II (AC) Squadron History - World War II
In September/October the Squadron deployed to France, basing themselves at Drucat near Abbeville. May saw more Geddes related antic's, now OC II (AC) Squadron he took off on the morning of the 19th with his gunner LAC Clarke. No fighter cover was available for their reconnaissance mission and due to the hazardous nature of this particular sortie Geddes had decided to fly it himself.

3 Corp was retreating across the Scheldt River but had no idea who controlled the bridges, Geddes's mission was to find out. Approaching the bridges from the west Geddes saw that Jul 87 Stuka dive bombers where on their way to the bridges as well. They where circling in two section's of 10 aircraft at about 5000ft. There where no allied aircraft to be seen anywhere in the blue sky. In his diary Geddes wrote "It was clear to us that they where lining up to blow the bridge to pieces, we felt rather exposed. Then Clarke, a brave chap who was killed in Sicily in 1943 as a Pilot Officer, said to me; 'that's not very fair, Sir, I think we should teach the buggers a lesson'.

I had only two options; surprise and offensive action. My Lysander KO-T was in splendid condition for a scrap. We took the initiative before the Germans could either bomb the bridge or shoot us down. Evidently their leader had mistaken us for a German Henschel Hs 126 army co-op aircraft which looks somewhat like a 'lizzie'; a similar parasol wing, radial engine and fixed under carriage.

None of the aircraft peeled off when we closed in. The whole formation continued to circle like angry vultures. We slowly joined the back of the second formation. Then the first Stuka went down to bomb and others followed. I knew that the air gunner would not see us while his pilot went down in a steep dive. When the last Stuka pulled up I did the same and gave him a long burst. The bullets of the Vickers in the wheel spats hit him and I saw bits and pieces coming off. To my surprise, however, it did not catch fire and seemed to stagger on without any apparent damage. This was rather frustrating for now I had lost the element of surprise.

It was certain that the Germans did not take kindly to what I had done. Closing in I saw that I must of hit the air gunner for he had disappeared and the gun was elevated. The whole line now peeled off in panic and the first Stukas went after me. I went down to ground level in defensive circles. At times my under carriage brushed through the tree tops and then Clarke shouted through the tube that he had a stoppage and could I please hang around a bit until he cleared it. I could beat the Stukas by making flat turns without spinning due to the large automatic flaps and slats. However it was obvious that one stuka pilot was a professional for he almost caught me with a cunning trick.

When I got on his tail he clapped open his dive brakes and appeared to stop dead in the air straight ahead of me. I was forced to overshoot him and then all he needed to do was apply power, pull up his nose and have a go at me with his machine guns. The first time he did this a short burst from his guns passed between my starboard cockpit window and the struts. Luckily, Clarke had by then put his gun right and I was able to do a lazy turn to get the Stuka nicely lined up for Clarke who gave a long burst and hit the Stuka mortally. It began to smoke, the pilot bailed out and I saw the aircraft crash in a forest near Kruischbosch.

I made sure I got away, sometimes following the roads to Wevelghem with my undercarriage between the trees, to stay as low as I possibly could. I remember that on several occasions we flew under power cables. Clarke said 'Sir, I prefer to look backwards, it saves me from seeing these lines coming closer...." After Geddes landed and reported his victory Fg Off Tony Doidge jumped into a car and raced to Kruischbosch. He returned with a piece of the Stuka. Sadly this was lost when the squadron fled to Belgium to avoid capture by German Panzers a few days later. Finally the Squadron withdrew to England, using Hatfield, Cambridge and Sawbridgeworth airfields.

Late 1940 saw the start of 'Black Lysander flights', aircraft inserting Special Operations Executive Agents into enemy territory at night. By August 1941 it was realized that the Lysander was no longer suited to reconnaissance duties over occupied Europe and the Squadron trialled P-40 Tomahawk's, these proved the concept of using fighter style aircraft for reconnaissance. These where soon replaced by the North American P-51 Mustang fitted with the F-42 Camera's. November 1942 saw the first operational sortie over France since the Lysander days. The Squadron continued in England flying low level reconnaissance over France and the Low Countries until D-day.

Following the lessons learnt in the western desert , a Tactical Air Force (TAF) was formed for the Invasion of Europe. II (AC) Squadron was part of No 35 (R) Wing, No 84 Group working for the Canadian army. On D-day itself a II (AC) Squadron Mustang, piloted by the now Air Commodore Geddes, brought back the first pictures of the Normandy landings. Two other squadron aircraft, piloted by Flt Lt R.H.G. Weighill and Flying Officer H.J. Shute, were also over the beaches when the first landing craft touched down. The Squadron flew 36 sorties on D-day, mainly spotting for the naval bombardment.

On the 29th of July 1944 II (AC) Squadron returned to France.In August alone , 624 sorties where flown and the Squadron moved steadily forward through France and Belgium providing recce for the Canadians. The Squadron was however seconded from the Canadians to provide recce for the Arnhem landings and later for the eventual crossing of the Rhine.

The first Spitfire XIV arrived in November and remained the Squadron aircraft for six years.

II (AC) Squadron celebrated the end of the war in Europe while based at Twenthe in Holland.