[Martin Gleeson]

I have been looking at this again and can add the following. However my original question still stands, about finding some proof that 4 of the 18 Hurricanes used by 46 Squadron in Norway were shipped back to the UK and how this was done.

15 of the 18 Hurricanes were flown multiple times in Norway according to the 46 Sqn. F.541. Of the others L1892 was not recorded once. L1798 flew once (May 28th), as did L1814 (May 27th).
'P2652' poses some problems. Four of the Hurricanes were in the N and P-serial range but sometimes both letters are used for the same aircraft, 'P2652' being a case in point.
On May 26th P2652 is shown being flown off HMS 'Glorious'. On May 27th and 28th it is recorded flying five times but always as N2652. It appears only once more, on June 2nd as 'P2652'. I cannot prove it but it is possible this is a typo for P2632 which was also being flown in Norway by 46 Squadron.

However I am more or less certain now that 'P2652' should be N2652.
The Form 78 Aircraft History Card for N2652 shows it with 46 Squadron since 5-4-1940, the next entry is to 4 M.U. with Category B damage on 28-6-1940. Finally to 229 Squadron in September 1940 and lost with them on the 30th of that month.
On the other hand the F.78 for P2652 shows it with various Maintenance Units in 1940 until sent to the Middle East in late July 1940. Specifically it was Taken on Charge by 20 M.U. on 23-5-1940 when it was supposed to have been on board HMS 'Glorious' according to the 46 Sqn. ORB. I have tracked down P2652 in the Middle East serving with 274 Squadron from September to December 1940 at least (from their online ORB). It was finally lost on 14-4-1941 flying with 73 Squadron (F/Lt. JD Smith) in Tobruk (AIR 81/5847). There is much variation in the serial for that loss and I am not going into that maze today !

The other three Hurricane histories can be summarized as follows.
L1798. The F.78 for this aircraft shows there is a gap between it going to 4 M.U.(for repair ?) on 19-3-1940 and to 27 M.U. on 10-7-1940. It was flown by several OTUs in 1940 and 1941.
L1814. The first entry on its F.78 is 46 Sqn. but with no date. Next it goes to 1 C.R.U. on 29-6-1940, later to an OTU, probably flying with them into 1941.
L1892. After 46 Sqn. it too goes to 1 C.R.U. (undated), then to 5 M.U. on 29-7-1940 and 111 Sqn. on 20-8-1940.

Of particular interest here is an entry in the 46 Sqn. F.541 for 26 May 1940 when it records they had two unidentified Hurricanes damaged out of ten attempting to land at a strip near Skanland. These are almost certainly two out of L1798, L1814 and L1892.
If I am correct about the June 2nd entry for 'P2652' being P2632 in reality, then it is clear none of the four Hurricanes flew later than May 28th thus making it easier to accept there was enough time for these four to be shipped back to the UK.
Based on their histories as outlined above it is not in question that they arrived back in the UK but I would like to see some evidence about their shipment back. To 'connect the dots' so to speak.

Hope someone can help.

Regards,

Martin.