TERRY HIGGINS ASSESSES RCAF 404 SQUADRON’S USE OF BRISTOL BEAUFIGHTERS, AND THE BEGINNING OF ‘BIG WING’ ANTI-SHIPPING STRIKES
WORLD WAR TWO
CANADIAN BEAUFIGHTERS
The Banff Strike Wing became part of 18 Group in early September 1944 – but only after its constituent squadrons concluded a busy summer of anti-shipping activity from English airfields.
From there, the strike wings in 16 and 19 Groups had contributed to the overall success of Operation Overlord, battling German naval units that threatened the Allied invasion of the Channel coast. The retreat of the Germans across the River Seine on August 30 marked the conclusion of Overlord. As the Kriegsmarine (German navy) began to vacate Biscay ports (in France) for Norway, 19 Group started to wind down its activities in the south of England.
The Germans continued to pass as much cargo as possible along the southwest Norwegian coast from Narvik to Lindeses (otherwise known as the Naze). Both military and diplomatic actions had taken their toll on the Reich’s ability to move cargo around. The priority was to supply raw materials to industry (southbound traffic) and to maintain a line to ‘garrison Norway’ (northbound from ports in occupied Denmark and Kiel, Germany).
