No. 204 Squadron RAF
Encyclopedia
No 204 Squadron was a Royal Air Force
squadron formed in 1918 near Dunkerque, France
, from No 4 Squadron Royal Naval Air Service
, which had already been formed in 1915 and reformed once in 1916. The squadron served during World War I
in the roles of bomber, scout and fighter unit. After that war the squadron was reformed as a flying boat unit, a role that it continued till the end of World War II
. After World War II the squadron was reformed as a transport unit and as last role it performed duties as a maritime reconnaissance, shipping surveillance and search and rescue unit.
No 204 Squadron RAF was originally formed from the Dover Defence Flight on 23 March 1915 at Dover
as No 4 Squadron RNAS
, flying a variety of aircraft. It moved to Eastchurch
on 3 August 1915 and the unit was redesignated there as No 4 (Naval) Wing in October. The squadron was reformed on 31 December 1916 at Coudekerque from 'A' Squadron of No 5 (Naval) Wing and was originally equipped with Sopwith 1½ Strutter
s for the bomber role, but in March 1917 these were replaced with Sopwith Pup
s and the unit converted to the scout role. June 1917 saw a conversion to Sopwith Camel
s and the squadron began its role of fighter squadron.
Unlike some of its fellow naval units No 4 remained in the coastal zone, flying escort to RNAS bomber aircraft and carrying out offensive patrols along the coast. On Monday 1 April 1918 the squadron, like all other RNAS and RFC
units, was absorbed into the newly formed RAF
, being stationed at Bray Dunes near Dunkirk at that time. Towards the end of the war No 204 squadron began providing escorts to bombers of the Independent Air Force
and carried out ground attack missions against German troops and columns. The squadron stayed for a few months at their last station in Europe, Heule near Kortrijk
, Belgium
after the Armistice
and eventually returned to RAF Waddington
in February 1919, disbanding there on 31 December of the same year.
During its war, the squadron had produced nineteen aces, including such notables as
Charles Hickey
,
Albert Enstone
,
Ronald M Keirstead,
John EL Hunter,
Alexander MacDonald Shook
,
Adrian Tonks
,
Arnold Jacques Chadwick
,
William Craig,
Robert M. Gordon,
Langley Frank Willard Smith
,
Charles Allen
,
Henry Gordon Clappison
,
Geoffrey Hemming
,
Thomas Nash
, and
Osborne Orr
.
No 204 squadron reformed on 1 February 1929 as a general reconnaissance flying boat squadron at RAF Station Mount Batten, Devon
(formerly RAF Cattewater) near Plymouth, equipped initially with five Supermarine Southampton
flying boats. At that time the squadron had yearly cruises to train the crews and to provide photographs for the 'Coastal Air Pilot'. 1930 saw a cruise to Dublin and Queenstown
, while 1931 brought the squadron to Oban
. The squadron took three of its aircraft on a cruise to the Mediterranean in 1932 and in 1933 made a similar flight, starting with four aircraft and flying to Denmark
, Sweden
, Finland
and the Baltic states
.
In August 1935 the first Supermarine Scapa
arrived to re-equip the squadron and next month No 204 Sqn moved to Aboukir
, Egypt
during the Abyssinian crisis, while the last Southampton left the squadron by October of that year. The squadron stayed awhile in Egypt, flying patrols to check on Italian shipping. Returning to the UK in August 1936, Saro London
s started replacing the Scapas in October and five of these were taken to Australia in December 1937; due to propeller problems these did not return to the UK until some six months later, in May 1938. In June 1939 conversion to Short Sunderland
s began and No 204 squadron was fully equipped with eight of these flying boats by the end of September of that year.
and the Western Approaches
. When Germany invaded Norway
in April 1940, British forces were sent to support the Norwegians and the squadron was moved to Sullom Voe
, Shetland to patrol the North Sea and Norwegian coast. The squadron remained in Shetland after the subsequent withdrawal of British forces and the collapse of Norway, but in April 1941 came a move to Reykjavík
, Iceland
. The stay in Iceland was a short one though and in July 1941 the squadron was sent to Gibraltar and the following month even further south, to Bathurst, The Gambia in West Africa. For the rest of the war the squadron flew anti-submarine patrols along the coasts of West Africa, disbanding at RAF Station Jui in Sierra Leone
on 30 June 1945.
On 1 August 1947 No 204 squadron reformed at RAF Station Kabrit, Egypt
as a transport squadron and flew with Douglas Dakota
s, the military transport version of the well-known Douglas DC-3
, until these were replaced by Vickers Valetta
s in July 1949. On 20 February 1953, the squadron was disbanded by being renumbered to 84 Squadron.
maritime reconnaissance squadron. Several overseas cruises were undertaken, amongst them a successful one to South-Africa to convince them to buy Shackletons for themselves, a trip in 1956 to the Middle East in a transport role and a detachment to Australia from August until November 1957, to support a Nuclear trials task force. The squadron ceased operations at Ballykelly on 1 April 1971. On the same day the squadron number was transferred to the Majunga Detachment Support Unit at RAF Honington
and the newly reformed squadron became responsible for the various detachments operating from Majunga, Tengah
and Masirah on Search and Rescue (SAR) and shipping surveillance duties.
's minority white government of Southern Rhodesia made a Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI) in what is now known as Zimbabwe
, leading to United Nations
sanctions
against what was up until then a British colony. One of the major thrusts of this action was to try and deprive the country of oil. Being land-locked, Rhodesia
relied on a pipeline through Mozambique
from the port of Beira
. Up until 1972, the sanctions were applied by the Royal Navy
working with the RAF, which undertook reconnaissance flights of the Beira Straits from its airfield at Majunga in Madagascar
. The RAF was located at the airfield close to the port of Majunga on the north-west coast of Madagascar. No 204 Squadron was a unit tasked with this responsibility, just prior to the evacuation and closure of the station in March 1972. It operated a detachment of two Avro Shackleton MR.2s. The last flight with these took place on 17 March 1972 and the squadron was disbanded shortly after on 28 April 1972.
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
squadron formed in 1918 near Dunkerque, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, from No 4 Squadron Royal Naval Air Service
Royal Naval Air Service
The Royal Naval Air Service or RNAS was the air arm of the Royal Navy until near the end of the First World War, when it merged with the British Army's Royal Flying Corps to form a new service , the Royal Air Force...
, which had already been formed in 1915 and reformed once in 1916. The squadron served during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
in the roles of bomber, scout and fighter unit. After that war the squadron was reformed as a flying boat unit, a role that it continued till the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. After World War II the squadron was reformed as a transport unit and as last role it performed duties as a maritime reconnaissance, shipping surveillance and search and rescue unit.
Formation and early years
Dover
Dover is a town and major ferry port in the home county of Kent, in South East England. It faces France across the narrowest part of the English Channel, and lies south-east of Canterbury; east of Kent's administrative capital Maidstone; and north-east along the coastline from Dungeness and Hastings...
as No 4 Squadron RNAS
Royal Naval Air Service
The Royal Naval Air Service or RNAS was the air arm of the Royal Navy until near the end of the First World War, when it merged with the British Army's Royal Flying Corps to form a new service , the Royal Air Force...
, flying a variety of aircraft. It moved to Eastchurch
Eastchurch
Eastchurch is a village on the Isle of Sheppey, in the English county of Kent, two miles east of Minster.The village website claims "... it has a history steeped in stories of piracy and smugglers".- Aviation history :...
on 3 August 1915 and the unit was redesignated there as No 4 (Naval) Wing in October. The squadron was reformed on 31 December 1916 at Coudekerque from 'A' Squadron of No 5 (Naval) Wing and was originally equipped with Sopwith 1½ Strutter
Sopwith 1½ Strutter
The Sopwith 1½ Strutter was a British one or two-seat biplane multi-role aircraft of the First World War. It is significant as the first British-designed two seater tractor fighter, and the first British aircraft to enter service with a synchronised machine gun...
s for the bomber role, but in March 1917 these were replaced with Sopwith Pup
Sopwith Pup
The Sopwith Pup was a British single seater biplane fighter aircraft built by the Sopwith Aviation Company. It entered service with the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Naval Air Service in the autumn of 1916. With pleasant flying characteristics and good maneuverability, the aircraft proved very...
s and the unit converted to the scout role. June 1917 saw a conversion to Sopwith Camel
Sopwith Camel
The Sopwith Camel was a British First World War single-seat biplane fighter introduced on the Western Front in 1917. Manufactured by Sopwith Aviation Company, it had a short-coupled fuselage, heavy, powerful rotary engine, and concentrated fire from twin synchronized machine guns. Though difficult...
s and the squadron began its role of fighter squadron.
Unlike some of its fellow naval units No 4 remained in the coastal zone, flying escort to RNAS bomber aircraft and carrying out offensive patrols along the coast. On Monday 1 April 1918 the squadron, like all other RNAS and RFC
Royal Flying Corps
The Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery co-operation and photographic reconnaissance...
units, was absorbed into the newly formed RAF
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
, being stationed at Bray Dunes near Dunkirk at that time. Towards the end of the war No 204 squadron began providing escorts to bombers of the Independent Air Force
Independent Air Force
The Independent Air Force , also known as the Independent Force or the Independent Bombing Force and later known as the Inter-Allied Independent Air Force, was a World War I strategic bombing force which was part of the British Royal Air Force and used to strike against German railways, aerodromes...
and carried out ground attack missions against German troops and columns. The squadron stayed for a few months at their last station in Europe, Heule near Kortrijk
Kortrijk
Kortrijk ; , ; ) is a Belgian city and municipality located in the Flemish province West Flanders...
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
after the Armistice
Armistice with Germany (Compiègne)
The armistice between the Allies and Germany was an agreement that ended the fighting in the First World War. It was signed in a railway carriage in Compiègne Forest on 11 November 1918 and marked a victory for the Allies and a complete defeat for Germany, although not technically a surrender...
and eventually returned to RAF Waddington
RAF Waddington
RAF Waddington is a Royal Air Force station in Lincolnshire, England.-Formation:Waddington opened as a Royal Flying Corps flying training station in 1916 until 1920, when the station went into care and maintenance....
in February 1919, disbanding there on 31 December of the same year.
During its war, the squadron had produced nineteen aces, including such notables as
Charles Hickey
Charles Hickey
Charles Robert Reeves Hickey DFC & Bar was a Canadian First World War flying ace, officially credited with 21 victories.-Distinguished Flying Cross:"Lt. Charles Robert Reeves Hickey....
,
Albert Enstone
Albert Enstone
Captain Albert James Enstone DSC DFC was a British World War I flying ace. Various sources credit him with differing air victory scores. In one text, he is credited with 13 confirmed aerial victories and driving down 11 other German airplanes, including three Gotha bombers.Another source lists 15...
,
Ronald M Keirstead,
John EL Hunter,
Alexander MacDonald Shook
Alexander MacDonald Shook
Major Alexander MacDonald Shook was a Canadian World War I flying ace. During his stint with the Royal Naval Air Service, he was credited with 12 official aerial victories.-Early life:...
,
Adrian Tonks
Adrian Tonks
Captain Adrian James Boswell Tonks was a British World War I flying ace. He was credited with 12 official aerial victories, and won a Distinguished Flying Cross for his successes...
,
Arnold Jacques Chadwick
Arnold Jacques Chadwick
Flight Commander Arnold Jacques Chadwick was a Canadian-born World War I flying ace credited with 11 aerial victories. He became an ace twice over; once while flying Sopwith Pups and again while piloting Sopwith Camels.-Early life:...
,
William Craig,
Robert M. Gordon,
Langley Frank Willard Smith
Langley Frank Willard Smith
Langley Frank Willard Smith, was a Canadian Flying Ace in World War I credited with 16 victories.-Background:Smith was born in Philipsburg, in the Province of Quebec, and was brought up by his grandmother, his father having been widowed. Whilst attending Flying School in St...
,
Charles Allen
Charles Allen (aviator)
Captain Charles Philip Allen was a World War I flying ace credited with seven aerial victories.-Reference:...
,
Henry Gordon Clappison
Henry Gordon Clappison
Captain Henry Gordon Clappison was a World War I flying ace credited with six aerial victories.Clappison's run of victories came late in World War I. He was assigned to 204 Squadron in August 1918 to pilot a Sopwith Camel. He set afire a Fokker D.VII on 20 September 1918 and ran up five more wins...
,
Geoffrey Hemming
Geoffrey Hemming
Flight Sub Lieutenant Geoffrey William Hemming, DSC, RAF was a British World War I flying ace credited with six aerial victories.-World War I service:...
,
Thomas Nash
Thomas Nash (aviator)
Captain Thomas Walter Nash DFC was a World War I flying ace credited with eight aerial victories.Nash was born in Acton, Middlesex on 25 November 1891 the son of Thomas and Amy Nash, his father was a confectioner.-Reference:...
, and
Osborne Orr
Osborne Orr
Lieutenant Osborne John Orr was a World War I flying ace credited with five aerial victories.-References:...
.
The interbellum
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
(formerly RAF Cattewater) near Plymouth, equipped initially with five Supermarine Southampton
Supermarine Southampton
-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Andrews, C.F. and E.B. Morgan. Supermarine Aircraft since 1914 . London: Putnam, 1987. ISBN 0-85177-800-3....
flying boats. At that time the squadron had yearly cruises to train the crews and to provide photographs for the 'Coastal Air Pilot'. 1930 saw a cruise to Dublin and Queenstown
Queenstown
Queenstown is the name of several places in the world including:*Queenstown, Blackpool, Lancashire, United Kingdom*Queenstown, Eastern Cape, South Africa*Queenstown, Maryland, United States*Queenstown, New Zealand, a resort town in Otago, New Zealand...
, while 1931 brought the squadron to Oban
Oban
Oban Oban Oban ( is a resort town within the Argyll and Bute council area of Scotland. It has a total resident population of 8,120. Despite its small size, it is the largest town between Helensburgh and Fort William and during the tourist season the town can be crowded by up to 25,000 people. Oban...
. The squadron took three of its aircraft on a cruise to the Mediterranean in 1932 and in 1933 made a similar flight, starting with four aircraft and flying to Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
and the Baltic states
Baltic states
The term Baltic states refers to the Baltic territories which gained independence from the Russian Empire in the wake of World War I: primarily the contiguous trio of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania ; Finland also fell within the scope of the term after initially gaining independence in the 1920s.The...
.
In August 1935 the first Supermarine Scapa
Supermarine Scapa
-See also:...
arrived to re-equip the squadron and next month No 204 Sqn moved to Aboukir
Abu Qir
Abū Qīr is a village on the Mediterranean coast of Egypt, northeast of Alexandria by rail, containing a castle used as a state prison by Muhammad Ali of Egypt....
, Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
during the Abyssinian crisis, while the last Southampton left the squadron by October of that year. The squadron stayed awhile in Egypt, flying patrols to check on Italian shipping. Returning to the UK in August 1936, Saro London
Saro London
|-See also:-Bibliography:* Green, William. War Planes of the Second World War, Volume Five: Flying Boats. London: Macdonald & Co. Ltd., 1962 . ISBN 0-356-01449-5....
s started replacing the Scapas in October and five of these were taken to Australia in December 1937; due to propeller problems these did not return to the UK until some six months later, in May 1938. In June 1939 conversion to Short Sunderland
Short Sunderland
The Short S.25 Sunderland was a British flying boat patrol bomber developed for the Royal Air Force by Short Brothers. It took its service name from the town and port of Sunderland in northeast England....
s began and No 204 squadron was fully equipped with eight of these flying boats by the end of September of that year.
World War II
At the outbreak of war No 204 Squadron began patrols over the English ChannelEnglish Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
and the Western Approaches
Western Approaches
The Western Approaches is a rectangular area of the Atlantic ocean lying on the western coast of Great Britain. The rectangle is higher than it is wide, the north and south boundaries defined by the north and south ends of the British Isles, the eastern boundary lying on the western coast, and the...
. When Germany invaded Norway
Operation Weserübung
Operation Weserübung was the code name for Germany's assault on Denmark and Norway during the Second World War and the opening operation of the Norwegian Campaign...
in April 1940, British forces were sent to support the Norwegians and the squadron was moved to Sullom Voe
Sullom Voe
Sullom Voe is an inlet between North Mainland and Northmavine on Shetland in Scotland. It is a location of the Sullom Voe oil terminal. The word Voe is from the Old Norse vagr and denotes a small bay or narrow creek...
, Shetland to patrol the North Sea and Norwegian coast. The squadron remained in Shetland after the subsequent withdrawal of British forces and the collapse of Norway, but in April 1941 came a move to Reykjavík
Reykjavík
Reykjavík is the capital and largest city in Iceland.Its latitude at 64°08' N makes it the world's northernmost capital of a sovereign state. It is located in southwestern Iceland, on the southern shore of Faxaflói Bay...
, Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
. The stay in Iceland was a short one though and in July 1941 the squadron was sent to Gibraltar and the following month even further south, to Bathurst, The Gambia in West Africa. For the rest of the war the squadron flew anti-submarine patrols along the coasts of West Africa, disbanding at RAF Station Jui in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4...
on 30 June 1945.
Transport
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
as a transport squadron and flew with Douglas Dakota
C-47 Skytrain
The Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota is a military transport aircraft that was developed from the Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II and remained in front line operations through the 1950s with a few remaining in operation to this day.-Design and...
s, the military transport version of the well-known Douglas DC-3
Douglas DC-3
The Douglas DC-3 is an American fixed-wing propeller-driven aircraft whose speed and range revolutionized air transport in the 1930s and 1940s. Its lasting impact on the airline industry and World War II makes it one of the most significant transport aircraft ever made...
, until these were replaced by Vickers Valetta
Vickers Valetta
|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Andrews, C.F. and E.B. Morgan. Vickers Aircraft since 1908. London: Putnam, 1988. ISBN 0-85177-815-1....
s in July 1949. On 20 February 1953, the squadron was disbanded by being renumbered to 84 Squadron.
Maritime reconnaissance, shipping surveilance and search and rescue
Eleven months later the squadron reappeared as it was reformed on 1 January 1954 at RAF Station Ballykelly as a Avro ShackletonAvro Shackleton
The Avro Shackleton was a British long-range maritime patrol aircraft for use by the Royal Air Force. It was developed by Avro from the Avro Lincoln bomber with a new fuselage...
maritime reconnaissance squadron. Several overseas cruises were undertaken, amongst them a successful one to South-Africa to convince them to buy Shackletons for themselves, a trip in 1956 to the Middle East in a transport role and a detachment to Australia from August until November 1957, to support a Nuclear trials task force. The squadron ceased operations at Ballykelly on 1 April 1971. On the same day the squadron number was transferred to the Majunga Detachment Support Unit at RAF Honington
RAF Honington
RAF Honington is a Royal Air Force station located south of Thetford near Ixworth in Suffolk, England. Although used as a bomber station during the Second World War, RAF Honington is now the RAF Regiment depot and home to the Joint CBRN Regiment.-RAF use:...
and the newly reformed squadron became responsible for the various detachments operating from Majunga, Tengah
Tengah
Tengah is an Indonesian and Malay word meaning "Central". It can be found in topography, e.g.*Kalimantan Tengah*Kepulauan Tengah or Central Archipelago....
and Masirah on Search and Rescue (SAR) and shipping surveillance duties.
204 and the UN sanctions against Rhodesia
In 1965, Ian SmithIan Smith
Ian Douglas Smith GCLM ID was a politician active in the government of Southern Rhodesia, the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, Rhodesia, Zimbabwe Rhodesia and Zimbabwe from 1948 to 1987, most notably serving as Prime Minister of Rhodesia from 13 April 1964 to 1 June 1979...
's minority white government of Southern Rhodesia made a Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI) in what is now known as Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
, leading to United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
sanctions
International sanctions
International sanctions are actions taken by countries against others for political reasons, either unilaterally or multilaterally.There are several types of sanctions....
against what was up until then a British colony. One of the major thrusts of this action was to try and deprive the country of oil. Being land-locked, Rhodesia
Rhodesia
Rhodesia , officially the Republic of Rhodesia from 1970, was an unrecognised state located in southern Africa that existed between 1965 and 1979 following its Unilateral Declaration of Independence from the United Kingdom on 11 November 1965...
relied on a pipeline through Mozambique
Mozambique
Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest...
from the port of Beira
Beira, Mozambique
Beira is the second largest city in Mozambique. It lies in the central region of the country in Sofala Province, where the Pungue River meets the Indian Ocean. Beira had a population of 412,588 in 1997, which grew to an estimated 546,000 in 2006...
. Up until 1972, the sanctions were applied by the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
working with the RAF, which undertook reconnaissance flights of the Beira Straits from its airfield at Majunga in Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
. The RAF was located at the airfield close to the port of Majunga on the north-west coast of Madagascar. No 204 Squadron was a unit tasked with this responsibility, just prior to the evacuation and closure of the station in March 1972. It operated a detachment of two Avro Shackleton MR.2s. The last flight with these took place on 17 March 1972 and the squadron was disbanded shortly after on 28 April 1972.
Aircraft operated
| From | To | Aircraft | Variant |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 1915 | Oct 1915 | Various | |
| Dec 1916 | Mar 1917 | Sopwith 1½ Strutter Sopwith 1½ Strutter The Sopwith 1½ Strutter was a British one or two-seat biplane multi-role aircraft of the First World War. It is significant as the first British-designed two seater tractor fighter, and the first British aircraft to enter service with a synchronised machine gun... |
|
| Mar 1917 | Jun 1917 | Sopwith Pup Sopwith Pup The Sopwith Pup was a British single seater biplane fighter aircraft built by the Sopwith Aviation Company. It entered service with the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Naval Air Service in the autumn of 1916. With pleasant flying characteristics and good maneuverability, the aircraft proved very... |
|
| Jun 1917 | Feb 1919 | Sopwith Camel Sopwith Camel The Sopwith Camel was a British First World War single-seat biplane fighter introduced on the Western Front in 1917. Manufactured by Sopwith Aviation Company, it had a short-coupled fuselage, heavy, powerful rotary engine, and concentrated fire from twin synchronized machine guns. Though difficult... |
|
| Feb 1929 | Oct 1935 | Supermarine Southampton Supermarine Southampton -See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Andrews, C.F. and E.B. Morgan. Supermarine Aircraft since 1914 . London: Putnam, 1987. ISBN 0-85177-800-3.... |
Mk.II |
| Aug 1935 | Jan 1937 | Supermarine Scapa Supermarine Scapa -See also:... |
|
| Oct 1936 | Jul 1939 | Saro London Saro London |-See also:-Bibliography:* Green, William. War Planes of the Second World War, Volume Five: Flying Boats. London: Macdonald & Co. Ltd., 1962 . ISBN 0-356-01449-5.... |
Mks. I & II |
| Jun 1939 | Sep 1943 | Short Sunderland Short Sunderland The Short S.25 Sunderland was a British flying boat patrol bomber developed for the Royal Air Force by Short Brothers. It took its service name from the town and port of Sunderland in northeast England.... |
Mk.I |
| Jun 1941 | Mar 1943 | Short Sunderland | Mk.II |
| Oct 1942 | Jun 1945 | Short Sunderland | Mk.III |
| Apr 1945 | Jun 1945 | Short Sunderland | Mk.V |
| Aug 1947 | Jul 1949 | Douglas Dakota C-47 Skytrain The Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota is a military transport aircraft that was developed from the Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II and remained in front line operations through the 1950s with a few remaining in operation to this day.-Design and... |
C.4 |
| May 1949 | Feb 1953 | Vickers Valetta Vickers Valetta |-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Andrews, C.F. and E.B. Morgan. Vickers Aircraft since 1908. London: Putnam, 1988. ISBN 0-85177-815-1.... |
C.1 |
| Jan 1954 | May 1958 | Avro Shackleton Avro Shackleton The Avro Shackleton was a British long-range maritime patrol aircraft for use by the Royal Air Force. It was developed by Avro from the Avro Lincoln bomber with a new fuselage... |
MR.2 |
| May 1958 | Feb 1960 | Avro Shackleton | MR.1A |
| May 1959 | Apr 1971 | Avro Shackleton | MR.2C |
Squadron Stations
| From | To | Station |
|---|---|---|
| 23 Mar 1915 | 3 Aug 1915 | Dover Dover Dover is a town and major ferry port in the home county of Kent, in South East England. It faces France across the narrowest part of the English Channel, and lies south-east of Canterbury; east of Kent's administrative capital Maidstone; and north-east along the coastline from Dungeness and Hastings... , Kent Kent Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of... |
| 3 Aug 1915 | 15 Oct 1915 | Eastchurch Eastchurch Eastchurch is a village on the Isle of Sheppey, in the English county of Kent, two miles east of Minster.The village website claims "... it has a history steeped in stories of piracy and smugglers".- Aviation history :... , Isle of Sheppey Isle of Sheppey The Isle of Sheppey is an island off the northern coast of Kent, England in the Thames Estuary, some to the east of London. It has an area of . The island forms part of the local government district of Swale... , Kent |
| 31 Dec 1916 | 1 Apr 1917 | Coudekerque, Belgium Belgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many... |
| 1 Apr 1917 | 2 Jan 1918 | Bray Dunes, France France The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France... |
| 2 Jan 1918 | 6 Mar 1918 | Walmer Walmer Walmer is a town in the district of Dover, Kent in England: located on the coast, the parish of Walmer is six miles north-east of Dover. Largely residential, its coastline and castle attract many visitors... , Kent Kent Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of... |
| 6 Mar 1918 | 13 Apr 1918 | Bray Dunes, France |
| 13 Apr 1918 | 30 Apr 1918 | Téteghem Téteghem Téteghem is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.-History:Téteghem is one of the common ending HEM. This suffix meaning house, dwelling, village ... became Ghem. Tete would come from an ancestor's name Tatto, perhaps, or Theodore Theodoric, personified by the giant of the town.... , France |
| 30 Apr 1918 | 9 May 1918 | Cappelle Cappelle-la-Grande Cappelle-la-Grande is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.It is very close to Dunkirk.-Heraldry:-References:*... , France |
| 9 May 1918 | 24 Oct 1918 | Téteghem, France |
| 24 Oct 1918 | 11 Feb 1919 | Heule (near Kortrijk Kortrijk Kortrijk ; , ; ) is a Belgian city and municipality located in the Flemish province West Flanders... ), Belgium |
| 11 Feb 1919 | 31 Dec 1919 | RAF Waddington RAF Waddington RAF Waddington is a Royal Air Force station in Lincolnshire, England.-Formation:Waddington opened as a Royal Flying Corps flying training station in 1916 until 1920, when the station went into care and maintenance.... , Lincolnshire Lincolnshire Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders... (as a cadre) |
| 1 Feb 1929 | 27 Sep 1935 | RAF Mount Batten RAF Mount Batten RAF Mount Batten was a Royal Air Force station and flying boat base at Mount Batten, a peninsula in Plymouth Sound, Devon. England. Originally a seaplane station opened in 1917 as a Royal Navy Air Service Station Cattewater it became RAF Cattewater in 1918 and in 1928 was re-named RAF Mount Batten... , Devon Devon Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with... |
| 27 Sep 1935 | 22 Oct 1935 | RAF Aboukir Abu Qir Abū Qīr is a village on the Mediterranean coast of Egypt, northeast of Alexandria by rail, containing a castle used as a state prison by Muhammad Ali of Egypt.... , Egypt Egypt Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world... |
| 22 Oct 1935 | 5 Aug 1936 | Alexandria Alexandria Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving... , Egypt |
| 5 Aug 1936 | 2 Apr 1940 | RAF Mount Batten, Devon |
| 2 Apr 1940 | 5 Apr 1941 | RAF Sullom Voe Sullom Voe Sullom Voe is an inlet between North Mainland and Northmavine on Shetland in Scotland. It is a location of the Sullom Voe oil terminal. The word Voe is from the Old Norse vagr and denotes a small bay or narrow creek... , Shetland |
| 5 Apr 1941 | 15 Jul 1941 | Reykjavík Reykjavík Reykjavík is the capital and largest city in Iceland.Its latitude at 64°08' N makes it the world's northernmost capital of a sovereign state. It is located in southwestern Iceland, on the southern shore of Faxaflói Bay... , Iceland Iceland Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population... |
| 15 Jul 1941 | 28 Aug 1941 | RAF Gibraltar RAF Gibraltar Royal Air Force Station Gibraltar, better known as RAF Gibraltar and formally as North Front, is a Royal Air Force station on Gibraltar. No military aircraft are currently stationed there, but there are regular visits... , Gibraltar Gibraltar Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region... |
| 28 Aug 1941 | 28 Jan 1944 | Bathurst/Half Die Banjul -Transport:Ferries sail from Banjul to Barra. The city is served by the Banjul International Airport. Banjul is on the Trans–West African Coastal Highway connecting it to Dakar and Bissau, and will eventually provide a paved highway link to 11 other nations of ECOWAS.Banjul International Airport... , Gambia (Dets. at Gibraltar; Jui, Sierra Leone Sierra Leone Sierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4... and Port-Étienne Nouadhibou Nouadhibou is the second largest city in Mauritania and serves as a major commercial centre. The city itself has about 75,000 inhabitants expanding to over 90,000 in the larger metropolitan area. It is situated on a 40-mile peninsula or headland called Ras Nouadhibou, Cap Blanc, or Cabo Blanco, of... , Mauritania Mauritania Mauritania is a country in the Maghreb and West Africa. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean in the west, by Western Sahara in the north, by Algeria in the northeast, by Mali in the east and southeast, and by Senegal in the southwest... ) |
| 28 Jan 1944 | 1 Apr 1944 | Jui, Sierra Leone (Dets. at Half Die and Port-Étienne) |
| 1 Apr 1944 | 8 Apr 1944 | Half Die, Gambia |
| 8 Apr 1944 | 30 Jun 1945 | Jui, Sierra Leone (Dets. at Half Die, Port-Étienne, Fisherman Lake, Liberia Liberia Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open... and Abidjan Abidjan Abidjan is the economic and former official capital of Côte d'Ivoire, while the current capital is Yamoussoukro. it was the largest city in the nation and the third-largest French-speaking city in the world, after Paris, and Kinshasa but before Montreal... , Ivory Coast) |
| 1 Aug 1947 | 22 Feb 1951 | RAF Kabrit, Egypt Egypt Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world... |
| 22 Feb 1951 | 20 Feb 1953 | RAF Fayid RAF Fayid RAF Fayid is a former military airfield in Egypt, located approximately 23 km south of Ismailia ; 69 miles 116 km northeast of Cairo... , Egypt |
| 1 Jan 1954 | 1 Apr 1971 | RAF Ballykelly, County Londonderry County Londonderry The place name Derry is an anglicisation of the old Irish Daire meaning oak-grove or oak-wood. As with the city, its name is subject to the Derry/Londonderry name dispute, with the form Derry preferred by nationalists and Londonderry preferred by unionists... , Northern Ireland Northern Ireland Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west... |
| 1 Apr 1971 | 28 Apr 1972 | RAF Honington RAF Honington RAF Honington is a Royal Air Force station located south of Thetford near Ixworth in Suffolk, England. Although used as a bomber station during the Second World War, RAF Honington is now the RAF Regiment depot and home to the Joint CBRN Regiment.-RAF use:... , Suffolk Suffolk Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east... (Dets. at Majunga Mahajanga Mahajanga is a city and a district on the north-west coast of Madagascar.- City :The City of Mahajanga is the capital of the Boeny region. Population: 135,660 .... , Madagascar Madagascar The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa... ; Tengah, Singapore Singapore Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the... and Masirah Masirah Island Masirah is an island off the East coast of Oman, 95 km long north-south, between 12 and 14 km wide, with an area of about 649 km², and a population estimated at 12,000 in 12 villages mainly in the north of the island... , Oman Oman Oman , officially called the Sultanate of Oman , is an Arab state in southwest Asia on the southeast coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by the United Arab Emirates to the northwest, Saudi Arabia to the west, and Yemen to the southwest. The coast is formed by the Arabian Sea on the... ) |
Commanding officers
| From | To | Name |
|---|---|---|
| Mar 1917 | 27 Jul 1918 | Squadron Commander BL Huskisson |
| 27 Jul 1918 | 10 Nov 1918 | Maj. Major Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ... E.W. Norton |
| 10 Nov 1918 | 21 Nov 1918 | Maj. L.S. Breadner |
| 21 Nov 1918 | 10 Dec 1918 | Maj. E.W. Norton |
| 10 Dec 1918 | 10 Jan 1919 | Maj. P. Huskisson |
| 10 Jan 1919 | 31 Dec 1919 | Maj. R.S. Lucy |
| 1 Feb 1929 | 9 Dec 1930 | S/Ldr. Squadron Leader Squadron Leader is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure. In these... F.H. Laurence, MC Military Cross The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries.... |
| 9 Dec 1930 | 1 Jan 1934 | S/Ldr. K.B. Lloyd, AFC Air Force Cross (United Kingdom) The Air Force Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom Armed Forces, and formerly also to officers of the other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying, though not in active operations against the enemy"... |
| 1 Jan 1934 | 1 Oct 1936 | S/Ldr. A.W. Fletcher, DFC Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom) The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against... , AFC, OBE Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions... |
| 1 Oct 1936 | 19 Oct 1937 | S/Ldr. V.P. Feather |
| 19 Oct 1937 | 18 Mar 1940 | W/Cdr. Wing Commander (rank) Wing commander is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries... K.B. Lloyd, AFC Air Force Cross (United Kingdom) The Air Force Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom Armed Forces, and formerly also to officers of the other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying, though not in active operations against the enemy"... |
| 18 Mar 1940 | 14 Aug 1940 | W/Cdr. E.S.C. Davies, AFC |
| 14 Aug 1940 | 22 May 1941 | W/Cdr. K.F.T. Pickles |
| 22 May 1941 | 28 Feb 1943 | W/Cdr. D.I. Coote |
| 28 Feb 1943 | 24 Mar 1943 | W/Cdr. P.R. Hatfield |
| 24 Mar 1943 | 19 Sep 1943 | W/Cdr. C.E.V. Evison |
| 19 Sep 1943 | 17 Aug 1944 | W/Cdr. H.J.L. Hawkins |
| 17 Aug 1944 | 12 Jan 1945 | W/Cdr. A. Frame |
| 12 Jan 1945 | 30 Jun 1945 | W/Cdr. D. Michell |
| 1 Aug 1947 | 15 Jan 1948 | S/Ldr. H.S. Hartley |
| 15 Jan 1948 | 22 May 1950 | S/Ldr. R.A. Pegler |
| 22 May 1950 | 1 Oct 1952 | S/Ldr. L.W. Davies |
| 1 Oct 1952 | 20 Feb 1953 | S/Ldr. H.H. Jenkins |
| 1 Jan 1954 | 25 Jul 1955 | S/Ldr. G. Young |
| 25 Jul 1955 | 3 Jun 1957 | W/Cdr. W. Beringer |
| 3 Jun 1957 | 23 Jul 1958 | W/Cdr. A.D. Dart, DSO Distinguished Service Order The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September... , DFC |
| 23 Jul 1958 | 1 Jun 1960 | W/Cdr. J.C.W. Weller, DFC |
| 1 Jun 1960 | 14 Jun 1962 | W/Cdr. R.D. Roe Rex Roe Air Chief Marshal Sir Rex David Roe GCB AFC was a senior Royal Air Force commander.-RAF career:Educated at the City of London School and the University of London, Roe joined the Royal Air Force in 1943 during World War II. He was appointed Officer Commanding No. 204 Squadron in 1960 and became... , AFC |
| 14 Jun 1962 | 1 May 1964 | W/Cdr. C.K.N. Lloyd, AFC |
| 1 May 1964 | 7 Mar 1966 | W/Cdr. J.J. Duncombe, AFC |
| 7 Mar 1966 | 17 Jun 1968 | W/Cdr. P. Kent, MBE Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions... |
| 17 Jun 1968 | 14 Apr 1969 | W/Cdr. O.G. Williams |
| 14 Apr 1969 | 1 Apr 1971 | W/Cdr. E.P. Wild |
| 1 Apr 1971 | 1 May 1972 | S/Ldr. D.E. Leppard |