This page is under construction and will be expanded in due course
This page is under construction and will be expanded in due course
64 Squadron arrived on a scorching hot day in the beginning of September 1942 anticipating to stay for five weeks.
There were pilots from Australia, Belgium, Norway, New Zealand and Bermuda.They were in good company. Squadron Leader Frederick Aubrey Owen Gaze DFC, who before the war ended was awarded a second Bar to his DFC and shot down near Amiens where he escaped to Spain with the aid of the French Resistance. Flight Lieutenant D Kingaby DFC enjoyed the reputation of being a 109 specialist. Between the end of the Battle of Britain and July 1942 he shot down 12 Bf 109's, four of which shot down in one-day!
The good weather soon deteriorated into a typical Fairlop weather. Rain, haze, low cloud, followed by more rain, which ensured many operations being cancelled at the last moment.
On the 16th September the squadron was airborne on Operation Rodeo to escort Lightning with a rendezvous at a 24,000 ft over Beachy Head.
They went in over Le Touquet at 30,000 ft made a wide right turn via Aix le Chateau, Abbeville and Disemont and came out north-east of Dieppe.
No enemy aircraft or shipping was seen.
Rare coloured photographs of 64 Squadron at Fairlop taken September 1942,
Photographs reproduced with kind permission of The Imperial War Museum.
These images may not be reproduced without permission of The Imperial War Museum.
Click here to email David Martin