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Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation
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No 242 Sqn Personnel, aircraft and locations
Personnel Movements: Oct - Dec 1939
| Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
| Sqn Ldr | F M Gobeil | 1 Nov 1939 | Arrived on posting and assumed command of No 242 Sqn |
| Flt Lt | P R Miller | 3 Nov 1939 | Arrived on posting and assumed command of 'A' Flight |
| Fg Off | J L Sullivan | 3 Nov 1939 | Arrived on posting and assumed command of 'B' Flight |
| Plt Off | J W Graafstra | 5 Nov 1939 | Arrived on posting |
| Plt Off | E D Grassick | 5 Nov 1939 | Arrived on posting |
| Plt Off | L C Chambers | 6 Nov 1939 | Arrived on posting |
| Plt Off | R L Hill | 6 Nov 1939 | Arrived on posting |
| Plt Off | G L MacKnight | 6 Nov 1939 | Arrived on posting |
| Plt Off | J W Mitchell | 6 Nov 1939 | Arrived on posting |
| Plt Off | H L Niccolls | 6 Nov 1939 | Arrived on posting |
| Plt Off | M K Browm | 6 Nov 1939 | Arrived on posting |
| Plt Off | G A Madore | 6 Nov 1939 | Arrived on posting |
| Plt Off | D C MacQueen | 6 Nov 1939 | Arrived on posting |
| Plt Off | R H Weins | 6 Nov 1939 | Arrived on posting |
| Plt Off | D F Jones | 6 Nov 1939 | Arrived on posting |
| Plt Off | J B Smiley | 6 Nov 1939 | Arrived on posting |
| Plt Off | A H Deacons | 6 Nov 1939 | Arrived on posting |
| Plt Off | P D Macdonald | 6 Nov 1939 | Arrived on posting from the Air Ministry for duty as Adjutant |
| Plt Off | R Coe | 7 Nov 1939 | Arrived on posting |
| Plt Off | J B Latta | 16 Nov 1939 | Attached to RAF Locking for Parachute Course |
| Plt Off | J F Howett | 20 Nov 1939 | Arrived on posting and allocated to 'A' Flight |
| Plt Off | T N Waterton | 20 Nov 1939 | Arrived on posting and allocated to 'A' Flight |
| Plt Off | P S Turner | 20 Nov 1939 | Arrived on posting and allocated to 'B' Flight |
| Act Sgt | N G B Summers | 8 Dec 1939 | Air Observer, arrived on posting |
Source - No 242 Sqn ORB (AIR 27/1471)
Organisational Movements: Oct - Dec 1939
| Date | Notes |
| 30 Oct 1939 | Squadron was formed at RAF Church Fenton |
| 11 Nov 1939 | Miles Magister, R1824 collected from No 10 MU, RAF Hullavington |
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| 14 Nov 1939 | A Harvard was collected from No 27 MU, RAF Shawbury |
| 15 Nov 1939 | 2 x Magisters, R1829 and P2441 collected from No 10 MU, RAF Hullavington |
| 16 Nov 1939 | Tiger Moth, N6932 delivered from RAF Usworth |
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| 16 Dec 1939 | 4 x Bristol Blenheim Is, L6789, L6790, L6791 and L6792 collected from No 6 MU, RAF Brize Norton |
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| 27 Dec 1939 | 3 x Bristol Blenheim Is, L1521, L1523 and L1524 collected from No 6 MU, RAF Brize Norton |
| 29 Dec 1939 | Blenheims, L6792, L6789, L6790 and K7122 delivered to No 235 Sqn, RAF Manston |
| 29 Dec 1939 | 3 x Fairey Battles, L5014, L5133 and L5406 delivered for training |
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| 29 Dec 1939 | 1 x Bristol Blenheim I, L1522 was collected from No 6 MU, RAF Brize Norton |
Source - No 242 Sqn ORB (AIR 27/1471)
Personnel Movements: Jan - Dec 1940
| Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
| Flt Lt | P R Miller | 2 Jan 1940 | Attached to RAF Northolt for Air Firing Instructors' Course |
| Plt Off | R Coe | 10 Jan 1940 | Killed in a flying accident |
| Plt Off | A H Deacons | 2 Feb 1940 | Attached to No 11 Group Pool, RAF St Athan for training |
| Plt Off | D F Jones | 2 Feb 1940 | Attached to No 11 Group Pool, RAF St Athan for training |
| Plt Off | J F Howett | 2 Feb 1940 | Attached to No 11 Group Pool, RAF St Athan for training |
| Plt Off | Stansfield | 3 Feb 1940 | Arrived on posting from No 12 Group Pool, RAF Aston Down |
| Plt Off | J Benzie | 3 Feb 1940 | Arrived on posting from No 12 Group Pool, RAF Aston Down |
| Plt Off | H V Massey | 1 Mar 1940 | Attached from RCAF for duty as Assistant Adjutant |
| Plt Off | H L Niccolls | 5 Mar 1940 | Killed in a flying accident |
| Plt Off | A H Deacon | 3 Mar 1940 | Ceased to be attached to No 11 Group Pool, RAF St Athan |
| Plt Off | D F Jones | 3 Mar 1940 | Ceased to be attached to No 11 Group Pool, RAF St Athan |
| Plt Off | J F Howett | 3 Mar 1940 | Ceased to be attached to No 11 Group Pool, RAF St Athan |
| Plt Off | H V Massey | 10 Mar 1940 | Ceased to be attached from RCAF |
| Fg Off | P D Macdonald | 4 Apr 1940 | Proceeded to London to undertake a reconnaissance visit to France |
| Plt Off | Stansfield | 4 Apr 1940 | Proceeded to London to undertake a reconnaissance visit to France |
| Fg Off | P D Macdonald | 8 Apr 1940 | Returned from reconnaissance visit to France |
| Flt Lt | P R Miller | 9 Apr 1940 | Proceeded to France with Advance party |
| Flt Lt | J L Sullivan | 9 Apr 1940 | Proceeded to France with Advance party |
| Plt Off | Stansfield | 17 Apr 1940 | Returned from reconnaissance visit to France |
| Flt Lt | P R Miller | 17 Apr 1940 | Returned with Advance party |
| Flt Lt | J L Sullivan | 17 Apr 1940 | Returned with Advance party |
| Cpl | J M Clavering | 18 Apr 1940 | Killed in an accident |
| Flt Lt | J L Sullivan | 14 May 1940 | Killed in action |
| Plt Off | R H Weins | 18 May 1940 | Wounded in action and admitted to hospital in France |
| Plt Off | M K Brown | 18 May 1940 | Wounded in action and admitted to hospital in France |
| Plt Off | L C Chambers | 18 May 1940 | Failed to return from a sortie and later reported to be a POW |
| Flt Lt | P R Miller | 19 May 1940 | Returned from detachment in France |
| Plt Off | D C MacQueen | 19 May 1940 | Returned from detachment in France |
| Plt Off | A H Deacons | 19 May 1940 | Returned from detachment in France |
| Plt Off | J W Graafstra | 23 May 1940 | Killed in action |
| Plt Off | G A Madore | 23 May 1940 | Killed in action |
| Plt Off | J Benzie | 23 May 1940 | Wounded in action |
| Plt Off | J B Smiley | 23 May 1940 | Failed to return from a sortie and later reported to be a POW |
| Plt Off | R L Hill | 24 May 1940 | Killed in action |
| Plt Off | J W Mitchell | 24 May 1940 | Killed in action |
| Fg Off | G H Plinston | 28 May 1940 | Arrived on posting from No 607 Sqn |
| Plt Off | Stewart | 28 May 1940 | Arrived on posting from No 607 Sqn for duty as Adjutant |
| Plt Off | A H Deacon | 28 May 1940 | Failed to return from a sortie and later reported to be a POW |
| Plt Off | D F Jones | 28 May 1940 | Killed in action |
| Plt Off | G M Stewart | 28 May 1940 | Arrived on posting from No 607 Sqn |
| Fg Off | G H Plinston | 29 May 1940 | Promoted Act Flt Lt and assumed command of 'B' Flight |
| Plt Off | G M Stewart | 31 May 1940 | Killed in action |
| Sqn Ldr | D R S Bader | 24 Jun 1940 | Arrived on posting from No 222 Sqn and assumed command of No 242 Sqn |
| Flt Lt | G M Ball | 24 Jun 1940 | Arrived on posting from No 19 Sqn and assumed command of 'A' Flight |
| Flt Lt | G H Plinston | 30 Jun 1940 | Posted to RAF Sutton Bridge |
| Sub-Lt | R J Cork | 1 Jul 1940 | RN, arrived on posting |
| Sub-Lt | R E Gardner | 1 Jul 1940 | RN, arrived on posting |
| Mid'n | R J Patterson | 1 Jul 1940 | RN, arrived on posting |
| Plt Off | J Benzie | 11 Jul 1940 | Returned from hospital in Torquay |
| Plt Off | M K Brown | 15 Jul 1940 | Returned from hospital |
| Plt Off | N Hart | 18 Jul 1940 | Arrived on posting from the Air Ministry |
| Plt Off | N Hart | 19 Jul 1940 | Attached to No 5 OTU, RAF Aston Down for training |
| Sgt | Lonsdale | 20 Jul 1940 | Arrived on posting from No 46 Sqn |
| Fg Off | G P Christie | 21 Jul 1940 | Arrived on posting from RAF Heston |
| Plt Off | P S Turner | 1 Aug 1940 | Attached to RAF Northolt for Air Firing Instructors' Course |
| Plt Off | Stansfield | 2 Aug 1940 | Attached to RAF St Athan for Navigation Course |
| Plt Off | J Benzie | 2 Aug 1940 | Attached to RAF Weeton for Parachute Course |
| Plt Off | H N Tamblyn | 5 Aug 1940 | Arrived on posting from No 141 Sqn |
| Sgt | Meredith | 9 Aug 1940 | Posted to No 141 Sqn |
| Plt Off | Atkinson | 10 Aug 1940 | Posted to to No 600 Sqn |
| Sgt | Porter | 10 Aug 1940 | Posted to to No 615 Sqn |
| Fg Off | Cave | 11 Aug 1940 | Arrived on posting from No 600 Sqn |
| Plt Off | N Hart | 12 Aug 1940 | Ceased to be attached to No 5 OTU, RAF Aston Down |
| Plt Off | T N Waterton | 16 Aug 1940 | Arrived on posting from Medical Board for non-flying duties |
| Mid'n | R J Patterson | 20 Aug 1940 | Killed in action |
| Plt Off | T N Waterton | 20 Aug 1940 | Posted to No 6 OTU, RAF Sutton Bridge |
| Plt Off | Stansfield | 25 Aug 1940 | Ceased to be attached to RAF St Athan |
| Plt Off | K M Sclanders | 26 Aug 1940 | Arrived on posting from No 6 OTU, RAF Sutton Bridge, allocated to 'B' Flight |
| Fg Off | H V Smith | 1 Sep 1940 | Posted to No 65 Sqn as Intelligence Officer |
| Plt Off | E A Summer | 2 Sep 1940 | Arrived on posting for duty as Intelligence Officer |
| Fg Off | G P Christie | 3 Sep 1940 | Posted to No 66 Sqn for duty as Flight Commander |
| Plt Off | L E Cryderman | 4 Sep 1940 | Arrived on posting from RAF Andover and attached to No 5 OTU, RAF Aston Down |
| Plt Off | J Benzie | 7 Sep 1940 | Killed in action |
| Plt Off | K M Sclanders | 9 Sep 1940 | Killed in action |
| Flt Lt | Powell-Sheddon | 15 Sep 1940 | Admitted to Rye Hospital after baling out |
| Flt Lt | Powell-Sheddon | 20 Sep 1940 | Transferred to RAF Hospital, Rauceby |
| Plt Off | Dibnah | 21 Sep 1940 | Arrived on posting from No 1 Sqn |
| Plt Off | M G Homer | 21 Sep 1940 | Arrived on posting from No 1 Sqn |
| Sgt | J E Savill | 21 Sep 1940 | Arrived on posting from No 151 Sqn |
| Plt Off | L E Cryderman | 25 Sep 1940 | Ceased to be attached to No 5 OTU, RAF Aston Down |
| Plt Off | M G Homer | 27 Sep 1940 | Killed in action |
| Plt Off | Stansfield | 29 Sep 1940 | Posted to No 229 Sqn for duty as Flight Commander |
| Plt Off | N N Campbell | 17 Oct 1940 | Killed in action |
| Plt Off | Wareham | 17 Oct 1940 | Arrived on posting from No 1 Sqn |
| Plt Off | Millard | 17 Oct 1940 | Arrived on posting from No 1 Sqn |
| Plt Off | Savory | 18 Oct 1940 | Arrived on posting from No 85 Sqn |
| Plt Off | Kemp | 18 Oct 1940 | Arrived on posting from No 85 Sqn |
| Plt Off | Robinson | 24 Oct 1940 | Arrived on posting from No 85 Sqn |
| Plt Off | Millard | 3 Nov 1940 | Posted to No 615 Sqn, RAF Northolt |
| Plt Off | Smith | 4 Nov 1940 | Arrived on posting from No 141 Sqn |
| Plt Off | N Hart | 5 Nov 1940 | Killed in action |
| Plt Off | Wareham | 6 Nov 1940 | Posted to No 73 Sqn |
| Sgt | Brimble | 6 Nov 1940 | Posted to No 73 Sqn |
| Plt Off | Dibnah | 6 Nov 1940 | Proceeded on sick leave |
| Fg Off | Lang | 6 Nov 1940 | Arrived on posting from No 5 OTU, RAF Aston Down |
| Sgt | Truman | 7 Nov 1940 | Arrived on posting from No 6 OTU, RAF Sutton Bridge |
| Sqn Ldr | W E Taylor | 7 Nov 1940 | Attached from No 71 (Eagle) Sqn for 14 days training |
| Flt Lt | Powell-Sheddon | 22 Nov 1940 | Posted to No 258 Sqn, RAF Leconfield |
| Plt Off | Edmunds | 22 Nov 1940 | Arrived on posting from No 615 Sqn |
| Fg Off | Price | 28 Nov 1940 | Arrived on posting from No 56 OTU, RAF Sutton Bridge |
| Plt Off | McKenna | 28 Nov 1940 | Arrived on posting from No 56 OTU, RAF Sutton Bridge |
| Plt Off | Arthur | 12 Dec 1940 | Arrived on posting from No 141 Sqn |
| Plt Off | Surma | 17 Dec 1940 | Arrived on posting from No 257 Sqn |
| Plt Off | Szczesny | 17 Dec 1940 | Arrived on posting from No 257 Sqn |
| Plt Off | Dibnah | 30 Dec 1940 | Posted to CFS, RAF Upavon |
| Plt Off | Deschamps | 30 Dec 1940 | Posted to CFS, RAF Upavon |
Source - No 242 Sqn ORB (AIR 27/1471)
Organisational Movements: Jan - Dec 1940
| Date | Notes |
| 10 Jan 1940 | 6 x Hawker Hurricanes collected from RAF St Athan |
| 16 Jan 1940 | 3 x Hurricanes (from 6 collected on 10 Jan) arrived at RAF Church Fenton |
| 17 Jan 1940 | 1 x Hurricane (from 6 collected on 10 Jan) arrived at RAF Church Fenton from RAF Ringway |
| 10 Feb 1940 | Hurricanes, L1595, L1639, L1922 and L1949 delivered by No 504 Sqn, RAF Debden |
| 10 Feb 1940 | Hurricanes, L2003 and L2004 delivered by No 56 Sqn, RAF North Weald |
| 11 Feb 1940 | Hurricanes, L1572, L1665, L1666 and L1972 delivered by No 32 Sqn, RAF Gravesend |
| 12 Feb 1940 | Hurricanes, L2002 and N2320 delivered by No 56 Sqn, RAF North Weald |
| 17 Feb 1940 | Harvard, P5868, collected from No 152 Sqn, RAF Leconfield |
| 19 Feb 1940 | Squadron adopted the code letters 'LE' |
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| 29 Feb 1940 | Miles Master, N7566, arrived from Reading |
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| 20 Mar 1940 | Hurricanes, L1981, L1983 and L1992 collected from RAF North Weald |
| 23 Mar 1940 | Squadron declared operational by day |
| 29 Mar 1940 | Squadron stood down from operations pending posting overseas |
| 9 Apr 1940 | Advance party departed RAF Church Fenton for France |
| 12 Apr 1940 | Squadron move to France cancelled and reverted to being operational |
| 13 May 1940 | 4 x Hurricanes and pilots detached to RAF Manston |
| 16 May 1940 | 'A' Flight detached to RAF Manston |
| 18 May 1940 | Hurricanes, P3266, P3269, P3272, P2854, P2809 and P2750 delivered from No 41 Group |
| 19 May 1940 | Hurricanes, P2738, P2550, P3392, P2878 and P3371 delivered from No 41 Group |
| 19 May 1940 | 'A' Flight returned from detachment in France |
| 21 May 1940 | Squadron moved from RAF Church Fenton to RAF Biggin Hill |
| 8 Jun 1940 | Squadron proceeded to Chateaudun in France** |
| 13 Jun 1940 | Air party departed Chateaudun for Ancenis |
| 14 Jun 1940 | Ground convoy moved from Chateaudun to Ancenis |
| 15 Jun 1940 | Ground convoy from Ancenis to Nantes |
| 16 Jun 1940 | Squadron personnel embarked on SS Sobieski at St Nazaire |
| 18 Jun 1940 | Squadron aircraft departed France and landed at RAF Coltishall (some force landing en-route) |
| 19 Jun 1940 | Squadron personnel disembarked from SS Sobieski at Falmouth and entrained for RAF Locking for London |
| 20 Jun 1940 | Squadron personnel entrained for RAF Duxford an then on to RAF Coltishall by bus |
| 4 Jul 1940 | Squadron declared operational by day as regards pilots but not equipment |
| 9 Jul 1940 | Squadron declared fully operational by day as regards pilots and equipment |
| 19 Aug 1940 | Magister, N3952 received from No 5 MU, RAF Kemble |
| 19 Oct 1940 | First ground party moved from RAF Coltishall to RAF Duxford |
| 20 Oct 1940 | Aircraft and second ground party moved from RAF Coltishall to RAF Duxford |
| 26 Oct 1940 | HQ and Maintenance party moved from RAF Coltishall to RAF Duxford |
| 30 Nov 1940 | Squadron moved from RAF Duxford to RAF Coltishall by road |
| 30 Nov 1940 | Squadron commenced the move from RAF Duxford to RAF Coltishall by road |
| 2 Dec 1940 | Squadron completed the move from RAF Duxford to RAF Coltishall by air and road |
| 16 Dec 1940 | Squadron moved from RAF Coltishall to RAF Martlesham Heath by road |
| 17 Dec 1940 | Air party moved from RAF Coltishall to RAF Martlesham Heath by road |
| xx Dec 1940 | The Squadron Badge was authorised by HM King George VI* |
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Source - No 242 Sqn ORB (AIR 27/1471), except*
**Source - 'RAF Squadrons' by C G Jefford (ORB for 1 - 12 Jun 1940 missing)
The Squadron Badge on this page is Crown Copyright and has been produced by Mary Denton on behalf of the RAF Heraldry Trust and is displayed on this page with the permission of the RAFHT.
© Crown Copyright is reproduced with the permission of the Directorate of Intellectual Property Rights
This page was last updated on 17/10/23
