264 Squadron

"We Defy"

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The Squadron was formed in August 1918, from the seaplane station at Suda Bay, Crete, No. 439 Flight at Suda Bay, and No. 440 Flight at Syra ( Siros), 150 miles further north, flew anti-submarine patrols over the shipping routes to Salonika and Aegean Islands until the end of the war. The squadron disbanded on 1st March 1919.

264 Squadron reformed at Sutton Bridge on 30th October 1939 as a fighter squadron and received its first Defiant two-seater fighters in December. These it took into action for the first time during the German invasion of the Low Countries in May 1940. The new turret fighters had some initial success but lacked forward-firing armament and manoeuvrability. Losses were heavy in daylight operations and the squadron was switched to night fighting at the end of August where its flexible armament was of more use. However, 264 Squadron scored a great victory at Dunkirk by shooting down 27 enemy aircraft on two successive patrols.
264 Squadron was stationed at Rochford from 29th October 1940 until 27th November 1940. The identification codes for the squadron were: WA (April 1939 to September 1939); KV (Allocated but no evidence of use); Nil (October 1939 to March 1940), and PS (March 1940 to August 1945)

264 Squadron Pilots (1939-1945)

NAME	RANK	NUMBER	STATUS	DATE	DETAIL
Adams, Douglas	Warrant Officer	-	-	-	-
Adams, Reginald T.	Sergeant	759300	Missing	30th June 1942	unknown
Alington, William J.	-	-	-	-	-
Andrews, Maurice R.	Sergeant	40615	Passed away	24th March 1971	N/A
Ash Robert C. V.	Pilot Officer	31023	Killed	28th August 1940	Defiant L7021
Austin	-	-	-	-	-
Bailey, James R. A.	Pilot Officer	74325	Passed away	-	-
Baker, Barrie	Sergeant	935961	Missing	26th August 1940	Defiant L6985
Banham, Arthur John	Flight Lieutenant	37565	Passed away	1987	N/A
Barker, Frederick J.	Sergeant	178549	-	-	-
Barwell, Eric G.	Pilot Officer	77454	Passed away	12th December 2007	N/A
Belchem, Lawrence G.	Squadron Leader	26172	Killed	14th July 1942	Catalina
Berry, Alan	Sergeant	968305	Killed	24th August 1940	Defiant L7027
Birchall	-	-	-	-	-
Black	-	-	-	-	-
Bowen, Peter D.	Pilot Officer	42481	Missing	13th February 1944	unknown
Brett, H.	-	-	-	-	-
Bruce	-	-	-	-	-
Bryant-Fenn, Leofric T.	Flying Officer	40985	-	-	-
Burdekin, Alan G.	Sergeant	143405	-	-	-
Campbell, Alan	Sergeant	391857	Killed	29th July 1942	Wellington
Campbell-Colquhoun E.	Flight Lieutenant	39301	Passed away	1989	N/A
Carlin, Sydney	Pilot Officer	81942	Killed	9th May 1941	Defiant
Carnaby, William F.	Flying Officer	90157	Killed	5th February 1943	unknown
Chandler, Gordon E.	Pilot Officer	-	Killed	12th May 1940	Defiant L6960
Chapman, Victor R.	Sergeant	754146	-	-	-
Chase, F. J. A.	-	-	-	-	-
Cobb	-	-	-	-	-
Constable-Maxwell M. H.	Flying Officer	36219	-	-	-
Cooke, Charles A.	Pilot Officer	43634	Passed away	28th January 1985	N/A
Cooke, N. B.	Flight Lieutenant	-	Killed	29th May 1940	Defiant L6975
Cooty	-	-	-	-	-
Corner, Malcolm C.	Pilot Officer	78746	Killed	23rd April 1945	unknown
Cosby, Ivor Henry	Pilot Officer	42293	-	-	-
Cox, Walter E.	Sergeant	747745	Passed away	23rd February 1953	N/A
Crook, Valton W. J.	Sergeant	NZ40203	Passed away	1950	N/A
Daisley, Lional C. W.	Sergeant	741278	Killed	28th May 1940	Defiant L6953
Dobree, Nicholas R.	Flying Officer	75018	-	-	-
Ellery, Cyril C.	Pilot Officer	78747	Passed away	20th March 1977	N/A
Ellwell, Paul	-	-	-	-	-
Emeny, Clifford S.	Sergeant	NZ40204	-	-	-
Evans	-	-	-	-	-
Farqueson	-	-	-	-	-
Foster	-	-	-	-	-
Fuller, Sydney B.	Pilot Officer	49572	Killed	2nd February 1943	unknown
Garvin, George D.	Squadron Leader	34237	-	-	-
Gash, Frederick	Sergeant	146840	-	-	-
Gaskell, Richard S.	Pilot Officer	42832	-	-	-
Gibb, Walter	Wing Commander	-	Passed away	4th October 2006	N/A
Goodall, Harold I.	Pilot Officer	97159	Killed	8th October 1940	Defiant N1627
Grant	-	-	-	-	-
Greenhalgh	Sergeant	-	-	-	-
Greenhous	Pilot Officer	-	-	-	-
Hackwood,Gerald H.	Pilot Officer	42217	Killed	20th November 1940	Defiant N1626
Hammond	-	-	-	-	-
Hardy, Oswald A.	Sergeant	133487	-	-	-
Hatfield Jack E.	Pilot Officer	40474	Killed	28th May 1940	Defiant L7007
Hayden, Lawrence H.	Sergeant	67041	-	-	-
Hickman, Guy L.	Pilot Officer	-	Killed	31st May 1940	Defiant L6968
Hodgkinson, Arthur J.	Sergeant	45353	Killed	10th July 1943	unknown
Hooper	-	-	-	-	-
Hughes, Frederick D.	Flying Officer	74706	Passed away	11th January 1992	N/A
Hunter, Philip A.	Squadron Leader	32081	Missing	24th August 1940	Defiant N1535
Johnson, Charles E.	Pilot Officer	79241	Killed	28th August 1940	Defiant L7026
Jones, Evan J.	Sergeant	744999	Killed	29th May 1940	unknown
Jones, Joseph T.	Pilot Officer	78855	Missing	24th August 1940	Defiant L6966
Kay, Desmond H. S.	Pilot Officer	42006	Killed	19th October 1944	unknown
Kenner, Peter L.	Pilot Officer	73032	Killed	28th August 1940	Defiant L7026
Kerr, H.	-	-	-	-	-
King, Frederick H.	Pilot Officer	43845	Missing	24th August 1940	Defiant N1535
King, William L.	Flight Lieutenant	77359	Killed	22nd January 1943	unknown
Knocker, William R. A.	Flying Officer	74333	-	-	-
Lauder, Arnold J.	Sergeant	48822	-	-	-
Lille P.	Sergeant	-	-	-	-
Lippert, Albert	Corporal	-	Killed	29th May 1940	Defiant L6975
Lusty, Kenneth R.	Sergeant	66502	Passed away	18th September 2009	N/A
Machin, William H.	Sergeant	968717	Died	24th August 1940	Defiant L6965
MacLeod, Alexander	Pilot Officer	42013	Killed	28th May 1940	Defiant L7007
Maggs, Mervyn H.	Pilot Officer	79359	Passed away	November 1987	N/A
Martin A.	Sergeant	-	-	-	-
Maxwell, Walter	Sergeant	967872	Killed	26th August 1940	Defiant L7025
McChesney, Robert I.	Sergeant	62434	Killed	6th December 1942	Beaufighter
McGlashan, Kenneth B.	Pilot Officer	42138	-	-	-
McLeish, D. L.	LAC		Killed	12th May 1940	Defiant L6960
Melville, James C.	Flying Officer	74681	-	-	-
Montagu-Smith A.	Flight Lieutenant	37128	-	-	-
Moore, William R.	Pilot Officer	77947	Passed away	1984	N/A
Murland, William J.	Sergeant	391867	Passed away	15th November 1978	N/A
O'Connell, Anthony	Pilot Officer	43260	Passed away	17th December 1976	N/A
O'Malley, Derek K. C.	Flying Officer	72475	Killed	4th September 1940	Defiant N1628
Packington	-	-	-	-	-
Parsons, Phillip T.	Squadron Leader	90491	Killed	2nd October 1942	unknown
Percy, Hugh H.	Flying Officer	74688	Killed	22nd May 1944	unknown
Ponting, William A.	Pilot Officer	79216	Missing	24th August 1940	Defiant L6966
Pryor, Clifford A.	Flying Officer	133211	Killed	25th June 1944	unknown
Rasmussen, L. A. W.	Sergeant	391868	Killed	4th September 1940	Defiant N1628
Ritson	-	-	-	-	-
Robinson, Gerald	Pilot Officer	43261	-	-	-
Russell, Leslie P.	Sergeant	NZ40209	Killed	19th May 1942	Halifax
Sanders, A. T. D.	-	-	-	-	-
Sanders, Philip J.	Squadron Leader	36057	Passed away	1989	N/A
Scott William J.	Sergeant	46285	-	-	-
Shaw, Ian Garstin	Flying Officer	40265	Killed	24th August 1940	Defiant L7027
Shepherd, Francis W.	Sergeant	139477	Killed	27th July 1944	unknown
Simpson, Leslie W.	Pilot Officer	76471	-	-	-
Skelton G.	-	-	-	-	-
Smith, Edward S.	Flight Lieutenant	90093	-	-	-
Smith, Godfrey E.	Sergeant	122301	Passed away	1980	N/A
Smith, Leonard	AC2	129976	-	-	-
Smythe, Derek M. A.	Pilot Officer	79196	-	-	-
Stephenson, Ian R.	Flying Officer	72010	Killed	26th November 1943	unknown
Stokes, Richard W.	Pilot Officer	42027	Killed	29th May 1942	unknown
Storrie, Alexander J.	Pilot Officer	43631	Killed	20th November 1940	Defiant N1626
Sutton, Frederick C.	Pilot Officer	79197	Passed away	1981	N/A
Sutton, Kenwyn R.	Flying Officer	36182	-	-	-
Thomas, Samuel R.	Pilot Officer	42029	-	-	-
Thorn, Edward R.	Sergeant	46957	Killed	12th February 1946	unknown
Togne	-	-	-	-	-
Toombs, Frank A.	-	-	Died	17th November 1940	Defiant N1547
Toombs, John R.	Sergeant	179612	-	-	-
Trumble, Anthony J.	Flight Lieutenant	37137	Passed away	-	-
Turner, Robert C.	Sergeant	751362	Killed	28th August 1940	Defiant N1574
Wake, Frederick W.	Sergeant	-	-	-	-
Walker, James I. B.	Sergeant	NZ40211	-	-	-
Watson, A. F.	-	-	-	-	-
Welsh, Terence D.	Pilot Officer	42033	Passed away	1980	N/A
White, John W.	Pilot Officer	43833	-	-	-
Whitehouse, Edward H.	Flight Lieutenant	-	Killed	28th May 1940	Defiant L7007
Whitley, David	Pilot Officer	42036	Killed	28th August 1940	Defiant N1574
Wilkins, Derek	Flying Officer	101007	-	-	-
Willmott, Arthur C.	Flying Officer	-	Killed	12th August 1944	unknown
Young, John R. C.	Flying Officer	70766	Passed away	20th February 2007	N/A
Young, Michael H.	Pilot Officer	42040	-	-	-
Young, Robert B. M.	Sergeant	NZ40197	Killed	8th October 1940	Defiant N1627

Aircraft Back to Top

Boulton Paul Defiant Mk I
This aircraft was developed in line with a radically new tactical concept. All the armament of this two-seat fighter was concentrated in a single turret, and there were four hand-operated guns instead of forward fixed machine guns. The aeroplane joined Fighter Command in May 1940 and had some success against enemy bombers. However, it proved to be outmatched by the more powerful and manoeuvrable German fighters.
One of the biggest handicaps was that the gunner could not 'feel' or anticipate the aircraft's manoeuvres in synchronisation with the pilot, although there were exceptions when some two-men crews made better 'connections' with one another than others.

After heavy losses, the aeroplane was re-assigned to the night-fighter role and later to target-towing. A total of 1,064 aircraft were built.

Specifications
Engine:	Rolls-Royce Merlin III, 12-cylinder V, liquid-cooled, 1,030 hp
Wingspan:	39 ft 4 in. (11.99 m)
Length:	35 ft 4 in. (10.77 m)
Height:	12 ft 2 in. (3.70 m)
Weight:	8,350 lb (3,785 kg) (Loaded)
Max Speed:	303 mph (487 km/h) at 16,500 ft (5,000 m)
Ceiling:	30,350 ft (9,250 m)
Range:	465 miles (748 km)
Armament:	4 machine guns
Crew:	2

deHavilland Mosquito Mk II
This was the fastest and probably most versatile combat aircraft built in the Second World War, with many variants including reconnaissance, fighter and day and night light bomber. They were a match for German night-fighters as well as the flying bombs. There were about 466 Mk IIs built and in total 6,439 Mosquitoes were built between 1941 and 1950. The Mark II night-fighter's success was due to the design of the smallest fuselage compatible with the two Merlin engines, the careful study of aerodynamic lines, and the high power-weight ratio. It went into service in May 1942, around the same time as the Mark IV bomber version.

Specifications
Engine:	Two Rolls-Royce Merlin XXI, 12-cylinder V, liquid-cooled, 460 hp each
Wingspan:	54 ft 2 in. (16.51 m)
Length:	40 ft 6 in. (12.34 m)
Height:	12 ft 6 in. (3.81 m)
Weight:	19,670 lb (8,900 kg) (loaded)
Max Speed:	380 mph (611 km/h) at 17,000 ft (5,200 m)
Ceiling:	35,000 ft (10,600 m)
Range:	2,180 miles (3,500 km)
Armament:	-
Crew:	2

deHavilland Mosquito Mk VI
This was the fighter-bomber version of the Mark II and the largest production series of all, with some 2,500 aircraft being built. The modifications included two 250 pound (113 kg) bombs inside the fuselage and two under the wings, as well as its fighter armanent. After the first 300 were produced in 1943, the bomb-load was doubled. It was used in Fighter Command and in Coastal Command as well, where it replaced the Bristol Beaufighter in anti-shipping warfare. The Coastal Command Mosquitoes usually carried eight rockets under the wings.

The Mark VI became world-famous in the last year of the war, because of its bold, low-level raids into the heart of enemy territory. One of the most spectacular operations took place on 18 February, 1944, when Mk VIs attacked a prison at Amiens to assist and cover the escape of French partisans. On 11 April, they attacked Gestapo headquarters at The Hague, and on 2 March, 1945, they raided Gestapo headquarters in Copenhagen.

Specifications
Engine:	Two Rolls-Royce Merlin XXI, 12-cylinder V, liquid-cooled, 460 hp each
Wingspan:	54 ft 2 in. (16.51 m)
Length:	40 ft 6 in. (12.34 m)
Height:	12 ft 6 in. (3.81 m)
Weight:	22,250 lb (10.092 kg) (loaded)
Max Speed:	380 mph (611 km/h) at 17,000 ft (5,200 m)
Ceiling:	33,000 ft (10,050 m)
Range:	1,850 miles (2,970 km)
Armament:	4 20mm cannons; 4 machine guns; 2000 lb (907 kg) of bombs
Crew:	2

deHavilland Mosquito Mk VIII
This version was a direct upgrade of the Mark VI and carried a 57mm cannon in the fuselage for anti-submarine attack. There were only 27 of this mark built.

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