No. 619 Squadron RAF was a heavy bomber squadron of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War, flying Lancaster bombers from bases in Lincolnshire.

History

The squadron was formed out of elements of 97 Squadron at RAF Woodhall Spa in Lincolnshire on 18 April 1943, equipped with Lancaster Mk.III bombers, as part of 5 Group in Bomber Command. It also flew Lancaster Mk.I bombers. Their first mission was flown in the night of 11 June 1943, when 12 Lancasters were sent to bomb targets in Düsseldorf, and the last bombing mission was flown on 25 April 1945, when 6 Lancasters tried to bomb Obersalzberg. The last operational mission was flown a day later, when 2 Lancasters laid mines in the Oslo Fjord near Horten. After that mission the squadron ferried ex-prisoners of war back to the United Kingdom from Belgium (Operation Exodus). The squadron operated out of various Lincolnshire stations, before being disbanded at RAF Skellingthorpe on 18 July 1945.

Members of the squadron were awarded 1 DSO, 76 DFCs and 37 DFMs. The squadron was mentioned 10 times in despatches.

Aircraft operated

+Aircraft operated by no. 619 Squadron RAF, data from From To Aircraft Version 18 April 1943 18 September 1943 Airspeed Oxford Mks.I, II 18 April 1943 18 July 1945 Avro Lancaster Mks.I, III

Squadron bases +Bases and airfields used by no. 619 Squadron RAF, data from From To Base 18 April 1943 9 January 1944 RAF Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire 9 January 1944 17 April 1944 RAF Coningsby, Lincolnshire 17 April 1944 28 September 1944 RAF Dunholme Lodge, Lincolnshire 28 September 1944 30 June 1945 RAF Strubby, Lincolnshire 30 June 1945 18 July 1945 RAF Skellingthorpe, Lincolnshire

Notable people Charles Clarke: served as a bomb aimer, shot down in 1944, interned in Stalag Luft III, was a spotter and forger for the Great Escape, retired from RAF as an Air Commodore. Nick Knilans: American who served with the squadron from 1943 to 1944, later served with No. 617 Squadron RAF (the "Dambusters")

Commanding officers +Officers commanding no. 619 Squadron RAF, data from From To Name 20 April 1943 17 August 1943 W/Cdr. I.J. McGhie, DFC 20 August 1943 4 December 1943 W/Cdr. W. Abercromby, DFC 4 December 1943 23 May 1944 W/Cdr. J.R. Jeudwine, OBE, DFC 23 May 1944 26 July 1944 W/Cdr. J.R. Maling, AFC 28 July 1944 21 February 1945 W/Cdr. A.R. Millward, DFC 21 February 1945 14 June 1945 W/Cdr. S.G. Birch, DFC 14 June 1945 18 July 1945 W/Cdr. Flett

See also List of Royal Air Force aircraft squadrons

References Notes

Bibliography

External links

No. 619 Squadron history No. 619 Squadron RAF movement and equipment history No. 619 Squadron bases Nos. 611 - 620 Squadron Histories