Summary
No. 156 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force Squadron that was active as a bomber unit in World War II.
| No. 156 Squadron RAF | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Active | 12 October 1918 – 9 December 1918 14 February 1942 – 25 September 1945 |
| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Branch |  Royal Air Force |
| Part of | No. 3 Group RAF, Bomber Command (Feb 42-Aug 42) No. 8 Group RAF, Bomber Command (Aug 42-Sep 45) |
| Motto(s) | We light the way[1][2] |
| Insignia | |
| Squadron Badge heraldry | A figure of Mercury holding a torch[1][2] |
| Squadron Codes | GT (Feb 1942 - Sep 1945)[3][4] |
History edit
Formation and World War I edit
No. 156 Squadron Royal Air Force was first formed on 12 October 1918 at RAF Wyton[2][5] and equipped with DH 9 aircraft, but was disbanded on 9 December 1918 without becoming operational.[6]
Reformation in World War II edit
The squadron reformed in February 1942 from the home echelon of 40 Squadron[1] at RAF Alconbury, in the Huntingdonshire area of Cambridgeshire, as part of No. 3 Group RAF and was equipped with Wellingtons.[2] In August 1942 it joined No. 8 Group RAF it became one of the original pathfinder squadrons, converting to Lancasters in January 1943. It continued in the pathfinder role until the end of the war, being based at RAF Warboys, RAF Upwood and finally its original founding base, RAF Wyton, where it disbanded on 25 September 1945.[2][5] The Jamaican airman Billy Strachan, who would go onto become a pioneer of Black civil rights in Britain, once served as an air gunner with the squadron.[7][8]
Notable pilots edit
- Gordon Cochrane
- Peter Isaacson
- Frank Watkins
- Pilot Officer Colin Kirkus - lost without trace 13/14 September 1942 on a mission to Bremen in Vickers Wellington BJ879.
- Billy Strachan - famous for surviving 33 missions during a time when the average life expectancy for an RAF crew was 7 operations.[9][10]
Memorials edit
There is a memorial to the crash of Avro Lancaster ED840, 156 Squadron, which crashed in the town in Lier, Belgium on 17 June 1943. It was on a mission to Cologne when it was shot down by anti-aircraft fire. In the Netherlands is a memorial for the Avro Lancaster ND559 crew. The crew was on 22 May 1944, on a mission to Duisburg. On the way back the plane was shot down above Molenaarsgraaf and Brandwijk.
Aircraft operated edit
| From | To | Aircraft | Variant |
|---|---|---|---|
| November 1918 | November 1918 | Airco DH.9 | A |
| February 1942 | January 1943 | Vickers Wellington | Mk.Ic |
| March 1942 | January 1943 | Vickers Wellington | Mk.III |
| January 1943 | September 1945 | Avro Lancaster | Mks.B.I & B.III |
Squadron bases edit
| From | To | Base | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 October 1918 | 9 December 1918 | RAF Wyton, Cambridgeshire | Formed here |
| 14 February 1942 | 15 August 1942 | RAF Alconbury, Cambridgeshire | No. 3 Group RAF |
| 15 August 1942 | 5 March 1944 | RAF Warboys, Cambridgeshire | No. 8 Group RAF |
| 5 March 1944 | 27 June 1945 | RAF Upwood, Cambridgeshire | |
| 27 June 1945 | 25 September 1945 | RAF Wyton, Cambridgeshire | Disbanded here |
Commanding officers edit
| From | To | Name | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 February 1942 | 30 May 1942 | W/Cdr. P.G.R. Heath | KIA |
| 30 May 1942 | 29 July 1942 | W/Cdr. H.L. Price | KIA |
| 30 July 1942 | 28 October 1942 | W/Cdr. R.N. Cook | |
| 28 October 1942 | 8 June 1943 | W/Cdr. T.S. Rivett-Carnac, DFC | |
| 17 January 1943 | 13 February 1943 | S/Ldr. S.G. Hookway, DFC (acting) | KIA |
| 8 June 1943 | 22 January 1944 | G/Cpt. R.W.P. Collings, AFC | |
| 22 January 1944 | 27 April 1944 | W/Cdr. E.C. Eaton, DFC | KIA |
| 28 April 1944 | 7 May 1944 | S/Ldr. T.W.G. Godfrey (acting) | |
| 7 May 1944 | 21 November 1944 | W/Cdr. T.L. Bingham-Hall, DFC | |
| 21 November 1944 | 30 December 1944 | W/Cdr. D.B. Falconer, DFC, AFC | KIA |
| 30 December 1944 | 10 April 1945 | W/Cdr. T.E. Ison DSO, DFC | |
| 10 April 1945 | 25 September 1945 | W/Cdr. A.J.L. Craig |
References edit
Notes edit
- ^ a b c d e Moyes 1976, p. 179.
- ^ a b c d e f g Halley 1988, p. 229.
- ^ Bowyer and Rawlings 1979, p. 46.
- ^ Flintham and Thomas 2003, p. 77.
- ^ a b c d Jefford 2001, p. 66.
- ^ Jefford 2001, pp. 112-113.
- ^ Meddick, Simon; Payne, Liz; Katz, Phil (2020). Red Lives: Communists and the Struggle for Socialism. Croydon: Manifesto Press Cooperative Limited. p. 194. ISBN 978-1-907464-45-4.
- ^ Dewjee, Audrey. "West Indian RAF Aircrew: In East Yorkshire During WWII". African Stories in Hull and East Yorkshire. Archived from the original on 7 May 2023. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
- ^ Meddick, Simon; Payne, Liz; Katz, Phil (2020). Red Lives: Communists and the Struggle for Socialism. UK: Manifesto Press Cooperative Limited. p. 194. ISBN 978-1-907464-45-4.
- ^ Dewjee, Audrey. "West Indian RAF Aircrew: In East Yorkshire During WWII". African Stories in Hull and East Yorkshire. Retrieved 11 May 2021.
- ^ Riley, Robin (2007). "Commanding Officers of 156 Squadron". www.156squadron.com. Retrieved 15 August 2011.
Bibliography edit
- Bowyer, Michael J.F. and John D.R. Rawlings. Squadron Codes, 1937-56. Cambridge, UK: Patrick Stephens Ltd., 1979. ISBN 0-85059-364-6.
- Flintham, Vic and Andrew Thomas. Combat Codes: A full explanation and listing of British, Commonwealth and Allied air force unit codes since 1938. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing Ltd., 2003. ISBN 1-84037-281-8.
- Halley, James J. The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth, 1918-88. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd., 1988. ISBN 0-85130-164-9.
- Jefford, C.G. RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive Record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing, 2001. ISBN 1-84037-141-2.
- Moyes, Philip J.R. Bomber Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Macdonald and Jane's (Publishers) Ltd., 1976. ISBN 0-354-01027-1.
- Wadsworth, Michael P. They Led the Way: the Story of Pathfinder Squadron 156. Beverley: Highgate Publications Ltd., 1992. ISBN 0-948929-58-8.
External links edit
- 156 Squadron site
- History of No.'s 156–160 Squadrons at RAF Web
- 156 Squadron history on the official RAF website