No. 626 Squadron RAF

No. 626 Squadron RAF was a heavy bomber squadron of the Royal Air Force from 1943 to 1945.

History

The squadron was formed on 7 November 1943 at RAF Wickenby from C Flight of No. 12 Squadron. It operated in the strategic bombing role with the Avro Lancaster. It was disbanded on 14 October 1945, having spent the last months of the war on food droppings (Operation Manna) and transport duties (Operation Exodus), repatriating former prisoners of war and bringing British troops home from Italy.

First operational mission

10/11 November 1943

• 7 Lancasters bombed Modane

Last operational mission

25 April 1945

• 14 Lancasters bombed Obersalzberg

Last mission before V.E. day

7 May 1945

• 19 Lancasters dropped supplies to the Dutch in Rotterdam

The squadron flew 2,728 sorties during the Second World War for the loss of 49 aircraft.

Aircraft operated

Squadron bases

Notable personnel

• Michael Bentine – Intelligence Officer
• Colin Tapley – Flying Control Officer
• Eric Simms – bomb-aimer
• Jack Currie, Lancaster (later Mosquito) pilot, writer, broadcaster and artist

• Stewart Jacques - Flight Sergeant

See also

• List of Royal Air Force aircraft squadrons

References

Notes

Bibliography

Further reading

• Currie, Jack. Lancaster Target: The Story of a Crew Who Flew from Wickenby. Goodall Publications Ltd., 1997. .
• Smith, Ron. Rear Gunner Pathfinder. Manchester, UK: Goodall Publications Ltd./Crécy, 1998. .
• Ward, Cris. Royal Air Force Bomber Command Squadron Profiles, Number 122: 626 Squadron, "To Strive and Not to Yield". Berkshire, UK: Ward Publishing, 1998.
• West, Dennis. To Strive and Not to Yield: No. 626 Squadron and the Battle of Berlin . Woodfield Publishing, 2002. .

External links

• Tom Bint – 626 Squadron & RAF Wickenby
• 626 Squadron on RAF website
• History of No.'s 621–650 Squadrons at RAF Web