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No 488 (Night Fighters) Squadron Formed 25 June 1942 at Church Fenton, Yorkshire. The new No 488 was originally equipped with Beaufighters and operated as a night intruder squadron over France and the Low Countries. It was then re-equipped with Mosquito fighters in August 1943 and posted south as defensive night fighters. After D-Day operated almost entirely over the Continent as night fighters, achieving outstanding success.
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| Squadron Motto |
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Ka ngarue ratau (We shake them)
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| First & Last Operations |
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| 2 October 1942 | Interception patrol over Ayrshire by one Beaufighter. | | 25-26 April 1945 | Seven sorties flown over Germany. |
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| Effort & Achievements |
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No 488 Squadron flew 2899 sorties, totalling 6689 hours, during which 67 enemy machines were destroyed, 4 probably destroyed, and 10 damaged. Whilst employed on ranger patrols in 1943, crews also destroyed or damaged some 40 locomotives.
Decorations won by New Zealanders with the squadron were:
Distinguished Service Order (1)
Distinguished Flying Cross (4)
Bar to DFC (1)
Air Force Cross (1)
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| Bases |
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| Church Fenton, Yorkshire | June 1942 to August 1942 | | Ayr, Ayrshire | August 1942 to August 1943 | | Drem, East Lothian | August 1943 to September 1943 | | Bradwell Bay, Essex | September 1943 to May 1944 | | Zeals, Wiltshire | May 1944 to August 1944 | | Colerne, Wiltshire | August 1944 to November 1944 | | Hunsdon, Hertfordshire | November 1944 | | Amiens-Glisy (B.48), France | November 1944 to April 1945 | | Gilze Rijen (B.77), Holland | April 1945 |
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| Main Equipment |
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Bristol Beaufighter
de Havilland Mosquito
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| Commanding Officers |
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| Wg Cdr R. M. Trousdale | June 1942 to March 1943 | | Wg Cdr J. Nesbitt-Dufort | March 1943 to July 1943 | | Wg Cdr A.R. Burton-Giles | July 1943 to September 1943 | | Wg Cdr P.H. Hamley | September 1943 to January 1944 | | Wg Cdr R.C. Haine | January 1944 to October 1944 | | Wg Cdr R.G. Watts | October 1944 to April 1945 |
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| Disbanded |
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Disbanded 26 April 1945 at Gilze Rijen.
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