22 August 1940
Northern Front
Five Vickers Wellesley of No.14 (RAF) Squadron take off at 05h00 to attack ships reported on Dahlak Bay. However, the bad weather forces the aircraft to divert on the island of Harmil where the formation descends to 300 meters of altitude in order to make the bombardment. If the attack causes only reduced damage, the air defense is relatively intense as Sergeant Albert H.W. Matthews[1] is killed in his gunner position. An aircraft is also damaged and must divert to Aquiq to make the necessary repairs[2].
Vickers Wellesley (left) and Fairey Gordon (right) of N° 14 (RAF) Squadron at Amman (Jordanie), 1938- 1939. Source : No.14 (RAF) Squadron Association
The No.223 (RAF) Squadron, split into two Flight (Squadron Leader J.C. Larking and Flight Lieutnant Jack F. Roulston), returns to its base in Summit after a flight of approximately 6 hours[3].
[1] « Casualty details : Matthews, Albert Harry Walter », Commonwealth War Graves Commission : http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2273878/MATTHEWS,%20ALBERT%20HARRY%20WALTER
[2] « 22 august 1940 » 14 Squadron RAF : Operations Record Book (Form 540 and Form 541), Kew – TNA, AIR 27 / 192 ; M. Napier, Winged Crusaders: The Exploits of 14 Squadron RFC & RAF 1915-45, Barnsley, Pen & Sword, 2013.
[3] « 22 august 1940 » 223 Squadron RAF : Operations Record Book (Form 540 and Form 541), op. cit.
