No. 524 Squadron was a Royal Air Force Coastal Command aircraft squadron that operated during the Second World War.
No. 524 Squadron RAF | |
---|---|
Active | 20 October 1943 – 7 December 1943 7 Apr 1944 – 25 May 1945 |
Country | United Kingdom |
Branch | Royal Air Force |
Part of | No. 15 Group RAF, Coastal Command (Oct 43 – Dec 43) No. 19 Group RAF, Coastal Command (Apr 44 – Jul 44) No. 16 Group RAF, Coastal Command (Jul 44 – May 45)[1] |
Insignia | |
Squadron Codes | 7R (Apr 1944 – May 1945)[2][3] |
No. 524 Squadron was formed at RAF Oban, Argyll and Bute in Scotland on 20 October 1943 to operate the Martin PBM Mariner flying boat.[4][5][6] The squadron's role was to introduce the Mariner into RAF service.[7] By the end of 1943 the aircraft was ready for operations but the RAF had decided not to operate the type and the squadron was disbanded on either 7 December 1943[5][6] or 29 January 1944.[1][4]
The squadron was reformed at RAF Davidstow Moor on 7 April 1944 to operate the Vickers Wellington.[4][5][6] The squadron carried out night operations of the French coast in preparation for D-Day, mainly attacking E-boats and submarines but also other shipping.[7] It also provided escort to Coastal Command Beaufighters carrying out night strikes. After the Normandy Invasion the squadron moved to the east of England to RAF Docking in a similar role along the Dutch coast. The squadron also directed surface vessels to attack enemy shipping.[7] With the end of the war approaching the squadron was disbanded on either 25 May 1945[5][6] or on 25 June 1945 at RAF Langham,[1][4] the appointment of S/Ldr. Willis pointing to the latter.
From | To | Aircraft | Version | Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
October 1943 | January 1944 | Martin Mariner | Mk.I | Twin-engined maritime patrol flying boat |
April 1944 | January 1945 | Vickers Wellington | Mk.XIII | Twin-engined medium bomber |
December 1944 | May 1945 | Vickers Wellington | Mk.XIV | Twin-engined medium bomber |
From | To | Base | Remark |
---|---|---|---|
20 October 1943 | 7 December 1943 | RAF Oban, Argyll, Scotland | |
7 April 1944 | 1 July 1944 | RAF Davidstow Moor, Cornwall | |
1 July 1944 | 23 July 1944 | RAF Docking, Norfolk | |
23 July 1944 | 17 October 1944 | RAF Bircham Newton, Norfolk | Dets. at RAF Docking, Norfolk; RAF Langham, Norfolk and RAF Dallachy, Moray, Scotland (under No. 18 Group RAF, Coastal Command[1]) |
17 October 1944 | 25 May 1945 | RAF Langham, Norfolk | Det. at RAF Dallachy, Moray, Scotland |
From | To | Name |
---|---|---|
October 1943 | December 1943 | W/Cdr. W.E.M. Lowry |
April 1944 | July 1944 | S/Ldr. A.W.B. Naismith |
July 1944 | May 1945 | W/Cdr. R.G. Knott, DSO, DFC |
May 1945 | June 1945 | S/Ldr. G.E. Willis, DFC |