KITS 06/2022

JK891, No. 335 (Greek) Squadron, Hassani,

Greece, February 1945

No. 335 (Greek) Squadron was a Greek fighter squadron deployed in the Mediterranean, Balkans and over

Aegean Sea from 1941 till the end of WWII. While the

Allied armies advanced to the West No. 335 (Greek)

Squadron remained in the East and flew reconnaissance missions off the coast of Libya. In the fall of

1944 the squadron was re-equipped with Spitfires

and in September was transferred to the bases in

Italy. The Spitfires were flown in the offensive attack

missions over Albania and Yugoslavia. In November

1944 the unit was transferred to the homeland and

from September 1945 was based at Hassani. The

squadron flew reconnaissance missions over Crete

and remaining German bases in the Aegean Sea. In

September 1945 the unit was transferred to Thessaloniki in north-eastern Greece and remained there

until its dispersal on July 31, 1946. Spitfire JK891 flew

with No. 335 (Greek) Squadron from November 16,

1944 till February 27, 1945 when it was destroyed in

an emergency landing. This Spitfire carried the type

"A" British camouflage with non-standard, reversed

color pattern. The British national insignia on the fuselage were repainted with Greek ones. The standard

British type C1 roundels on the wings were retained.

BR349, P/O John L. Boyd, No. 185 Squadron,

Takali, Malta, May 1942

"Tony" Boyd was born on May 20, 1919 in Brynestown,

Queensland. Before he joined RAAF in 1940 he had

worked as a yackeroo on the sheep ranch. After the

basic training on Tiger Moth airplanes he was sent to

Canada for the advanced training at Camp Borden.

After his arrival in the United Kingdom in July 1941

he was enlisted into the completion training at No. 59

OTU and in September, with the rank of Sgt. attached

to No. 135 Squadron. In October he was transferred

to No. 242 Squadron which trained for the overseas

deployment. Upon arrival in Malta off the HMS Ark

Royal carrier in November 1941 Sgt. John Livingstone

Boyd was credited with his early victories (four and

two shared) flying Hurricanes with No. 242 and 185

Squadrons. After the No. 185 was re-equipped with

Spitfires on May 14, 1942, Boyd, flying Spitfire Mk.Vc

BR349/3-C, scored his only confirmed kill in this type

of aircraft shooting down Bf 109F piloted by Lt. Alfred

Hammer from 4./JG 53. Several hours later, flying the

very same aircraft, Boyd was killed in the dogfight

with C.202 and Re.2001. BR349 camouflage was one

of the typical schemes sported by the aircraft participating in the operation Bowery flown off the USS

Wasp air carrier on May 14, 1942 - the upper surfaces

in the Navy colors of Dark Slate Grey/Extra Dark Sea

Grey and lower surfaces in Sky.

BR294, P/O Donald G. Reid, No. 185 Squadron,

Hal Far, Malta, May-June 1942

Don "Shorty" Reid was born in Lacombe, Alberta on

June 6, 1922 as a twin in the family with eight children. In October 1940 he enlisted in RCAF and in July

1941 he finished his pilot training. Upon arrival in the

United Kingdom at the end of August he served in

quick succession with several units, No. 152, No. 412,

No. 616 and No. 19 Squadrons. He remained at the last

unit until the end of April 1942. On May 9, 1942 he was

dispatched to Malta to take part in the operation Bo-

June 2022

wery. During the summer weeks he flew combat missions with No. 185 Squadron defending this small but

importantly located island. On June 22 while circling

above the sea where the Spitfire from his unit was

shot down he was jumped by several Bf 109. During

the dogfight he shot down one of the opponents but

was overwhelmed by I./JG 77 aircraft, shot down and

his Spitfire crashed into the sea. During seven weeks

of fighting for Malta "Shorty" Reid scored 6+1 kills,

3 probables and 4+1 damaged enemy airplanes.

BR294 camouflage was one of the typical schemes

sported by the aircraft participating in the operation

Bowery flown off the USS Wasp air carrier. The upper

surfaces in the original desert scheme of Dark Earth/

Middle Stone were on board of USS Wasp overpainted

in US Navy Non-specular Blue Gray, the lower surfaces remained in Sky color.

INFO Eduard

59