No. 234 Squadron Royal Air Force

No 234 Squadron was formed in August 1918 at the seaplane station at Tresco, Isles of Scilly, flying anti-submarine patrols over the approaches to the English Cannel until the end of WWI, disbanding in May 1919.
It re-formed in October 1939 at Leconfield as a fighter squadron, flying a mix of Blenheims, Battles and Gauntlets until March 1940 when it received Spitfires, becoming operation on the 11th of May 1940. it was based in southern England for the Battle of Britain and in April 1941 began sweeps over northern France in between defensive patrols. It moved to Orkney in January 1943, returning south in June to cover the invasion beaches in Normandy. It converted to Mustangs and began long range escort missions from East Anglia. Just at the end of the war No 234 moved to northern Scotland to escort strike Wings operating along the Norwegian coast, returning to East Anglia in July to convert to Spitfires. The squadron was renumbered No 266 Squadron in September 1946.

Airfields No. 234 Squadron flew from:

RAF Leconfield, Yorkshire from the 30th October 1939 (re-formed. Battle, Blenheim If, Spitfire I)
RAF Church Fenton, Yorkshire from 22nd May 1940
RAF St. Eval, Cornwall from the 18th June 1940
RAF Middle Wallop, Hampshire from the 14th August 1940
RAF St. Eval from 11th September 1940
RAF Warmwell, Dorset from 24th February 1941 (Spitfire IIa)
RAF Ibsley, Hampshire from the 5th November 1941
RAF Warmwell from the 23rd March 1942
RAF Ibsley from the 4th April 1942
RAF Portreath, Cornwall from the 27th April 1942
RAF Charmy Down, Somerset from 23rd August 1942
RAF Portreath from the 30th August 1942 (Spitfire Vb)
RAF Perranporth, Cornwall from the 28th October 1942 (Spitfire Vc)
RAF Portreath from the 26th November 1942
RAF Perranporth from the 26th December 1942
RAF Grimsetter, Orkney from the 19th January 1943 (Spitfire VI)
RAF Skeabrae, Orknew from 24th April 1943
RAF Church Fenton, Yorkshire from 26th June 1943
RAF Honiley, Warwickshire from 8th July 1943
RAF West Malling, Kent from 5th August 1943
RAF Rochford, Essex from 16th September 1943
RAF Hutton Cranswick, Yorkshire from the 31st December 1943
RAF Church Fenton from the 31st December 1943
RAF Coltishall, Norfolk from 28th January 1944
RAF Bolt Head, Devon from 18th March 1944
RAF Deanland, Sussex from the 29th April 1944
RAF Predannack, Cornwall from 19th June 1944
RAF North Weald, Essex from the 28th August 1944 (Mustang III)
RAF Bentwaters, Suffolk from 17th December 1944 (Mustang IV)
RAF Peterhead, Aberdeenshire from the 1st May 1945
RAF Dyce, Aberdeenshire from the 3rd July 1945

13th January 1940 Detachment withdrawn

21st June 1940

25th July 1940 Channel Convoy attacked

28th July 1940 Battle of Britain

14th August 1940 Airfields attacked

15th Aug 1940 Eagle Day

16th August 1940 Aftermath of Eagle Day

26th August 1940 Battle of Britian

2nd Sept 1940 Battle of Britain

6th September 1940 Battle of Briatin

7th Sept 1940 Battle of Britain

23rd September 1940 Dog-fights

15th December 1940 Postings

10th January 1941 New radios

17th Jun 1941 Aircraft Lost

4th July 1941 Shipping strike role

12th August 1941 Attack on Cologne

3rd June 1942 Mid-air collision

15th January 1945 Mid air collision observed

7th February 1945 Three aircraft lost in a storm

If you can provide any additional information, please add it here.

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Those known to have served with
No. 234 Squadron Royal Air Force
during the Second World War 1939-1945.

Armitage Joseph Fox. Flt.Sgt. (d.17th June 1941 )
Bocock DFC Eric P.W.. S/Ldr.
Carter Thomas Charles. F/Lt.
Cole Edwin Robert. Flt.Sgt. (d.21st Oct 1943)
Fairman Edward Allen Lucas. Sgt. (d.18th April 1942)
Hibbens Vivian Joseph.
Palmer DFC. Cyril Dampier. Sqn.Ldr. (d.27th Oct 1942)
Pope DFC. Percy William S. Sqd.Ldr.

The names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed, please Add a Name to this List

Records of No. 234 Squadron Royal Air Force from other sources.

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These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Second World War.

Vivian Joseph "Smoky" Hibbens 234 Sqd.

My father, Vivian Joseph Hibbens - became known as 'Smoky' during his time in Stalag VIIIB, Stalag Luft III and Stalag 344. He was an RAAF Spitfire Pilot RAAF No: 400712.
I am writing his story in the hope that someone out there may have some more information on him.
He was born on 16th January 1922 in Bemboka NSW Australia - and his love affair with flying began when he went on a joy flight with Sir Charles Kingsford Smith during his barn storming days around country Australia in the 1930's.
He enlisted in the RAAF in Melbourne on 13th October 1940, and was trained under the Empire Air Training Scheme, doing his Elementary Flying Training at Narromine NSW. He was then shipped to Canada along with other successful trainees and gained his Wings at Camp Borden Ontario in September 1941. This was not without incident - along with a close friend and fellow trainee, Andy Fotheringham (an American from New Jersey who had enlisted in the RAAF in Australia around the same time. Andy was killed in action 4th January 1944), they took a plane each and 'beat up' a little town called Barrie, just north of Niagara Falls. Seeing as though they flew between the Post Office and a Hotel just above car height at 160 mph - they received quite lenient sentences. Andy was found guilty of one charge and received 21 days detention and my father was found guilty of four charges and received 62 days detention - reduced to 31. Apparently their Commanding Officer went into bat for them - being an old Airman himself from WWI, he 'understood' their folly. My father was housed very well during this time, being given every convenience - even a type writer and open leave to go wherever he liked - as long as he discreetly returned within a reasonable hour. He even went with the Service Police at night into the town to break up brawls and bring the drunken airman and 'prisoners' back to camp.
After he gained his Wings in September 1941 he was shipped to England and was based initially in the South and then at Hawarden in Wales near Chester from where he flew Spitfires with the 234 Squadron. He then applied to go to the Middle East and in April 1942 he was shipped to the Egypt where he flew various missions until one fateful day in July 1942.
He was ferrying a Hurricane back to his base when he ran into a sand storm. When he emerged he was . . . "attacked by 11 Messerschmidt 100F's and I played with them for about 10 minutes until I finally ran out of ammo. I tried too make a run for it but had to put down out of juice and landed smack in the centre of a German Panzer Unit". He was taken captive on the 18th July 1942.
He was taken to Stalag VIIIB where he remained until sometime in late 1943 when he was moved to Stalag Luft III. During his early days in Stalag VIIIB he and the other prisoners' hands were tied up each day, all day. He talks of the boredom, but eventually he was made camp Librarian and he was overjoyed that he then had something to fill the hours. He made 10 unsuccessful attempts to escape by exchanging ID's and going out on working parties, hiding in garbage and linen trucks and digging tunnels. Shortly after the 'Great Escape' from Stalag Luft III he was sent back to Stalag VIIIB - by this time known as Stalag 344. I am not sure what his involvement was with this escape attempt - if any - although he wrote a couple of letters home to his mother dated the 25th and 26th March 1944 stating that he 'would be home soon'! I do wonder if he had written them earlier but post dated them in order to throw the Germans off the track.
During his time in the prison camps he became known as 'Smoky' - due largely to his bartering for food using cigarettes. >From letters received by others - it appears that he was very popular with all and well known for his positive outlook. At one time he was almost mistakenly 'repatriated' to England as he was carrying another man's ID - something he did quite often. At one time he was Pte. S. F Weir, Prisoner No: 5239 (Working Camp E701) and at another he was Pte. D. Simpson, Prisoner No: 8033 (Working Camp E600) so he could get out on working parties and attempt to escape.
Like most POW's his letters were full of hope of making it home 'next Christmas' or for your 'next birthday'. Sometimes he got a special message through - one such was "Oh for an hour in the Garden of Roses"! My grandmother said that she then knew he was starving - as the Garden of Roses was the local Cafe in Corowa NSW where they lived.
I am attaching the only photo I have found of his group of POW's - but I am unsure in which Stalag it was taken. My father is the fifth from the top left back row.
In the winter of 1945, as the Russians were advancing - he and his fellow POW's were turned out of their Prison Camp (Stalag 344) and were forced to march on what was to become known as the Lamsdorf Death March. They marched 200 miles in 15 days in the bitter wind and biting snow. There were only 72 Australians among the 50,000 who were forced to march to get beyond the reach of the advancing Russians. There were few German guards, so they patrolled the perimeter with bayoneted guns and dogs. The POW Officers were placed 'in charge' of their own group of men, who were marching in lines of three, tied together. My father was allowing one line at a time to 'disappear' in the hope that no-one would notice. However, eventually a German Guard came to my father and said . . . "more of your men have escaped than any others. I have orders to shoot you if any more disappear . . . I think you know what you have to do"! So he went at the next opportunity. Some of my father's men were found by the Czech Underground and they asked them to go and search for my father. I remember my father telling me (which was a very rare occurrence - as like most he never spoke about his war time experiences) "I was huddled under a bush half asleep and I felt a hand on my shoulder . . . and I thought 'this is it, I'm dead' . . . but it was the Czech Underground". They took him to safety in Kydne where they cared for him and nursed him back to health. He lived with them until the Americans arrived and he went with them into Berlin.
There are several letters from the Czech people that he lived with written after the war. My grandparents 'sponsored' one of the Czech men and his wife to Australia - Joe and Anna. There is also a letter from a German Lance Corporal Ernst Rudek written on 10th July 1947 who was a guard at Stalag VIIIB who got to know my father on the Death March. He speaks of the time they fossicked for food together in the Croatian and American Prisoner of War Camps and bought vegetables for my father's mates, and of a 'Certificate' my father wrote for him at the brickworks at Falkenau when the prisoners were handed over to new guards. He wrote . . . "There were good and bad on both sides - and from my actions at that time, you knew where my sympathies lay". I believe this is the same man that later contacted my father through the war office and whom he flew to Melbourne to meet 25 years later in the late 1960's.
After the war, my grandmother used to hold Ex POW parties. She would shut all the boys in the kitchen with the food and then sit and listen at the keyhole - it was the only way she could learn what really happened during those days as a prisoner of war.
My father was throughout his life a great RSL man, being President of the Richmond RSL for a number of years and then the Secretary-Manager of the Windsor RSL Club. He never failed to march on Anzac Day in Sydney, after marching with his local RSL and in 1970 attended an ex POW Reunion.
Sadly, my beloved father died aged 50 in 1972 from a heart attack. He had his first heart attack when he was only 36 - as a result of his service during the war years.
"Some die during battle for their country - others, at another time and another place - as a result of fighting for our freedom. Their sacrifice is no less great or less honourable".

Jennifer F. Hibbens

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Sqn.Ldr. Cyril Dampier Palmer DFC. No.1 Squadron (d.27th Oct 1942)

Cyril Palmer was born to British parents in March 1918 in Cleveland OH, USA. He participated in: the Battle of France with No 1 Squadron with 2 confirmed kills, 2 shared and 1 probable. On 23rd of November 1939 a D017, on 15th of May 1940 a Me109E, on 17th of May 1940 an Me110 and 19th of May 1940 a share in a He111. He was shot down 3 times in France, on 23rd of November 1939, 2nd of April 1940 and 17th of May 1940.
On 28th of May 1940 he was posted to No.6 OTU at Sutton Bridge as an instructor. On 6th of October 1942 he was posted to 234 Squadron at Portreath, his rank is given as Squadron Leader.
Cyril went missing in action on 27th of October 1942, the squadron flying Spitfire VBs, was on a sweep off the French coast when they were bounced by Folke Wolf 190s over the Ile de Batz. Cyril was seen bailing out of his stricken aircraft but he was never seen thereafter. He was 24 years old..

Jerome Levans

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Sgt. Edward Allen Lucas Fairman 234 Sqd. (d.18th April 1942)

Sergeant (Pilot) Fairman was the Son of Joseph and Georgina Fairman (nee Lucas), of Ballybofey.
He was 27 when he was Killed in Spitfire Mk.Vb (BL408) near Thornwood, Essex and is buried in the Stranorlar (St. Anne) Church of Ireland Churchyard, Stranorlar, Co. Donegal, Ireland.

s flynn

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F/Lt. Thomas Charles "Nick" Carter 234 Squadron

Flt Lt TC Carter sketching wtched by Fg Off Bickford

Some of the pilots of 549 Sqn. Nick Carter at left.

My father Thomas Carter joined the RAF soon after his 18th birthday and started his flying training at 16FTS, Derby. At some point during these early months he was given the sobriquet 'Nick', after the hero of a popular radio series entitled 'Nick Carter Private Detective'. For the rest of his life he was known as Nick to RAF and work colleagues.

After basic flying training he was posted to 57 at RAF Hawarden to convert onto Spitfires. After 12 hours of solo on Spitfires he was suddenly posted, as a Sergeant Pilot, to RAF Roborough where he flew Lysanders on Air-Sea Rescue duties. From Roborough he was transferred to RAF Warmwell in Dorset where he continued flying Lysanders on 1487 Target Towing Flight. Finally, at the beginning of 1943 he was posted to 52 OTU at RAF Aston Down to restart his conversion onto Spitfires. This time he completed the course.

From Aston Down he joined 234 Squadron at RAF Skeabrae in the Orkneys flying Spitfire Vb and from there he moved with the squadron to RAF Honiley and then to RAF West Malling. At West Malling 234 Squadron commenced fighter sweeps and bomber escort sorties over France. During a busy couple of months Nick Carter was awarded one Messerschmitt Bf 109, probably destroyed, and one damaged.

Then, virtually all of the 234 Squadron pilots were sent to Australia to form 549 Squadron flying Spitfire Mk VIII. For the rest of the war Nick and the rest of the pilots, their aircraft serviced by RAAF groundcrew, flew in the defence of Darwin in Northern Australia.

In many ways Nick had a lucky war; despite 5 years of operational and training flying he came through unharmed. Unlike the 'aces' he did little damage to the enemy, but, in common with the vast majority of RAF aircrew who never made it into the history books he did 'his bit' and we should be immensely proud of all of them.

Chris Carter

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Flt.Sgt. Edwin Robert Cole 616 Squadron (d.21st Oct 1943)

Teddy Cole is my grandfather. Not a lot is known about him. On 2nd July 1943 he transferred from 234 to 616 Squadron where he died.

Duncan Billson

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Sqd.Ldr. Percy William S "Paul" Pope DFC. Air Gunner 13.28.51.78.234.578.Squs

Paul Pope enlisted in 1931 to be an engineer but became air gunner in India Wariston Campaign. He joined 51Sq in 1937. on 23rd Jan 1940 he transferred to 234Sq as an air gunner and flew during the Battle of Britain including 35 hours of fighter sorties over Dunkirk in 3 days. By April 41 he had completed 81 sorties and moved to 39MU Nightfighter Development unit at Colerne. He was involved in an interesting event publicised during Bath bombing when he took off in spare Defiant to defend city.
In June 1942 he joined 78Sq and November 1943 he returned to 51Sq. Completing 507 hours of combat flying. On the 14th of January 1944 he transferred to 578Sq.
After the war in October 1946 he joined the Diplomatic Corp in Denmark and became King Gustarv's buddy having to stay with him all times. Particularly during the King's pub crawling on his bicycle. They had a drinking bet and Paul won himself the Order of the White Elephant. He was Adjutant of 84Group HQ during the Berlin Airlift and was involved with rebuilding airfields. He retired 15.3.1954 and became a significant member of the Airgunners Association London Branch. He died in September 1981.

Chris Pope

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No. 234 Squadron Royal Air Force

Logbooks

Those known to have served with
No. 234 Squadron Royal Air Force
during the Second World War 1939-1945.

The Wartime Memories Project is the original WW1 and WW2 commemoration website.

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No. 234 Squadron Royal Air Force

Logbooks

Those known to have served with No. 234 Squadron Royal Air Forceduring the Second World War 1939-1945.

The Wartime Memories Project is the original WW1 and WW2 commemoration website.

Announcements

Want to know more about No. 234 Squadron Royal Air Force?

Recomended Reading.

Links

The Wartime Memories Project
- No. 234 Squadron Royal Air Force during the Second World War -

Those known to have served with
No. 234 Squadron Royal Air Force
during the Second World War 1939-1945.