RAF 232 Squadron

Intermission – RAF 232 Squadron – Update

Pierre LagacéLeave a comment

Written in February 2020

My Forgotten Hobby III is much more than a just forgotten hobby. It’s more than building model airplanes since the 1960s. My Forgotten Hobby has been about a learning experience and sometimes about preserving the past of unknown heroes who gave so much.

It is hard to decide how I will finish my Spitfire Mk Vb…

Buzz Beurling’s Spitfire?

 

While researching how to paint my Airfix Spitfire Mk Vb I stumbled upon this image taken on the IWM Website.

This is the description they give.

Supermarine Spitfire Mark VC, ER557 ‘EF-D’ “Mustapha”, of No. 232 Squadron RAF awaits the signal to start up in its dispersal at Tingley, Algeria. It formed part of the fighter escort for a force of North American B-25s of the 12th Bombardment Group Detachment USAAF, one of which can be seen taking off at right.

The caption says Spitfire Mk Vc, but while researching more I think RAF 232 squadron was not flying Spitfire Mk Vcs but Spitfire Mk Vbs. 

As I was trying to find out the difference between a Spitfire Mk Vb and a Spitfire Mk Vc just to be sure I found this information. The Spitfire Mk Vc had the “c” wing which could carry four 20mm cannons. However most of the time the pilots would prefer having only two 20mm cannons instead of four.

So IWM is probably right unless I prove them wrong…

I know this won’t matter because I won’t modify what I am building right now. I will stay with the two 20mm cannons.

RAF 232 Squadron was somewhat special lately especially since I had this group photo shared Vicki Sorensen. Vicki’s father was Frank Sorensen.

232 Squadron - Tingley, Algeria, North Africa, early 1943 MOD

The group photo was taken at Tingley, Algeria in early 1943. It was shared by Arthur Sherwin, last row, second from the right. This photo is most interesting when we look at some Frank Sorensen’s log book pages.

We clearly see he was only flying on Spitfire Mk Vbs not Spitfire Mk Vcs. 

Frank Sorensen is the second pilot on the left in the back.

232 Squadron - Tingley, Algeria, North Africa, early 1943 MOD

I will probably build my Spitfire Mk Vb as one of the Spitfires he flew.

Update May 10, 2020

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Franck Sorensen 1945

 

Intermission – Remembering Flight Lieutenant Gonay

Pierre Lagacé

I am still figuring how to attach the canopies on the Spitfire. I had seen better fitting canopies  before since 1958. I had glued the rear section but in doing so I had managed to smudge the clear part. 

I have decided to take it off and start procrastinating.

While procrastinating I did a little more research on RAF 238 Squadron, I had found this tribute about a Belgian pilot on this Website.

***

THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN LONDON MONUMENT

“Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.” The Airmen’s Stories –

P/O H A C Gonay

Henri Alphonse Clement Gonay was born on 21st July 1913 at Theux and joined the Belgian Air Force in November 1931. He was promoted to Corporal on 24th May 1933 and posted to the 2nd Regiment de Chasse at Schaffen (Diest), equipped with the Fairey Firefly (pictured below). An exceptional pilot, he was transferred as instructor to the Flying School at Wevelghem in November 1938.

Gonay was transferred as Adjutant to the 3rd Escadrille at Deurne (Antwerp) when the Germans invaded Belgium. His unit left the country three days later and went to Tours (France) and later on to Bordeaux. After the capitulation of France Gonay and his colleagues Phillipart, Dieu and Buchin deserted and boarded the Dutch ship Queen Emma at Bayonne. It sailed for England and they arrived at Plymouth on 23rd June 1940.Gonay was commissioned in the RAFVR as a Pilot Officer on 12th July and went to 5 OTU, Aston Down to convert to Blenheims. He would be known by the nickname Moustique (Mosquito) during his RAF service.Gonay joined 235 Squadron on 5th August. He shared in destroying a He59 off Cherbourg on 8th October. He was posted away on the 23rd to instruct at the French-Belgian Flying School at Odiham. On 23rd June 1941 Gonay was posted to 58 OTU to convert to Spitfires.Promoted to Flying Officer, his next postings were 123 Squadron at Drem followed by 64 Squadron and then 131 Squadron at Atcham on 28th September where he became commander of ‘B’ Flight, this was composed entirely of Belgian pilots.

131 Squadron Spitfire NX-?

131 Squadron Spitfire MK Vbs

By then he was an Acting Flight Lieutenant.He was awarded the Croix de Guerre (Belgium ) (gazetted 21st July 1941).On 14th October 131’s commanding officer, Squadron Leader JM Thompson, moved with twelve Belgian pilots, Gonay amongst them, to RAF Valley. There they formed the first completely Belgian fighter squadron, 350 Squadron.Gonay next went to 232 Squadron at Atcham on 17th April 1942 and was awarded the Croix de Guerre (France) for the Dieppe operation on 19th August. He was posted to command 129 Squadron on 31st August as a Squadron Leader and led it until September 1943. After a course at the Central Gunnery School he converted onto Hawker Typhoons and took command of 263 Squadron on 24th February 1944 at Beaulieu.On 14th June 1944, whilst leading a formation of 8 Typhoons, his plane was hit by flak whilst attacking 2 armed coastal vessels off Jersey. Gonay was killed trying to force land on the north western part of the island. A house was destroyed in the ensuing fire, but the occupants, realising the approaching danger, escaped.He was buried in the St Helier War Cemetery. His remains were exhumed and reburied in the Brussels-Evere Military Cemetery (below) after the war.

Gonay’s award of the DFC was gazetted on 2nd July 1944, the citation stating that he had completed 138 operational sorties.Photos and additional research courtesy of Andre Bar at www.bamfbamrs.be/RAF/index.htm

In 2014 a previously unnamed road in the Jersey parish of St Ouen, close to the crash site, was named Rue Henri Gonay after a campaign by local resident, Bernie Morel.

Present at the ceremony were Gonay’s daughter and grandson, the latter wearing his grandfather’s wedding ring. This had been found at the scene of the crash in 1944 and hidden from the German occupiers until it could be returned to the family after the war.Photograph courtesy of Bernie Morel via Geoff Simpson.

Intermission – RAF 232 Squadron

Pierre Lagacé

My Forgotten Hobby III is much more than a just forgotten hobby. It’s more than building model airplanes since the 1960s. My Forgotten Hobby has been about a learning experience and sometimes about preserving the past of unknown heroes who gave so much.

It is hard to decide how I will finish my Spitfire Mk Vb…

Buzz Beurling’s Spitfire?

 

While researching how to paint my Airfix Spitfire Mk Vb I stumbled upon this image taken on the IWM Website.

This is the description they give.

Supermarine Spitfire Mark VC, ER557 ‘EF-D’ “Mustapha”, of No. 232 Squadron RAF awaits the signal to start up in its dispersal at Tingley, Algeria. It formed part of the fighter escort for a force of North American B-25s of the 12th Bombardment Group Detachment USAAF, one of which can be seen taking off at right.

The caption says Spitfire Mk Vc, but while researching more I think RAF 232 squadron was not flying Spitfire Mk Vcs but Spitfire Mk Vbs. 

As I was trying to find out the difference between a Spitfire Mk Vb and a Spitfire Mk Vc just to be sure I found this information. The Spitfire Mk Vc had the “c” wing which could carry four 20mm cannons. However most of the time the pilots would prefer having only two 20mm cannons instead of four.

So IWM is probably right unless I prove them wrong…

I know this won’t matter because I won’t modify what I am building right now. I will stay with the two 20mm cannons.

RAF 232 Squadron was somewhat special lately especially since I had this group photo shared Vicki Sorensen. Vicki’s father was Frank Sorensen.

232 Squadron - Tingley, Algeria, North Africa, early 1943 MOD

The group photo was taken at Tingley, Algeria in early 1943. It was shared by Arthur Sherwin, last row, second from the right. This photo is most interesting when we look at some Frank Sorensen’s log book pages.

We clearly see he was only flying on Spitfire Mk Vbs not Spitfire Mk Vcs. 

Frank Sorensen is the second pilot on the left in the back.

232 Squadron - Tingley, Algeria, North Africa, early 1943 MOD

I will probably build my Spitfire Mk Vb as one of the Spitfires he flew.