No. 353 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force squadron, active during World War II carrying out maritime patrol and transport tasks in and around British India.
History No. 353 Squadron was formed on 1 June 1942 at RAF Dum Dum, British India from No. 62 Squadron and 103 (Coast Defence) Flight, Indian Air Force. Equipped with the Lockheed Hudson, an American light bomber and coastal reconnaissance aircraft. The squadron was tasked with coastal patrols over the Bay of Bengal. In August 1943 it moved to Palam and was assigned to transport duties. From 1944 onwards the squadron re-equipped with Douglas Dakota, an American military transport aircraft and also operated a number of Avro Ansons, a British twin-engine multi-role aircraft, which were replaced with Beech Expeditor twin-engine light aircraft in January 1945. The squadron became fully Dakota equipped by April 1945, but disbanded at RAF Mauripur on 1 October 1946.
Aircraft operated +Aircraft operated by No. 353 Squadron From To Aircraft Version June 1942 October 1944 Lockheed Hudson Mk.III October 1944 October 1944 Lockheed Hudson Mk.VI April 1944 September 1945 Douglas Dakota Mk.I April 1944 October 1946 Douglas Dakota Mks.III, IV August 1944 January 1945 Avro Anson Mks.I, X, XII November 1944 March 1945 Vickers Warwick Mk.III January 1945 July 1945 Beechcraft Expeditor Mk.II
Squadron bases +Bases and airfields used by No. 353 Squadron From To Base Remark 1 June 1942 24 February 1943 RAF Dum Dum, Bengal Det. at RAF Cuttack, Orissa 24 February 1943 2 April 1943 RAF Dhubalia, Bengal Det. at RAF Jessore, Bengal 2 April 1943 24 August 1943 RAF Tanjore, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu Det. at St Thomas Mount, Madras, Tamil Nadu 24 August 1943 1 May 1946 RAF Palam, Delhi Dets. at Dum Dum (renumbered to 52 Squadron on 1 July 1944) and Jiwani, Balochistan 1 May 1946 1 October 1946 RAF Mauripur, Sindh Disbanded here
Commanding officers +Officers commanding No. 353 Squadron From To Name 1 June 1942 1 July 1944 W/Cdr. L.G.W. Lilly 1 July 1944 February 1945 W/Cdr. C.E. Slee, MVO, AFC February 1945 March 1945 S/Ldr. F.M. Biddulph March 1945 October 1945 W/cdr. A.M. Harding, DFC October 1945 1 October 1946 W/Cdr. P.B. Wood
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Bibliography
External links Squadron history on (old) MOD site Squadron history on (new) MOD site Squadron histories for nos. 353–361 squadron on "Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation"