No. 500 (County of Kent) Squadron Royal Air Force

No 500 Squadron was formed at Manston, 16th March 1931, as a Special Reserve Unit (half regular and half reserve personnel). It was redesignated as a day bomber squadron in December 1935 and transferred from Special Reserve to Auxiliary Air Force in 1936. It was transferred to Coastal command in November 1938, and just before the outbreak of war flew patrols over the Channel and the North Sea.
In April 1941, flying Blenheims, No 500 flew reconnaissance, patrols and boming raids on enemy coastal targets. In March 1942, with Hudsons, the squadron moved to Scotland, patrolling the Atlantic and the approaches to the Clyde and the Irish Sea. It moved to Cornwall and then to Algeria, flying anti-submarine patrols over the western Mediterranean. No 500 was disbanded in July 1944, and its aircraft transferred to No 27 SAAF Squadron.
No 500 re-formed in August 1944 at La Senia, and moved on to Italy, flying daylight raids on communications targets and then night interdiction for the rest of the war.
The squadron moved to Kenya in October 1945 and was renumbered 249 Squadron.

Airfields No. 500 Squadron flew from:

RAF Detling, Kent from 3rd September 1939 (Anson 1, Blenheim IV)
RAF Bircham Newton, Norfolk from 30th May 1941 (Hudson III, Hudson V)
RAF Stornoway, Outer Hebrides from March 1942
RAF St. Eval, Cornwall from August 1942
RAF Portreath, Cornwall from November 1942
RAF North Front, Gibraltar from the 5th November 1942
Tafaroui, May 1943
Montecorvino, Sicily from December 1943 (Ventura V)
Grottaglie, Italy from January 1944
La Senia, from 30th January 1944
La Senia, re-numbered as No 27 Squadron SAAF 11th July 1944
La Senia, re-formed August 1944
Kenya from October 1945 and re-numbered as Squadron 249

If you can provide any additional information, please add it here.

Logbooks

Do you have a WW2 Flying Log Book in your possession?
If so it would be a huge help if you could add logbook entries to our new database. Thank you.

View Logbook entries

Those known to have served with
No. 500 (County of Kent) Squadron Royal Air Force
during the Second World War 1939-1945.

Balston James Peter Henry. F/O (d.27 Mar 1940)
Grant Bruce Albert. Cpl.
Lister Donald Sydney. Flt.Sgt. (d.26th April 1943)
MacDonald Malcolm. P/O
Pearce Cyril Victor. Sgt. (d.7th July 1941 )
Polden Earnest William John. Sgt. (d.26th Jun 1941)
Reece Frank. P/O.
Robinson William Swann. Sgt (d.7th Aug 1941)
Topley David John. Sgt.
Wilson Brian Howard Helps. Flt.Sgt. (d.8th Sep 1942)

The names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed, please Add a Name to this List

Records of No. 500 (County of Kent) Squadron Royal Air Force from other sources.

The Wartime Memories Project is the original WW1 and WW2 commemoration website.

Announcements

The Wartime Memories Project has been running for 24 years. If you would like to support us, a donation, no matter how small, would be much appreciated, annually we need to raise enough funds to pay for our web hosting and admin or this site will vanish from the web.

18th April 2024 - Please note we currently have a huge backlog of submitted material, our volunteers are working through this as quickly as possible and all names, stories and photos will be added to the site. If you have already submitted a story to the site and your UID reference number is higher than 263925 your information is still in the queue, please do not resubmit, we are working through them as quickly as possible.
Looking for help with Family History Research? Please read our Family History FAQ's
The free to access section of The Wartime Memories Project website is run by volunteers and funded by donations from our visitors. If the information here has been helpful or you have enjoyed reaching the stories please conside making a donation, no matter how small, would be much appreciated, annually we need to raise enough funds to pay for our web hosting or this site will vanish from the web.
If you enjoy this site
please consider making a donation.

Want to find out more about your relative's service? Want to know what life was like during the War? Our Library contains an ever growing number diary entries, personal letters and other documents, most transcribed into plain text.

We are now on Facebook. Like this page to receive our updates.

If you have a general question please post it on our Facebook page.

Wanted: Digital copies of Group photographs, Scrapbooks, Autograph books, photo albums, newspaper clippings, letters, postcards and ephemera relating to WW2. We would like to obtain digital copies of any documents or photographs relating to WW2 you may have at home.
If you have any unwanted photographs, documents or items from the First or Second World War, please do not destroy them. The Wartime Memories Project will give them a good home and ensure that they are used for educational purposes. Please get in touch for the postal address, do not sent them to our PO Box as packages are not accepted. World War 1 One ww1 wwII second 1939 1945 battalion
Did you know? We also have a section on The Great War. and a Timecapsule to preserve stories from other conflicts for future generations.

Want to know more about No. 500 (County of Kent) Squadron Royal Air Force?

There are:1999 items tagged No. 500 (County of Kent) Squadron Royal Air Force available in our Library

These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Second World War.

Sgt. Cyril Victor Pearce 500 Squadron (d.7th July 1941 )

My uncle was killed on 7th July 1941 at Burnham Market. We understand that he was the air gunner in a Blenheim which was shot down. Having looked at various pieces of history,the pilot was listed as A. Leeson, but Cyril is not mentioned in any of the references made. He is buried at Harrow (Pinner) New Cemetery.

Rick & Judy Pearce

Add to this record.

Sgt William Swann Robinson 500 Squadron (d.7th Aug 1941)

William Swann Robinson was 30 years old when he died, he was on a reconnaissance mission and his plane crashed into the sea. As he has no grave, William is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.
He was the son of William Swann Robinson and Edith Emily (nee Bentley) and born in Dudley in Staffordshire. He had one brother Sidney W Robinson.

Rachel Hannan

Add to this record.

Flt.Sgt. Donald Sydney Lister 500 Squadron (d.26th April 1943)

Donald Lister was the son of a local doctor from the small fishing village of Bermagui, 380kms south of Sydney. He was educated locally at Cobargo and later in Sydney at The Kings School, Parramatta and worked as a timber contractor on the north coast at Missabotti immediately before enlistment. Donald trained in Canada before proceeding to the UK. He was listed as missing, presumed killed, over the Mediterranean Sea off Algeria on the 26th of April 1943.

Wayne Riches

Add to this record.

Sgt. David John Topley 500 Squadron

My father was known as both Dave and John Topley, he joined up before the start of WW2 as a volunteer at Detling. He was with 500 Squadron at Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, Coastal Command. I heard stories of the postman waiting for some kippers that Dad had sent home.
He volunteered for a special assignment that took him to North Africa, Italy and to the Balkans as the Flight Engineer for the B-25 Mitchell used by Air Vice Marshall Slessor, who was the Commander of the Allied Air Forces in the Mediterranean and Middle East. He loved that plane, it was polished aluminium, no armaments but quite fast. Dave/John maintained his attachment to 500 Sqadron long after peace returned and he was de-mob'd.

Trevor E Topley

Add to this record.

Sgt. Earnest William John Polden 500 Sqd. (d.26th Jun 1941)

My grandfather Earnest Polden who was part of 500 Squadron was the pilot of the ill-fated Avro Anson involved in the crash over Cawston on 26/06/1941.
On 26th June 1941, while airborne three miles south west of Aylsham, Norfolk. Kanturek and Parry lost their lives when Hawker Hurricane 2B, Z3391 from 257 Squadron at RAF Coltishall, collided with their plane, Coastal Command Avro Anson N9732 from 500 Squadron at Bircham Newton. Otto Kanturek's remains were interred in Scottow Cemetery adjacent to Coltishall airfield but his age is given as 42 years and this is probably incorrect as he is alleged to have been a cameraman since 1913. O W Kanturek, 20th Century Fox Films Ltd died 26th June 1941 Age 42. Otto Kanturek was a very experienced cameraman with numerous films credits and an industry reputation. Along with another cameraman, Jack Parry, he was taking aerial action shots of Hurricanes as part of the making of the film, A Yank in the RAF The idea was that two Hurricane planes would swoop past Otto's plane. Jack Parry and Otto would take it in turns to film the Hurricanes. Just before midday on the 26 June, 1941, Jack Parry, Otto Kanturek and their pilot clambered into the jeep and made their way to the runway at RAF Coltishall. There they would board their plane for what they all thought would be a routine flight. The two film makers didn't even anticipate being that long. They were to get these shots in the can and then get to the set of another movie in production - a movie called One of Our Aeroplanes is Missing. But sadly this would be their last ever flight. During the flight one of the Hurricanes collided with the camera plane. The pilot of the Hurricane escaped, but everyone in the other plane was killed. Jack Parry is stated to be buried at Aylsham. The pilot of the 500 Sqn Anson was 754618 Sgt E W J Polden aged 24, he is buried in Branksome Park (All Saints) Churchyard, Poole. He was the son of Henry Richard and Minnie Elizabeth Anne Polden, of Parkstone; husband of Edith Grace Polden. Ernest is remembered on the Poole Grammar School Roll of Honour.
I have extensive research into the accident. The photograph of my grandfather on his wedding day, it’s a very interesting picture in as much as it was taken 74 years ago at their wedding. Earnest William Polden is the man in the centre left of the picture and his wife obviously stands next to him. The person to his left is Pat sister of Earnest Polden's wife. As much of interest to me personally is the gentleman and lady at the back to the right of the couple. This is the man I actually knew as my grandfather Reginald Waterfield and his wife, my grandmother whose name is escaping me). However I didn't know that the couple who adopted her were their best friends, in fact Reginald Waterfield was Earnest's best man. This picture to me is really special as it actually changes my past in as much as I did not know my grandfather and my adopted grandfather knew each other. I am also fortunate to have recently been given two fragments of the actual aircraft which I treasure.

Danny Bennington

Add to this record.

F/O James Peter Henry Balston 500 Squadron (d.27 Mar 1940)

Born in 1913, James Balston was the son of Francis William Balston, a paper manufacturer in Maidstone and Ellen C. Balston (nee Trousdell). He returned from the West Coast of Africa aged 17 in 1930 and he married Penelope (nee Dalrymple) in Hampshire during 1939. He is remembered on the Runnymeade Memorial and also Boxley War Memorial (nr Maidstone) I am researching Boxley War Memorial (nr Maidstone) others probably know a lot more about him, but I hope this helps you in some way.

Tracey J Biggs

Add to this record.

P/O Malcolm "Mac" MacDonald 500 Squadron

I was looking up some information about my Grandfather's service in WWII I thought I would share a few things about my Grandfather for anyone who is interested and to honour his service to his country & the allied forces in WWII. My Grandfather,Malcolm MacDonald flew bombers and reconnaissance planes for the RCAF from 1939 until 1945 and was fortunate enough to survive the war. He lived a long happy life, had 3 children and 5 grandchildren, and died a few years ago at the age of 92. I know at least for some time he was attached to the RAF’s 500 squadron. I know that he flew a Baltimore plane amongst many others and one plane, if I recall correctly, was called the A30A, which I believe was the fastest plane the allies had at the time.
I won’t give details but I know he and his crew were at least in part responsible for sinking a 500 Ton U-Boat in the Mediterranean. I have a heard the story in detail many times. I don’t remember him ever talking about his experiences by choice but my Grandmother would often ask him to tell us Grandchildren his war stories. He had many amazing and interesting ones as you might imagine. He never seemed to be troubled by his experiences and when he talked about them he seemed undisturbed and humble. For example apparently at the end of the war he pulled his parachute out and it was full of holes after 7 years of war. He said he never thought about having to ditch a plane, he always figured he’d be able to save it. If anyone has questions feel free to ask. Remember to wear your poppies.

Drewzer

Add to this record.

P/O. Frank Reece 500 Squadron

My Father Frank Reece piloted a Blenheim on a night-bombing raid in September 1941 on the St Nazaire submarine pens, lost his port engine in flak on the return and made an emergency landing in the shallow bay of St Efflam.
After 5 weeks on the run with the assistance of the Resistance, he was captured and spent 3 freezing months in solitary at Fresne under the Gestapo because of his civilian clothes, but was finally able to establish that he was an airman, and sent to SL3. He was in Hut 103. He worked magnetising razor blades for the escape committee's compasses, as well as doing penguin duty and operating the air-pump. He had also been involved in the Wooden Horse escape as one of the men who carried the horse (plus hidden digger, plus, on return, all his dug sand) to and from the site of the hidden tunnel. As his number for the Great Escape was 129, he was nowhere near getting out.
He didn't talk much about his experiences until he was in his seventies, and died in 2001, aged 81. At his funeral another POW, Owen, told how one day Dad hadn't come with him on their customary 22-circuit walk, and the man who took his place was shot by a guard in a pill-box who had just heard that his family had all been killed in an Allied air-raid on Berlin.
If anyone can add to what I know about Dad's time at SL3 I would be happy to hear from them.

Pamela Waded

Add to this record.

Flt.Sgt. Brian Howard Helps Wilson 500 Squadron (d.8th Sep 1942)

Brian Howard Helps Wilson was my grand uncle, on my mother's side of the family. He was the 22 year old son of Sydney and Annie Tegwedd Wilson from Llanelli, Carmarthen in Wales. Brian was engaged to be married at the time of his death. He went missing in action and is remembered with honour on the Runnymede Memorial, panel 77. Brian's unusual middle name - Helps, comes from his father's side of the family. It was the maiden name of his grandmother Jane Helps.
Both of his brothers survived WW2. His younger brother, Leslie Hugh Wilson, was known as Les. His older brother, who was my granddad, was called John Graham Roy Wilson but was known by his second name Graham.

Rebecca Goldthorpe

Add to this record.

Recomended Reading.

Available at discounted prices.

The Wartime Memories Project
- No. 500 (County of Kent) Squadron Royal Air Force during the Second World War -

No. 500 (County of Kent) Squadron Royal Air Force

Logbooks

Those known to have served with
No. 500 (County of Kent) Squadron Royal Air Force
during the Second World War 1939-1945.

The Wartime Memories Project is the original WW1 and WW2 commemoration website.

Announcements

Want to know more about No. 500 (County of Kent) Squadron Royal Air Force?

Recomended Reading.

Links

The Wartime Memories Project - No. 500 (County of Kent) Squadron Royal Air Force during the Second World War -

No. 500 (County of Kent) Squadron Royal Air Force

Logbooks

Those known to have served with No. 500 (County of Kent) Squadron Royal Air Forceduring the Second World War 1939-1945.

The Wartime Memories Project is the original WW1 and WW2 commemoration website.

Announcements

Want to know more about No. 500 (County of Kent) Squadron Royal Air Force?

Recomended Reading.

Links

The Wartime Memories Project
- No. 500 (County of Kent) Squadron Royal Air Force during the Second World War -

Those known to have served with
No. 500 (County of Kent) Squadron Royal Air Force
during the Second World War 1939-1945.