The scale of the formation
nevertheless reflected the
considerable potential blossoming
at Banff. ‘Buffalo’ Squadron once
again contributed 12 RP-armed
Beaufighters, while 144 Squadron
provided six torpedo-toting
machines and ten with cannon,
while 15 Mosquito FB.VIs of 235
Squadron flew fighter cover and
anti-flak duties.
Similar mixed formations also
launched on both September 10
and 12, but weather and an elusive
enemy prevented engagement yet
again. If nothing else, the Banff
Strike Wing had proved it was
capable of fielding a flexible anti-
shipping force en masse on an
almost daily basis.
Meanwhile, 248 Squadron,
No.235’s Portreath Strike Wing
stablemate, was released from
operations in 19 Group on
September 8 and had completed
its own move to Banff by the
12th. This unit brought with it
a number of ‘Tsetse’ Mosquito
Mk.XVIIIs (Mk.VI fighter-
bombers modified with a 57mm
Molins gun, replacing the type’s
standard battery of four 20mm
cannon). Originally conceived
to counter surfaced U-boats, the
Tsetse, or Special Duty Mosquitos,
had also proved successful against
surface vessels.
The wing now had two strike
squadrons, each with Beaufighters
and ‘Mossies’, co-located with
the Mosquitos of 333 Squadron.
The latter unit was 18 Group’s
specialist in Norwegian coastal
reconnaissance. It was manned
by Norwegian naval aircrew who
had been flying recce trips to their
homeland since June 1943. Having
occasionally worked together while
in 19 Group, they quickly became a
cohesive and efficient wing at Banff.FIRST BLOOD
The next wing effort would involve
all four strike squadrons. With
No.404’s Sqn Ldr Bobby Schoales
DFC as strike leader, 19 Beaufighters
and 25 Mosquitos left Banff on
September 14 for an armed recce
along the south coast of Norway.
The mass take-off went without a
hitch between 1431 and 1452hrs
with a gentle rain falling under
layered clouds. Local area visibility
was 4 to 6 miles as the strike force
formated and set course.
Twenty minutes later, a 248
Squadron Mosquito FB.VI had to
turn back due to a technical issue.
The remaining 43 aircraft flew at
sea level, sighted Egero at 1635,climbed to 2,000ft and headed
southeast around the Naze before
turning eastward on the Skagerrak
coast. The 404 Squadron element
was in the lead, followed by the
248 anti-flak aircraft, then the 144
Squadron ‘Torbeaus’ (torpedo-
carrying Beaufighters) with a
second 248 group to its rear, and
235 flying as top cover.
After roughly 20 minutes, three
ships were sighted near the Naze.
The formation went in to attack
but this was stopped almost
immediately when the vessels were
confirmed as being Swedish.
At 1712, the four Tsetse
Mosquitoes of 248 Squadron
needed to turn back due to
diminishing fuel levels. Seven
minutes later, the remaining force
came upon a northbound convoy
in open water just southeast of
Kristiansand. Reports vary as to
its make-up, probably owing to
the fact that the full count actually
comprised two smaller convoys that
appeared in close proximity when
viewed from the air.
Schoales called the attack at 1720
and the Buffaloes dived in with the
sun at their backs. The Beaufighters
piloted by Flt Lt J D Taylor, Fg Off
R C Ridge and Fg Off G A Long
were the first, firing both RP and
cannon into the lead vessel. The
Sülldorf, a trawler converted to a
flak-ship, exploded as the aircraft
came off the target.
The Beaufighters of Schoales,
Fg Off C J Mallalieu, Fg Off M
Baribeau and Flt Lt H L Wainman
then attacked the largest of the
ships, claiming 22 RP hits. This
was the 3,323-ton German
freighter Iris, which was left on
fire. Meanwhile, two other 404
Squadron ‘Beaus’ attacked the
second largest vessel, the 2,916-ton
Pompeii, claiming six RP strikes.
Smoke was noted coming from the
damaged freighter. A further vessel,
Innsbruck, was hit by Fg Off Art
Menaul and Fg Off Dwornik, using
cannon and RP respectively.
The other waves then came in,
starting with 248 Squadron,Above,
left to right
LAC Sam Doupe,
as part of 404
Squadron’s ground
crew, tends to NV173.
The wing is loaded
with four RP rounds- the electrical leads
are unplugged for
safety. ED LEE
Sqn Ldr Bobby
Schoales (in the
cockpit) and
navigator Flt Lt
R A Jackson pose on
a TF.X for a Coastal
Command PR photo.
It’s likely to have
been taken on June
7, 1944 at Davidstow
Moor. RCAFBeaufi ghter NV191
was written off on
October 2, 1944
after being ‘stabbed’
through the rear
fuselage by an
Airspeed Oxford wing
while on the ground.
AUTHOR’S COLLECTIONBelow left
One of the German
escort vessels
attacked by the
Banff Strike Wing
on September 14,- RAF