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Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation
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No 168 Sqn Personnel, aircraft and locations
[1942 | ]
Personnel Movements: Jun - Dec 1942
| Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
| June | |||
| Sqn Ldr | F G Watson Smyth | 15 Jun 1942 | Arrived on posting and assumed command of No 168 Sqn |
| Flt Lt | P W Mason | 15 Jun 1942 | Arrived on posting and assumed command of 'A' Flight |
| Flt Lt | F N Bantoft | 15 Jun 1942 | Arrived on posting and assumed command of 'B' Flight |
| Flt Lt | Brooke-Taylor | 15 Jun 1942 | Arrived on posting for duty as Flt Lt Operations |
| Plt Off | J Young | 15 Jun 1942 | Arrived on posting for flying duties |
| Plt Off | B Kearney RAAF | 15 Jun 1942 | Arrived on posting for flying duties |
| Plt Off | Grant RNZAF | 15 Jun 1942 | Arrived on posting for flying duties |
| Plt Off | Andrew RNZAF | 15 Jun 1942 | Arrived on posting for flying duties |
| Plt Off | Lambert | 15 Jun 1942 | Arrived on posting for flying duties |
| Plt Off | Bird | 15 Jun 1942 | Arrived on posting for flying duties |
| Plt Off | Bethell | 15 Jun 1942 | Arrived on posting for flying duties |
| Plt Off | S J Buroughs | 15 Jun 1942 | Arrived on posting for duty as Adjutant |
| Flt Lt | F N Bantoft | 16 Jun 1942 | Proceeded to Scotland for a 4-day Beach Course |
| Flt Lt | Brooke-Taylor | 16 Jun 1942 | Proceeded to Scotland for a 4-day Beach Course |
| Sqn Ldr | R I M Bowen | 17 Jun 1942 | Arrived on posting and appointed 2 i/c No 168 Sqn |
| Plt Off | S J Buroughs | 20 Jun 1942 | Adjutant, proceeded to RAF Bottisham to open the squadron offices there |
| Flt Lt | F N Bantoft | 22 Jun 1942 | Returned from Scotland on conclusion of the 4-day Beach Course |
| Flt Lt | Brooke-Taylor | 23 Jun 1942 | Returned from Scotland on conclusion of the 4-day Beach Course |
| Maj | Pack | 28 Jun 1942 | Arrived on posting to form No 20 ALO Section |
| Capt | Roscoe | 28 Jun 1942 | Arrived on posting to form No 20 ALO Section |
| Capt | Richmond | 28 Jun 1942 | Arrived on posting to form No 20 ALO Section |
| Plt Off | Richardson | 30 Jun 1942 | Arrived on posting for flying duties |
| Plt Off | Bethell | 30 Jun 1942 | Posted to No 268 Sqn |
| Sqn Ldr | F G Watson Smyth | xx xxx 1942 | Promoted to Wg Cdr |
| July | |||
| Plt Off | Shayle-George | 1 Jul 1942 | Arrived on posting for flying duties |
| Plt Off | Khan | 2 Jul 1942 | Arrived on posting at RAF Bottisham for flying duties |
| Plt Off | Clifton-Mogg | 2 Jul 1942 | Arrived on posting at RAF Bottisham for flying duties |
| Plt Off | East | 5 Jul 1942 | Engineer Officer, RAF Bottisham attached to gain experience of Allison engines |
| Flt Sgt | Johns | 14 Jul 1942 | Took charge of the nucleus maintenance flight |
| Plt Off | Haseldon | 16 Jul 1942 | Arrived on posting from No 41 OTU for flying duties |
| Plt Off | Bird | 22 Jul 1942 | Attached to No 268 Sqn |
| Sgt | Forknall | 29 Jul 1942 | Arrived on posting from No 57 OTU for flying duties |
| Sgt | D A Machin | 29 Jul 1942 | Arrived on posting from No 57 OTU for flying duties |
| August | |||
| Capt | Roscoe | 2 Aug 1942 | No 20 ALO Section, departed on posting |
| Plt Off | R K S Andrew RNZAF | 6 Aug 1942 | Killed in a flying accident |
| Wg Cdr | F G Watson Smyth | 15 Aug 1942 | Proceeded on a course and leave |
| Plt Off | Miller | 22 Aug 1942 | Arrived on posting for duty as Signals Officer |
| Plt Off | Bourne | 30 Aug 1942 | Arrived on posting for flying duties |
| Plt Off | Gent | 30 Aug 1942 | Arrived on posting for flying duties |
| September | |||
| Wg Cdr | F G Watson Smyth | 3 Sep 1942 | Returned from course and leave |
| Plt Off | Bourne | 5 Sep 1942 | Posted to No 268 Sqn |
| Plt Off | Gent | 5 Sep 1942 | Posted to No 2 Sqn |
| Flt Lt | Brooke-Taylor | 8 Sep 1942 | Proceeded to Larkhill for a short Artillery Course |
| Flt Lt | Brooke-Taylor | 13 Sep 1942 | Returned from Larkhill on conclusion of the Artillery Course |
| Plt Off | Brenard | 23 Sep 1942 | Arrived on posting from No 41 OTU for flying duties and allocated to 'A' Flight |
| Plt Off | Milne | 23 Sep 1942 | Arrived on posting from No 41 OTU for flying duties and allocated to 'B' Flight |
| Flt Lt | F N Bantoft | 24 Sep 1942 | Proceeded to Larkhill for a short Artillery Course |
| Flt Lt | F N Bantoft | 26 Sep 1942 | Returned from Larkhill on conclusion of the Artillery Course |
| October | |||
| Plt Off | Freeman | 1 Oct 1942 | Arrived on posting for duty as Engineer Officer |
| Plt Off | Grant RNZAF | 2 Oct 1942 | Returned from an Aircraft Recognition Course |
| Plt Off | S J Buroughs | 12 Oct 1942 | Adjutant, returned to the squadron after three weeks in hospital |
| Flt Sgt | Johns | 12 Oct 1942 | Departed on posting |
| November | |||
| Wg Cdr | F G Watson Smyth | 4 Nov 1942 | Proceeded to AFDU, RAF Duxford for a short course |
| Flt Lt | F N Bantoft | 4 Nov 1942 | Proceeded to AFDU, RAF Duxford for a short course |
| Plt Off | Townsend | 6 Nov 1942 | Proceeded to Farnborough to be tested for high altitude vision |
| Sgt | D A Machin | 6 Nov 1942 | Proceeded to Farnborough to be tested for high altitude vision |
| Plt Off | Lambert | 12 Nov 1942 | Returned to the squadron from hospital |
| Fg Off | Gray | 21 Nov 1942 | Arrived on posting from No 268 Sqn |
| Flt Lt | F N Bantoft | 22 Nov 1942 | Proceeded to RAF Andover for a BAT course |
| Plt Off | B Kearney RAAF | 22 Nov 1942 | Proceeded to RAF Andover for a BAT course |
| Plt Off | Lambert | 22 Nov 1942 | Proceeded to RAF Andover for a BAT course |
| Plt Off | Grant RNZAF | 25 Nov 1942 | Promoted to Fg Off |
| Flt Lt | F N Bantoft | 28 Nov 1942 | Returned from RAF Andover on completion of the BAT course |
| Plt Off | B Kearney RAAF | 28 Nov 1942 | Returned from RAF Andover on completion of the BAT course |
| Plt Off | Lambert | 28 Nov 1942 | Returned from RAF Andover on completion of the BAT course |
| Capt | Mann | 29 Nov 1942 | Returned from a week long Intelligence course |
| December | |||
| Plt Off | Lambert | 3 Dec 1942 | Proceeded to Brighton for Aircrew Refresher Course |
| Wg Cdr | F G Watson Smyth | 6 Dec 1942 | Proceeded to Farnborough to be for high altitude course |
| Wg Cdr | F G Watson Smyth | 8 Dec 1942 | Returned from Farnborough on conclusion of high altitude course |
| Fg Off | Young | 9 Dec 1942 | Proceeded to AFDU, RAF Duxford for a short course |
| Fg Off | Young | 12 Dec 1942 | Returned from AFDU, RAF Duxford on conclusion of course |
| Flt Lt | P W Mason | 20 Dec 1942 | Proceeded to AFDU, RAF Duxford for a short course |
| Plt Off | Lambert | 29 Dec 1942 | Returned from Brighton on conclusion of Aircrew Refresher Course |
| Sqn Ldr | Walford | 31 Dec 1942 | Attached from No 63 Sqn for operational experince |
Source - No 168 ORB (AIR 27/1093)
Organisational Movements: Jun - Dec 1942
| Date | Notes |
| June | |
| 15 Jun 1942 | No 168 Squadron was formed at RAF Snailwell
from a nucleus provided by No 268 Sqn Squadron initially equipped with Tomahawk aircraft: - |
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| 16 Jun 1942 | The code letters 'EK' were applied to the four
serviceable aircraft 1 x Tomahawk was delivered from No 414 Sqn |
| 17 Jun 1942 | Five Tomahawks now serviceable |
| 23 Jun 1941 | 1 x Tomahawk collected from No 613 Sqn |
| 28 Jun 1941 | 1 x Tomahawk collected from No 2 Sqn |
| 30 Jun 1941 | 2 x Tomahawks collected from RAF Doncaster |
| July | |
| 3 Jul 1942 | 2 x Tomahawks allotted from No 268 Sqn but unable to be collected due to being unserviceable |
| 11 Jul 1942 | 3 x Tomahawks collected from No 400 Sqn |
| 12 Jul 1942 | 2 x Tomahawks collected from RAF Odiham |
| 13 Jul 1942 | The squadron moved from RAF Snailwell to RAF Bottisham |
| 14 Jul 1942 | A nucleus maintenance flight formed due to shortage of maintenance personnel |
| 15 Jul 1942 | 'A' Flight detached to RAF Snailwell for Operation 'Limpet' |
| 17 Jul 1942 | 'A' Flight returned from RAF Snailwell on conclusion of Operation 'Limpet' but two aircraft were left behind |
| 25 Jul 1942 | The two aircraft left at Snailwell were flown back to Bottisham |
| 28 Jul 1942 | 1 x Tomahawk collected from RAF Feltwell |
| 29 Jul 1942 | 5 x Tiger Moths borrows from No 652 Sqn due to Tomahawk serviceability |
| 30 Jul 1942 | 1 x Tiger Moth was collected from RAF Snailwell |
| 31 Jul 1942 | Allison tool kits finally arrived |
| August | |
| 2 Aug 1942 | No 168 Sqn was placed under the command of 2 Corps in place of No 268 Sqn |
| September | |
| 15 Sep 1942 | The squadron received a Master |
| 16 Sep 1942 | A detachment proceeded to Sawbridgeworth to take part in Operation 'Adder' |
| 18 Sep 1942 | Detachment returned from Sawbridgeworth on completion of Operation 'Adder' |
| 22 Sep 1942 | 1 x Tomahawk, AH761, collected from No 400 Sqn |
| 26 Sep 1942 | 1 x Tomahawk, collected from No 41 OTU |
| 27 Sep 1942 | Ground party of a detachment proceeded to Docking to take part in Artillery Reconnaissance at Hunston |
| 28 Sep 1942 | Air party of a detachment proceeded to Docking to take part in Artillery Reconnaissance at Hunston |
| 28 Sep 1942 | Detachment returned from Docking |
| October | |
| 6 Oct 1942 | 1 x Tomahawk, collected from RAF Ayr |
| 8 Oct 1942 | Ground party of a detachment proceeded to Docking to take part in artillery shoot |
| 9 Oct 1942 | Air party proceeded to Docking to take part in artillery shoot |
| 17 Oct 1942 | 1 x Tomahawk, AH162, collected from RAF Old Sarum |
| 27 Oct 1942 | 1 x Tomahawk, AH900, collected from RAF Old Sarum |
| 29 Oct 1942 | Authority received to commence collecting Mustangs from No 241 Sqn, RAF Ayr but to be held pending re-equipment |
| November | |
| 3 Nov 1942 | 8 x pilots travelled by train to Ayr to collect Mustangs |
| 7 Nov 1942 | 8 x Mustangs arrived from RAF Ayr (earlier attempts had been frustrated by bad weather) |
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| 8 Nov 1942 | 2 x Mustangs and 1 x Tomahawk collected from RAF Macmerry |
| 11 Nov 1942 | All Tomahawks grounded pending disposal |
| 13 Nov 1942 | 5 x Mustangs issued to flights to commence training |
| 15 Nov 1942 | RAF Servicing Commando arrived to assist to fit modified radiators in the Mustangs and prepare the Tomahawks for disposal |
| 18 Dec 1942 | Road party departed RAF Bottisham for RAF
Odiham Air party departed RAF Bottisham in gliders towed by No 296 Sqn for RAF Odiham Only 4 x Tomahawks (fitted with vertical cameras) and the Tiger Moths were flown over to RAF Odiham The squadron was transferred from No 34 Wing to No 35 Wing |
| 23 Nov 1942 | 2 x Mustangs arrived from RAF Ayr |
| 25 Nov 1942 | 1 x modified Mustang was collected from RAF Bottisham |
| 28 Nov 1942 | 2 x modified Mustangs was collected from RAF Bottisham |
| 29 Nov 1942 | 2 x modified Mustangs was collected from RAF Bottisham |
| 30 Nov 1942 | 2 x modified Mustangs was collected from RAF Bottisham |
| December | |
| 1 Dec 1942 | 2 x pilots from No 613 Sqn and 1 x ALO arrived on attachment to gain experience |
| 2 Dec 1942 | 2 x pilots from No 613 Sqn on attachment to gain experience |
| 4 Dec 1942 | 2 x Mustangs arrived from RAF Ayr |
| 5 Dec 1942 | 2 x pilots from No 4 Sqn on attachment to gain experience |
| 17 Dec 1942 | 5 x Tomahawks were delivered to RAF Little Rissington |
| 18 Dec 1942 | 2 x pilots from No 4 Sqn ceased to be attached and returned to their unit |
| 25 Dec 1942 | 1 x Master II was collected from RAF Wroughton |
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Source - No 168 ORB (AIR 27/1093)
This entry was last updated on 27/06/25
