No. 299 Squadron RAF

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No. 299 Squadron RAF
Active4 Nov 1943 – 15 Feb 1946
Country Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom
Branch Ensign of the Royal Air Force.svg Royal Air Force
Role Special Operations
Transport
Part of No. 38 Group RAF [1]
Insignia
Squadron Badge heraldryNo badge authorised [2]
Squadron CodesX9 (Jan 1944 – Feb 1946) [3] [4]
5G (Jan 1944 – Feb 1946) [5] [6]

No. 299 Squadron was a Royal Air Force squadron during the Second World War and was part of No. 38 Group.

Contents

History

Short Stirlings of Nos. 196 and 299 Squadrons RAF lining the runway at RAF Keevil on the evening of 5 June 1944 before emplaning paratroops of the 5th Parachute Brigade Group for the invasion of Normandy Stirlings ready for Operation Tonga at RAF Keevil June 1944 IWM CH 13298.jpg
Short Stirlings of Nos. 196 and 299 Squadrons RAF lining the runway at RAF Keevil on the evening of 5 June 1944 before emplaning paratroops of the 5th Parachute Brigade Group for the invasion of Normandy

No. 299 Squadron was formed on 4 November 1943 form 'C' flight of 297 Squadron at RAF Stoney Cross, Hampshire as a special operations squadron. It became operational in April 1944 dropping SOE agents. During the Normandy landing the squadron first delivered paratroopers, and then returned to air-tow 16 Airspeed Horsa gliders across the English Channel. The squadron continued operations with resupply drops until 10 June when it returned to SOE duties. In between the SOE duties the squadron air-towed Horsa gliders for the Arnhem landing (Operation Market Garden), and the Rhine crossing (Operation Varsity). It was also involved in supply-dropping to resistance forces in Norway until the end of the war. On 7 October 1945, it lost five of its members in the crash of a Short Stirling IV in Rennes (Brittany). [7] At the end of the Second World War the squadron disbanded at RAF Shepherds Grove, Suffolk on 15 February 1946. [8] [9]

Aircraft operated

Aircraft operated by no. 299 Squadron RAF, data from [2] [8] [9]
FromToAircraftVersion
November 1943January 1944 Lockheed Ventura Mks.I and II
January 1944February 1946 Short Stirling Mk.IV
January 1945February 1946Short StirlingMk.V

Squadron bases

Bases and airfields used by no. 299 Squadron RAF, data from [2] [8] [9]
FromToBase
4 November 194315 March 1944 RAF Stoney Cross, Hampshire
15 March 19449 October 1944 RAF Keevil, Wiltshire
9 October 194425 January 1945 RAF Wethersfield, Essex
25 January 194515 February 1946 RAF Shepherds Grove, Suffolk

Commanding officers

Officers commanding no. 299 Squadron, data from [2]
FromToName
4 November 194328 December 1943 W/Cdr. R.W.G. Kitley
28 December 194319 September 1944W/Cdr. P.B.N. Davis, DSO
19 September 19441 November 1944W/Cdr. P.N. Jennings (acting after KIA of W/Cdr. Davis over Arnhem)
1 November 194431 December 1944W/Cdr. C.B.R. Colenso, DFC
31 December 1944September 1945W/Cdr. P.N. Jennings
September 194515 February 1946W/Cdr. R.N. Stidolph

See also

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References

Notes

  1. ↑ Delve 1994, pp. 69–70, 81.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Rawlings 1982, p. 197.
  3. ↑ Bowyer & Rawlings 1979, p. 115.
  4. ↑ Flintham & Thomas 2003, p. 117.
  5. ↑ Bowyer & Rawlings 1979, p. 48.
  6. ↑ Flintham & Thomas 2003, p. 57.
  7. ↑ "Écrasement d'un avion de la R.A.F. le 7 octobre 1945" [RAF plane crash 7 October 1945]. wiki-rennes.fr (in French).[ better source needed ]
  8. 1 2 3 Halley 1988 , p. 354.
  9. 1 2 3 Jefford 2001 , p. 86.

Bibliography

  • Bowyer, Michael J.F.; Rawlings, John D.R. (1979). Squadron Codes, 1937–56. Cambridge, UK: Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN   0-85059-364-6.
  • Delve, Ken (1994). The Source Book of the RAF. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing. ISBN   1-85310-451-5.
  • Flintham, Vic; Thomas, Andrew (2003). Combat Codes: A Full Explanation and Listing of British, Commonwealth and Allied Air Force Unit Codes since 1938. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing Ltd. ISBN   1-84037-281-8.
  • Halley, James J. (1988). The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth, 1918–1988. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. ISBN   0-85130-164-9.
  • Jefford, C.G. (2001). RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912 (2nd ed.). Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing Ltd. ISBN   1-85310-053-6.
  • Rawlings, John D.R. (1982). Coastal, Support and Special Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Jane's Publishing Company Ltd. ISBN   0-7106-0187-5.
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