No. 620 Squadron RAF

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No 620 Squadron RAF
620 Badge JPEG.jpg
Official Squadron badge of No 620 Squadron RAF
Active17 June 1943 – 1 September 1946
Country Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom
Branch Ensign of the Royal Air Force.svg Royal Air Force
TypeFlying squadron
Role Bomber
Airborne forces
Transport
Part of No. 3 Group RAF, Bomber Command
No 38 Group RAF, Fighter Command [1]
No 38 Group RAF, Transport Command [2]
Motto(s) Latin: Dona ferentes adsumus
(Translation: "We are coming bringing gifts") [3]
Insignia
Squadron Badge heraldryIn front of a demi-pegasus couped, a flash of lightning [3] [4]
Squadron CodesQS (Jun 1943 – 1946) [5] [6]
D4 (Nov 1943 – 1946) [7] [8]

No 620 Squadron was a squadron of the Royal Air Force during World War II. During its existence it served as a bomber squadron, airborne forces and a transport squadron.

Contents

History

No 620 Squadron was formed at RAF Chedburgh on 17 June 1943 as a heavy bomber squadron equipped with the Short Stirling. It was a part of No.3 Group of RAF Bomber Command and carried out night bombing and minelaying missions until November 1943 when it was transferred to No 38 Group RAF. The squadron flew 61 operations while part of Bomber Command, losing 17 Stirlings in the process. [9] The squadron moved to RAF Leicester East on 27 November 1943 in preparation for airborne forces operations. By March 1944 the squadron had been moved to RAF Fairford to prepare for D-Day and completed many practice missions in Gloucestershire area such a parachuting and glider towing.

On D-Day itself, the squadron took part in Operation Tonga and dropped paratroopers of the 6th Airborne Division near Caen. After these events, the squadron was used to resupply Allied forces in France, mainly SOE and the French Resistance. No 620 Squadron also took part in Operation Market Garden, where they towed gliders and dropped paratroopers belonging to the 1st Airborne Division. They also flew operations to resupply the struggling ground forces in and around Arnhem. After these operations the squadron flew some missions in support of the resistance in the Netherlands and in Norway. [3]

Throughout Operation Varsity in March 1945 the squadron towed 30 gliders, carrying anti tank and artillery weapons to their destination near the Rhine.

After VE Day, the squadron helped to transport ex-POWs, troops and supplies around Europe. The Stirlings which they had used throughout the war began to be replaced in May 1945 by Halifaxes, and the sphere of operations was changed from Western-Europe to Greece, Czechoslovakia, Egypt, Italy and Palestine. In December 1945 the squadron was moved to Tunisia and shortly thereafter to Palestine and Egypt and the squadron began missions in the Middle East. By June 1946 it received also some Dakotas, but on 1 September 1946 the squadron was disbanded at RAF Aqir, Palestine by being renumbered to No. 113 Squadron RAF.

Aircraft operated

Stirling Mk.IVs of 620 Squadron, RAF during Operation Market Garden in September 1944 Operation Market I - 02.jpg
Stirling Mk.IVs of 620 Squadron, RAF during Operation Market Garden in September 1944
Aircraft operated by No. 620 Squadron RAF [4] [10] [11]
FromToAircraftVersion
June 1943August 1943 Short Stirling Mk.I
August 1943February 1944Short StirlingMk.III
February 1944July 1945Short StirlingMk.IV
May 1945September 1946 Handley Page Halifax Mks.III, VII
June 1946September 1946 Douglas Dakota C.4
August 1946September 1946Handley Page HalifaxA.9

Squadron Stations

Stations and airfields used by No. 620 Squadron RAF [3] [4] [10]
FromToStationRemark
17 June 194323 November 1943 RAF Chedburgh, Suffolk
23 November 194318 March 1944 RAF Leicester East, Leicestershire Det. at RAF Hurn, Dorset
18 March 194417 October 1944 RAF Fairford, Gloucestershire
17 October 1944December 1945 RAF Great Dunmow, Essex
December 194515 January 1946 El Aouina, Tunisia
15 January 19466 March 1946 RAF Aqir, Palestine
6 March 194614 June 1946RAF Cairo West, Egypt Det. at RAF Shallufa, Egypt, Apr–Jun 46
14 June 19461 September 1946RAF Aqir, Palestine

Commanding officers

Officers commanding No. 620 Squadron RAF [12] [13]
FromToName
17 June 19434 October 1944 W/Cdr. D.H. Lee, DFC
4 October 19441 July 1945W/Cdr. G.T. Wynne-Powell, DFC
1 July 194527 July 1945W/Cdr. G.H. Briggs, DFC
27 July 1945September 1945W/Cdr. K.R. Slater, AFC
September 19451946W/Cdr. R.I. Alexander, DFC
1946September 1946W/Cdr. M. Thomas

See also

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References

Notes

  1. ↑ Delve 1994, pp. 69–70.
  2. ↑ Delve 1994, p. 81.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Rawlings 1982, p. 241.
  4. 1 2 3 Halley 1988, p. 437.
  5. ↑ Bowyer & Rawlings 1979, pp. 86–87.
  6. ↑ Flintham & Thomas 2003, p. 99.
  7. ↑ Bowyer & Rawlings 1979, p. 32.
  8. ↑ Flintham & Thomas 2003, p. 68.
  9. ↑ Ward & Smith 2009 , p. 306
  10. 1 2 Jefford 2001 , p. 102.
  11. ↑ Rawlings 1982 , pp. 241–242.
  12. ↑ Rawlings 1982 , p. 242.
  13. ↑ "620 Squadron History". 38 Group. 2007. Retrieved 19 October 2015.

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.
  • Patient, Joe (1997). Pilot: a Tale of High Adventure. Barnsley, South Yorkshire, UK: Pen & Sword/Leo Cooper. ISBN   0-85052-544-6.
  • 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.
  • Ward, Chris; Smith, Steve (2009). 3 Group Bomber Command: An Operational Record. Barnsley, UK: Pen & Sword. ISBN   978-1-84415-796-9.
  • Williams, Dr. Dennis J. (2008). Stirlings in Action with the Airborne Forces: Air Support for SAS and Resistance Operations During WWII. Barnsley, South Yorkshire, UK: Pen & Sword. ISBN   978-1-84415-648-1.
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