N° 601 Squadron. 07/06/1940

[Bernard]

Good evening,

In the afternoon of the the 7th of june 1940 a Flight of 601 squadron in
cooperation with N° 1 and N° 43 squadrons patrolled south west of an
Amiens- Abbeville line. Two pilots of this squadron had to force land becaus of ennemy action:
F/O T.E Hubbard and F/O P B Robinson.
It seems that one of these pilots force landed close to Thelma ( Rouen-Boos ) and has been the guest of N° 1 squadron.
Does anyone hold N° 601 ORB and would give me precisions about this
mission ? Rendez vous with N° 1 and N° 43 squadrons was over Thelma
at 17h45.

Thanks in advance.

Bernard Brisset.

[Alex Smart]

Hi Bernard,

601 a/c were Hurricane's P3484 and P3490.
FCL has Hubbard in P3484 and Robinson in P3490 wounded.
Both down near Abbeville.
43 Sqn lost several Hurricane's.

Alex

[Bernard]

Hello Alex,

Thanks for your reply.

I am actually looking for the identity of the N° 601 Sqn pilot ( after having force landed ) who met N° 1 squadron pilots at Rouen-Boos where they were detached on that date.
The ORB of the squadron tells about a Sgt Pilot.

Concerning N° 73 Sqn.
N° 1 and N° 73 squadrons were at first actually part of the Air Component of the B.E.F. There was initially no fighter squadron amongst the A.A.S.F.
But in the end of september 1939, the Battle squadrons began to suffer serious losses ( see N° 88 sqn on the 20th ).
It was then decided to post N° 1 and N° 73 Squadrons to the A.A.S.F. These squadrons moved from Norrent-Fontes where they had been detached, to Vassincourt ( N° 1 ) and Rouvres ( N° 73 ) on the 9th of october 1939 where they were to form the 67th Fighter Wing of the A.A.S.F.
The 67th Wing H.Qs were formed at Hendon on the 6th of november 1939, they moved temporary to Neuville on the 11th where they were the guests of N° 1 squadron before to move to their own location at Bussy-La-Côte on the 28th of november.

Best regards.

Bernard

[Alex Smart]

hello Bernard,

From what I have read and been taught over many years, was not the 67 Fighter Wing as per the rest at this time, a paper exercise only ? As things on the ground were moveing too fast to have a proper formation of Wings in actual practice.Squadrons in the field just got on with the job.
To quote "12 Days in May" page 3
"Although the RAF squadrons were grouped into wings, these were not tactical formations but merely administrative organizations, designed to control two fighter squadrons and to hold essential equipment. The officers in command were not wing leaders ( like those of 1941 and onwards) but were senior officers of wing commander rank who had to deal with the administation of the wing they commanded rather than any tactical or operational activities".

Alex