No. 635 Squadron RAF

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No. 635 Squadron RAF
Active 20 March 1944 – 1 September 1945
Country Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom
Branch Ensign of the Royal Air Force.svg Royal Air Force
Type Inactive
Role Bomber Squadron
Part of No. 8 Group RAF Bomber Command [1]
Base RAF Downham Market, Norfolk
Motto(s) Latin: Nos Ducimus Ceteri Secunter
(Translation: "We lead, others follow") [2] [3]
Insignia
Squadron Badge heraldry In front of a roundel nebuly, a dexter gauntlet holding three flashes of lightning [2] [3]
Squadron CodesF2 (Mar 1944 – Sep 1945) [4] [5]
Aircraft flown
Bomber Avro Lancaster
Four-engined heavy bomber

No. 635 Squadron RAF was a heavy bomber squadron of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War.

Royal Air Force Aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces

The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's aerial warfare force. Formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world. Following victory over the Central Powers in 1918 the RAF emerged as, at the time, the largest air force in the world. Since its formation, the RAF has taken a significant role in British military history. In particular, it played a large part in the Second World War where it fought its most famous campaign, the Battle of Britain.

Contents

History

635 squadron was formed at RAF Downham Market in Norfolk on 20 March 1944 from two flights drawn from No. 35 Squadron and No. 97 Squadron, equipped with Lancaster Mk.I bombers, as part of No. 8 Group RAF in Bomber Command. It re-equipped with Lancaster Mk.III bombers the same month, then Lancaster Mk.VI bombers in July. After the end of its bombing operations in April 1945 it was used for transport and food relief until disbanded at Downham Market on 1 September 1945. [3] [6]

RAF Downham Market

RAF Downham Market was a Royal Air Force station in the west of the county of Norfolk in the United Kingdom which operated during the second half of the Second World War.

Norfolk County of England

Norfolk is a county in East Anglia in England. It borders Lincolnshire to the northwest, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest, and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea and, to the north-west, The Wash. The county town is Norwich. With an area of 2,074 square miles (5,370 km2) and a population of 859,400, Norfolk is a largely rural county with a population density of 401 per square mile. Of the county's population, 40% live in four major built up areas: Norwich (213,000), Great Yarmouth (63,000), King's Lynn (46,000) and Thetford (25,000).

No. 35 Squadron RAF

No. 35 Squadron was a squadron of the Royal Air Force.

Notable squadron members

One member of the squadron, S/Ldr. I.W. Bazalgette, was awarded a posthumous VC following the raid against Trossy-St Maximin on 4 August 1944. [7] [8]

Ian Willoughby Bazalgette Recipient of the Victoria Cross

Ian Willoughby Bazalgette, was a Canadian-British pilot in the Royal Air Force who was a member of RAF Bomber Command in World War II. On 4 August 1944, piloting an Avro Lancaster in a pathfinder role, Bazalgette and crew flew to Trossy St. Maximin in France to mark a V-1 flying bomb storage cave. Bazalgette's Lancaster was severely damaged by flak prior to arrival at the target and quickly set on fire. Despite the condition of his aircraft, Bazalgette continued to the target and accurately dropped his markers. After completing their task Bazalgette ordered his crew to bail out, however, two members of the crew were injured and unable to jump. Rather than saving himself and leaving the two men to die, Bazalgette attempted to land the burning plane to save his two crew members. Bazalgette landed the plane, but it exploded almost immediately upon alighting, killing all three airmen. For his actions, on 14 August 1945 he was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross.

Victoria Cross highest military decoration awarded for valour in armed forces of various Commonwealth countries

The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for gallantry "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces. It may be awarded posthumously. It was previously awarded to Commonwealth countries, most of which have established their own honours systems and no longer recommend British honours. It may be awarded to a person of any military rank in any service and to civilians under military command although no civilian has received the award since 1879. Since the first awards were presented by Queen Victoria in 1857, two-thirds of all awards have been personally presented by the British monarch. These investitures are usually held at Buckingham Palace.

Aircraft operated

Aircraft operated by No. 635 Squadron RAF [3] [9] [10]
From To Aircraft Version
March 1944 March 1944 Avro Lancaster Mk.I
March 1944 August 1945 Avro Lancaster Mk.III
July 1944 November 1944 Avro Lancaster Mk.VI

Squadron bases

Base used by No. 635 Squadron RAF [3] [9] [10]
From To Base
20 March 1944 1 September 1945 RAF Downham Market, Norfolk

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References

Notes

Bibliography

  • Bowyer, Michael J.F. and John D.R. Rawlings. Squadron Codes, 1937–56. Cambridge, UK: Patrick Stephens Ltd., 1979. ISBN   0-85059-364-6.
  • Delve, Ken. The Source Book of the RAF. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing, 1994. ISBN   1-85310-451-5.
  • 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 1918–1988. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air Britain (Historians) Ltd., 1988. ISBN   0-85130-164-9.
  • Jefford, Wing Commander C.G., MBE, BA, RAF(Retd.). RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing Ltd., 1988 (second edition 2001). ISBN   1-85310-053-6.
  • Moyes, Philip J.R. Bomber Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Macdonald and Jane's (Publishers) Ltd., 2nd edition 1976. ISBN   0-354-01027-1.
  • Thorne, Alex. Lancaster at War 4: Pathfinder Squadron. Shepperton, Surrey, UK: Ian Allan, 1995. ISBN   0-7110-1882-0.
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