Battles Across the Desert - WW2 part 1

At the outbreak of World War II, however, little happened for 208 Squadron until Italy entered the war in June 1940. This delay gave the Squadron valuable time to establish itself more fully as a mobile unit - a feature that stood it in good stead when the fighting began. Early wartime sorties involved patrols along the border wire from Sollum to Maddalena, occasional artillery shoots on Bardia and light bombing of transport convoys. However, the 'Lizzie' was very slow and a sitting target for enemy fighters, 3 of which picked off 208's first casualty of the war on 15th October 1940 when a Lysander was pursued to the ground and shot up, killing both of the aircraft's occupants. It became essential, therefore, for the Lysanders to have a fighter escort whenever enemy fighters were about. The diary notes of one of 208's Flight Commanders, Flight Lieutenant E H I Webber, tell us a little about how the Squadron tried to make the Lysander a little more effective:

'June 1940 - 208 Squadron was then at Qasaba, having moved from its permanent base at Heliopolis. 'B' Flight was detached to Sidi Barrani and carried out the first reconnaissance of the war with Italy. We experimented with 2 40mm canon, but they were not successful owing to the sandy conditions. During this period, we flew with and without fighter protection, doing tactical, photographic and artillery reconnaissances before and during the first capture of Tobruk.'

In November 1940, the Squadron received the welcome news that one of its Flights would be replaced by Hurricanes. Henceforth, 208 would operate Hurricanes in the visual reconnaissance role, whilst providing fighter cover for the Lysanders providing close support tactical reconnaissance. After a 2-week conversion course, 208's pilots began to produce photo mosaics of Bardia, Tobruk and el Adem in readiness for the Australian assault on Bardia in January 1941. Such was the excellence of their work, that General Wavell, the General Officer Commanding Western Desert, praised the Squadron for its contribution to the success of that attack.

In January 1941, 208 Squadron moved up to Gambur and a month later to Barce, where it was relieved on 28th February by No 6 Squadron before moving back to Heliopolis on 3rd March. The intention was to re-equip the Squadron entirely with Hurricanes and to update its ground transport. However, the invasion of Greece forced other plans. The Squadron was immediately sent to Greece in support of the Australians and the Black Watch. A succession of moves followed, all the while looking for a safe base from which to operate. However, 208 was hopelessly outnumbered and outgunned, and many aircraft were lost until 208 eventually set up a base at Amphiklia with just 2 serviceable Hurricanes to its name. From there it moved back to Hassani, where the Hurricanes were absorbed into 80 Squadron. The Lysanders continued to operate from Argos, until they were shot up by Messerschmitt BF 110s and destroyed. Squadron Leader Bill Weeks (then a sergeant) takes up the story:

'That was when the skies above us were never clear of German bombers and fighters; when German troops were racing towards Athens after the battle of Larissa and smashed the Expeditionary Force's air power.

The last of 208's aircraft were destroyed at Argos and the men marched, under Warrant Officer Taplin's leadership, undisturbed during the night, but harried throughout the day, dispersing among trees, diving into ditches and snatching small arms shots as we could. Then we watched Air Commodore d'Albiac (ex-Naval 8) standing in the open, calmly and contemptuously firing a revolver at the hunting Messerschmitt 110s.

We gathered at a beach that evening and were led to boats which took us to a Royal Navy vessel which had ventured into these hostile waters in darkness. That was when an unlit boatload of troops was mown down by a blacked-out warship, so near to safety. Then the packed ship took us to Crete - and later still escorted us from that island while men we knew stood to face the German paratroops with dwindling ammunition and, finally, bayonets.

Then, there will be no record of the farmer and his wife above Suda Bay, who filled an empty water bottle for a battered sergeant fitter - with brandy. Splendid, kind people.'

Such was the reputation of 208 Squadron in the region, that the German High Command had broadcast on radio that 'No 208 Squadron, that invaluable link between Army and Air Force in Greece, has been destroyed and all personnel killed, seriously wounded or captured.' Squadron Leader Weeks, and others, have had much to say about that!

No 208 Squadron revived itself at Gaza in Palestine in May 1941 and, next on the calendar of major events, was the invasion of Syria, when a Flight was sent in under the command of the 7th Australian Brigade. From Gaza, 208 Squadron sent detachments of Hurricanes and Lysanders to Habbaniya in Iraq and Amman in Transjordan, the latter attacking enemy aircraft at Damascus. In preparation for the invasion, the Squadron sent detachments of long-range Hurricanes to Haifa and Aqir and, when the invasion began on 8th June, 208 Squadron went in immediately with the Army. Three pilots were killed in low level work: 2 by Allied troops. Under Australian command, the Squadron concentrated on the taking of Damascus, picking up reconnaissance information that the enemy was moving out, enabling the town to be quickly taken. Squadron Leader Bill Weeks notes:

'The invasion of Syria was to aid our French allies in their mandated territory, who were being over-run by the Germans. They had already attacked us, causing some damage. We pushed up to Palmyra, only to find that the French did not welcome us at all! Our aircraft losses and casualty list continued to mount. We ,we got there, and I remembered the Sergeant who happily drank some of General Auchinleck's gin while the big man inspected a parade of troops. Then our little detachment flew Glubb Pasha back to his base in a Lysander.'