No. 156 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force Squadron that was active as a bomber unit in World War II.

History

Formation and World War I No. 156 Squadron Royal Air Force was first formed on 12 October 1918 at RAF WytonJefford 2001, p. 66. and equipped with DH 9 aircraft, but was disbanded on 9 December 1918 without becoming operational.Jefford 2001, pp. 112-113.

Reformation in World War II

The squadron reformed in February 1942 from the home echelon of 40 Squadron at RAF Alconbury, in the Huntingdonshire area of Cambridgeshire, as part of No. 3 Group RAF and was equipped with Wellingtons. In August 1942 it joined No. 8 Group RAF it became one of the original pathfinder squadrons, converting to Lancasters in January 1943. It continued in the pathfinder role until the end of the war, being based at RAF Warboys, RAF Upwood and finally its original founding base, RAF Wyton, where it disbanded on 25 September 1945. The Jamaican airman Billy Strachan, who would go onto become a pioneer of Black civil rights in Britain, once served as an air gunner with the squadron.

Notable pilots Gordon Cochrane Peter Isaacson Frank Watkins Pilot Officer Colin Kirkus - lost without trace 13/14 September 1942 on a mission to Bremen in Vickers Wellington BJ879. Billy Strachan - famous for surviving 33 missions during a time when the average life expectancy for an RAF crew was 7 operations.

Memorials

There is a memorial to the crash of Avro Lancaster ED840, 156 Squadron, which crashed in the town in Lier, Belgium on 17 June 1943. It was on a mission to Cologne when it was shot down by anti-aircraft fire. In the Netherlands is a memorial for the Avro Lancaster ND559 crew. The crew was on 22 May 1944, on a mission to Duisburg. On the way back the plane was shot down above Molenaarsgraaf and Brandwijk.

Aircraft operated +Aircraft operated by No. 156 Squadron RAF From To Aircraft Variant November 1918 November 1918 Airco DH.9 A February 1942 January 1943 Vickers Wellington Mk.Ic March 1942 January 1943 Vickers Wellington Mk.III January 1943 September 1945 Avro Lancaster Mks.B.I & B.III

Squadron bases +Bases and airfields used by No. 156 Squadron RAF From To Base Remarks 12 October 1918 9 December 1918 RAF Wyton, Cambridgeshire Formed here 14 February 1942 15 August 1942 RAF Alconbury, Cambridgeshire No. 3 Group RAF 15 August 1942 5 March 1944 RAF Warboys, Cambridgeshire No. 8 Group RAF 5 March 1944 27 June 1945 RAF Upwood, Cambridgeshire 27 June 1945 25 September 1945 RAF Wyton, Cambridgeshire Disbanded here

Commanding officers +Officers commanding No. 156 squadron RAF From To Name Remark 14 February 1942 30 May 1942 W/Cdr. P.G.R. Heath KIA 30 May 1942 29 July 1942 W/Cdr. H.L. Price KIA 30 July 1942 28 October 1942 W/Cdr. R.N. Cook 28 October 1942 8 June 1943 W/Cdr. T.S. Rivett-Carnac, DFC 17 January 1943 13 February 1943 S/Ldr. S.G. Hookway, DFC (acting) KIA 8 June 1943 22 January 1944 G/Cpt. R.W.P. Collings, AFC 22 January 1944 27 April 1944 W/Cdr. E.C. Eaton, DFC KIA 28 April 1944 7 May 1944 S/Ldr. T.W.G. Godfrey (acting) 7 May 1944 21 November 1944 W/Cdr. T.L. Bingham-Hall, DFC 21 November 1944 30 December 1944 W/Cdr. D.B. Falconer, DFC, AFC KIA 30 December 1944 10 April 1945 W/Cdr. T.E. Ison DSO, DFC 10 April 1945 25 September 1945 W/Cdr. A.J.L. Craig

References

Notes

Bibliography Bowyer, Michael J.F. and John D.R. Rawlings. Squadron Codes, 1937-56. Cambridge, UK: Patrick Stephens Ltd., 1979. . 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. . Halley, James J. The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth, 1918-88. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd., 1988. . Jefford, C.G. 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. . Moyes, Philip J.R. Bomber Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Macdonald and Jane's (Publishers) Ltd., 1976. . Wadsworth, Michael P. They Led the Way: the Story of Pathfinder Squadron 156. Beverley: Highgate Publications Ltd., 1992. .

External links

156 Squadron site History of No.'s 156–160 Squadrons at RAF Web 156 Squadron history on the official RAF website