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No.97 Sqn RAF |
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Name : No.97 Sqn RAF Founded : 1st December 1917 Disbanded : 2nd January 1967 Country : UK Fate : Disbanded 2nd January 1967 More Details : Straits Settlement Achieve your aim |
Known Service Details : | |||||||
Pilot or Aircrew | Rank | Start of Service | End of Service | Known Dates | Aircraft | Airframes | Notes |
Sergeant | unknown | 11th May 1941 | Taken prisoner 11th May 1941. | ||||
Pilot Officer | February 1941 | 11th May 1941 | Taken prisoner 11th May 1941. | ||||
February 1941 | unknown | ||||||
Sergeant | unknown | unknown | 11th April 1941 | ||||
Flight Lieutenant | February 1941 | 15th May 1941 | 09th April 1941 | Killed in Action | |||
Pilot Officer | February 1941 | unknown | 09th April 1941 | ||||
Sergeant | unknown | unknown | 11th April 1941 | ||||
Pilot Officer | February 1941 | 15th May 1941 | 09th April 1941 | Killed in Action | |||
Flight Sergeant | unknown | 11th May 1941 | Taken prisoner 11th May 1941. | ||||
Sergeant | unknown | unknown | 09th April 1941 | ||||
unknown | unknown | ||||||
Sergeant | unknown | 11th May 1941 | Taken prisoner 11th May 1941. | ||||
Sergeant | unknown | unknown | 11th April 1941 | ||||
Sergeant | unknown | unknown | 09th April 1941 | ||||
unknown | unknown | ||||||
Sergeant | unknown | unknown | 11th April 1941 | ||||
Sergeant | unknown | unknown | 09th April 1941 | ||||
unknown | unknown | ||||||
Sergeant | unknown | unknown | 09th April 1941 | ||||
Sergeant | unknown | unknown | 11th April 1941 | ||||
Flying Officer | February 1941 | 11th May 1941 | 11th April 1941 | ||||
Sergeant | unknown | unknown | 09th April 1941 | ||||
Squadron Leader | 3rd April 1941 | unknown | |||||
Flight Lieutenant | April 1941 | unknown | 09th April 1941 | ||||
unknown | unknown | 20th November 1942 | |||||
Sergeant | unknown | unknown | 09th April 1941 | ||||
Sergeant | unknown | 15th May 1941 | 09th April 1941 | Killed in Action | |||
Flying Officer | 30th March 1941 | unknown | |||||
Flight Sergeant | unknown | unknown | 11th April 1941 | ||||
Sergeant | unknown | unknown | 09th April 1941 | ||||
Sergeant | unknown | 11th May 1941 | 09th April 1941 | Taken prisoner 11th May 1941. | |||
Flying Officer | February 1941 | unknown | |||||
Sergeant | unknown | unknown | 09th April 1941 | ||||
Sergeant | unknown | unknown | 11th April 1941 | ||||
Flight Sergeant | unknown | 15th May 1941 | Killed in Action | ||||
unknown | unknown | ||||||
Sergeant | unknown | unknown | 09th April 1941 | ||||
Sergeant | unknown | unknown | 11th April 1941 | ||||
September 1944 | 1945 | ||||||
unknown | unknown | ||||||
unknown | unknown | ||||||
Flying Officer | February 1941 | 2nd April 1941 | |||||
Sergeant | unknown | unknown | 09th May 1941 | ||||
Sergeant | unknown | unknown | 11th April 1941 | ||||
Pilot Officer | February 1941 | unknown | 11th April 1941 | ||||
Sergeant | unknown | unknown | 11th April 1941 | ||||
unknown | unknown | ||||||
Sergeant | unknown | 15th May 1941 | 09th April 1941 | Killed in Action | |||
Sergeant | unknown | unknown | 09th April 1941 | ||||
Flying Officer | March 1941 | unknown | 11th April 1941 | ||||
Sergeant | unknown | 15th May 1941 | 09th April 1941 | Killed in Action | |||
Pilot Officer | February 1941 | unknown | |||||
Sergeant | unknown | unknown | 09th April 1941 | ||||
unknown | unknown | ||||||
1941 | unknown | ||||||
Sergeant | unknown | unknown | 11th April 1941 | ||||
unknown | unknown | ||||||
Sergeant | unknown | unknown | 11th April 1941 | ||||
Flight Lieutenant | February 1941 | unknown | 09th April 1941 | ||||
Flying Officer | 28th March 1941 | unknown | |||||
Flying Officer | 30th March 1941 | unknown | |||||
Sergeant | unknown | unknown | 09th April 1941 | ||||
Squadron Leader | February 1941 | unknown | 11th April 1941 | ||||
Sergeant | unknown | 11th May 1941 | Taken prisoner 11th May 1941. | ||||
Sergeant | unknown | unknown | 11th April 1941 | ||||
Pilot Officer | February 1941 | unknown | |||||
Sergeant | unknown | unknown | 09th April 1941 | ||||
Sergeant | unknown | unknown | 11th April 1941 | ||||
Sergeant | unknown | unknown | 09th April 1941 | ||||
Sergeant | unknown | unknown | 09th April 1941 | ||||
unknown | 19th September 1944 | ||||||
| Pilots and Aircrew for : No.97 Sqn RAF | ||
| A list of all aircrew from our database who are associated with this squadron. A profile page is available by clicking their name. | ||
| Name | Info | |
| Anderson, R Click the name above to see a profile of Anderson, R | Anderson, R Taken prisoner on 11th May 1941 after his No.97 Sqn Manchester Mk.I L7323 OF-A ditched into the North Sea after a raid on Berlin. | |
| Ayton, R S Click the name above to see a profile of Ayton, R S | Ayton, R S On 11th May 1941, his Manchester Mk.I L7323 OF-A of No.97 Sqn ditched into the North Sea on the return leg from Berlin. All crew survived but were taken prisoner. | |
| Balsdon, D F Click the name above to see a profile of Balsdon, D F | Balsdon, D F | |
| Bell, Click the name above to see a profile of Bell, | Bell, | |
| Bird, Gerald Oscar Ladler Click the name above to see a profile of Bird, Gerald Oscar Ladler
| Bird, Gerald Oscar Ladler Killed aged 23 on 15th May 1941 after his No.97 Sqn Manchester L7324 suffered engine failure. All crew were lost. His body was never recovered. His name is on the Runnymede memorial. Son of Clarence Oscar Ladler Bird and Clarice Rosalie Bird; husband of Beulah Daphne Bird, of Cosham, Hampshire. | |
| Blakeman, H S Click the name above to see a profile of Blakeman, H S | Blakeman, H S | |
| Brewer, Click the name above to see a profile of Brewer, | Brewer, | |
| Brown, William Adam Click the name above to see a profile of Brown, William Adam
| Brown, William Adam Killed on 15th May 1941 after his No.97 Sqn Manchester L7324 suffered engine failure and crashed into the North Sea. His body was never recovered. His name is on the Runnymede memorial. | |
| Bryce, James Click the name above to see a profile of Bryce, James | Bryce, James Taken prisoner on 11th May 1941 after his Manchester Mk.I L7323 OF-A of No.97 Sqn ditched into the North Sea returning from an attack on Berlin. Awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal, gazetted on 22nd October 1940. | |
| Canham, Click the name above to see a profile of Canham, | Canham, | |
| Cannings, Percy Click the name above to see a profile of Cannings, Percy | Cannings, Percy Percy, as a Mid Upper Gunner, completed a full Tour with 100 Sqn before being transferred to the Pathfinder Force where he completed another full Tour with 97 Sqn. | |
| Chantler, W J Click the name above to see a profile of Chantler, W J | Chantler, W J Taken prisoner on 11th May 1941 after his No.97 Sqn Manchester Mk.I L7323 OF-A ditched into the North Sea while returning from a raid on Berlin. | |
| Clinch, Click the name above to see a profile of Clinch, | Clinch, | |
| Concannon, Click the name above to see a profile of Concannon, | Concannon, | |
| Copus, James Click the name above to see a profile of Copus, James | Copus, James Joined the RAF and served on Lancasters with 97 Sqn Pathfinders. He baled out on a bombing raid over Hanover and was captured and taken PoW and interned at Stalag Luft I. | |
| Crerar, Click the name above to see a profile of Crerar, | Crerar, | |
| Currie, Click the name above to see a profile of Currie, | Currie, | |
| Davies, Allan Click the name above to see a profile of Davies, Allan | Davies, Allan Joined RAAF in October 1940, served in Iraq and Egypt on Blenheims, then Baltimores, before being posted back to Australia in June 1944. He flew Beauforts and Mosquitoes at 5 OTU. then posted to 97 Sqn at Coomalie Creek NT completing 17 PRU missions over Borneo. His aircraft PR Mosquito Mk XVI A52-600 is being restored to flying condition by the RAAF at Richmond Airbase outside Sydney. | |
| Dean, J Click the name above to see a profile of Dean, J | Dean, J | |
| Elkington, Click the name above to see a profile of Elkington, | Elkington, | |
| Eustace, F E Click the name above to see a profile of Eustace, F E | Eustace, F E | |
| Fletcher, Click the name above to see a profile of Fletcher, | Fletcher, | |
| Fothergill, Click the name above to see a profile of Fothergill, | Fothergill, | |
| French, Click the name above to see a profile of French, | French, | |
| Goldie, James Click the name above to see a profile of Goldie, James | Goldie, James No's 7, 83, 97 and 224 Squadrons. Joined RAF trained as Air Gunner.Flew 73 missions with Bomber Command - 38 Main Force, 35 Pathfinders and 38 with Coastal Command. Total flying hours 1,630. Crashed in an Avro Manchester 13109/41. Spleen removed as a result of injuries sustained in the crash and returned to Operations. Raids included 6 Essen, 6 Duisberg, 3 Berlin, 4 Hamburg, 5 Bremen and 3 Nuremberg. Served with 83 Squadron at RAF Wyton, 97 Squadron RAF Coningsby/ Woodhall Spa and 7 Squadron Oakington. Demobilised 1956. Service number 620563. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross as a Warrant Officer with No.83 Sqn, which was gazetted on 17th August 1943, and the Distinguished Flying Medal as a Flight Sergeant with No.97 Sqn, gazetted on 20th November 1942. We have been informed that he has now passed away, but do not have any information as to the date. | |
| Hall, Click the name above to see a profile of Hall, | Hall, | |
| Hannigan, Wallace Patrick Click the name above to see a profile of Hannigan, Wallace Patrick
| Hannigan, Wallace Patrick Killed on 15th May 1941 aged 19 when his No.97 Sqn Manchester L7324 suffered engine failure and crashed into the North Sea. His body later washed ashore near Lokken, Denmark. He is buried in Furreby churchyard in Denmark. Son of Thomas Hannigan, and of Rebecca Hannigan, of Scarborough, Yorkshire. | |
| Harris, Click the name above to see a profile of Harris, | Harris, | |
| Harrison, Click the name above to see a profile of Harrison, | Harrison, | |
| Hartley, Click the name above to see a profile of Hartley, | Hartley, | |
| Harvey, D. J. Click the name above to see a profile of Harvey, D. J. | Harvey, D. J. Taken prisoner on 11th May 1941 when his Manchester Mk.I L7323 OF-A of No.97 Sqn ditched in the North Sea returning from an attack on Berlin. | |
| Harwood, M J C Click the name above to see a profile of Harwood, M J C | Harwood, M J C | |
| Hudson, Click the name above to see a profile of Hudson, | Hudson, | |
| Hughes, Click the name above to see a profile of Hughes, | Hughes, | |
| Hutt, Kenneth John Click the name above to see a profile of Hutt, Kenneth John
| Hutt, Kenneth John Killed on 15th May 1941 after his No.97 Sqn Manchester L7324 suffered engine failure and crashed into the North Sea. His body was washed ashore near Blokhus in Denmark. He is buried in Frederikshavn cemetery in Denmark. | |
| Johnson, George Leonard Click the name above to see a profile of Johnson, George Leonard | Johnson, George Leonard Joining the RAF in 1940, George Johnson served with 97 Squadron before joining 617 Squadron. Bomb aimer on American Joe McCarthy’s Lancaster AJ-T, they attacked the Sorpe Dam, for which he was awarded the DFM. Commissioned a few months later, George retired from the RAF in 1962. | |
| Jones, R E Click the name above to see a profile of Jones, R E | Jones, R E | |
| Jones, S L Click the name above to see a profile of Jones, S L | Jones, S L | |
| Kirby, Harold Click the name above to see a profile of Kirby, Harold | Kirby, Harold Called up in 1942 he attended a flight mechanics course at RAF Halton and then qualified as a flight engineer in 1943, joining 467 Squadron at Waddington on Lancasters. In August 1944 his aircraft was forced to crash land after an operation when a 1000lb bomb from another Lancaster ripped through their port wing and destroyed their undercarriage over France. In September 1944 he joined 97 Squadron at Coningsby on Lancasters as part of the Pathfinders and remained with this unit until the end of the war. He left the RAF in 1946. | |
| Lasham, Bob Click the name above to see a profile of Lasham, Bob | Lasham, Bob Pilot, 9 and 97 Squadrons. | |
| Lemarchant, Harry Click the name above to see a profile of Lemarchant, Harry | Lemarchant, Harry Trained on Whitleys and was then attached to an anti-submarine unit in Cornwall. After an 11 hour flight in Dec 1942, the crew were forced to bale out over Bodmin Moor. He was with 57 Sqn and then returned at the request of his CO to 97 Sqn to serve out his RAF career. | |
| Lewis, W J Click the name above to see a profile of Lewis, W J | Lewis, W J | |
| McLaren, Click the name above to see a profile of McLaren, | McLaren, | |
| Mims, Click the name above to see a profile of Mims, | Mims, | |
| Morgan, A A Click the name above to see a profile of Morgan, A A | Morgan, A A | |
| Mycock, Click the name above to see a profile of Mycock, | Mycock, | |
| Nedwich, John W Click the name above to see a profile of Nedwich, John W | Nedwich, John W Joining 467 Squadron RAAF in August 1943, Sgt Nedwich flew in S for Sugar to Hanover on 27th Sept 1943, Sugars first operational sortie with the squadron. After completing 20 ops with 467 Sqn, Nedwich joined 97 Squadron, Pathfinder Force. He completed 46 combat operations. | |
| Nutt, Peter Norman Click the name above to see a profile of Nutt, Peter Norman
| Nutt, Peter Norman Killed on 15th May 1941 aged 19 after his No.97 Sqn Manchester L7324 suffered engine failure and crashed in the North Sea. His body was never recovered. His name is on the Runnymede memorial. Son of Stephen Charles and Mary Louise Nutt, of Surbiton, Surrey. | |
| Pendrill, Click the name above to see a profile of Pendrill, | Pendrill, | |
| Price, Click the name above to see a profile of Price, | Price, | |
| Pyatt, Reginald George Click the name above to see a profile of Pyatt, Reginald George
| Pyatt, Reginald George Killed on 15th May 1941 aged 25 after his No.97 Sqn Manchester L7324 suffered engine failure and crashed into the North Sea. His body was never recovered. His name is on the Runnymede memorial. Son of Edward and Clara Pyatt; husband of R. N. Pyatt, of Bishopston, Bristol. | |
| Reid, G F Click the name above to see a profile of Reid, G F | Reid, G F | |
| Robertson, Click the name above to see a profile of Robertson, | Robertson, | |
| Rodger, David Click the name above to see a profile of Rodger, David
| Rodger, David Born in Sault Ste marie, Ontario on February 23rd 1918, the son of a Scots carpenter, David Rodger was an avid collector of aeroplane magazines as a boy, that began his interest in flying. David Roger went to the local technical school, then worked for Algoma Steel while serving in the Canadian Militia. Rodger joined the Royal Canadian Air Force in October 1941 and trained as an air gunner before being commissioned as pilot officer, and then arriving in England in 1942. David Rodger converted to Lancaster bombers, and joined No 97 Squadron at Woodhall Spa near Lincoln, and it was here he teamed up with McCarthy. During their time with 97 squadron they attacked the main industrial cities on the Rhur and also Hamburg and Berlin. By the time they joined No 617 Squadron, they were recognised as an experienced crew. Rodger and McCarthy had already completed more than 20 bombing raids together when they were selected to join No 617 Squadron, forming at RAF Scampton in March 1943 under the command of Wing Commander Guy Gibson. David Rodger was the rear gunner in "Big Joe" McCarthy's Lancaster, which attacked the Sorpe Dam during Operation Chastise, the Dam Buster raid of May 16th 1943. On the night of the raid their aircraft was unservicable due to an engine problem, so they took the reserve aircraft which had been fitted with the upkeep bouncing bomb, but not had time to be fitted with the crucial spoptlights which were used to keep the aircraft at the height of 60 feet. As McCarthy took the bomber across the coast at 100ft, Rodger, in the rear turret, was soon in action trying to douse the searchlights before "having a lively exchange with a light flak gun". By the time they arrived at the Sorpe, McCarthy's men were the only survivors of the team charged with attacking the dam, which was shrouded in mist as they arrived. With a tall church spire on the approach and a hill to be avoided after the attack, McCarthy had great difficulty getting into position to drop the mine. The lack of the height-finding spotlights made the job almost impossible. The crew made nine dummy attacks before releasing their weapon accurately at last. But the force of the explosion was insufficient to breach the earth dam, and McCarthy and his men set course for base. After the success of the Dam raids 617 squadron now under the command of Wing Commander Leonard Cheshire specialised in the attack of pinpoint targets, and Cheshire and his four senior crews from the dam buster raid developed daring and accurate low-level target-marking techniques. Rodger was appointed the gunnery leader of the squadron in September. Rodger then attacked targets in Italy, and made pinpoint raids against viaducts and the huge concrete constructions associated with the V-1 rocket programme in the Pas de Calais. In addition to their marker role, the Lancasters of No 617 carried the massive 12,000-ton "Tallboy" bomb, which was used to devastating effect against V-sites and railway tunnels. During the night of June 5 1944, 16 Lancasters of No 617 carried out a unique operation, dropping a dense screen of "window" (foil strips) which advanced slowly across the Channel to simulate a large convoy of ships approaching the French coast between Boulogne and Le Havre, north of the real invasion area. After 14 months on No 617, McCarthy and his crew were finally rested in July 1944. Rodger, who had flown 50 bombing operations, including 24 with No 617, was awarded the DFC for "his calm resolution in the face of the heaviest opposition, which has been an inspiration to his crew". Rodger returned to Canada in September 1944, where he married, and was released from the RCAF the following year. He returned to work at Algoma Steel, where he became a superintendent. Always a keen outdoorsman, he loved fishing and played his last game of ice hockey at 84. David Rodger died on September 1st 2004 in Canada aged 86. | |
| Rodley, Ernest Click the name above to see a profile of Rodley, Ernest | Rodley, Ernest Ernest Rodley initially joined the RAFVR in 1937 and was commissioned and posted to Bomber Command in 1941. Joining 97 Sqn flying Manchesters he was involved in the attack on the Scharnhorst, Prinz Eugen and Gneisenau whilst in Brest harbour and in the famous Augsberg daylight raid for which he received a DFC. At the end of 1942 he joined RAF Scampton helping to convert to Lancaster Bombers before rejoining 97 Sqn at Bourn as a Pathfinder. After a spell at Warboys as an instructor he took command of 128 Sqn at Wyton, flying Mosquitoes as part of the Light Night Strike Force and involvede in doing 7 trips to Berlin. Staying with this unit he finished the war having completed 87 operations. In 1946 Ernest Rodley joined British South American Airways flying Lancastrians across the Atlantic from a tented Heathrow. On 13th April 1950 he was checked out on the new Comet jet airliner by John Cunningham and became the worlds first jet endorsed Airline Transport Pilots Licence holder. Ernest Rodley retired from BOAC in 1968 as a Boeing 707 Captain, joining Olympic Airways a few days later. He amassed an amazing 28000 flying hours. Citation for the DFC : | |
| Rowlands, Click the name above to see a profile of Rowlands, | Rowlands, | |
| Scholefield, Thomas Click the name above to see a profile of Scholefield, Thomas | Scholefield, Thomas Tom Scholefield was posted to 467 Squadron RAAF in April 1944. On 3 May he flew S for Sugar on his second operation. Midway through his first tour he was promoted, and transferred with his crew to 97 Squadron. Pathfinder Force for a second tour. | |
| Shelly, Click the name above to see a profile of Shelly, | Shelly, | |
| Sherwood, J G Click the name above to see a profile of Sherwood, J G | Sherwood, J G | |
| Smith, Click the name above to see a profile of Smith, | Smith, Medical officer with No/97 Sqn from 28th March 1941. | |
| Sooby, Click the name above to see a profile of Sooby, | Sooby, | |
| Stanley, Click the name above to see a profile of Stanley, | Stanley, | |
| Stubbs, R B Click the name above to see a profile of Stubbs, R B | Stubbs, R B | |
| Sykes, E W R Click the name above to see a profile of Sykes, E W R | Sykes, E W R Taken prisoner on 11th May 1941 after his Manchester Mk.I L7323 OF-A of No.97 Sqn ditched into the North Sea returning from an attack on Berlin. | |
| Tait, Click the name above to see a profile of Tait, | Tait, | |
| Truman, J Click the name above to see a profile of Truman, J | Truman, J | |
| Turner, Click the name above to see a profile of Turner, | Turner, | |
| Wilkinson, Click the name above to see a profile of Wilkinson, | Wilkinson, | |
| Williams, Click the name above to see a profile of Williams, | Williams, | |
| Williams, Click the name above to see a profile of Williams, | Williams, | |
| Wright, Jim Click the name above to see a profile of Wright, Jim | Wright, Jim Upon completing his training in 1943 Jim Wright joined 61 Sqn at Syerston as a Navigator on Lancasters and served in the crew of Flight Lieutenant Ken Ames DFC and Bar. After completing 5 operations with 61 Sqn, F/L Ames and crew were posted to East Kirkby to join the newly formed 630 Squadron. After a brief spell in hospital, after a trip to Kassel on the 22 October 1943 and after completing 22 operations with 630 Squadron, Jim Wright joined 97 (Pathfinder) Squadron at Coningsby for the commencement of their 2nd tour. Jim and the crew completed 16 operations with 97 squadron with their last operation was on the 19th of September 1944. In January 1944 they completed trips to Stettin, Brunswick, Magdeburg and 4 to Berlin. Their next trip to Berlin was on 15th February 1944 followed by operations to Leipzig, Stuttgart and Augsburg. In March they went to Stuttgart, Charmand-Ferront, Stuttgart, Frankfurt and Nuremburg. In April to Toulouse, Pillau Canal (Konigsberg), Tours and Juvisy. In May, to finish their first tour, they went to Bourg. Following completion of operational duties with 97 Squadron Jim Wright was seconded to BOAC and served as an Operations Officer at Hurn and Heathrow in1945 until being demobed in October 1946. Then Jim worked for BOAC 1946 until December 1950 as an Air Traffic Control Officer (ATCO) in British West Africa (Yundum & Half Die, Gambia) and as a Flight Operations Officer at Prestwick and Heathrow before rejoining the RAF 1951 for ATCO duties until he retired in 1976. | |
Known Individual Aircraft of No.97 Sqn RAF : | ||||||||
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| Aircraft for : No.97 Sqn RAF | ||
| A list of all aircraft associated with No.97 Sqn RAF. A profile page including a list of all art prints for the aircraft is available by clicking the aircraft name. | ||
| Aircraft | Info | |
Anson 
Manufacturer : Avro Production Began : 1935 Retired : 1968 Number Built : 11020 | Anson he Avro Anson originated from the Avro 652 commercial aircraft which first flew on 7th January 1935. It was a twin-engine British-built multi-role aircraft which saw distinctive service with both the Royal Air Force and The Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm as well as The Royal Canadian Air Force during and after the Second World War. The prototype 652A first flew at Woodford on 7th January 1935 and was developed from an initial airliner design and named after Admiral George Anson. The adaptation for a coastal reconnaissance role resulted in the production variant, the Avro 652a, which flew at Woodford on New Years Eve 1935 with the type entering service in March 1936 as the Anson Mk1. Initially it was flown with a 3-man crew but later developments in its reconnaissance role required a 4th crew member. The Anson entered service on 6 March 1936 with 48 Squadron equipped with the Anson. At the start of the Second World War, the RAF had received 824 Ansons and there were 26 RAF squadrons operating the Anson I: 10 with Coastal Command and 16 with Bomber Command. All of the squadrons in Bomber Command in 1939 with Anson Is were operational training squadrons that prepared crews for frontline service. 12 of the squadrons were in No. 6 (Operational Training) Group. Newly formed crews having completed individual flying and technical training were first trained as bomber crews in Ansons and then advanced to the various frontline aircraft types, which were also in the same squadrons with the Ansons. After training in the frontline aircraft type, crews would advance to the frontline bomber squadrons with those aircraft types (Fairey Battle, Bristol Blenheim, Vickers Wellington, Armstrong Whitworth Whitley, and Handley-Page Hampden). At the start of the war, the Lockheed Hudson was beginning to replace the Ansons in Coastal Command with one squadron of Hudsons and one with both Ansons and Hudsons. Limited numbers of Ansons continued to serve in operational roles such as coastal patrols and air/sea rescue. Early in the war, an Anson scored a probable hit on a German U-boat. In June 1940, a flight of three Ansons was attacked by nine Luftwaffe Messerschmitt Bf 109s. Remarkably, before the dogfight ended, without losing any of their own, one of the Ansons destroyed two German aircraft and damaged a third. The aircraft's true role, however, was to train pilots for flying multi-engined bombers such as the Avro Lancaster. The Anson was also used to train the other members of a bomber's aircrew, such as navigators, wireless operators, bomb aimers and air gunners. Postwar, the Anson continued in the training and light transport roles. The last Ansons were withdrawn from RAF service with communications units on 28 June 1968. The Royal Australian Air Force operated 1,028 Ansons, mainly Mk Is, until 1955 | |
Battle 
Manufacturer : Fairey | Battle 14th May 1940 was a bad day for losses for the Fairey battle aircraft and its crews during the Battle for France. Sedan was situated on the east bank of the Meuse River. Its capture would give the Germans a base from which to capture the Meuse bridges and cross the river. On 14 May 1940 the Allied air forces, tried to destroy the bridges to slow down the German advance. During these sorties No 71 Wing RAF lost 10 Fairey Battles and 5 Blenheims No.75 Wing RAF lost 14–18 Battles and No 76 Wing RAF lost 11 Battles. Out of 71 bombers dispatched, 40–44 bombers were lost, meaning a loss rate of 56–62 percent Here is the list of Aircraft shot down and the names of their crews Battle K9189 , GB-?, - Shot down near Sedan. Pilot Officer F H Ridley killed, Sergeant G Atkinson killed, Aircraftsman 1 J S Thomson killed. Battle K9333 , WT-?, - Shot down near Ecly. Pilot Officer H L Oakley ok, Sergeant Martin ok, Aircraftsman 1 Presto ok. Battle K9342 , GB-?, - Shot down near Sedan. Pilot Officer F A G Lascelles ok, Sergeant Ordway ok, Aircraftsman 1 Weir ok. Battle K9343 , MQ-?, - Crashed near Sedan. Sergeant V H Moseley killed, Sergeant S D Hibberd killed, Corporal H F Little killed. Battle K9383 , MQ-?, - Damaged by enemy but returned to base. Abandoned during fall of France. Sergeant E E Hopkins ok, Sergeant J Callaghan ok, Aircraftsman 1 D Barber ok. Battle K9483 , JN-?, - Crashed near Sedan. Pilot Officer A F Posselt killed, Sergeant D J Bowen killed, Aircraftsman 2 N V Vano killed. Battle L4946 , JN-?, - Crashed near Douchery. Flying Officer J Ing killed, Sergeant J D Turner killed, Aircraftsman 1 W J Nolan killed. Battle L4950 , PH-V, - Crashed near Sedan. Flying Officer E R D Vaughan killed, Sergeant C Shelton-Jones killed, Aircraftsman 1 J D Wright taken prisoner. Battle L4952 , PH-X, - Shot down near Sedan. Flight Lieutenant G D Clancey taken prisoner, Sergeant K Alderson killed, Aircraftsman 1 R T Ainsworth killed. Battle L5188 , PH-C, - Lost near Sedan. Sergeant H R W Winkler taken prisoner, Sergeant M D Smalley taken prisoner, Aircraftsman 1 L R Clarke taken prisoner. Battle L5190? , PM-?, - Shot down near Sedan. Flying Officer T B Fitzgerald injured, Corporal Madkins ok. (Note Flying Officer Fitzgerald may not have been in this aircraft but instead P2191.) Battle L5230 , GB-?, - Lost without trace around Sedan. Flight Lieutenant H C Sammels killed, Sergeant F B Abbott killed, Leading Aircraftsman R D Hughes killed. Battle L5232 , HA-?, - Shot down at Sauville. Pilot Officer W A R Harris injured but returned to unit, Sergeant N B Herriot killed, Aircraftsman 1 W Robinson killed. Battle L5233 , RH-?, - Returned to base damaged and was subsequently abandoned during the fall of France. Battle L5235 , HA-?, - Shot down near Sedan. Pilot Officer A M Imrie taken prisoner, Leading Aircraftsman A J Taylor killed. Battle L5238 , GB-?, - Shot down near Sedan. Flight Lieutenant R N Wall killed, Sergeant A C Morgan killed, Leading Aircraftsman H Hatton killed. Battle L5250 , GB-?, - Force landed and abandoned at Suipped. Pilot Officer D C F Murray ok, Sergeant Hemingway ok, Aircraftsman 1 Hill ok. Battle L5422 , HA-?, - Shot down near Sedan. Flying Officer J F R Crane killed, Aircraftsman 1 T W Holloway taken prisoner. Battle L5438 , MQ-?, - Crashed near Sedan. Flight Sergeant W A Dunn killed, Sergeant A F Sedgewick killed, Aircraftsman 2 M B Millar killed. Battle L5516 , PM-?, - Shot down near Sedan. Pilot Officer V A Cunningham ok, Aircraftsman 1 J Johnson ok. Battle L5517 , WT-?, - Crashed near Sedan. Flight Lieutenant K R Rogers killed. Battle L5523 , GB-?, - Crashed near Sedan. Pilot Officer H E White killed, Sergeant G A Cartwright killed, Aircraftsman 1 J Potter killed. Battle L5581 , RH-?, - Shot down near Sedan. Sergeant W G Ross killed, Sergeant F E Beames killed, Leading Aircraftsman J H K Gegg killed. Battle L5585 Mk.1 , GB-?, - Shot down and crashed behind enemy lines Battle P2182 , JN-?, - Shot down near Douzy. Flight Sergeant J Boon killed, Sergeant J D F Williams killed, Aircraftsman 1 S Martin killed.14May1940Battle P2191 , PM-?, - Shot down by an Me109 near Sedan. Sergeant G Beardsley ok, Leading Aircraftsman G F Lewis ok. (Note Sergeant Beardsley may not have been in this aircraft, but in L5190.)14May1940Battle P2246 , WT-?, - Shot down and crash landed behind enemy lines. Squadron Leader J F Hobler injured but evaded capture, Sergeant R V T Kitto evaded capture, Corporal D J Barbrooke evaded capture.14May1940Battle P2267 , MQ-?, - Shot down near Sedan. Squadron Leader C E S Lockett taken prisoner, Sergeant F J Percival killed, Corporal R S Clark killed.14May1940Battle P2324 , HA-?, - Shot down by ground fire near Sedan. Flying Officer D A J Foster taken prisoner, Aircraftsman 1 T J Bryan taken prisoner.14May1940Battle P2333 , WT-?, - Crashed near Sedan. Sergeant A N Spear evaded capture, Sergeant J Brookes killed, Leading Aircraftsman R H Nugent killed.14May1940Battle P2360 , HA-?, - Lost without trace near Sedan. Pilot Officer R T L Buttery killed, Aircraftsman 2 W C Waterston killed.14May1940Battle P5229 , PH-O, - Shot down near Sedan. Sergeant A G Johnson killed, Sergeant E F White killed, Aircraftsman 1 F T Spencer taken prisoner. Battle P5232 , JN-?, - Crashed near Sedan. Flight Sergeant G T Barker killed, Sergeant J D F Williams killed, Leading Aircraftsman A K Summerson evaded capture. | |
Heyford
Manufacturer : Handley Page | Heyford Full profile not yet available. | |
Lancaster 
Manufacturer : Avro Production Began : 1942 Retired : 1963 Number Built : 7377 | Lancaster The Avro Lancaster arose from the avro Manchester and the first prototype Lancaster was a converted Manchester with four engines. The Lancaster was first flown in January 1941, and started operations in March 1942. By March 1945 The Royal Air Force had 56 squadrons of Lancasters with the first squadron equipped being No.44 Squadron. During World War Two the Avro Lancaster flew 156,000 sorties and dropped 618,378 tonnes of bombs between 1942 and 1945. Lancaster Bomberss took part in the devastating round-the-clock raids on Hamburg during Air Marshall Harris' Operation Gomorrah in July 1943. Just 35 Lancasters completed more than 100 successful operations each, and 3,249 were lost in action. The most successful survivor completed 139 operations, and the Lancaster was scrapped after the war in 1947. A few Lancasters were converted into tankers and the two tanker aircraft were joined by another converted Lancaster and were used in the Berlin Airlift, achieving 757 tanker sorties. A famous Lancaster bombing raid was the 1943 mission, codenamed Operation Chastise, to destroy the dams of the Ruhr Valley. The operation was carried out by 617 Squadron in modified Mk IIIs carrying special drum shaped bouncing bombs designed by Barnes Wallis. Also famous was a series of Lancaster attacks using Tallboy bombs against the German battleship Tirpitz, which first disabled and later sank the ship. The Lancaster bomber was the basis of the new Avro Lincoln bomber, initially known as the Lancaster IV and Lancaster V. (Becoming Lincoln B1 and B2 respectively.) Their Lancastrian airliner was also based on the Lancaster but was not very successful. Other developments were the Avro York and the successful Shackleton which continued in airborne early warning service up to 1992. | |
Lincoln
Manufacturer : Avro Production Began : 1945 Retired : 1967 Number Built : 624 | Lincoln he first RAF Lincolns joined No. 57 Squadron at East Kirby in 1945. No. 75 (New Zealand) Squadron RAF began re-equipping with Lincolns at RAF Spilsby during August 1945. However, 75 (NZ) Sqn received just three aircraft before VJ Day. In the postwar Royal Air Force, the Lincoln equipped many bomber squadrons. Nearly 600 Lincolns were built to equip 29 RAF squadrons, mainly based in the United Kingdom. They were partially replaced by 88 Boeing Washingtons, on loan from the USAF, which had longer range and could reach targets inside the Iron Curtain. Small numbers remained in use with Nos 7, 83 and 97 Squadrons until the end of 1955, when they were replaced by the first of the V bombers. RAF Lincolns were used in combat during the 1950s, in Kenya against the Mau-Mau, operating from Eastleigh, and also served in Malaya during the Malayan Emergency, against insurgents aligned to the Malayan Communist Party. In Malaya, Lincolns operated from Changi and Tengah, More than 3,000 sorties were flown during their 7 1⁄2-year deployment, with half a million pounds of bombs dropped. This equated to 85% of the bomb tonnage dropped during the Malayan emergency. On 12 March 1953, a RAF Lincoln (RF531 "C") of Central Gunnery School was shot down 20 mi (32 km) NE of Lüneburg, Germany by several Soviet MiG-15s as it flew to Berlin on a radar reconnaissance flight, resulting in the deaths of the seven crew members. In November 1955, four Lincolns of No. 7 Squadron RAF were detached for duties in British territories in the Middle East. In Bahrain, they carried out border patrols of the then Trucial States. When 7 Sqn was disbanded in December 1955, the four detached crews and aircraft became No. 1426 Flight RAF, officially a photographic reconnaissance unit. It was later sent to Aden, carrying out patrols in the lead up to the Aden Emergency. As the RAF Lincolns became unserviceable due to wear and tear, they were replaced by jet aircraft. The Lincolns of Bomber Command were phased out from the mid-1950s and were completely replaced by jet bombers by 1963. The last Lincolns in RAF service were five operated by No. 151 Squadron, Signals Command, at RAF Watton, Norfolk, which were retired on 12 March 1963. From late 1946, Australian-built Lincolns were phased into No. 82 Wing RAAF at RAAF Amberley, replacing the Consolidated Liberators operated by 12, 21 and 23 Squadrons. In February 1948, these units were renumbered 1, 2 and 6 Squadrons respectively; a fourth RAAF Lincoln squadron, No. 10 was formed on 17 March 1949 at RAAF Townsville as a reconnaissance unit. RAAF Lincolns took part in operations in Malaya in the 1950s, operating alongside RAF examples. The RAAF based the B.Mk 30s of No.1 Squadron at Tengah, for the duration of operations in Malaya. The RAAF Lincolns were retired in 1961, with the MR.Mk 31s of No. 10 Squadron being the final variant to see service in Australia. | |
Manchester 
Manufacturer : Avro | Manchester Full profile not yet available. | |
Mosquito 
Manufacturer : De Havilland Production Began : 1940 Retired : 1955 Number Built : 7781 | Mosquito Used as a night fighter, fighter bomber, bomber and Photo-reconnaissance, with a crew of two, Maximum speed was 425 mph, at 30,300 feet, 380mph at 17,000ft. and a ceiling of 36,000feet, maximum range 3,500 miles. the Mosquito was armed with four 20mm Hospano cannon in belly and four .303 inch browning machine guns in nose. Coastal strike aircraft had eight 3-inch Rockets under the wings, and one 57mm shell gun in belly. The Mossie at it was known made its first flight on 25th November 1940, and the mosquito made its first operational flight for the Royal Air Force as a reconnaissance unit based at Benson. In early 1942, a modified version (mark II) operated as a night fighter with 157 and 23 squadron's. In April 1943 the first De Haviland Mosquito saw service in the Far east and in 1944 The Mosquito was used at Coastal Command in its strike wings. Bomber Commands offensive against Germany saw many Mosquitos, used as photo Reconnaissance aircraft, Fighter Escorts, and Path Finders. The Mosquito stayed in service with the Royal Air Force until 1955. and a total of 7781 mosquito's were built. | |
Whitley 
Manufacturer : Armstrong Whitworth Production Began : 1937 Retired : 1942 Number Built : 1814 | Whitley The Whitley first entered service with No. 10 Squadron in March 1937, replacing Handley Page Heyford biplanes. By the outbreak of the Second World War, seven squadrons were operational, the majority flying Whitley IIIs or IVs, as the Whitley V had only just been introduced. ] With the Handley Page Hampden and the Vickers Wellington, Whitleys bore the brunt of the early fighting and saw action on the first night of the war, when they dropped propaganda leaflets over Germany.[8] Among the many aircrew who flew the Whitley in operations over Germany, was Leonard Cheshire who spent most of his first three years at war flying them. Unlike the Hampden and Wellington—which met specification B.9/32 for a day bomber—the Whitley was always intended for night operations and escaped the early heavy losses received in daylight raids on German shipping, early in the war. With Hampdens, the Whitley made the first bombing raid on German soil on the night of 19/20 March 1940, attacking the Hornum seaplane base on the Island of Sylt. Whitleys also carried out Operation Haddock the first RAF raid on Italy, on the night of 11/12 June 1940. As the oldest of the three bombers, the Whitley was obsolete by the start of the war, yet over 1,000 more were produced before a suitable replacement was found. A particular problem with the twin-engine aircraft, was that it could not maintain altitude on one engine. Whitleys flew 8,996 operations with RAF Bomber Command, dropped 9,845 tons (8,931 tonnes) of bombs and 269 aircraft were lost in action. From April 1942, the Whitley was retired as first-line bomber. It continued to serve as glider tug, paratroop trainer, transport, or radio countermeasures aircraft. It also played an important role in Coastal Command . No. 100 Group RAF used Whitleys to carry airborne radar and electronic counter-measures. In February 1942, Whitleys carried the paratroops who participated in the Bruneval raid (Operation Biting) in which German radar technology was captured from a German base on the coast of France. The British Overseas Airways Corporation operated 15 Whitley Mk Vs converted into freighters in 1942. Running night supply flights from Gibraltar to Malta, they took seven hours to reach the island, often landing during air attacks. They used large quantities of fuel for a small payload and were replaced in August 1942 by the Lockheed Hudson, with the 14 survivors being returned to the Royal Air Force. Long-range Coastal Command Mk VII variants, were among the last in front-line service, with the first kill attributed to them being the sinking of the German submarine U-751, on 17 July 1942, in combination with a Lancaster heavy bomber. | |
No.97 Sqn RAF Artwork |
  Night Mission Ahead by Keith Woodcock. |   Lancasters - 97 Squadron by Barry Price. |
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Died : 15 / 5 / 1941