68 Squadron :: Czechoslovak Airmen in the RAF 1940-1945

Czechoslovak Flight of No. 68 Squadron

Badge: Head of owl drew
Motto: "VŽDY PŘIPRAVEN"
in English
"ALWAYS READY"
Code Letters: WM
Date of Establishment: 7th January 1941
Place of Establishment: Catterick
Date of Disbandment: 20th April 1945
Place of Disbandment: Church Fenton

No. 68 Squadron Stations

Station	From	To
Catterick, Yorkshire	07.01.1941	17.04.1941
High Ercall, Shropshire detachment Valley, Angelsey	17.04.1941	08.03.1942
Coltishall, Norfolk detachment Peterhead, Aberdeenshire	08.03.1942	05.02.1944
Coleby Grange, Lincolnshire	05.02.1944	01.03.1944
Fairwood Common, Glanmorgan	01.03.1944	24.06.1944
Castle Camps, Cambridgeshire	24.06.1944	27.10.1944
Coltishall, Norfolk	27.10.1944	08.02.1945
Wittering, Northamptonshire	08.02.1945	27.02.1945
Coltishall, Norfolk	27.02.1945	15.03.1945
Church Fenton, Yorkshire	15.03.1945	20.04.1945

No. 68 Squadron Commanding Officers

Commanding Officer	From	To
S/Ldr D. L. Clarkson	07.01.1941	03.02.1941
W/Cdr John W. M. „Max“ Aitken, DSO, DFC	03.02.1941	24.01.1943
W/Cdr Anthony P. Dottridge, DFC	24.01.1943	21.10.1943
W/Cdr Dennis Hayley-Bell, DFC	21.10.1943	14.08.1944
W/Cdr George Howden, DFC	14.08.1944	04.02.1945
W/Cdr William L. Gill, DFC	20.04.1945	04.02.1945

B Flight Commanding Officers

(B flight was manned by entirely Czechoslovak personnel from 20th January 1942)

B Flight Commanding Officer	From	To
S/Ldr Vlastimil Veselý, DFC	14.02.1942	01.04.1943
S/Ldr František Sýkora	01.04.1943	10.10.1943
S/Ldr Miroslav Mansfeld, DSO, DFC	10.10.1943	20.04.1945

Used Aircraft Types

Aircraft Type	From	To
Bristol Blenheim Mk.IF	February 1941	May 1941
Bristol Beaufighter Mk.IF	May 1941	February 1943
Bristol Beaufighter Mk.VIF	January 1943	July 1944
De Havilland Mosquito NF Mk.XVII	July 1944	February 1945
De Havilland Mosquito NF Mk.XIX	July 1944	February 1945