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No. 218 Squadron
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No 218 Squadron was formed in April 1918 as a day-bomber squadron in the 5th Group under Dover-Dunkirk Naval command. Disbanded in 1919, it was re-formed in 1936 as a bomber squadron and served continuously throughout WWII against Germany.
No 218 was in France in September 1939 doing reconnaissance and leaflet raids. In June 1940 it bombed the enemy's lines of communications and troops, hindering the German Advance into France. Having received heavy casualties it was evacuated to England and re-equipped with Blenheim medium-range bombers. It then was equipped with Wellington long-range aircraft, becoming a heavy-bomber squadron, targetting industrial centres, railways, V-weapon sites and gun batteries, the Channel ports, oil and petrol installations, troops and armour. In May 1945, with the cessation of heavy bombing, No 218 dropped food supplies to the Netherlands and ferried liberated POWs to England.
Airfields
No. 218 Squadron
flew from:
- Auberive-sur-Suippes, France from 3rd September 1939 (75 Wing, Battle I)
- Mosou Ferme, France from the 1st May, 1940
- Rheges-St-Lucien Ferme, France from 2nd May 1940
- Nantes-Chateau Bougon, France from 3rd May 1940 (to 2 Group)
- RAF Mildenhall, Suffolk from 13th June 1940 (Blenheim IV)
- RAF Oakington, Cambridgeshire from 18th July 1940 (to 3 Group)
- RAF Marham, Norfolk from 25th November 1940 (Wellington Ia, Wellington Ic, Wellington II, Stirling I)
- RAF Downham market, Norfolk from 7th July 1942 (Stirling III)
- RAF Woolfox Lodge, Rutland from 7th March 1944
- RAF Methwold, Norfolk from 4th October 1944 (Lancaster I, Lancaster III)
- RAF Chedburgh, Suffolk from 5th December 1944
- disbanded 10th October 1945
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List of those who served with
No. 218 Squadron
during The Second World War
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