(the supply and prison ship of the Admiral Graf Spee) in Norwegian waters at 12.55, an action which led to the subsequent liberation of 299 prisoners by HMS Cossack of the Royal Navy. During June 1940 a detachment from 224 Squadron was back at Thornaby while 220 Squadron were covering the evacuation at Dunkirk from Bircham Newton. Coinciding with a visit from Lord Trenchard on 9 June 1940, 608 were instructed to re-equip with the Blackburn Botha and, on 28 June the squadron began to receive the first of the Botha torpedo bombers, the only squadron to use the aircraft operationally, however, these aircraft proved unsuccessful having handling and airframe fatigue problems and by December 1940 the squadron had reverted to the Anson. To cover for the unreliable Botha, Fairey Swordfish of the Royal Navy 812 Squadron from North Coates were occasionally on duty. In February 1941 608 re-equipped with Bristol Blenheim Mk IVs and were now able to carry out more offensive operations. On 8 July 1941 the squadron was flying its first sorties in the Lockheed Hudson, this aircraft with its better performance and a longer endurance enabled 608 to carry out operations much further afield, like that of its sister squadron No 220. In March 1941 No. 114 Squadron arrived on transfer from Bomber Command equipped with the Blenheim Mk IV. April 1941 saw 220 Squadron depart for Wick, by this time 1509 Beam Approach Training Flight had formed here. In July 1941 two more units arrived, for a short time No. 143 Squadron with the Bristol Beaufighter Mk 1c and, No. 6 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit with Hudsons and a few Ansons and Oxfords. In January 1942 a detachment of 122 (Bombay) Squadron arrived with Spitfire Vbs and No. 608 Squadron moved to Wick and in April 1509 (BAT) flight moved to Church Lawford. In March 1942 the Spitfire detachment was replaced by one from 332 (Norwegian) Squadron and from April 1942 until December 1943 No.1 Anti Aircraft Co-operation Unit were flying de Havilland Tiger Moths and Hawker Henleys from Thornaby. In June 1942 the fighter detachment was again refreshed, this time by 403 Squadron RCAF and in October 1942 No. 6 (C) OTU replaced their Hudsons with Vickers Wellingtons, at this time it also absorbed a Polish training flight from 18 OTU and, the following month a Czech flight, No. 1429. The Royal Canadian Air