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.

[Stig Jarlevik]

Thanks Col

Does this mean they placed a detachment straight away at Benson?

As far as I know they sent their detachment initially to Gibraltar and stayed there until the NA invasion was completed. No date of course either when going in (or out...), but at least one source states they went down there only a few days after being formed.

Cheers
Stig

[Col Bruggy]

Stig,

No.1 PRU had aircraft at Leuchars prior to 19 October, 1942, as the following loss attests:

17 October 1942
No.1 PRU. Leuchars
Mosquito I W4058

Took off 0930 on operations sortie No.641 to mid Norway and Oslo but failed to return.

44660 F/O D Higson +
132171 Sgt J.D.Hayes +

Both buried Oslo Western Civil Cemetery.

To explain:

18 October 1942 - No.1 PRU

No.1 PRU ceased to exist after 18 October 1942 and the following aircraft were transferred to Squadrons from No.1 PRU:

Mosquito I W4051
Mosquito I W4054
Mosquito I W4058*
Mosquito I W4059
Mosquito I W4061
Mosquito II DD615
Mosquito II DD659
Mosquito IV DK284
Mosquito IV DK311
Mosquito IV DK314
Mosquito IV DK315
Mosquito IV DK320

* This aircraft was reported as missing on the previous day, 17 October 1942.

Same ref. pp.51-3

Col.

[Stig Jarlevik]

Sorry Col

You get me wrong. It's not the formation date or former identities of 540 Sq I am after. I have all such details already. You have already confirmed that HQ 540 Sq and A-flight was at Leuchars, which is what all my sources also state.

What I want to know is the exact date (if possible) they put their detachment (B-flight) at Benson.

From your initial post I interpreted your answer that the book you quote from basically said "straight away", that is they started up at both Leuchars and Benson on 19 Oct 1942. That is not what my sources state, since it seems B-flight went to Gibraltar also basically straight away and while it may have strayed at Benson for a couple of days, my interpretation is that they came back sometime in the spring of 1943.

That is where I stand with regard to their arrival at Benson. Udf have given me dates in May, but I am not sure if that is also their arrival month.

Cheers
Stig

[Col Bruggy]

Hello,

John D R Rawlings in his, Coastal, Support and Special Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft (Jane's,1982, p.231, states:

No.540 Squadron.

Within a few days of forming it sent a detachment to Gibraltar to provide coverage for the North African landings, and this detachment also flew bomb-damage assessment sorties over Italy whilst there.

I suggest you contact the AHB if you need anything more precise.

Col.