Blenheims in the Far East

[Alex Smart]

Hello,

Details of those Blenheims that were in the Far East.
Units were (I think) 27 Squadron, 34 Squadron, 60 Squadron, 62 Squadron and 151 and 153 M U's all RAF.

Most were Mk.I's but Mk.IV's were mainly with 34 Squadron.

Serial numbers were in th "L"; "P"; "T";"V" and "Z" ranges.

Details of any used by or taken/captured by the Japanese are welcome.

Thanks
Alex

[edwest]

Hi Alex,


Do you know about this site?

http://www.j-aircraft.org/smf/index.php




Ed

[Alex Smart]

hello Ed,

Thank you for the link, yes I did know of the website but had not visited for a while and can say that I do like the new format.

Thank you.
The thread on the 60 sqdn Blenheim and the Captured Avenger were a bonus.

Alex

[Ex Shack]

Hi Alex
Have you been able to look at "Bloody Shambles" by Shores/Cull/Izawa particularly Vol 1.?
It gives an Order of Battle for 7/12/41 which shows
N Malaya
27 Sqn 12 Blenheim If's at Sunga Patani
62 Sqn 18 Blenheim I's at Alor Star
Central + S Malaya
60 Sqn 8 Blenheim I's at Kuantan(a detachment from the Sqn that was based in Burma)
a unit identified as Y Sqn with 2 Mk I's at Kluang
Singapore
34 Sqn 17 Mk IV's at Tengah
The narrative records the effective loss of almost all of them within a few days from various causes from Combat to Bombing.It is not easy to pick out the Unit-Serial combinations but there is a photo of L6809.MU-X of 60 Sqn a Mk I. Others mentioned in the text are L 1107,1133,1134(seem to be 62 Sqn)L1530,4829 and 4913(no unit i/d), L6669(seems to be 27 Sqn
The rest are Mk IV's confirmed from AB Serials and of 34 Sqn. V5379,5598,5589,5633,5636,5827,5829,5931, Z5796
Hope this doesn't duplicate too much of what you have already
Regards
Dick

[Alex Smart]

Hello Dick,

I have not these three books , they are on my long list of must get.

Thanks for details, yes I see that a similar list is in the now old Fighter /Bomber Squadrons of the RAF.
For comparison.
27 Sqdn = 10 - If's as of 22 Nov 41.
34 Sqdn = 16 - IV's as of 7th December 41
60 Sqdn = 8 - I's as of 7th December 41
60 Sqdn (Burma) = 4 - I's
62 Sqdn = 11 - I's as of 7th December 41
151 MU and 153 MU = Amung the a/c held in reserve by these two units were 15 a/c of both Mk's.
total =53 a/c

All for now,
Alex

[Ex Shack]

Hi Alex
Glad it helps a little. The differences in figures are to be expected. All the books were compiled long after the campaign and the Japanese victory was so quick that it is almost miraculous that any records survived,saving records cannot have been high on the priority list ! Bloody Shambles makes no mention of the reserve in the MUs at all. I would think you might get a look at the books via the inter-library service but I know that they can still be got via Grub Street,the publishers although they are fairly expensive. Book tokens from kids and grandchildren are very handy if you can find a retailer that can get them!!
Regards
Dick

[JaganP]

I have a small interest in this as well - As indian pilots of No.3 Coastal Defence Flight (later 103 Flight) and No.353 Squadron RAF operated the type Blenheim I. Have a few serial numbers as well from the one pilot's logbook. Have to look them up.

[Laurent Rizzotti]

This site lists losses of 113 Sqn:
http://113squadron.com/id21.htm

And this one lists the Indian Air Force losses:
http://www.warbirds.in/Crashes/crpag...W2&datesall=ON

(It seems to me that the latter website also listed RAF losses in India-Burma at one time but I can't find where now).

[Martin Gleeson]

Hallo Alex,

Along with the 'Bloody Shambles' volumes probably the single best source is 'The Bristol Blenheim' (2nd Edition) by Graham Warner. This lists almost all of the Blenheims lost in the Far East from 1939 to 1944 with the serial number given in almost all cases along with some details of the circumstances of the loss and crew names. Indeed since most Blenheims were lost anyway during the first 6 months of the campaign this should meet your requirement.

Also there is an excellent 211 Squadron RAF website by Don Clark. Just Google '211 Squadron' and this website will appear first on the list. Lots of Blenheim information there.

Some years ago I very briefly checked the 151/152/153 MU ORBs in Kew (AIR 29/1054). I only noted that none of the 3 contained any serial numbers !

Hope this helps,

Martin Gleeson.