nshighlander Posted 31 January , 2005 Share Posted 31 January , 2005 HI Hi I`m looking for info on this Sqn(where posted).?Is there a list of people who were with this sqn? Thanks for the help Cheers Dave Waddell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolphin Posted 31 January , 2005 Share Posted 31 January , 2005 Dave No 266 Sqn was formed as an anti-submarine patrol unit at the end of September 1918 at Mudros, in the Mediterranean, from Nos 437 and 438 Flights, equipped with Short 184 and Short 320 seaplanes. After at least some of the Squadron served in the Caucasus in May 1919 as part of the 62nd Wing RAF, the unit was disbanded at Mudros in September 1919. Regards Gareth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikB Posted 31 January , 2005 Share Posted 31 January , 2005 I thought 266 was Biggles' squadron - so presumably fictitious... Regards, MikB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolphin Posted 31 January , 2005 Share Posted 31 January , 2005 MikB '266' was indeed Capt J W Bigglesworth's squadron in the 'Biggles' saga, but there was a real No 266 Sqn as well. I don't know if W E Johns knew of the existence of the genuine unit, as it served well away from the Western Front. Perhaps he realised that there was almost no chance of confusion between the fictional Camel squadron and the real seaplane unit. To round this off, 2Lt W E Johns was shot down and made PoW on 16 September 1918 while flying DH 4 F5712 of No 55 Sqn, Independent Force RAF, with his observer, 2Lt Alfred Amey, who was killed in action. A victory was credited to Ltn Georg Weiner of Jasta 3; it was the 7th of his eventual 9 victories. Regards Gareth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aleyoop Posted 1 February , 2005 Share Posted 1 February , 2005 I read somewhere that someone extracted Biggles claims and tallied them up to 44, which put him above Albert Ball as 4th highest scorer/claimant in the Empire air corps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikB Posted 1 February , 2005 Share Posted 1 February , 2005 Perhaps he realised that there was almost no chance of confusion between the fictional Camel squadron and the real seaplane unit. Within his immediate timeframe perhaps, but to us savages shambling through the ruins of our forefathers' greatness, there's every chance... Thanks for the info about Johns, BTW. He must have felt pretty favoured by fortune to have survived being shot down. Regards, MikB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisharley9 Posted 1 February , 2005 Share Posted 1 February , 2005 Hi Everyone just to add to the previous info 266 Sqn formed at Mudros 27 Sep 1918 with det at Skyros 10 Mar 1919 to Petrovsk Port with det at Chechen disbanded 1 Sep 1919 All The Best Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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