238 Squadron

Hi John & TheDawnPatrol,

I have sent a PM regarding Nichol’s flight to Malta. Unfortunately this period is covered by the log book which he lost at Ma’atin El Gerawla, thus there is no information regarding this flight. Sorry.

@ TheDawnPatrol: I have sent you a PM regarding the Nichols logbook, which I am very interested in. Could you tell me which Hurricane he flew to Malta in June 1941?

John

Hi John
Give me a few days to dig it out, and I’ll let you know.

@ TheDawnPatrol: I have sent you a PM regarding the Nichols logbook, which I am very interested in. Could you tell me which Hurricane he flew to Malta in June 1941?

John

D’Amico and Valentini seems to be Italian authors:
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2731014-regia-aeronautica-vol-2

KC-T is most likely PL455.

I came across these two images a while back on a flight simulator forum. They were apparently taken at St. Catherine – Calvi – Corsica in July 1944.

Can anyone tell me anything about the Collection D’Amico-Valentini? I would be interested to see if there are any additional images in this collection relating to 238 Sqn.

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The serials above are those listed in gifts of war.

Right; I’ve turned up some quite interesting information on this one. Looking through the 238 Squadron ORBs, it transpires that HL851 was indeed on Squadron strength from mid-May 1943, right up until they converted to Spitfires at the end of August. A whole host of different pilots flew it, but it would seem Mr Nichols was not amongst them. The individual pictured with the aircraft would appear (from reference to the group photo in post #10) to be FS Robertson, which ties in nicely with the ORBs, as this individual is recorded as having flown the aircraft on quite a number of occasions. What continues to confuse me is the fact that almost everything I’ve read about the MacRoberts aircraft lists Sir Iain as being HL735, whilst HL851 is usually listed at being Sir Roderic. Any one have any idea why this might be?

MacRobert’s – I see what you mean about the radiator, but I think the reason for the unusual square feature under the aircraft is that it has a bung fitted to keep the dust out. There is a smaller one fitted to the front of the intake on the nose too. I too thought that the aircraft might be undergoing maintenance when I saw one of the cannons had been removed, but then I read a line in the ORB, dated 10/09/42 which said: “The IIcs are being flown with 2 cannon instead of 4 as fitted”. All this makes me think the picture probably does show an aircraft in front line use.

I don’t want to take this thread off the 238 Squadron track, but it might be of interest that the 94 squadron aircraft depicted in post #11 could easily have been photographed at a landing ground shared with 238 Squadron? I might be wrong, but it looks to me as though the ventral radiator bath has been removed in this photo? If so, the aircraft may be either being serviced or be unserviceable and the opportunity arose for a nice posed shot of Sgt Nichols beside the nose inscription? Also, I have a number of different serial numbers associated with the named MacRobert airframes? My father recalls that, when one particular airframe was unserviceable or seriously damaged, the nose panel was quite often transferred to another serviceable airframe – probably an attempt to maintain Squadron morale or, under the harsh desert operating conditions, to maximise serviceability? Not entirely relevant to the subject matter, I know, and I’ll leave it there – but it’s always interesting to see previously unpublished photographs appear and it serves to underline the “confusion” that can occur when images don’t appear to correlate with “established” facts!

The Lady BP635 & HL775
Sir Roderic HL735
Sir Alasdair HL844
Sir Iain HL851

Never seen any mention of any of them being with 238 Squadron. IIRC 94 and 231 Squadrons.

Yes, a fantastic shot. Thank you for looking it out Snapper. It could easily be the only shot in existence of 238 Squadron Spitfires from that period.

With regards to the picture of “The MacRobert Fighter -Sir Iain”; the story is widely known, so the registrations of the 4 aircraft should be easy enough to track down. When I get some time, I shall have a look through the ORBs and see if those registrations appear against any 238 Squadron entries. It would be an interesting little insight to see if these aircraft migrated between Squadrons.

Hi Snapper,
That’s a cracking picture, especially with the other spitfire coming in to land above it.
Cheers
for posting it.
Gerry

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I think the first photograph in post #11 is of a 94 Squadron Hurricane – “The MacRobert Fighter -Sir Iain”. This was one of four Hurricanes operated by 94 squadron which were funded by Lady MacRobert in memory of her three son’s who lost their lives either just prior to or during WW2. In addition to “Sir Iain”, they were “Sir Alasdair”, “Sir Roderic” and “The MacRobert salute to Russia”. My father served with 94 squadron from 1940 until 1943 as a “Fitter-2e” and his photo album contains many images that are very similar to those posted here. It’s possible that, in the need to maintain operational status, aircraft in the same wing were operated by other Squadron personnel – which might explain this aircraft featuring in the album of a 238 Squadron pilot? My father also remembers the captured JU52 ” Libyan Clipper” which appears in post #12 which was “impressed” into RAF service as an “R & R Hack” running personnel to and from the forward operating airfields to the “comforts” of Cairo and Alexandria! I have a suspicion that this aircraft was involved in a fatal accident which claimed the lives of several airmen – possibly including that of F/Lt Nichols?

Thank you so much for posting those pictures – A fascinating collection. PM Sent.

Last few for now

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A few more

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[ATTACH=CONFIG]237132[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]237133[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]237134[/ATTACH]Hi Tom

I have a photo album and log book of Sgt. Later Flight Lt. Clement St John Nichols. He flew with 238 from November 1940 until his death in July 1943, there are many small photos.
It was a great shame that he survived as a Fighter pilot for nearly 3 years operationally, to be killed whilst being transported with other squadron pilots in a transport aircraft.

I’m happy to send you a photocopy of his log book and scan the photos if you PM me.
Here are a few photos for the forum.

That would make sense. I’m guessing this is the machine bought down by the pair of them near Tavistock, on the 27th August then?

Yes. Blake and Considine.

It certainly is an interesting shot. Plt Off Considine is it? I’m not sure who the other chap might be. Where is it from? Do you know the context?