No. 38 Squadron RAF
Encyclopedia
No. 38 Squadron of the Royal Air Force
was a bomber (and later maritime reconnaissance) squadron formed in 1916 and was disbanded for the last time in 1967.
was originally formed at Thetford
in early 1916 and shortly after was re-designated as No.25 (Reserve) training squadron. A new No.38 Squadron was formed at Castle Bromwich
in July 1916. It was designated as a Home Defence unit for the West Midlands and equipped with B.E.2c aircraft. In September 1916 the squadron was re-equipped with F.E.2b aircraft and the HQ moved to Melton Mowbray
. Operations were undertaken from Stamford
, Buckminster
and Leadenham
involving pilot instruction during the day and air defence against possible attacks from Zeppelins by night. For several months in 1916 the squadron was commanded by Captain A. T. Harris, later to become Air Chief Marshal
Arthur Harris
, C-in-C, RAF Bomber Command and Marshal of the Royal Air Force.
In May 1918 the squadron with its F.E.2b aircraft was designated as a night bomber squadron and transferred to Dunkirk. In its first raid on 13 June 1918 ten of the squadron's aircraft targeted Ostend
docks. Over five months of operations the squadron flew 1,591 hours' made 47 raids, dropping nearly 50 tons of bombs mainly on the German canals, railways, dumps and airfields in Belgium
. After returning to England without its aircraft, 38 squadron was disbanded at RAF Hawkinge
on 4 July 1919 .
as a night bomber squadron and was equipped with the Handley Page Heyford
. It became one of the first RAF squadrons to re-equip with a monoplane bomber, the Fairey Hendon
in November 1936.
In 1937 the squadron moved to RAF Marham
and in December 1938 received the first of the new Vickers Wellington
bombers. It was declared operational on the outbreak of war as a bomber squadron under number 3 group. 38 squadron was one of the few RAF squadrons to use the Wellington from the beginning to the end of the Second World War.
and 149
Squadrons made a daylight raid against German warships in the Heligoland
area. Although the operation had minimal effect on enemy shipping an enemy fighter was destroyed by rear gunner LAC J Copley who was subsequently awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal
.
The 11th May 1940 the squadron began operations in support of the British Expeditionary Force
(BEF) . On the 30 May 1940 seventeen Wellington Bombers from RAF Marham took off to provide close ground support to the BEF as they withdrew from the beaches of Dunkirk. Aircraft R 3162 from 38 squadron was shot down near the town of Veurve in Belgium
and the 6-man crew were killed. The co-pilot, Flying Officer
Vivian Rosewarne was reported missing, believed killed on May 31, 1940 His station commander, Group Captain
Claude H. Keith, found a letter among the missing airman's personal possessions. It had been left open, so that it could be passed by the censor
. Group Captain Keith was so moved by the letter that, with the mother's permission, it was anonymously published in The Times
on June 18, 1940. It was subsequently published in a small book (An Airman's Letter to His Mother
) and reprinted three times. By the end of the year over 500,000 copies had been sold. King George VI wrote personally to the mother. Suggestions that the letter was fictitious and propaganda eventually led to the identification of Flying Officer Rosewarne and his death notice was eventually published on 23 December 1940. In 1941 Michael Powell
released a short documentary
style British propaganda
film of the letter featuring the voice of John Gielgud
.
From May 1940 onwards No.38 Squadron continued regular night raids on the Channel ports and the Ruhr
and occasionally the squadron flew farther into Germany
, reaching as far as Berlin
later in the year.
On one raid Squadron Leader
Eric Foster, was shot down over the Black Forest
on 14/15 June 1940. He escaped German captivity, including in the notorious Spangenberg Castle and Stalag Luft III
, seven times, working on several escape tunnels. He was eventually repatriated to the UK by feigning insanity
, an act which he felt ashamed about for the rest of his life. On return to the UK he was refused permission to resume flying duties, but went on to be adjutant
of RAF Innsworth
.
to form a night bomber wing and engage in regular attacks on Italian ports along the North African coast in order to hamper the movement of supplies to the Italian forces in the Western Desert. Further raids took place the Greek islands and Yugoslavia
after Germany
invaded Greece
In January 1942 the squadron became part of No. 201 group engaged in anti-shipping duties and carried out night torpedo
attacks on enemy shipping in the Mediterranean from March to October 1942.
The twin-engined Wellington bomber was still the mainstay of the Middle East
night-bomber force. Althoughs slow, unwieldy, and fabric-covered and too vulnerable a target by day, it possessed the necessary long range for night operations.
Radar-equipped Wellingtons popularly known as ‘Snoopingtons’ patrolled the shipping lanes throughout the night and using flares to illuminate enemy convoys and directing the strike-Wellingtons, or ‘Torpingtons’ who attacked at sea level. The torpedo had to be released at approximately seventy feet above sea level, and on dark nights pilots sometimes flew into the sea. It was May 1942 when the first successful torpedo attacks were made on a convoy
, resulting in two hits and one ship beached.
Following the end of Axis
resistance in North Africa the squadron focussed on attacking enemy ships and mining along the coasts of Italy
and the Balkans
.
From January 1943 – December 1944 the squadron was engaged in mine
laying, reconnaissance
duties and anti-submarine patrols with de-tachments in Malta
, along the Western Desert
and in Palestine
. No.38 squadron was equipped with Wellington Mk VIIs with ASV radar
(these aircraft became known as 'Goofingtons') and flew hunter/killer teams; the first success in this role occurred on 26 August, when a tanker was found, torpedoed and sunk.
At the end of 1944 it moved to Greece
in a support role for Air operations during the Greek Civil War
and then on to southern Italy
as part of No. 334 Wing. At first it was used to drop supplies to the Yugoslav Partisans, but in January 1945 the squadron converted to the Wellington XIV and returned to anti-shipping duties, attacking Axis shipping off the coast of northern Italy
from then until the end of the war.
on 23 August for maritime reconnaissance and air sea rescue duties. No. 38 then converted to the Avro Lancaster
in 1946 and moved to Palestine
for eighteen months where they were involved in many long-range patrols over the Mediterranean in support of Royal Navy operations to suppress illegal Jewish immigration
to Palestine
before returning to Malta
. Bill Brooks
, founder of Christie's
auction house was a pilot in 38 squadron and on May 11, 1947 he was the captain of one of four Lancasters which took 70 suspected Jewish terrorists from Palestine
to Nairobi
. He was told by his station commander that all log book entries should record "trooping" as the purpose of the trip; his secret orders stated: "Destroy after reading".
The squadron continued with reconnaissance and air sea rescue duties, was re-equipped with the Avro Shackleton
in 1954 and was based in Malta
until 1967. During this time it sent detachments to participate in the Beira
patrols during the period of Rhodesian UDI
and to the Persian Gulf
for an air blockade following the failure of negotiations with regard to the presence of a Saudi Arabian party at Hamasa. No.38 Squadron was disbanded at Hal Far
, Malta on 31 March 1967.
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
was a bomber (and later maritime reconnaissance) squadron formed in 1916 and was disbanded for the last time in 1967.
World War I
No.38 Squadron Royal Flying CorpsRoyal Flying Corps
The Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery co-operation and photographic reconnaissance...
was originally formed at Thetford
Thetford
Thetford is a market town and civil parish in the Breckland district of Norfolk, England. It is on the A11 road between Norwich and London, just south of Thetford Forest. The civil parish, covering an area of , has a population of 21,588.-History:...
in early 1916 and shortly after was re-designated as No.25 (Reserve) training squadron. A new No.38 Squadron was formed at Castle Bromwich
Castle Bromwich
Castle Bromwich is a suburb situated within the northern part of the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull in the English county of West Midlands. It is bordered by the rest of the borough to the south east, North Warwickshire to the east and north east; also Shard End to the south west, Castle Vale,...
in July 1916. It was designated as a Home Defence unit for the West Midlands and equipped with B.E.2c aircraft. In September 1916 the squadron was re-equipped with F.E.2b aircraft and the HQ moved to Melton Mowbray
Melton Mowbray
Melton Mowbray is a town in the Melton borough of Leicestershire, England. It is to the northeast of Leicester, and southeast of Nottingham...
. Operations were undertaken from Stamford
Stamford
-Places:In the United Kingdom:*Stamford, Lincolnshire, a town in England*Stamford Hill, London*Stamford Bridge, East Riding of Yorkshire**Battle of Stamford Bridge*Stamford Bridge , the home ground for Chelsea Football Club...
, Buckminster
Buckminster
Buckminster is a village and civil parish within the Melton district of Leicestershire, England. It is on the B676 road, between Melton Mowbray and the A1....
and Leadenham
Leadenham
Leadenham is a village in North Kesteven, Lincolnshire, bypassed to the south in 1995 by the A17. It is on the A607 between Welbourn and Fulbeck, on the beginnings of the Lincoln Cliff.-The Village:...
involving pilot instruction during the day and air defence against possible attacks from Zeppelins by night. For several months in 1916 the squadron was commanded by Captain A. T. Harris, later to become Air Chief Marshal
Air Chief Marshal
Air chief marshal is a senior 4-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
Arthur Harris
Arthur Harris
Arthur Harris may refer to:*Sir Arthur Harris , High Sheriff of Essex, England*Sir Arthur Harris, 1st Baronet , known as "Bomber Harris" or "Butcher Harris" , head of RAF Bomber Command during World War II*J. Arthur Harris Arthur Harris may refer to:*Sir Arthur Harris (High Sheriff of Essex)...
, C-in-C, RAF Bomber Command and Marshal of the Royal Air Force.
In May 1918 the squadron with its F.E.2b aircraft was designated as a night bomber squadron and transferred to Dunkirk. In its first raid on 13 June 1918 ten of the squadron's aircraft targeted Ostend
Ostend
Ostend is a Belgian city and municipality located in the Flemish province of West Flanders. It comprises the boroughs of Mariakerke , Stene and Zandvoorde, and the city of Ostend proper – the largest on the Belgian coast....
docks. Over five months of operations the squadron flew 1,591 hours' made 47 raids, dropping nearly 50 tons of bombs mainly on the German canals, railways, dumps and airfields in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
. After returning to England without its aircraft, 38 squadron was disbanded at RAF Hawkinge
RAF Hawkinge
RAF Hawkinge was an airfield in Kent, near to the south coast and the closest airfield to the French coast.It took part in the Battle of Britain and it was home to No. 79 Squadron RAF. After the war, the station hosted the Home Command Gliding Centre, and is fondly remembered by many Air Cadets as...
on 4 July 1919 .
Reformation
In September 1935 the squadron reformed at RAF MildenhallRAF Mildenhall
RAF Mildenhall is a Royal Air Force station located at Mildenhall in Suffolk, England. Despite its status as an RAF station, it primarily supports United States Air Force operations and is currently the home of the 100th Air Refueling Wing...
as a night bomber squadron and was equipped with the Handley Page Heyford
Handley Page Heyford
The Handley Page Heyford was a twin-engine British biplane bomber of the 1930s. Although it had a short service life, it equipped several squadrons of the RAF as one of the most important British bombers of the mid-1930s, and was the last biplane heavy bomber to serve with the RAF.-Design and...
. It became one of the first RAF squadrons to re-equip with a monoplane bomber, the Fairey Hendon
Fairey Hendon
|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Crosby, Francis. The World Encyclopedia of Fighters and Bombers. London: Lorenz Books ISBN 0-75481-616-8* Gallop, Alan. Time Flies: Heathrow At 60. Stroud: Sutton Publishing, 2005. ISBN 0-7509-3840-4...
in November 1936.
In 1937 the squadron moved to RAF Marham
RAF Marham
Royal Air Force Station Marham, more commonly known as RAF Marham, is a Royal Air Force station; a military airbase, near the village of Marham in the English county of Norfolk, East Anglia....
and in December 1938 received the first of the new Vickers Wellington
Vickers Wellington
The Vickers Wellington was a British twin-engine, long range medium bomber designed in the mid-1930s at Brooklands in Weybridge, Surrey, by Vickers-Armstrongs' Chief Designer, R. K. Pierson. It was widely used as a night bomber in the early years of the Second World War, before being displaced as a...
bombers. It was declared operational on the outbreak of war as a bomber squadron under number 3 group. 38 squadron was one of the few RAF squadrons to use the Wellington from the beginning to the end of the Second World War.
Home service
The squadron had a quiet start to the war, flying sorties over the North Sea. It flew its first bombing mission on 3 December 1939, when three of its Wellingtons with aircraft from Nos. 115No. 115 Squadron RAF
No. 115 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force squadron during World War I. It was then equipped with Handley Page O/400 heavy bombers. During World War II the squadron served as a bomber squadron and after the war it flew in a similar role till 1958, when it was engaged as a radio calibration unit...
and 149
No. 149 Squadron RAF
No. 149 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force Squadron between 1918 and 1956. Formed 1918 in the Royal Flying Corps as a night-bomber unit, it remained in that role for the rest of its existence which spanned three periods between 1918 and 1956.-World War I:...
Squadrons made a daylight raid against German warships in the Heligoland
Heligoland
Heligoland is a small German archipelago in the North Sea.Formerly Danish and British possessions, the islands are located in the Heligoland Bight in the south-eastern corner of the North Sea...
area. Although the operation had minimal effect on enemy shipping an enemy fighter was destroyed by rear gunner LAC J Copley who was subsequently awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal
Distinguished Flying Medal
The Distinguished Flying Medal was a military decoration awarded to personnel of the Royal Air Force and the other services, and formerly also to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active...
.
The 11th May 1940 the squadron began operations in support of the British Expeditionary Force
British Expeditionary Force (World War II)
The British Expeditionary Force was the British force in Europe from 1939–1940 during the Second World War. Commanded by General Lord Gort, the BEF constituted one-tenth of the defending Allied force....
(BEF) . On the 30 May 1940 seventeen Wellington Bombers from RAF Marham took off to provide close ground support to the BEF as they withdrew from the beaches of Dunkirk. Aircraft R 3162 from 38 squadron was shot down near the town of Veurve in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
and the 6-man crew were killed. The co-pilot, Flying Officer
Flying Officer
Flying officer is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence...
Vivian Rosewarne was reported missing, believed killed on May 31, 1940 His station commander, Group Captain
Group Captain
Group captain is a senior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks above wing commander and immediately below air commodore...
Claude H. Keith, found a letter among the missing airman's personal possessions. It had been left open, so that it could be passed by the censor
Censor
Censor may refer to:*Censorship, the control of speech and other forms of human expression*Roman censor, a magistrate for maintaining the census, supervising public morality, etc*Cato Censor , Roman statesman...
. Group Captain Keith was so moved by the letter that, with the mother's permission, it was anonymously published in The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
on June 18, 1940. It was subsequently published in a small book (An Airman's Letter to His Mother
An Airman's Letter to His Mother
An Airman's Letter to His Mother is a documentary-style British propaganda short based on an actual letter from a British bomber pilot to his mother published in The Times in June 1940, which subsequently was published as a pamphlet and received wide distribution in the U.K.-Plot:A Royal Air Force...
) and reprinted three times. By the end of the year over 500,000 copies had been sold. King George VI wrote personally to the mother. Suggestions that the letter was fictitious and propaganda eventually led to the identification of Flying Officer Rosewarne and his death notice was eventually published on 23 December 1940. In 1941 Michael Powell
Michael Powell (director)
Michael Latham Powell was a renowned English film director, celebrated for his partnership with Emeric Pressburger...
released a short documentary
Documentary
A documentary is a creative work of non-fiction, including:* Documentary film, including television* Radio documentary* Documentary photographyRelated terms include:...
style British propaganda
Propaganda
Propaganda is a form of communication that is aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position so as to benefit oneself or one's group....
film of the letter featuring the voice of John Gielgud
John Gielgud
Sir Arthur John Gielgud, OM, CH was an English actor, director, and producer. A descendant of the renowned Terry acting family, he achieved early international acclaim for his youthful, emotionally expressive Hamlet which broke box office records on Broadway in 1937...
.
From May 1940 onwards No.38 Squadron continued regular night raids on the Channel ports and the Ruhr
Ruhr
The Ruhr is a medium-size river in western Germany , a right tributary of the Rhine.-Description:The source of the Ruhr is near the town of Winterberg in the mountainous Sauerland region, at an elevation of approximately 2,200 feet...
and occasionally the squadron flew farther into Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, reaching as far as Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
later in the year.
On one raid Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure. In these...
Eric Foster, was shot down over the Black Forest
Black Forest
The Black Forest is a wooded mountain range in Baden-Württemberg, southwestern Germany. It is bordered by the Rhine valley to the west and south. The highest peak is the Feldberg with an elevation of 1,493 metres ....
on 14/15 June 1940. He escaped German captivity, including in the notorious Spangenberg Castle and Stalag Luft III
Stalag Luft III
Stalag Luft III was a Luftwaffe-run prisoner-of-war camp during World War II that housed captured air force servicemen. It was in the German Province of Lower Silesia near the town of Sagan , southeast of Berlin...
, seven times, working on several escape tunnels. He was eventually repatriated to the UK by feigning insanity
Insanity
Insanity, craziness or madness is a spectrum of behaviors characterized by certain abnormal mental or behavioral patterns. Insanity may manifest as violations of societal norms, including becoming a danger to themselves and others, though not all such acts are considered insanity...
, an act which he felt ashamed about for the rest of his life. On return to the UK he was refused permission to resume flying duties, but went on to be adjutant
Adjutant
Adjutant is a military rank or appointment. In some armies, including most English-speaking ones, it is an officer who assists a more senior officer, while in other armies, especially Francophone ones, it is an NCO , normally corresponding roughly to a Staff Sergeant or Warrant Officer.An Adjutant...
of RAF Innsworth
RAF Innsworth
Imjin Barracks in Gloucestershire became the home of the Headquarters Allied Rapid Reaction Corps in 2010.The Barracks were named after the Battle of Imjin because of the connection with the Gloucestershire Regiment which formed part of the United Nations contingent in the Korean War, and was...
.
Meditteranean theatre
In November No.38 was withdrawn from operations and despatched to Fayid, EgyptEgypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
to form a night bomber wing and engage in regular attacks on Italian ports along the North African coast in order to hamper the movement of supplies to the Italian forces in the Western Desert. Further raids took place the Greek islands and Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
after Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
invaded Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
In January 1942 the squadron became part of No. 201 group engaged in anti-shipping duties and carried out night torpedo
Torpedo
The modern torpedo is a self-propelled missile weapon with an explosive warhead, launched above or below the water surface, propelled underwater towards a target, and designed to detonate either on contact with it or in proximity to it.The term torpedo was originally employed for...
attacks on enemy shipping in the Mediterranean from March to October 1942.
The twin-engined Wellington bomber was still the mainstay of the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
night-bomber force. Althoughs slow, unwieldy, and fabric-covered and too vulnerable a target by day, it possessed the necessary long range for night operations.
Radar-equipped Wellingtons popularly known as ‘Snoopingtons’ patrolled the shipping lanes throughout the night and using flares to illuminate enemy convoys and directing the strike-Wellingtons, or ‘Torpingtons’ who attacked at sea level. The torpedo had to be released at approximately seventy feet above sea level, and on dark nights pilots sometimes flew into the sea. It was May 1942 when the first successful torpedo attacks were made on a convoy
Convoy
A convoy is a group of vehicles, typically motor vehicles or ships, traveling together for mutual support and protection. Often, a convoy is organized with armed defensive support, though it may also be used in a non-military sense, for example when driving through remote areas.-Age of Sail:Naval...
, resulting in two hits and one ship beached.
Following the end of Axis
Axis Powers
The Axis powers , also known as the Axis alliance, Axis nations, Axis countries, or just the Axis, was an alignment of great powers during the mid-20th century that fought World War II against the Allies. It began in 1936 with treaties of friendship between Germany and Italy and between Germany and...
resistance in North Africa the squadron focussed on attacking enemy ships and mining along the coasts of Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and the Balkans
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
.
From January 1943 – December 1944 the squadron was engaged in mine
Land mine
A land mine is usually a weight-triggered explosive device which is intended to damage a target—either human or inanimate—by means of a blast and/or fragment impact....
laying, reconnaissance
Reconnaissance
Reconnaissance is the military term for exploring beyond the area occupied by friendly forces to gain information about enemy forces or features of the environment....
duties and anti-submarine patrols with de-tachments in Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
, along the Western Desert
Western Desert
Western Desert may refer to:* Libyan Desert, located in the northern and eastern part of the Sahara Desert. It occupies Egypt west of the Nile , eastern Libya and northwestern Sudan alongside the Nubian Desert.* Western Desert cultural bloc or just Western Desert is a cultural region in...
and in Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
. No.38 squadron was equipped with Wellington Mk VIIs with ASV radar
Radar
Radar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
(these aircraft became known as 'Goofingtons') and flew hunter/killer teams; the first success in this role occurred on 26 August, when a tanker was found, torpedoed and sunk.
At the end of 1944 it moved to Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
in a support role for Air operations during the Greek Civil War
Air operations during the Greek Civil War
Air operations during the Greek Civil War involved primarily the air forces of the United Kingdom, South Africa, and the government of Greece against ground elements of the ELAS and other anti-government forces.- Arrival of the Royal Air Force :...
and then on to southern Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
as part of No. 334 Wing. At first it was used to drop supplies to the Yugoslav Partisans, but in January 1945 the squadron converted to the Wellington XIV and returned to anti-shipping duties, attacking Axis shipping off the coast of northern Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
from then until the end of the war.
Post WWII
In July 1945 No. 38 moved to Malta and became operational with Vickers WarwickVickers Warwick
The Vickers Warwick was a multi-purpose British aircraft used during the Second World War. Built by Vickers-Armstrongs at Brooklands, Surrey, the Warwick was used by the Royal Air Force as a transport, air-sea rescue and maritime reconnaissance platform, and by the civilian British Overseas...
on 23 August for maritime reconnaissance and air sea rescue duties. No. 38 then converted to the Avro Lancaster
Avro Lancaster
The Avro Lancaster is a British four-engined Second World War heavy bomber made initially by Avro for the Royal Air Force . It first saw active service in 1942, and together with the Handley Page Halifax it was one of the main heavy bombers of the RAF, the RCAF, and squadrons from other...
in 1946 and moved to Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
for eighteen months where they were involved in many long-range patrols over the Mediterranean in support of Royal Navy operations to suppress illegal Jewish immigration
Immigration
Immigration is the act of foreigners passing or coming into a country for the purpose of permanent residence...
to Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
before returning to Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
. Bill Brooks
Bill Brooks
William J. "Bill" Brooks is an American and former baseball and basketball coach who is best known for developing the University of North Carolina at Wilmington athletics program from a junior college to a Division I school. Brooks graduated with an AB from Atlantic Christian College in 1948...
, founder of Christie's
Christie's
Christie's is an art business and a fine arts auction house.- History :The official company literature states that founder James Christie conducted the first sale in London, England, on 5 December 1766, and the earliest auction catalogue the company retains is from December 1766...
auction house was a pilot in 38 squadron and on May 11, 1947 he was the captain of one of four Lancasters which took 70 suspected Jewish terrorists from Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
to Nairobi
Nairobi
Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also forms the Nairobi County. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, which translates to "the place of cool waters". However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun" and is...
. He was told by his station commander that all log book entries should record "trooping" as the purpose of the trip; his secret orders stated: "Destroy after reading".
The squadron continued with reconnaissance and air sea rescue duties, was re-equipped with the Avro Shackleton
Avro Shackleton
The Avro Shackleton was a British long-range maritime patrol aircraft for use by the Royal Air Force. It was developed by Avro from the Avro Lincoln bomber with a new fuselage...
in 1954 and was based in Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
until 1967. During this time it sent detachments to participate in the Beira
Beira, Mozambique
Beira is the second largest city in Mozambique. It lies in the central region of the country in Sofala Province, where the Pungue River meets the Indian Ocean. Beira had a population of 412,588 in 1997, which grew to an estimated 546,000 in 2006...
patrols during the period of Rhodesian UDI
UDI
UDI may refer to:* Unilateral declaration of independence, an assertion of the independence of an aspiring state or states** In particular, the Rhodesian Unilateral Declaration of Independence* Unidad de Inversion, Mexican currency funds unit...
and to the Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
for an air blockade following the failure of negotiations with regard to the presence of a Saudi Arabian party at Hamasa. No.38 Squadron was disbanded at Hal Far
Hal Far
Ħal Far , is one of the main industrial estates in Malta. It is at the southern extreme of Malta, between the localities of Birżebbuġa and Żurrieq....
, Malta on 31 March 1967.
Further reading
- http://www.historyofwar.org/air/units/RAF/38_wwII.html
- http://freespace.virgin.net/paul.hunt3/units/38Sq.html
- http://www.rafweb.org/Sqn036-40.htm