Bristol Beaufighters of 252 Squadron attacking Kalymnos, 1943

No. 252 Squadron served with Coastal Command in the Second World War, operating from bases in Norfolk, Northern Ireland, Gibraltar, Egypt, Libya and Greece. They were involved in attacks on enemy shipping.

The Bristol Beaufighter was a multirole aircraft, proving successful as a night fighter and a maritime strike and ground attack aircraft. In 1943, with the Italians having signed an Armistice with the Allies, squadrons from Coastal Command like 252 Squadron were tasked with increasing operations in the Eastern Mediterranean, to press the isolated Germans and extend Allied influence through attacking shipping in places like Kalymnos in the Dodecanese.