Fly Past

TERRY HIGGINS ASSESSES RCAF 404 SQUADRON’S USE OF BRISTOL BEAUFIGHTERS,

AND THE BEGINNING OF ‘BIG WING’ ANTI-SHIPPING STRIKES

needs. Another priority was to

transport fuel and fish seized from

Norway’s domestic resources back

to Germany.

PRECURSOR STRIKE WINGS

Earlier in 1944 the wider strategic

situation had caused 18 Group’s

anti-shipping strike squadrons to

abandon operations off Norway.

Nos.455 (RAAF) and 489

(RNZAF) Squadrons of the Leuchars Strike Wing and 144 (RAF) and 404 (RCAF) of the Wick Strike Wing, all Beaufighter

TF.X equipped units, were

relocated south to support the

planned Allied invasion.

Each wartime coastal strike wing

took the name of the RAF station

on which the squadrons were

headquartered. Relocation did not

usually involve any elemental change

in wing make-up, but the Leuchars

squadrons became known as the

Langham Strike Wing, 16 Group, in

April 1944, and the Wick squadrons

became the Davidstow Moor Strike

Wing, 19 Group, in May.

These springtime moves served

to provide experience in new roles,

while possibly deceiving the enemy

as to the real purpose of each wing’s

relocation. Once Overlord got

under way, their numbers would

bolster the three squadrons already in place at North Coates, Lincolnshire, in 16 Group, and the all-Mosquito

wing formed in June at Portreath,

Cornwall, in 19 Group.

The latter group countered

German naval activity across the

western approaches to the Channel

while 16 Group did the same

at the southern North Sea end.

Both contributed to the overall

success of the invasion. Once it

was realised that the Kriegsmarine

had committed to abandoning its

Biscay ports, the Davidstow Moor

squadrons moved to Strubby in

Lincolnshire, adding to 16 Group’s

effort. From here it could continue

to provide detachments to 19

Group stations whenever the

need arose.

NEW TACTICS

The strike wings came into their

own in 1944. Although enemy

naval combat units were primary

targets, German merchant

shipping was still attacked

whenever the opportunity

presented itself. With the

exception of the Portreath

Wing, the vision

through

1942 and 1943

September 2018

FLYPAST 71

Above

The 426-ton fl ak ship

‘Mosel’ receives hits

from Bristol Beaufi ghter

TF.X NE793, fl own by

Fg Offs Jones and Elliot.

AUTHOR’S COLLECTION