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.
| No 620 Squadron RAF | |
|---|---|
 Official Squadron badge of No 620 Squadron RAF | |
| Active | 17 June 1943 – 1 September 1946 |
| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Branch |  Royal Air Force |
| Type | Flying 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 heraldry | In front of a demi-pegasus couped, a flash of lightning[3][4] |
| Squadron Codes | QS (Jun 1943 – 1946)[5][6] D4 (Nov 1943 – 1946)[7][8] |
History
editNo 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
edit
| From | To | Aircraft | Version |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 1943 | August 1943 | Short Stirling | Mk.I |
| August 1943 | February 1944 | Short Stirling | Mk.III |
| February 1944 | July 1945 | Short Stirling | Mk.IV |
| May 1945 | September 1946 | Handley Page Halifax | Mks.III, VII |
| June 1946 | September 1946 | Douglas Dakota | C.4 |
| August 1946 | September 1946 | Handley Page Halifax | A.9 |
Squadron Stations
edit| From | To | Station | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17 June 1943 | 23 November 1943 | RAF Chedburgh, Suffolk | |
| 23 November 1943 | 18 March 1944 | RAF Leicester East, Leicestershire | Det. at RAF Hurn, Dorset |
| 18 March 1944 | 17 October 1944 | RAF Fairford, Gloucestershire | |
| 17 October 1944 | December 1945 | RAF Great Dunmow, Essex | |
| December 1945 | 15 January 1946 | El Aouina, Tunisia | |
| 15 January 1946 | 6 March 1946 | RAF Aqir, Palestine | |
| 6 March 1946 | 14 June 1946 | RAF Cairo West, Egypt | Det. at RAF Shallufa, Egypt, Apr–Jun 46 |
| 14 June 1946 | 1 September 1946 | RAF Aqir, Palestine |
Commanding officers
edit| From | To | Name |
|---|---|---|
| 17 June 1943 | 4 October 1944 | W/Cdr. D.H. Lee, DFC |
| 4 October 1944 | 1 July 1945 | W/Cdr. G.T. Wynne-Powell, DFC |
| 1 July 1945 | 27 July 1945 | W/Cdr. G.H. Briggs, DFC |
| 27 July 1945 | September 1945 | W/Cdr. K.R. Slater, AFC |
| September 1945 | 1946 | W/Cdr. R.I. Alexander, DFC |
| 1946 | September 1946 | W/Cdr. M. Thomas |
See also
editReferences
editNotes
edit- ^ Delve 1994, pp. 69–70.
- ^ Delve 1994, p. 81.
- ^ a b c d Rawlings 1982, p. 241.
- ^ a b c Halley 1988, p. 437.
- ^ Bowyer & Rawlings 1979, pp. 86–87.
- ^ Flintham & Thomas 2003, p. 99.
- ^ Bowyer & Rawlings 1979, p. 32.
- ^ Flintham & Thomas 2003, p. 68.
- ^ Ward & Smith 2009, p. 306
- ^ a b Jefford 2001, p. 102.
- ^ Rawlings 1982, pp. 241–242.
- ^ Rawlings 1982, p. 242.
- ^ "620 Squadron History". 38 Group. 2007. Retrieved 19 October 2015.
Bibliography
edit- 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.
External links
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