled in. Our fighters met Gerry before he
could get to us.
|
42 |
19 Jan 1943 |
Bir Dufan, 18/1/43,
We have just passed a
place where there was a tank battle there was 9 of ours knocked out..
19/1/43,
We are passing through some fascinating country the
kind you see on the screen in a Foreign Legion picture. Well we’re there
the place is 100 miles from Tripoli. But right out in the blue. [Ben Dufur?]
20/1/43,
Our kites came in this
morning. This is the day when we said we would be in Tripoli. On this
drome there is something like 300 aircraft, bombers and fighters and still
more coming. The bombers operate at night from here and away to some other
dromes then come back here at dusk to start again.
23/1/43,
Tripoli has definitely
fallen. The bombers were operating from here again last night. The
squadron got their 200th kite down today
|
43 |
25 Jan 1943 |
Castel Benito,
26/1/43, We
started off at 5 o’clock this morning by the light of the moon for our
destination which is 15 miles from Triploi. Well we’re here it sure is a
xxxxxxxxxx (censored) place. Gerry left about 150 aircraft some damaged
and some okay. Our squadron has taken over a
three engine kite a Lorry. It ‘s been raining all day our clothes
are all wet. When we woke up this morning we found our shoes floating (we
always dig in) and the water was very near up to our beds. Two boys had
drowned in their sleep.
3/2/43,
Churchill and
Montgomery arrived at 4 o’clock in a Liberator. This morning I went into
Tripoli and there was a big parade in aid of Churchill and his sidekick.
There were hundreds of tanks and guns and troops lined up for him.
|
44 |
15 Feb 1943 |
El Assa, 12/2/43
(Advance Ground Party) We have just arrived at Alassa
(sic) and from here we can look into Tunisia. The kites are on shuttle
service. |
45 |
8 Mar 1943 |
Neffatia (Tunisia) |
46 |
21 Mar 1943 |
Medenine |
47 |
3 April 1943 |
El Hamma |
48 |
14 April 1943 |
El Djem |
49 |
18 April 1943 |
Kairouan |
50 |
21 May 1943 |
Zuara |
51 |
9 July 1943 |
Advance detachment to Safi (Malta) |
52 |
18 July 1943 |
Pachino (Sicily) RAF Servicing Commandos, On the 19th
Kittyhawks of No. 239 Wing were looked after as they landed and the same
thing was done on the following day for aircraft of the 57th Pursuit
Group, United States Air Force. In both cases the aircraft were followed
on the same evening by the advanced parties of their own ground crews.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/ww2/A7713443 |
53 |
2 August 1943 |
Agnone |
54 |
15 Sept 1943 |
Grottagilie (Italy) On arrival they where at first totally
supplied only by Dakota planes. After the invasion of Italy on 3 September
1943, No 239 Wing was based at Grottaglie in Southern Italy between the
17th and 19th to support the Allied attacks on the island. By October the
Wing was established first at Reggio and then Foggia in southern Italy.
From the two airstrips, the Wing answered a stream of calls from the
Allied armies (US 5th and British 8th) for close air support missions, as
well as bombing and strafing enemy supply lines. |
55 |
20 Sept 1943 |
Brindisi |
56 |
23 Sept 1943 |
Bari |
57 |
3 Oct 1943 |
Foggia Main (Football field at Gino Lisa, Italy) |
58 |
26 Oct 1943 |
Mileni |
59 |
30 Jan 1944 |
Cutella, 239 Wing is situated on the beach at Cutella. The
squadrons are dispersed in a line along the beach. All squadrons are under
canvas. |
60 |
21 May 1944 |
LG San Angelo situated in a valley on the banks of the
Volturno River, The whole area is surrounded by mountains which in no way interfere
with flying, There is a permanent haze in the valley, |
61 |
13 June 1944 |
LG Guidonia was a peacetime airdrome situated about 14
miles from Rome. The concrete runway was unserviceable and the buildings
uninhabitable. |
62 |
24 June 1944 |
LG Falarium is an earth strip located about 2 miles from
Fabrica and situated very close to LG Fabrica |
63 |
9 July 1944 |
LG Crete by road |
|
12 August 1944 |
LG Crete to LG Rosignano detached for four days (16 August
1944) to cover the Landing on Southern France |
64 |
28 August 1944 |
From LG Crete to LG Iesi situated about one mile east of the
village of Iesi |
65 |
18 Nov 1944 |
Fano |
66 |
25 Feb 1945 |
Cervia |
67 |
19 May 1945 |
Lavariano |
68 |
1 March 1946 |
Tissano |
69 |
4 May 1946 |
Lavariano |
70 |
23 Sept 1946 |
Treviso |
|
|
detachment to Lavariano 11 Nov to 18 Nov 1946 |
71 |
31 Dec 1946 |
Disbanded at Treviso |