27 – 30 October 1940

27 - 30 October 1940

Northern Front

After several days of intense training, No.14 (RAF) Squadron makes its first operation with its new Bristol Blenheim Mk IV. For this purpose, three aircraft take off with  Flight Lieutenant John K. Buchanan at 06h00 to bomb the warehouses of the port of Massawa from an altitude of about 1 100 meters. If the bombs are reported to have hit the target, the AA is doing damage to the formation as two aircrafts come back damaged. Unfortunately the available documentation does not give the identity of these.

The French attached to No. 8 (RAF) Squadron continues their flights with the Glenn-Martin 167F No. 102. This time, they take off (Flight Lieutnant Jacques Dodelier, Warrant Officer Yves Trecan, Flight Sergeant Ronan Michel) between 10h00 and 15h10 to drop propaganda leaflets over central Ethiopia: Debra Berhan – Mojo – Dukem – Addis Ababa at an altitude of about 4 000 meters.

Aerial photograph of the port of Massawa taken by an aircraft of No.14 (RAF) Squadron during the bombardment of 30 October 1940. In this case, it was the first action of the unit’s Bristol Blenheims, three of which took off at 06h00 to bomb the warehouses. The anti-aircraft defence caused damage to the formation as two aircraft returned damaged. Collection No.14 (RAF) Squadron Association.

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