Items in the Hawkinge Tag

Lysanders of 2 Sqn support troops defending Calais

Flying from Hawkinge eight Lysanders took off at ten minute intervals without fighter cover to drop supplies to troops defending Calais. Canisters containing water, food and ammunition were dropped from 50 feet but this exposed the aircraft to ground fire - two were lost and, whilst the remaining six returned to Hawkinge, they were all damaged.

DETAIL OF WORK CARRIED OUT By: NO. 2 SQUADRON

Aircraft Type and No. Crew. Duty. Time Up. Time Down. Remarks References
LYSANDER KOL P/O. THOMAS. TAC/R. under black VIOLET. 06.50 07.20 Area ST. OMER - ARDRUIQ - BERGUES. Reconnaissance in preparation for supply dropping sorties later in day.
LAC. DIXON.
   "     KOL P/O. THOMAS. TAC/R. under black VIOLET. 08.50 10.15 Area ST. OMER - ARDRUIQ - BERGUES. Reconnaissance in preparation of supply dropping sorties later in day.
LAC. DIXON.
   "     KOU S/Ldr DRYSDALE Supply dropping 09.45 10.30 8 Lysanders under S/Ldr. DRYSDALE took off to drop ammunition supplies, and water on the garrison holding CALIAS. The containers were required to fall within the CITADEL. The flight was led in over the CITADEL at a height of about 50 feet, and the containers all fell within the citadel, with the exception of one falling wide, P/O DUDENCY experiencing a hang-up on both racks.
P/O. LIGHT.
   "     KOS F/O. PIMM.   "       "     09.45 10.30
CPL. PICKLES.
   "     KOF P/O. SHEARMAN.   "       "     09.45 10.30
SGT. SPURR.
   "     KOC P/O. DEARDEN.   "       "     09.45 10.30
P/O. BOSTOCK.
   "     KOD P/O. COX.   "       "     09.45 10.30
LAC. SIMS.
   "     KOV P/O. DUDENCY.   "       "     09.45 10.30
LAC. JARVIS.
   "     KOP P/O. MASON.   "       "     09.45 10.30
CPL. OLIVER.
   "     KOB P/O. BAKER.   "       "     09.45 10.30
LAC. GALLOWAY.

(AIR 27/19/10)

Dynamo Air operations run from Hawkinge

AVM C.H.B. Blount arrives at Hawkinge and starts running the RAF operations in support of Dynamo from the Haskard Target Building - this HQ was called 'Back Component'. It was collecting evidence to assist with evacuation, as a lot of the wireless equipment was inadequate it relied heavily on debriefs from returning aircrew supplemented with information from German short wave radio traffic intercepted by WAAFs of the experimental wireless section based in Maypole Cottage.

Aircraft of all types returning from action were landing at Hawkinge, many to be refuelled then immediately moving on to inland airfields but those that were too damaged to fly were patched up before being moved on.

OPERATIONS RECORD BOOK of (Unit or Formation) RAF. Station Hawkinge

PlaceDateTimeSummary of EventsReferences to Appendices
HawkingeMay 1940
27th		WEATHER. Fine, some cloud in thick patches. S.Q.FC Staff Engineer visted the station in connection with the formation of Maintenance, re-fuelling and re-arming party which has now assembled. A.V.M.C BLOUNT visited the station.