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.

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. 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.

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

+Aircraft operated by No. 620 Squadron RAFFrom 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 +Stations and airfields used by No. 620 Squadron RAFFrom 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 +Officers commanding No. 620 Squadron RAFFrom 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 No 38 Group RAF List of Royal Air Force aircraft squadrons

References Notes

Bibliography

External links

History of 620 Squadron @ raf38group.org No 620 Squadron RAF movement and equipment history History of No.'s 611–620 Squadrons at RAF Web 620 Derwent Valley Air Cadet Squadron