No. 298 Squadron was a Royal Air Force special operations squadron during the Second World War. Later in that war it changed to the transport role, disbanding after the end of the hostilities.

History

Formation No. 298 Squadron was formed on 24 August 1942 at RAF Thruxton from a nucleus of No. 297 Squadron as a special operations squadron, equipped with the Armstrong Whitworth Whitley. The squadron was however not required for operations, so the formation was suspended and the it was disbanded on 19 October 1942.

Gliders and Special Operations

The squadron was re-formed on 4 November 1943 at RAF Tarrant Rushton, from 'A' Flight of No. 295 Squadron, with the Handley Page Halifax. It trained to air-tow the big General Aircraft Hamilcar glider, but began operations in February 1944 in its original role, dropping SOE agents. On 16 March 1944 No. 298 Squadron's 'C' Flight was split off to form No. 644 Squadron.

During the Normandy landings, the squadron air-towed both the Airspeed Horsas and the Hamilcars to landing-zones around the beach head. An unusual operation involved parachuting jeeps which had been carried underneath the Halifax. The squadron then returned again to SOE duties. In between the SOE duties the squadron air-towed Hamilcar and Horsa gliders for the Arnhem landing (Operation Market Garden). The squadron moved in March 1945 to RAF Woodbridge, England to air-tow gliders for the Rhine crossing (Operation Varsity). After Operation Varsity the squadron flew normal supply and transport duties.

Transport in British India In July 1945 the squadron moved to Raipur, British India to provide transport support to the Army. In March 1946 the squadron was involved in rice-dropping sorties from RAF Meiktila, Burma to the starving population in the jungle areas. The squadron disbanded at Mauripur, Sindh, British India (Now Pakistan Air Force Base Masroor) on 21 December or 30 December 1946.

Aircraft operated +Aircraft operated by No. 298 Squadron From To Aircraft Version August 1942 October 1942 Armstrong Whitworth Whitley Mk.V November 1943 November 1944 Handley Page Halifax Mk.V September 1944 July 1945 Handley Page Halifax Mk.III March 1945 December 1946 Handley Page Halifax A.7

Squadron bases +Bases and airfields used by No. 298 Squadron From To Base Remark 24 August 1942 19 October 1942 RAF Thruxton, Hampshire 4 November 1943 21 March 1945 RAF Tarrant Rushton, Dorset 21 March 1945 24 March 1945 RAF Woodbridge, Suffolk 24 March 1945 5 July 1945 RAF Tarrant Rushton, Dorset 5 July 1945 15 July 1945 en route to British India 15 July 1945 9 December 1945 RAF Raipur, Chhattisgarh, British India Dets. at RAF Akyab, Burma and RAF Alipore, Bengal, British India 9 December 1945 20 May 1946 RAF Digri, Sindh, British India Dets. at RAF Negombo, Ceylon; RAF Meiktila, Burma and RAF Chaklala, Punjab, British India 20 May 1946 24 July 1946 RAF Baroda, Gujarat, British India 24 July 1946 21 December 1946 RAF Mauripur, Sindh, British India Det. at RAF Risalpur, North-West Frontier Province, British India

Commanding officers +Officers commanding No. 298 SquadronFrom To Name 24 August 1942 19 October 1942 S/Ldr. L.C. Bartram 4 November 1943 4 December 1943 S/Ldr. Geoffrey "Buster" Briggs 4 December 1943 January 1945 W/Cdr. D.H. Duder, DSO, DFC January 1945 17 April 1945 W/Cdr. Law-Wright, DSC, DFC 17 April 1945 1945 W/Cdr. J. Stewart, DFC 1945 January 1946 W/Cdr. A.G. Norman, DFC January 1946 21 December 1946 W/Cdr. W.G. Gardiner, DFC, AFC

See also List of Royal Air Force aircraft squadrons Personal photographic archive of LAC Arthur Foster (1923-2010) Taken on tour in India https://www.flickr.com/photos/14415433@N02/albums/72157630237914772

References

Notes

Bibliography

External links

298 squadron page on 38 group website 298 squadron history on MOD site squadron histories for nos. 296–299 squadron on RAFWeb's Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation