Archie Hook

Blenheim IV L9455 collided shortly after take off with another 248 Sqdn aircraft. 'There were no survivors from either aircraft.' (248 Sqdn ORB, Record of Events, December 1940, TNA Air27/1495/12).

Fatalities: Hook + AEQ Bourgois, LSJ Bright, JD Dodd, AE Hamilton, AH Pettet, SG Tattar

No.248 Squadron was formed as a night fighter unit, but spend most of the war serving with Coastal Command, ending the war with the Banff Strike Wing. The squadron was reformed on 30 October 1939, with an official establishment of 18 Blenheim 1fs, although the first actual aircraft didn’t arrive until December. With no radar the Blenheims were ineffective as night fighters, and in February 1940 the squadron was transferred to Coastal Command, at which date it was equipped with seven Blenheim VIfs.

This first period with Coastal Command was short-lived. The squadron moved twice, before rejoining Fighter Command at Dyce on 22 May. The squadron was used to provide fighter patrols over the east coast of Scotland, before returning to Coastal Command once again on 20 June.

The squadron spend a short period of time flying reconnaissance missions over the Norwegian coast, before in July 1940 it moved to the Shetlands and began to attack enemy shipping.