540 Squadron RAF June 1943

[alanatabz]

Can anybody confirm, 540 Squadron were based at RAF Leuchars, Fife in June 1943. Also that they only used Mosquito aircraft for Photo. rec.duties?

Does anybody know if they operated from anywhere else in this period?

[Andy Fletcher]

During Jun 43 540 Sqn operated Mosquitos from Leuchars and Benson.

Best Regards

Andy Fletcher

[Stig Jarlevik]

Originally Posted by Andy Fletcher

During Jun 43 540 Sqn operated Mosquitos from Leuchars and Benson.

Best Regards

Andy Fletcher

Andy
Do you have a month (or even a date?) when they detached into Benson?
I have noted down "Spring 1943" which is not the most pin-point date around, is it...

Cheers
Stig

[udf_00]

The Peenemunde Raid: The Night of 17-18 August 1943 (Penguin History)
by Martin Middlebrook
p.40
...The task of photographic reconnaissance was allocated to A Flight of 540 Squadron...
...This small unit had been at Leuchars for several months. Its regular patrol area was Norway, Denmark, the Baltic and the north German coast beyond Rostock; areas further south were covered by 540 Squadron's main base at Benson in Oxfordshire...
p.41
...There were five sorties - on 20 May, 12, 21 23 and 26 June...

[Stig Jarlevik]

Thanks udf

It may have been May 1943, but I am pretty certain that Middlebrook is wrong saying that Benson was the main airfield and Leuchars their detachment base.

All my sources says 540 Sq formed at Leuchars 19 Oct 1942, and used that station as their main base.
It was 541/542/543/544 Sq that formed at Benson on the same date and as such was no doubt pretty overcrowded anyway.

Cheers
Stig

[Col Bruggy]

Hello,

Introduction to 540 Squadron formation on 19 October 1942.

Squadron to be formed from 'H' and 'L' Flights of No. 1 PRU under the command of Squadron Leader M.J.B. Young DFC.
'H' Flight of No.1 PRU becomes ''A' Flight 540 Squadron.
'L' Flight of No.1 PRU becomes 'B' Flight 540 Squadron.

No.1 PRU being disbanded.

The establishment of 540 Squadron to be Mosquito aircraft nine IE and two IRs to be increased at a later date to 18 IE and four IRs. Squadron HQ and 'A' Flight to be stationed at Leuchars and 'B' Flight to be stationed at Benson.

The Squadron is to be administered by No.16 Group and to come under RAF Station Benson. Flight Lieutenant M.D. Hood to be 'B' Flight commanding officer.

See:
RAF Benson A Diary of Wartime Losses.
Ottaway,Reginald H.
Andover:Speedman Press Ltd.,2010.
pp.55-6

Col.

[Andy Fletcher]

Stig,

The Mosquito detachment to Gibraltar departed from Benson on 01 Nov 42.

The detachment consisted of three crews, two pilots and three observers coming from 'B' Flt 540 Sqn and one pilot, the detachment commander, coming from 'A' Flt. The remainder of 'B' Flt continued to operate from Benson.

Best Regards

Andy Fletcher

[Stig Jarlevik]

Thanks again

Sigh, why make history easy? I guess I suspected all the time only a part of the flight went to Gibraltar....

Oh well, who am I to complain....

Cheers
Stig