Håkans Aviation page - Gloster Gladiator in 615 RAF Squadron service

Gloster Gladiator in 615 RAF Squadron service

615 Squadron
Kenley, June 1939 to September 1939. Croydon, September 1939 to October 1939. France, November 1939 to May 1940.
Code letters: "RR", changed to "KW" in September 1939.

Serials Code Arrival Note Departure

K6145 06/07/39 From 3 Sq. 04/10/39 To 605 Sq.

K7946 HE-R (?) 03/06/39 From 54 Sq. 30/11/39 At HQP Kenley.
13/01/40 To 6 MU:
13/02/40 To RAE.
18/06/42 To Marshalls.
10/09/42 To RAE for DTD..
09/06/43 Abandoned out of control and crashed West Heath, Yateley, Hants. DBF.

K7949 RR-E 13/06/39 From 54 Sq. 30/11/39 At HQP Kenley.
10/02/40 To 6 MU:
10/03/41 To Odiham.
06/41 To the Middle East.
To Meteorological Flight, Ramleh.

K7956 08/09/39 From 3 Sq. 30/11/39 At HQP Kenley.
13/01/40 To 6 MU.
28/02/41 To 52 MU.
11/03/41 To Middle East for Greek Air Force.
16/06/41 To 107 MU.
31/06/44 SOC.

K7957 03/07/39 From 3 Sq. 30/11/39 At HQP Kenley.
10/02/40 To 6 MU.
28/02/41 To 19 MU.
08/03/41 To Odiham.
27/06/41 To the Middle East.
To 94 Sq.

K7958 19/06/39 From 3 Sq. 02/07/39 Service Training, Aeros, Ide Hill, Kent. Engine Failure, overshot field and hit trees; P/O P. N. Merton-Neale unhurt.

K7960 03/06/39 From 3 Sq. 11/06/39 Collided with Hurricane L1934 on landing at Biggin Hill. 29/08/39 SOC.

K7961 03/06/39 From 54 Sq. 04/10/39 To 605 Sq.

K7965 06/07/39 From 3 Sq. 04/10/39 To 605 Sq.

K7979 30/06/39 From 65 Sq. 01/07/39 Night, 1st solo on type, Kenley, Engine failure (Mishandling) overshot and opened up for 2nd circuit. Inadvertently opened mixture control while opening throttle and EF, landed heavily, tail first. P/O A. Eyre unhurt.
ROS. 04/10/39 To 605 Sq.

K7984 06/07/39 From 3 Sq. 30/11/39 At HQP Kenley.
12/01/40 To 12 Group Pool

K7985 01/08/39 From 3 Sq. 04/10/39 To 605 Sq.

K7987 29/08/39 From 54 Sq. 11/09/39 Crashed during night formation practice 1m N of Bletchingly, Surrey. 10/10/39 SOC.

K8004 10/07/39 From 72 Sq. 04/10/39 To 605 Sq.

K8032 06/07/39 From 3 Sq. 05/10/39 To 605 Sq.

K8044 12/06/39 From 54 Sq. 21/09/39 Taxied into floodlight at Croydon.
ROS. 05/10/39 To 605 Sq.

N2303 From 605 Sq. 11/05/40 15:45 Patrol to reconnaissance of new airfield at Evere by F/L James Sanders.
18/05/40 Destroyed on the ground at Vitry-En-Artois. Redundant aircraft awaiting disposal. Reportedly destroyed or badly damaged in enemy bombing at 04:30 and 19:30. Aircraft write-off.

N2304 Also served in 16, 605 and 239 Squadrons.
18/05/40 Destroyed on the ground at Vitry-En-Artois. Redundant aircraft awaiting disposal. Reportedly destroyed or badly damaged in enemy bombing at 04:30 and 19:30. Aircraft write-off.

N2306 Also served in 16, 605 and 239 Squadrons.
18/05/40 Destroyed on the ground at Vitry-En-Artois. Redundant aircraft awaiting disposal. Reportedly destroyed or badly damaged in enemy bombing at 04:30 and 19:30. Aircraft write-off.

N2308 KW-T From 605 Sq. 29/12/39 13:10 F/L James Sanders scrambled from St. Inglevert and intercepted He111 from WeKuSta 26 over Wissant. He111 claimed as damaged. Only RAF Gladiator claim in France.
22/05/40 Evacuated from France to Redhill by F/O Tony Eyre. To 247 Sq.

N2309 From 605 Sq. 11/05/40 15:45 Patrol to reconnaissance of new airfield at Evere by Joe Kayal. To 18 Sq.

N2310 From 605 Sq. To 18 Sq.

N2312 KW-M From 605 Sq. To 2 AACU.

N2314 KW-M From 605 Sq. 01/10/39 Flew into ground on night patrol at Beare Green, Holmwood Common, Surrey; P/O John Charles Mackenzie Hanbury (RAF no. 90893) KIFA.

N5577 From 605 Sq.

N5578 KW-D 30/06/39 From 605 Sq.

N5580 KW-H From 605 Sq. To 18 Sq.

N5581 RR-C
KW-K 30/06/39 From 605 Sq. 18/11/39 12:15 Transit flight Lille-Seclin to Merville. Damaged in forced landing at in bad weather. Aircraft write-off; F/L L. T. W. Thornley unhurt. 16/12/39 SOC.

N5582 KW-S From 605 Sq. 23/10/39 Force-landed near Guildford.
18/12/39 Crashed at St. Inglevert when it stalled during landing break and dived into the ground; the pilot was KIFA.

N5583 From 605 Sq. To 18 Sq.

N5585 From 605 Sq. To 247 Sq.

N5586 From 605 Sq. No further trace after April 1940.

N5587 KW-J No further trace after March 1940.

N5590 Probably served at 615 Sq. To Air Ministry Meteorological Flight, Aldergrove.

N5717 From 1 Sq. To 18 Sq.

N5899 18/05/40 Destroyed on the ground at Vitry-En-Artois. Redundant aircraft awaiting disposal. Reportedly destroyed or badly damaged in enemy bombing at 04:30 and 19:30. Aircraft write-off.

N5900 To 18 Sq.

? 18/11/39 Transit flight Lille-Seclin to Merville. Overturned after forced landing at in bad weather. Aircraft damaged but repairable; S/L A. V. Harvey unhurt.

? 12/12/39 Force landed at Beck-sur-Mer due to engine problems. Aircraft repairable; P/O B. P. Young unhurt.

? 18/12/39 01:40 Escort for leave boat from Boulogne. Stalled and crashed on landing approach to St. Inglevert in bad weather; P/O Stanley Macdonald Wickham (RAF no. 40773) KIFA.

? 03/01/40 Affiliation exercise. Tailwheel damaged in forced-landing near Crécy due to broken oil pipe. Aircraft repairable; F/O J. H. R. Gayner unhurt.

Gloster Gladiator Mk.II (N5581) of 615 Squadron operating from Kenley, Surrey, in August 1939.
© 1999 Rick Kent

Gloster Gladiator Mk.II of 615 Squadron operating from St. Inglevert, France, in April 1940.
© 1999 Rick Kent

Gloster Gladiator Mk.II, probably of 615 Squadron, at Le Bourge airfield, France, in the end of June 1940.
Image from “The War in the Air” by Gene Curney, 1964 kindly via Yuriy Svoyskiy.

Gloster Gladiator in Commonwealth squadron service

Last modified 11 November 2010

615 Squadron Kenley, June 1939 to September 1939. Croydon, September 1939 to October 1939. France, November 1939 to May 1940. Code letters: "RR", changed to "KW" in September 1939.
Serials	Code	Arrival	Note	Departure
K6145		06/07/39 From 3 Sq.		04/10/39 To 605 Sq.
K7946	HE-R (?)	03/06/39 From 54 Sq.		30/11/39 At HQP Kenley. 13/01/40 To 6 MU: 13/02/40 To RAE. 18/06/42 To Marshalls. 10/09/42 To RAE for DTD.. 09/06/43 Abandoned out of control and crashed West Heath, Yateley, Hants. DBF.
K7949	RR-E	13/06/39 From 54 Sq.		30/11/39 At HQP Kenley. 10/02/40 To 6 MU: 10/03/41 To Odiham. 06/41 To the Middle East. To Meteorological Flight, Ramleh.
K7956		08/09/39 From 3 Sq.		30/11/39 At HQP Kenley. 13/01/40 To 6 MU. 28/02/41 To 52 MU. 11/03/41 To Middle East for Greek Air Force. 16/06/41 To 107 MU. 31/06/44 SOC.
K7957		03/07/39 From 3 Sq.		30/11/39 At HQP Kenley. 10/02/40 To 6 MU. 28/02/41 To 19 MU. 08/03/41 To Odiham. 27/06/41 To the Middle East. To 94 Sq.
K7958		19/06/39 From 3 Sq.	02/07/39 Service Training, Aeros, Ide Hill, Kent. Engine Failure, overshot field and hit trees; P/O P. N. Merton-Neale unhurt.
K7960		03/06/39 From 3 Sq.	11/06/39 Collided with Hurricane L1934 on landing at Biggin Hill.	29/08/39 SOC.
K7961		03/06/39 From 54 Sq.		04/10/39 To 605 Sq.
K7965		06/07/39 From 3 Sq.		04/10/39 To 605 Sq.
K7979		30/06/39 From 65 Sq.	01/07/39 Night, 1st solo on type, Kenley, Engine failure (Mishandling) overshot and opened up for 2nd circuit. Inadvertently opened mixture control while opening throttle and EF, landed heavily, tail first. P/O A. Eyre unhurt. ROS.	04/10/39 To 605 Sq.
K7984		06/07/39 From 3 Sq.		30/11/39 At HQP Kenley. 12/01/40 To 12 Group Pool
K7985		01/08/39 From 3 Sq.		04/10/39 To 605 Sq.
K7987		29/08/39 From 54 Sq.	11/09/39 Crashed during night formation practice 1m N of Bletchingly, Surrey.	10/10/39 SOC.
K8004		10/07/39 From 72 Sq.		04/10/39 To 605 Sq.
K8032		06/07/39 From 3 Sq.		05/10/39 To 605 Sq.
K8044		12/06/39 From 54 Sq.	21/09/39 Taxied into floodlight at Croydon. ROS.	05/10/39 To 605 Sq.
N2303		From 605 Sq.	11/05/40 15:45 Patrol to reconnaissance of new airfield at Evere by F/L James Sanders. 18/05/40 Destroyed on the ground at Vitry-En-Artois. Redundant aircraft awaiting disposal. Reportedly destroyed or badly damaged in enemy bombing at 04:30 and 19:30. Aircraft write-off.
N2304			Also served in 16, 605 and 239 Squadrons. 18/05/40 Destroyed on the ground at Vitry-En-Artois. Redundant aircraft awaiting disposal. Reportedly destroyed or badly damaged in enemy bombing at 04:30 and 19:30. Aircraft write-off.
N2306			Also served in 16, 605 and 239 Squadrons. 18/05/40 Destroyed on the ground at Vitry-En-Artois. Redundant aircraft awaiting disposal. Reportedly destroyed or badly damaged in enemy bombing at 04:30 and 19:30. Aircraft write-off.
N2308	KW-T	From 605 Sq.	29/12/39 13:10 F/L James Sanders scrambled from St. Inglevert and intercepted He111 from WeKuSta 26 over Wissant. He111 claimed as damaged. Only RAF Gladiator claim in France. 22/05/40 Evacuated from France to Redhill by F/O Tony Eyre.	To 247 Sq.
N2309		From 605 Sq.	11/05/40 15:45 Patrol to reconnaissance of new airfield at Evere by Joe Kayal.	To 18 Sq.
N2310		From 605 Sq.		To 18 Sq.
N2312	KW-M	From 605 Sq.		To 2 AACU.
N2314	KW-M	From 605 Sq.	01/10/39 Flew into ground on night patrol at Beare Green, Holmwood Common, Surrey; P/O John Charles Mackenzie Hanbury (RAF no. 90893) KIFA.
N5577		From 605 Sq.
N5578	KW-D	30/06/39 From 605 Sq.
N5580	KW-H	From 605 Sq.		To 18 Sq.
N5581	RR-C KW-K	30/06/39 From 605 Sq.	18/11/39 12:15 Transit flight Lille-Seclin to Merville. Damaged in forced landing at in bad weather. Aircraft write-off; F/L L. T. W. Thornley unhurt.	16/12/39 SOC.
N5582	KW-S	From 605 Sq.	23/10/39 Force-landed near Guildford. 18/12/39 Crashed at St. Inglevert when it stalled during landing break and dived into the ground; the pilot was KIFA.
N5583		From 605 Sq.		To 18 Sq.
N5585		From 605 Sq.		To 247 Sq.
N5586		From 605 Sq.	No further trace after April 1940.
N5587	KW-J		No further trace after March 1940.
N5590			Probably served at 615 Sq.	To Air Ministry Meteorological Flight, Aldergrove.
N5717		From 1 Sq.		To 18 Sq.
N5899			18/05/40 Destroyed on the ground at Vitry-En-Artois. Redundant aircraft awaiting disposal. Reportedly destroyed or badly damaged in enemy bombing at 04:30 and 19:30. Aircraft write-off.
N5900				To 18 Sq.
?			18/11/39 Transit flight Lille-Seclin to Merville. Overturned after forced landing at in bad weather. Aircraft damaged but repairable; S/L A. V. Harvey unhurt.
?			12/12/39 Force landed at Beck-sur-Mer due to engine problems. Aircraft repairable; P/O B. P. Young unhurt.
?			18/12/39 01:40 Escort for leave boat from Boulogne. Stalled and crashed on landing approach to St. Inglevert in bad weather; P/O Stanley Macdonald Wickham (RAF no. 40773) KIFA.
?			03/01/40 Affiliation exercise. Tailwheel damaged in forced-landing near Crécy due to broken oil pipe. Aircraft repairable; F/O J. H. R. Gayner unhurt.