Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation

Home Page

Main Menu

Quick Menu

Members' Area

What New?

About this site

Reunions

Help Needed?

Glossary

Bibliography

Sign Guest Book

View Guest Book

 

Online Store

Contact Me

No 259 Sqn Personnel, aircraft and locations

[1943 | ]

Personnel Movements: Jan - Dec 1943

Rank Name Date Notes
January
Wg Cdr W N Bisbee 23 Jan 1943 Departed RAF Pembroke Dock in Catalina, FP256 to take command of No 259 Sqn
Plt Off Keeble 23 Jan 1943 Departed RAF Pembroke Dock in Catalina, FP256 to join No 259 Sqn
Plt Off Harrigan 23 Jan 1943 Departed RAF Pembroke Dock in Catalina, FP256 to join No 259 Sqn
Sgt Metcalfe 23 Jan 1943 Departed RAF Pembroke Dock in Catalina, FP256 to join No 259 Sqn
Sgt Aldus 23 Jan 1943 Departed RAF Pembroke Dock in Catalina, FP256 to join No 259 Sqn
Sgt Cagliari 23 Jan 1943 Departed RAF Pembroke Dock in Catalina, FP256 to join No 259 Sqn
Sgt Reid 23 Jan 1943 Departed RAF Pembroke Dock in Catalina, FP256 to join No 259 Sqn
Sgt Peel 23 Jan 1943 Departed RAF Pembroke Dock in Catalina, FP256 to join No 259 Sqn
Sgt Ball 23 Jan 1943 Departed RAF Pembroke Dock in Catalina, FP256 to join No 259 Sqn
February
Flt Lt Virr  3 Feb 1943 Departed RAF Mount Batten in Catalina, FP136 to join No 259 Sqn
Flt Lt Cooper  3 Feb 1943 Departed RAF Mount Batten in Catalina, FP136 to join No 259 Sqn for duty as Adjutant
Plt Off Bayley  3 Feb 1943 Departed RAF Mount Batten in Catalina, FP136 to join No 259 Sqn
Sgt Scott  3 Feb 1943 Departed RAF Mount Batten in Catalina, FP136 to join No 259 Sqn
Sgt Moore  3 Feb 1943 Departed RAF Mount Batten in Catalina, FP136 to join No 259 Sqn
Sgt McGrath  3 Feb 1943 Departed RAF Mount Batten in Catalina, FP136 to join No 259 Sqn
Sgt Green  3 Feb 1943 Departed RAF Mount Batten in Catalina, FP136 to join No 259 Sqn
Sgt Lusk  3 Feb 1943 Departed RAF Mount Batten in Catalina, FP136 to join No 259 Sqn
Sgt Tobin  3 Feb 1943 Departed RAF Mount Batten in Catalina, FP136 to join No 259 Sqn
Flt Lt Barnett  4 Feb 1943 Departed RAF Stranraer in Catalina, FP126 to join No 259 Sqn
Fg Off Wadham  4 Feb 1943 Departed RAF Stranraer in Catalina, FP126 to join No 259 Sqn
Fg Off R W Lane  4 Feb 1943 Departed RAF Stranraer in Catalina, FP126 to join No 259 Sqn as Intelligence Officer
Fg Off Surridge  4 Feb 1943 Departed RAF Stranraer in Catalina, FP247 to join No 259 Sqn
Fg Off Dowle  4 Feb 1943 Departed RAF Stranraer in Catalina, FP247 to join No 259 Sqn
Fg Off Arterton  4 Feb 1943 Departed RAF Stranraer in Catalina, FP133 to join No 259 Sqn
Sgt Anderson  4 Feb 1943 Departed RAF Stranraer in Catalina, FP126 to join No 259 Sqn
Sgt Phillips  4 Feb 1943 Departed RAF Stranraer in Catalina, FP126 to join No 259 Sqn
Sgt Peters  4 Feb 1943 Departed RAF Stranraer in Catalina, FP126 to join No 259 Sqn
Sgt Martin  4 Feb 1943 Departed RAF Stranraer in Catalina, FP126 to join No 259 Sqn
Sgt Baldwin  4 Feb 1943 Departed RAF Stranraer in Catalina, FP126 to join No 259 Sqn
Sgt Bewsher  4 Feb 1943 Departed RAF Stranraer in Catalina, FP126 to join No 259 Sqn
Sgt May  4 Feb 1943 Departed RAF Stranraer in Catalina, FP126 to join No 259 Sqn
Sgt Ryder  4 Feb 1943 Departed RAF Stranraer in Catalina, FP247 to join No 259 Sqn
Sgt Brown  4 Feb 1943 Departed RAF Stranraer in Catalina, FP247 to join No 259 Sqn
Sgt Gerrard  4 Feb 1943 Departed RAF Stranraer in Catalina, FP247 to join No 259 Sqn
Sgt Kirkham  4 Feb 1943 Departed RAF Stranraer in Catalina, FP247 to join No 259 Sqn
Sgt Kirkuff  4 Feb 1943 Departed RAF Stranraer in Catalina, FP247 to join No 259 Sqn
Sgt Drury  4 Feb 1943 Departed RAF Stranraer in Catalina, FP247 to join No 259 Sqn
Sqn Ldr Louw 13 Feb 1943 Departed RAF Stranraer in Catalina IB, FP275  to join No 259 Sqn as Flight Commander
Fg Off Dutton 13 Feb 1943 Departed RAF Stranraer in Catalina IB, FP275  to join No 259 Sqn
Sqn Ldr Louw 15 Feb 1943 Arrived in Gibraltar and assumed the captaincy of FP133
Wg Cdr W N Bisbee 16 Feb 1943 Assumed command of No 259 Sqn on formation
Flt Sgt Pitkeathley & crew 17 Feb 1943 Departed RAF Pembroke Dock in Catalina, FP281 to join No 259 Sqn
Flt Sgt Corfield & crew 21 Feb 1943 Departed RAF Mount Batten in Catalina, FP283 to join No 259 Sqn
Flt Lt Rawlins & crew 23 Feb 1943 Departed RAF Mount Batten in Catalina, FP285 to join No 259 Sqn
March
Flt Lt Danthorne 16 Mar 1943 Arrived on posting for duty as Squadron Navigation Officer
April
Plt Off W Bagley RAAF 18 Apr 1943 Arrived on posting
May
Plt Off E A Moys 15 May 1943 Arrived on posting from RAF Eastleigh
Plt Off D F H Niman 19 May 1943 Arrived on posting
Flt Sgt Pitkeathley 22 May 1943 Admitted to hospital with Malaria
Plt Off I W Eccles 26 May 1943 Arrived on posting and attached to No 209 Sqn
Flt Lt Cooper 31 May 1943 Engineer Officer, detached to Aircraft Repair Depot, South Africa
June

There were no entries in the ORB for this month
July

There were no entries in the ORB for this month
August
Flt Lt Rawlins 17 Aug 1943 Admitted to hospital with appendicitis
September
Flt Lt Farmer 24 Sep 1943 Appointed acting Adjutant
Fg Off Tennent 25 Sep 1943 Arrived on posting at Dar es Saleem
Fg Off Curtis 25 Sep 1943 Arrived on posting at Dar es Saleem
Fg Off Orr 28 Sep 1943 Returned from temporary duty in Mombasa
Fg Off Dowle 28 Sep 1943 Proceeded to CGS (ME) for Gunnery Leaders' Course
October
Sqn Ldr Louw  2 Oct 1943 Arrived at Dar es Saleem by air (209 Sqn)
Flt Lt Dutton  4 Oct 1943 Arrived at Mombasa on completion of temporary duty
Fg Off Miller  4 Oct 1943 Proceeded on temporary duty to Mombasa
Fg Off Seddon  5 Oct 1943 Admitted to hospital
Fg Off Lane  7 Oct 1943 Arrived at Dar es Saleem by air (BOAC)
Fg Off Miller  9 Oct 1943 Returned from temporary duty in Mombasa
Fg Off Seddon  9 Oct 1943 Discharged from hospital
Flt Lt Rawlins 14 Oct 1943 Arrived at Dar es Saleem by air (BOAC) and assumed duties of Flight Commander
Flt Lt J Dunthorne 14 Oct 1943 Arrived at Dar es Saleem by air (BOAC) and assumed duties of Adjutant
Fg Off Woodhouse 27 Oct 1943 Returned from temporary duty in Mombasa
Fg Off Woodhouse 28 Oct 1943 Proceeded to CGS (ME) for Gunnery Leaders' Course
Wg Cdr W N Bisbee 30 Oct 1943 Returned from temporary duty in Mombasa
Plt Off W Bagley RAAF 31 Oct 1943 Discharged from hospital
November
Fg Off Dowle  8 Nov 1943 Returned from CGS (ME) on completion of Gunnery Leaders' Course
Fg Off Tennent 18 Nov 1943 Proceeded to Port Reitz on temporary duty
Fg Off D F H Niman 27 Nov 1943 Posted to FBTU, Mombasa as an instructor
Fg Off Firman 27 Nov 1943 Arrived on posting
Fg Off Lucas 27 Nov 1943 Arrived on posting
Flt Lt Cooper 29 Nov 1943 Adjutant, arrived at Dar es Saleem from Durban on SS 'Manela'
Fg Off Phillips 29 Nov 1943 Equipment Officer, arrived at Dar es Saleem from Durban on SS 'Manela'
Plt Off Girling 29 Nov 1943 Arrived at Dar es Saleem from Durban on SS 'Manela'
Fg Off Churchill 30 Nov 1943 Detached to GR Ops, No 246 Wing for duty as Controller
December
Fg Off Phillips  2 Dec 1943 Equipment Officer, attached to HQ No 258 Wing
Fg Off Woodhouse  3 Dec 1943 Returned from CGS (ME) on completion of Gunnery Leaders' Course
Fg Off Butler  3 Dec 1943 Arrived on posting from the UK (Catalina 'J')
Fg Off Smith  3 Dec 1943 Arrived on posting from the UK (Catalina 'J')
Fg Off Findlay  3 Dec 1943 Arrived on posting from the UK (Catalina 'J')
Flt Lt J Dunthorne  5 Dec 1943 Relinquished duties of Navigation Officer on posting to the Middle East for disposal
Wg Cdr W N Bisbee  6 Dec 1943 Returned from temporary duty with AHQ East Africa
Sqn Ldr Louw  6 Dec 1943 Returned from Aden, where he had been detachment commander
Plt Off W Bagley RAAF  6 Dec 1943 Proceeded to FBCU, No 209 Sqn for Captains' course
Sqn Ldr Louw  7 Dec 1943 Departed on posting to AHQ East Africa
Flt Lt L G Virr 12 Dec 1943 Arrived from FBCU, No 209 Sqn and assumed duties of Flight Commander
Flt Lt Arterton 17 Dec 1943 Returned from detachment in Mombasa
Flt Lt Mitton 20 Dec 1943 Arrived on posting for duty as Engineer Officer
Flt Lt Hart 22 Dec 1943 Engineer Officer, posted to Kisumu
Fg Off Butler 23 Dec 1943 Posted to No 209 Sqn
Fg Off Smith 26 Dec 1943 Posted to No 209 Sqn
Fg Off Findlay 26 Dec 1943 Posted to No 209 Sqn
Flt Lt Moys 28 Dec 1943 Admitted to SSQ, Oyster Bay
Fg Off Curtis 31 Dec 1943 Attached to HQ No 246 Wing

Source - No 259 ORB (AIR 27/1533)

Organisational Movements: Jan - Dec 1943

Date Notes
January
23 Jan 1943 Catalina IB, FP256 'A' departed RAF Pembroke Dock for Gibraltar
Catalina IB
25 Jan 1943 Catalina IB, FP256 'A' departed for Gibraltar bound for Cairo
30 Jan 1943 Catalina IB, FP256 'A' departed Cairo for Khartoum
31 Jan 1943 Catalina IB, FP256 'A' departed Khartoum for Kisumu on Lake Victoria
February
3 Feb 1943 Catalina IB, FP136 'D' departed Mount Batten for Kipevu, Mombasa
 4 Feb 1943 Catalina IB, FP256 'A' departed Kisumu for Kipevu, Mombasa

Personnel of No 259 Sqn attached to No 209 Sqn temporarily

Catalina IB, FP247 'B' departed Stranraer

Catalina IB, FP133 'F' departed Stranraer

Catalina IB, FP126 'C' departed Stranraer

The next two weeks were spent recalling squadron personnel from various attachments across the continent
16 Feb 1943 No 259 Squadron officially formed at Kipevu, Mombasa
17 Feb 1943 Catalina IB, FP281 'G' departed RAF Pembroke Dock

Catalina IB, FP247 'B' arrived at Kipevu, Mombasa
21 Feb 1943 Catalina IB, FP136 'D' arrived at Kipevu, Mombasa
23 eb 1943 Catalina IB, FP285 'I' departed Mount Batten for Kipevu, Mombasa
March
 1 Mar 1943 38 x ORs arrived from detachment at Eastleigh, Port Reitz and No 70 OTU
 4 Mar 1943 Catalina IBs, FP275 'D' and FP133 'F' arrived at Kipevu, Mombasa

35 x SNCOs and 44 x ORs moved from SS 'Manela' to the New Camp
 7 Mar 1943 Catalina IB, FP281 'G' arrived at Kipevu, Mombasa

A detachment of two aircraft proceeded to Congella, Durban and then moved to St Lucia
 9 Mar 1943 41 x ORs moved from SS 'Manela' to the New Camp
11 Mar 1943 Catalina IB, FP283 'H' arrived at Kipevu, Mombasa
 7 Mar 1943 Aircraft 'B' proceeded on detachment to Congella, Durban
17 Mar 1943 Catalina IB, FP285 'I' arrived at Kipevu, Mombasa
April
20 Apr 1943 SS 'Manela' departed Mombasa as no longer required
May
27 May 1943 All aircraft were now detached at locations further south - Congella and St Lucia
June

There were no entries in the ORB for this month
July

There were no entries in the ORB for this month, but the squadron was now based at Congella
August
 1 Aug 1943 Party of MBC, Clerks/GD and MT personnel proceeded on detachment to Bot River and Langebeen
 8 Aug 1943 1 x aircraft proceeded on detachment to Langebeen
13 Aug 1943 Party of MT drivers proceeded on detachment to Langebeen by rail
September
14 Sep 1943 1 x aircraft returned from detachment at Langebeen
16 Sep 1943 2 x aircraft returned from detachment at St Lucia
14 Sep 1943 2 x aircraft returned from detachment at Langebeen with maintenance personnel
18 Sep 1943 1 x aircraft departed Congella for Dar es Saleem
19 Sep 1943 2 x aircraft departed Congella for Dar es Saleem
21 Sep 1943 2 x aircraft departed St Lucia for Dar es Saleem
22 Sep 1943 2 x aircraft arrived at Dar es Saleem

Ground personnel from two detachments returned to Congella
22 Sep 1943 Last aircraft departed Congella for Dar es Saleem
23 Sep 1943 4 x aircraft arrived at Dar es Saleem
25 Sep 1943 5 x airmen arrived on posting at Dar es Saleem

Originally warned to be prepared to move to Dar es Saleem on 25 Sep 1943, all ground personnel were recalled to Congella, but the move didn't take place
October

This month was spent with all operational aircraft at Dar es Saleem, except one detached to Tulear, and ground personnel awaiting transportation from Congella
November
29 Nov 1943 The ground personnel eventually arrived at Dar es Saleem from Durban aboard SS 'Manela'
December
1 Dec 1943 The strength of the squadron at Dar es Saleem on this date was: -
  • Flt Lt S J Rawlins
  • Flt Lt A H L Cooper
  • Flt Lt J Dunthorne
  • Fg Off W Tennant
  • Flt Lt W M Dowle
  • Flt Lt H J Hart
  • Fg Off D L G Miller
  • Fg Off D H Curtis
  • Fg Off D Wadham
  • Fg Off Lucas
  • Plt Off Girling
  • Fg Off V Firman
  • acting Officer Commanding
  • Adjutant
  • Navigation Officer
  • acting Flight Commander
  • Gunnery Leader
  • Engineer Officer
  • ASV Officer
  • acting Intelligence Officer
  • Captain of 'I'
  • Flt Engineer of 'I'
  • Navigation of 'I'
  • Navigator
  • Aircrew SNCOs         -  15
  • Ground Staff SNCOs  -  10
  • Other Ranks                - 192

Total strength at HQ - 12  x Officers, 217 Other Ranks
 3 Dec 1939 1 x Catalina IB, 'J' arrived on delivery from the UK
13 Dec 1943 All aircraft were on detachment (Mombasa and Aden)
20 Dec 1943 'ASV' Section renamed 'Radar' Section

Source - No 259 ORB (AIR 27/1533)

This entry was last updated on 15/07/25

[Top of Page]