263 Squadron Gladiators, Norway, May 1940
 

263 Squadron 27 May 1940
This unit was based out of Bardufoss and flying Gloster Gladiators in the latter part of the Norway campaign.

Can anyone tell me exactly what they were doing on 27 May 1940 ? And what and who the losses were?

Regards
Peter.

Re: 263 Squadron Gladiators, Norway, May 1940
 

From my research into 263 Sqn ops over Norway.

27th May
At 0800hrs on the 27th a mixed formation of Ju87s and Bf110s bombed Bodo's airfield and adjacent town. Flt Lt Hull and Lt Lydekker took off and chased after the intruders, they soon caught them up and claimed one Ju87 each. Hulls victim fell into the sea and the crew were rescued by German troops. However the escorting Bf110s turned on them and both Gladiators were severely hit. Hull was hit in the head and knee and barley conscious he made a forced landing in the hills surrounding Bodo. He was rescued and evacuated to the UK two days later. Lt Helmut Lent of 1/ZG76 claimed a Gladiator destroyed at 0820hrs over Bodo. Lydekker was also wounded in the neck and unable to land back at Bodo, because of the prowling Bf110s, he flew the one hundred miles to Bardufoss were he crash landed, wrecking his Gladiator in the process.

Of his combat with the Ju87, Lt Lydekker wrote:
‘At 0800 two aircraft were at readiness on aerodrome Bodo when air raid warning was received, and town and W/T station was dive bombed. F/Lt Hull’s aircraft failed to start and I took off to engage enemy. 5,500ft was reached and beam attack made on 3rd e/a of leading section. E/a were in 4 sections of 3 a/c. Target e/a turned away losing height and remainder attacked me simultaneously. Evasive tactics were employed firing when opportunity presented itself. The chase led all e/a south of Bodo across the fjord and one by one e/a turned and headed south. Last three e/a were evaded south of Bodo. These patrolled over Bodo and as F/Lt Hull had not taken off I returned to Bardufoss.’

Meanwhile at Bardufoss Sgt Milligan took off at 0900hrs to patrol around the Narvik area. He wasn't airborne long when he came across two Heinkels at 6000ft just south of Narvik. He then spotted a third bomber and attacked this one. The bomber was seen flying low down a valley with smoke pouring from both engines. It was later reported to have crashed in the surrounding hills.

Sgt Milligan:‘I was ordered to patrol Salanger at 0800 hours on the 27th May. As I was climbing into my cockpit the air raid alarm was given. I took off immediately and guided by AA fire I saw two Heinkels over the base. I made a close quarter attack on the left hand machine from slightly below and then followed through and made an attack on the second machine. I closed in to approximately 200 yards and saw my incendiary hitting his fuselage. As I was finishing my attack a burst of canon fire passed to my starboard side. I made quick evasive tactics and turned to see a third E/A slightly behind and turned to attack him. I pressed in four attacks, three short bursts and one long one of firing. After the third burst white smoke came from the starboard engine, it developed into black smoke and the machine lost height rapidly into a valley covered in low cloud. This machine did not emerge again and I presume it to be crashed.’

Alex

Re: 263 Squadron Gladiators, Norway, May 1940
 

Alex

Thanks for the comprehensive reply, just what I was after. I believe a number of LAC's were lost on this day, would they have been ground crew or aircrew?

I was asked about the action of 27 May by a contact on another forum, with your permission I'll pass on this info, giving due credit of course.

Regards
Peter.

Re: 263 Squadron Gladiators, Norway, May 1940
 

Hi Peter
The LAC's would probably have been groundcrew. Both 46 and 263 Sqns flew single seat fighters and therefore had no position where LAC would have been an appropriate rank ie W/op or A/g. Also in the theatre there is mention of Blenheims and these could,at the time , have had Airmen Aircrew although later in 1940 the RAF decreed that the minimum Aircrew rank would be Sgt.
Regards
Dick

Re: 263 Squadron Gladiators, Norway, May 1940
 

Hi Peter,

The LACs would have been ground crew as 263 was a single seat fighter squadron.

Bardufoss was bombed on 26th but I don't have anything for the 27th. 46 Squadron's Hurricanes were also at Bardufoss on 27th. Do you know which unit the LACs were from?

Alex

Re: 263 Squadron Gladiators, Norway, May 1940
 

Dick and Alex

Many thanks for the replies.

Alex, sorry I have no idea to which unit the LAC's were from. If I find out I'll be back to ask you.

You have both been a great help on this, Norway is not my area of research, glad I asked.

Best regards

Peter.

Re: 263 Squadron Gladiators, Norway, May 1940
 

Alex

John Larder (rafcommands) has passed on the following info regarding the LAC's killed on 27 May 1940

"LACs Squire Hurley (522985) and Rhys Penry Jones (545400) of 263 Sq. killed in an air raid on Bardufoss".

Regards
Peter