608 SQUADRON - Blackburn Botha I | June 1940 Anson I
History | Operations and losses | Sources | Links | Books | Questions and/or remarks
On 20 March 1939 No. 608 Squadron was re-designated as a general reconnaissance unit equipped with Ansons. It became one of the few squadrons to fly the Blackburn Botha which it flew alongside Anson from October 1939 to November 1940, when the type was relegated to a training role.
Blenheim IVs arrived early in 1941 but were soon replaced by Hudsons, moving to Scotland in January 1942 and then to North Africa in October, where it flew anti submarine patrols over the Mediterranean. It moved to Sicily in September 1943 and then onto Italy in October, were it disbanded on 31 July 1944
It reformed in No 8 (Pathfinder) Group the following day as a Mosquito squadron at Downham Market. It formed part of 8 Group's Light Night Striking Force. It continued in this role until disbanding on 28 August 1944.
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Operations and losses 10/05/1940 - 30/06/1940
Not all operations listed; those with fatal losses are.
06/06/1940: air raid, UK. 1 DOW
10/06/1940: accident, UK. 1 KIA
16/06/1940: ?, UK. 1 plane lost, 1 DOW, 3 WIA
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06/06/1940: air raid
Aircraftman 2nd Class Frederick W. Nutter, RAFVR 986799, [608 Sqdn.], age 18, 06/06/1940, Burnley Cemetery, UK
Died as the result of wounds received during air raid.
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10/06/1940: accident, UK
Corporal John Wilson, RAF (AAF) 807066, 608 Sqdn., age unknown, 10/06/1940, Billingham (St. Cuthbert) Churchyard, UK
Accidentally struck by a propeller blade during the blackout.
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16/06/1940: ?, UK
Type: Avro Anson I
Serial number: N5067, UL-L
Operation: ?
Lost: 16/06/1940
P/O Duncan. Injured
Sergeant (Pilot) Leslie B. Walpole, RAFVR 745085, 608 Sqdn., age 22, 19/06/1940, Castle Bromwich (SS. Mary and Margaret) Churchyard, UK
?- Sgt O Shepherd RAF, injured.
? - AC George E Lumley RAF, injured.
In bad visibility, the aircraft hit high-tension cables and crashed near Brotten. Sgt Walpole died of wounds.
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Sources
Air of Authority - 608 Squadron
Aircraft crashes on and around the North Yorkshire Moors
Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph Database
Bail-outs for 1940
BBC WW2 People's War - 608 Squadron (1)
BBC WW2 People's War - 608 Squadron (2)
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
RAF - Campaign Diary - The Battle of France (May-June 1940)
RAF Museum: British Military Aviation in 1940
RAF Order of Battle, France, 10th May 1940
Royal Air Force History Section
The Royal Air Force, 1939-1945
The Second World War - a day by day account
The War in France and Flanders, 1939-1940, by Major L.F. Ellis, 1954
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Books
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Links
Air Aces
Airwar over Denmark
Allied World War II Casualties in the Netherlands
Armée de l'Air - Order of Battle,
10th May 1940
Australian Wargraves
Axis History Factbook
Battle-of-Britain.com
De Belgen in Engeland 1940-1945 (in Dutch)
Belgian Aviation History Association Archaeological Team
British Aircraft Directory
British Aviation Archaeological Council - Books and research links
HMS Cavalier
Ciel de Gloire (in French)
RAF Squadrons
CWGC Cemeteries Germany
CWGC Cemeteries Netherlands
Czechoslovak airmen in
the RAF 1940-1945
Danish WW2 Pilots
Dutch Pilots in RAF Squadrons
Eagles Squadrons (American pilots in the RAF)
Håkans aviation page (from Sweden, in English)
'High flight', poem by John Gillespie Magee
An Irish Airman Foresees His Death, poem by W.B. Yeats
Jagdgeschwader 27 (in German)
Luchtoorlog ('Arial War', in Dutch, with many photos)
Land Forces of Britain, the Empire and Commonwealth
The Luftwaffe, 1933-1945
Luftwaffe and Allied Air Forces Discussion Forum
The National Ex-Prisoners of War Association
Naval History.net
Nordic Aviation during WW2
Pilotfriend.com: aircraft of WW2
Polish Air Force 1940-1947 Operations Record Books
RAF Battle of Britain
RAF Upwood
De Slag om de Grebbeberg (Dutch)
Warbird Alley
War over Holland
World War II Aircraft wrecksites in Norway
www.bomber-command.de
Bills-Bunker.de
The Lancastershire Aircraft Investigation Team
North East Diary 1939-1945
Wartime Leicester and
Leicestershire
The Aerodrome -
Aces and Aircraft of World War 1
WW1 Cemeteries
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This page is dedicated to the men of 608 Squadron.
© Bart FM Droog / Rottend Staal Online 2008. Permission granted for use of the data gathered here for non commercial purposes, if this source is mentioned with a link to http://www.epibreren.com/ww2/raf/index.html
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