My father (f/sgt H Groombridge) was in 154 squadron and from his RAF logbook I can see 154 squadron arrived in Malta (his log states Ta Kali) on 4th June 1943 and moved to Lentini in Sicily on 20 July 1943 - supporting the allied invasion of Sicily. He flew EN199 (which seems to have arrived in Malta around the beginning of July) on July 6th in Malta - his logbook states -
familiarisation - up to that time he had been flying mark Vc spitfires and this was his first flying experience on a mark IX. According to his log book entries he flew the plane again in Sicily on 27 July 1943 and 6th and 17th August 1943. At that time the plane had the squadron markings HT-U
