Royal Air Force Operations Over Albania and Greece 1940-1941 in View

Aircrew of No. 211 Squadron RAF being debriefed by a Greek Army liaison officer at Paramythia, Greece, following a sortie over Albania. (Imperial War Museum ME(RAF)1036)

Two Bristol Blenheim Mark Is of 'A' Flight No. 30 Squadron RAF, taking off from Eleusis, Greece, for a bombing raid over Italian-occupied Albania. Both aircraft are carrying external bomb loads in the Light Series Carriers fitted under the fuselage. (Imperial War Museum ME(RAF)1101)

An aircrew officer of No. 30 Squadron RAF checks the bomb load on a Light Series Carrier fitted underneath a Bristol Blenheim Mark I at Eleusis, Greece, before taking off on a sortie over Albania. (Imperial War Museum ME(RAF)1095)

Ground crew run an engine test on Bristol Blenheim Mark I 'VA-O', of No. 84 Squadron RAF at Menidi/Tatoi, Greece. (Imperial War Museum ME(RAF)336)

Squadron Leader Marmaduke Thomas St John "Pat" Pattle, Officer Commanding No. 33 Squadron RAF, and the Squadron Adjutant, Flight Lieutenant George Rumsey, standing by a Hawker Hurricane at Larissa, Thessaly, Greece. (Imperial War Museum ME(RAF)1260)

Bristol Blenheim Mark I, L1434, of No. 211 Squadron RAF, undergoing an engine service at Paramythia, Greece. (Imperial War Museum ME(RAF)1038)

Officers of No. 211 Squadron RAF enjoy a meal in their open-air Officers' Mess at Paramythia. Seated at top right is the Squadron's Commanding Officer, Squadron Leader J R "The Bishop" Gordon-Finlayson. (Imperial War Museum ME(RAF)1024)

Two American Army officer observers talk to two Canadian members of 211 Squadron RAF at Menidi/Tatoi, Greece. (Imperial War Museum ME(RAF)422)

Pilots of No. 33 Squadron RAF, at Larissa, Greece, with Hawker Hurricane Mark I, V7419, in background. They are (left to right); Pilot Officer P R W Wickham, Flying Officers D T Moir, and V C "Woody" Woodward, Flight Lieutenant J M "Pop" Littler, Flying Officers E H "Dixie" Dean, F Holman (k.i.a. 20 April 41), and E F "Timber" Woods (k.i.a. 17 June 1941), Pilot Officer C A C Chetham (k.i.a. 15 April 1941), Flight Lieutenant A M Young, Squadron Leader M St.J "Pat" Pattle (Squadron Commanding Officer, k.i.a. 20 April 1941), Flying Officer H J Starrett (died of burns 22 1941); Flight Lieutenant G Rumsey (Squadron Adjutant), Pilot Officers A R Butcher (p.o.w. 22 May 1941), W Winsland, and R Dunscombe (p.o.w. 22 May 1941). (Imperial War Museum ME(RAF)1246)

The funeral cortege of Sergeant John Merifield passing down a street in Athens to the English Church, where he was interred. Merifield, an air gunner serving with No. 30 Squadron RAF, was the first RAF casualty of the campaign in Greece. He was killed during the RAF's first offensive action on 6 November 1940, when Bristol Blenheims of the Squadron were attacked by Italian fighters while bombing Valona airfield in Albania. (Imperial War Museum ME(RAF)292)

Pilots of No. 80 Squadron RAF relax in front of Hawker Hurricane Mark I, V7599 'YK-Q', at Eleusis, Greece: (left to right); Sergeant C E Casbolt, Flying Officer H D Flower, Pilot Officer J Still, Pilot Officer P T Dowding, Sergeant E W F Hewett and Warrant Officer S A Richens. (Imperial War Museum ME(RAF)1088)

Pilots of No. 33 Squadron RAF, at Larissa, Greece, with Hawker Hurricane Mark I, V7419, in background. Standing (left to right); Pilot Officers W Winsland, R Dunscombe (p.o.w 22 May 41), C A C Chetham (k.i.a. 15 April 41), and P R W Wickham, Flying Officers D T Moir and H J Starrett (died of burns 22 April 41): sitting (left to right); Flying Officer E J "Timber" Woods (k.i.a. 17 June 41), Flying Officer F Holman (k.i.a. 20 May 41), Flight Lieutenant A M Young, Flying Officer V C "Woody" Woodward, Squadron Leader M St J "Pat" Pattle (Squadron Commanding Officer, k.i.a. 20 Apr 41), Flying Officer E H "Dixie" Dean, Flight Lieutenants J M "Pop" Littler and G Rumsey (Squadron Adjutant), Pilot Officer A R Butcher (p.o.w. 22 May 41). (Imperial War Museum ME(RAF)1200)

Aircrew of 'A' Flight, No. 30 Squadron RAF, collect their equipment and board Bristol Blenheim Mark I, K7095 'VT-G', at Eleusis, Greece, for a raid on Italian targets in Albania. (Imperial War Museum ME(RAF)1100)

Bristol Blenheim Mark I 'UQ-D' of No. 211 Squadron RAF, on the ground at Paramythia, Greece. (Imperial War Museum ME(RAF)2598)

The sun rises over the airfield at Menidi/Tatoi, Greece, as groundcrew remove the covers from Bristol Blenheim Mark I, L8374 'X', of No. 84 Squadron RAF, for a morning raid over Albania. L8374 was one of two Blenheims shot down when nine aircraft of the Squadron bombed the Kucera oil fields on 22 December 1940. (Imperial War Museum ME(RAF)306)

RAF officers haul their luggage from a Bristol Bombay of No. 216 Squadron RAF after landing at Maleme, Crete, while en route for the Greek mainland during the initial stages of the RAF deployment. (Imperial War Museum ME(RAF)172)

Blenheim Mark IF, L6670 ‘UQ-R’, of No. 211 Squadron RAF, landing at Menidi/Tatoi, Greece, after a raid on Italian positions in Albania. (Imperial War Museum ME(RAF)290)

Short Sunderland Mark I, T9048 'DQ-N', of No. 228 Squadron RAF, being boarded by RAF personnel in a rowing boat off Kalamata, during the evacuation from Greece. (Imperial War Museum ME(RAF)753)

The Commanding Officer of No. 211 Squadron RAF, Squadron Leader J R Gordon-Finlayson, and his wireless operator/air gunner, Pilot Officer A C Geary, photographed in a Bristol Blenheim Mark I at Menidi/Tatoi, Greece, after returning from Corfu. On 24 November 1941, Gordon-Finlayson's aircraft was hit by anti-aircraft fire during a bombing raid on Valona, Albania. Unable to reach Menidi, he force-landed on a beach at Corfu, where he and his crew were toasted and feted before returning to the mainland by fishing boat and rejoining their unit. Gordon-Finalyson is carrying bottles of wine and other gifts given to them by their Greek hosts. (Imperial War Museum ME(RAF)292)

A wireless operator/air gunner mans his Vickers K gun in the turret of an RAF Bristol Blenheim Mk I at Menidi/Tatoi, Greece, November 1940. (Imperial War Museum ME(RAF)285)

The first contingent of RAF reinforcements for Greece disembarks from a British cruiser and assembles on the quay at Piraeus. (Imperial War Museum CM187)

Bristol Blenheim Mark I, L6670 ‘UQ-R’, of No. 211 Squadron RAF preparing to taxi at Menidi/Tatoi, Greece (Imperial War Museum CM288)

Groundcrew of a Bristol Blenheim squadron at Menid/Tatoi, Greece, await the return of their aircraft from an operation over Albania. (Imperial War Museum CM287)

The crew of Bristol Blenheim Mark I, L1381 'VA-G', of No. 84 Squadron RAF, prepare to board their aircraft at Menidi/Tatoi, Greece, for a raid on an Italian port in Albania. L1381 was one of four Blenheims lost during a raid on Valona on 7 December 1941, when it crash-landed near Sarande after being damaged by an Italian fighter. (Imperial War Museum CM264)

A Messerschmitt Bf 109E of III/JG 77 which crash-landed on the airfield at Larrissa, Greece, possibly one of two claimed shot down by Squadron Leader "Pat" Pattle, the Officer Commanding No. 33 Squadron RAF on 20 April 1941. (Imperial War Museum CM873)

Vertical aerial photograph taken during an afternoon bombing attack on Italian shipping and installations at Valona, Albania, by eight Bristol Blenheim Mark Is of No. 211 Squadron RAF, flying from Menidi (Tatoi) near Athens in north-western Greece. Direct hits can be seen exploding on the jetty and on motor vessels alongside. (Imperial War Museum HU93072)

RAF ground crews assemble in lorries outside Athens, before traveling to a port in southern Greece for evacuation. (Imperial War Museum CM749)

Short Sunderland Mark Is of No 228 Squadron RAF (T9048 'DQ-N' in foreground), and No 230 Squadron, RAF (L2160 'NM-X' center), moored in Messinia Bay off Kalamata while evacuating RAF personnel from Greece. (Imperial War Museum CM759)

Air Commodore J H D'Albiac, Air Officer Commanding British Forces in Greece, sitting at his desk in his Headquarters at the Grande Bretagne Hotel, Athens. He was promoted acting Air Vice-Marshal on 15 November. (Imperial War Museum CM175)

The crew of a Bristol Blenheim Mark I study their maps before taking off on a raid to an Italian port in Albania. (Imperial War Museum CM280)