- No. 623 Squadron RAF
-
No. 623 Squadron RAF Active 10 Aug 1943 - 6 Dec 1943 Country United Kingdom Branch Royal Air Force Type inactive Role Bomber Squadron Part of No. 3 Group RAF RAF Bomber Command Base RAF Downham Market Insignia Squadron Codes IC (Aug 1943 - Dec 1943)[1][2] Aircraft flown Bomber Short Stirling
Four-engined heavy bomberNo. 623 Squadron RAF was a heavy bomber squadron of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War.
Contents
History
The squadron was formed on 10 August 1943 at RAF Downham Market in Norfolk from 'C' Flight of 218 Squadron, as well as receiving crews from No.3 L.F.S. and No.1653 Conversion Unit.[3] It was equipped with Stirling Mk.III bombers, as part of No. 3 Group RAF in Bomber Command. The squadron carried out night raids against Germany, but was short-lived and was disbanded on 6 December 1943 at Downham Market. The aircraft went mostly to conversion units of No. 5 Group RAF.[4]
Commanding officers
Officers commanding No. 623 Squadron RAF, data from[5] Date Name Comments 18 August 1943 W/Cdr. E.J. Little, DFC Killed in action, 31-08-1943 6 September 1943 W/Cdr. G.T. Wynne-Powell Moved to 90 Sqn, 29-11-1943 29 November 1943 W/Cdr. F.M. Milligan, AFC Aircraft operated
Aircraft operated by no. 623 Squadron RAF, data from[6][7] From To Aircraft Variant August 1943 December 1943 Short Stirling Mk.III - BF568: IC-B Taken over from No. 218 Squadron RAF, later to No. 214 Squadron RAF and 1651 Heavy Conversion Unit (HCU). Struck of charge 24.4.45
- BK727: IC-A Taken over from No. 218 Squadron, later to No. 214 Squadron and 1651 HCU. Struck of charge 24.4.45
- BK803: IC-S and IC-D Taken over from No. 218 Squadron, later to 1654 HCU. Crashed 30.6.44
- EE876: IC-T Taken over from No. 218 Squadron, later to 1654 HCU. Struck of charge 25.4.46
- EE966: IC-E Taken over from No. 218 Squadron, later transferred to No. 299 Squadron RAF. Crashed 11.5.45 at Gardermoen, Norway
- EF199: IC-I Went to No. 214 Squadron RAF and later to 1651 HCU. Struck of charge 24.4.45
- EF204: IC-E Went to 1654 Conversion Unit after its service life with No. 623 Squadron, crashed 14.1.45
- EH878: IC-I Failed to return from a bombing mission to Mannheim, 6.9.43
- EH925: IC-C Failed to return from bombing mission to Berlin, 23/24.08.43. Aircraft crashed 10 km south of Zossen, crew killed. Crash site has now been discovered in local area.
- EJ121: IC-Q Went to 1654 Conversion Unit after its service life with No. 623 Squadron. Struck of charge 28.2.45
- LJ454: IC-E Failed to return from a bombing mission to Mannheim, 19.11.43
- LK387: IC-P Failed to return on 5.12.43 on a mine laying operation at the Friesian Islands
Operations
Date Type Target Despatched DCO Alt DNCO Recalled Lost Comments 10/11-Aug-43 Stirling Nürnberg 4 4 0 0 0 0 12/13-Aug-43 Stirling Turin 4 4 0 0 0 0 16/17-Aug-43 Stirling Turin 5 5 0 0 0 0 23/24-Aug-43 Stirling Berlin 6 5 0 0 0 1 24/25-Aug-43 Stirling Gardening 2 2 0 0 0 0 Nectarines 25/26-Aug-43 Stirling Gardening 1 1 0 0 0 0 Deodars 26/27-Aug-43 Stirling Gardening 2 2 0 0 0 0 Deodars 27/28-Aug-43 Stirling Nürnberg 5 3 0 1 0 1 30/31-Aug-43 Stirling Mönchengladbach 5 4 0 1 0 0 31/01-Aug-43 Stirling Berlin 4 2 0 1 0 1 02/03-Sep-43 Stirling Gardening 1 0 0 1 0 0 Nectarines 05/06-Sep-43 Stirling Mannheim 3 2 0 0 0 1 08/09-Sep-43 Stirling Boulogne 3 3 0 0 0 0 15/16-Sep-43 Stirling Montluçon 3 3 0 0 0 0 16/17-Sep-43 Stirling Modane 4 4 0 0 0 0 22/23-Sep-43 Stirling Hannover 4 4 0 0 0 0 23/24-Sep-43 Stirling Mannheim 3 3 0 0 0 0 24/25-Sep-43 Stirling Gardening 3 3 0 0 0 0 Nectarines 25/26-Sep-43 Stirling Gardening 2 1 0 0 0 1 Nectarines 27/28-Sep-43 Stirling Hannover 2 2 0 0 0 0 27/28-Sep-43 Stirling Gardening 1 1 0 0 0 0 Nectarines 02/03-Oct-43 Stirling Gardening 2 2 0 0 0 0 Silverthorne 03/04-Oct-43 Stirling Kassel 5 2 0 1 0 2 04/05-Oct-43 Stirling Frankfurt am Main 3 2 0 1 0 0 04/05-Oct-43 Stirling Gardening 2 2 0 0 0 0 Deodars 07/08-Oct-43 Stirling Gardening 3 3 0 0 0 0 Nectarines 1, Silverthorne 2 08/09-Oct-43 Stirling Bremen 4 4 0 0 0 0 08/09-Oct-43 Stirling Gardening 1 1 0 0 0 0 Deodars 17/18-Oct-43 Stirling Gardening 5 5 0 0 0 0 Nectarines 20/21-Oct-43 Stirling Gardening 2 2 0 0 0 0 Nectarines 22/23-Oct-43 Stirling Gardening 3 2 0 1 0 0 Nectarines 24/25-Oct-43 Stirling Gardening 2 2 0 0 0 0 Nectarines 25/26-Oct-43 Stirling Gardening 2 2 0 0 0 0 03/04-Nov-43 Stirling Gardening 4 4 0 0 0 0 04/05-Nov-43 Stirling Gardening 2 2 0 0 0 0 07/08-Nov-43 Stirling Gardening 5 4 0 0 0 1 Deodars, Furze 10/11-Nov-43 Stirling Gardening 2 2 0 0 0 0 La Rochelle 18/19-Nov-43 Stirling Mannheim 7 3 0 2 0 2 19/20-Nov-43 Stirling Leverkusen 2 2 0 0 0 0 19/20-Nov-43 Stirling Gardening 5 5 0 0 0 0 Nectarines/Cinnamon 22/23-Nov-43 Stirling Berlin 3 2 1 0 0 0 25/26-Nov-43 Stirling Gardening 3 1 0 2 0 0 04/05-Dec-43 Stirling Gardening 2 1 0 0 0 1 Nectarines Totals 138 115 1 11 0 11 - Despatched - number of aircraft taking off
- DCO - Duty Carried Out
- Alt - Alternative target attacked
- DNCO - Duty Not Carried Out (sortie aborted)
- Gardening - laying anti-shipping mines in coastal waters
- Comments - code names for area where mines dropped.
See also
References
Notes
- ^ Bowyer and Rawlings 1979, p. 54.
- ^ Flintham and Thomas 2003, p. 79.
- ^ Bowyer 1980, p. 129.
- ^ Bowyer 1980, p. 136.
- ^ Falconer 1997, p. 201.
- ^ a b Moyes 1976, p. 287.
- ^ Halley 1988, p. 439.
- ^ Gomersall 1979
Bibliography
- Bowyer, Michael J.F. The Stirling Bomber. London: Faber and Faber Ltd., 1980. ISBN 0-571-11101-7.
- Bowyer, Michael J.F. and John D.R. Rawlings. Squadron Codes, 1937-56. Cambridge, UK: Patrick Stephens Ltd., 1979. ISBN 0-85059-364-6.
- Falconer, Jonathan. Stirling Wings: The Short Stirling Goes to War. Stoud, Gloucestershire, UK: Alan Sutton Publishing Ltd., 1995 (republished by Budding Books, 1997. ISBN 1-84015-004-1.).
- 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.* Dickinson, Jack. The Time of my Life: Life with 218 & 623 Squadrons.
- Gomersall, Bryce. The Stirling File. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air Britain (Historians) Ltd. and Aviation Archaeologists Publications, 1979. ISBN 0-85130-072-3.
- 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, 2001. ISBN 1-84037-141-2.
- Moyes, Philip J.R. Bomber Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Macdonald and Jane's (Publishers) Ltd., 1964 (second edition 1976). ISBN 0-354-01027-1.
- No. 623 Squadron Operational Record Book (Forms 540/541), National Archives, Kew (AIR 27/2141).
External links
- Squadron history on RAF website
- No. 623 Squadron RAF movement and equipment history
- squadron hisatories and more for nos. 621-650 sqn on rafweb
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