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No. 29 Squadron, Royal Air Force
29 Squadron was formed on 7 November 1915 at Gosport from a nucleus supplied by No 23 Squadron. It went to the Western Front in March 1916 as a scout squadron, providing fighter escorts on reconnaissance missions. After a short period with the army of occupation in Germany, the Squadron returned to the UK in August 1919 and was disbanded on 31 December 1919.
The squadron was reformed on 1 April 1923, initially equipped with Sopwith Snipes. These were replaced with a succession of single seat fighters, until in 1935 it received two-seater Hawker Demons, which it operated in service in Egypt from October 1935 to 1936 during the Abyssinian crisis. The squadron also operated a few old Fairey Gordons for night patrols in Egypt.
Back in Britain the Squadron was based at RAF Duxford and received Bristol Blenheim F1 heavy fighters in December 1938.
Airfields No. 29 Squadron flew from during WW2.
- RAF Debden, Essex from 3rd September 1939 (Blenheim If)
- RAF Drem, East Lothian from 4th April 1940
- RAF Debden from 10th May 1940
- Detachment to RAF Martlesham Heath 11th May to 26th June 1940
- RAF Digby, Lincolnshire from 27th June 1940
- RAF Wellingore, Lincolnshire from 8th July 1940 (Beaufighter If)
- RAF West Malling, Kent from 27 April 1941 (Beaufighter VIf)
- RAF Bradwell Bay, Essex from 13th May 1943 (Mosquito XII)
- RAF Ford, Sussex from 3rd September 1943 (Mosquito XIII)
- RAF Drem, East Lothian from 1st March 1944
- RAF West Malling, Kent from 1st May 1944
- RAF Hunsdon, Hertfordshire from 19th June 1944 (Mosquito NF30)
- RAF Colerne, Wiltshire from 22nd February 1945
- RAF Manston, Kent from 11th April 1945
3rd September 1939 Experimental radar
4th April 1940 Move to Scotland
10th May 1940 Move to the south
19th June 1940 Night fighter success
27th June 1940 Trial with Hurricanes
8th July 1940 Re-located
25th August 1940 Battle of Britain
17th September 1940 Beaufighters introduced
October 1940 Night fighter role
19th December 1940 Night fighters
27th April 1941 On the Move
17th January 1943 Bomber raid on London
13th May 1943 New aircraft
3rd September 1943 Back on Ops
1st May 1944 D-Day air cover
6th June 1944 D-Day
19th June 1944 On the move
22nd Feb 1945 Training role
If you can provide any additional information, please add it here.
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Logbooks
Do you have a WW2 Flying Log Book in your possession?
If so it would be a huge help if you could add logbook entries to our new database. Thank you.
View Logbook entries
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Those known to have served with No. 29 Squadron, Royal Air Force during the Second World War 1939-1945. - Barber DFC. Alan Victor James. F/O.
- Ellis DFM. Henry William. F/O. (d.7th Jun 1944)
- Mack Robert Ewart Xavier. Wing Cmdr. (d.26th Jun 1945)
- Raspin Richard Charles. F/O.
- Rogers James Alexander. P/O. (d.6th Oct 1944)
- Todd W. Wylton. Flt. Offr
The names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed,
please Add a Name to this List
Records of No. 29 Squadron, Royal Air Force from other sources.
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Want to know more about No. 29 Squadron, Royal Air Force? There are:2017 items tagged No. 29 Squadron, Royal Air Force available in our Library
These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Second World War. |
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F/O. Alan Victor James "Ali Baba" Barber DFC. 264 Squadron Alan Barber started in the RAF as LAC and worked his way up to Flt Lt, Navigator Instructor. I remember having his log book many years ago.
The missions seemed few but the aircraft I can remember were: Annie Anson,
Whitely, Wellington, Mosquito.
Unfortunately I have no photos.
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F/O. Richard Charles Raspin 29 Squadron Richard Raspin served with 29 Squadron.
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P/O. James Alexander Rogers 29 Squadron (d.6th Oct 1944) Pilot Officer James Rogers served with 29 Squadron and died on 6th October 1944.
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Flt. Offr W. Wylton Todd Biggin Hill & Little Snoring 29th and 169th Sq My mother is the daughter of W. Wylton Todd. Wylton was an RAF navigator who designed the memorial for the fallen 50 officers who were shot after the Great Escape. It still stands in Zagan, Poland.
He was assigned to the North camp after being shot down in a Mosquito on Feb 15, 1944. The pilot was the famous Commander "Jumbo" Gracie, who unfortunately went down with the plane in Hannover. Cmdr. Gracie was an older, decorated pilot who was instrumental in organizing flight standards for pilots in Malta and North Africa. Wylton was older too, but lied about his age so that he could join the war effort. He was 38 by the time he was shot down.
Wylton was a piano virtuoso. He designed, wrote and produced several of the musicals during his capture (i.e., Messalina, Paulina Panic). He worked with Rupert Davies, Peter Butterworth, Talbot Rothwell and a few others. They signed his war log. I'm certain that theater kept him and many others sane.
He was not only a great musician, he was already a successful architect in London before the war. King Edward honored him with recognition at the last Levee in 1936. A remarkable distinction for the young professional.
Since he was first held in Dulag Luft, then brought to SL3, he would have arrived just before the great escape on March 25. My mother maintains that he told her that he worked on the tunnels and escape efforts. His drafting abilities and keen eye probably made him a good forger or mapmaker.
After the war, Wylton was commissioned to design a memorial at Biggin Hill, from which most of the Battle of Britain pilots tenaciously defended their country. He stayed in the UK to rebuild London.
He also designed a palace for a Maharaja in India, Redesigned The Elms in London, a mansion in Mexico and designed plans for a massive luxury complex for Arthur Vining Davis in Eleuthera, Bahamas. Unfortunately it never came to fruition because of political complications. He died shortly afterwards from a freak accident in 1961. I never met him, but have learned quite a bit about this amazing man.
I'm currently working on research about his activities in the North camp theater. If anyone knows more about him or particular info about the North camp theater I would appreciate it.
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F/O. Henry William Ellis DFM. 29 Squadron (d.7th Jun 1944) Harry Ellis was my Grandfather. He was shot down over France in June 1944 with his pilot Ronald Densham. They were flying a Mosquito which was buried (along with its occupants) by a local farmer to hide it from the Germans. When the war ended the farmer informed the British who recovered the remains which were then buried at Bayeaux in a joint grave. Harry left behind a wife, Joan, and three daughters under 5. We are always on the lookout for information about him and the internet has been a great help.
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Wing Cmdr. Robert Ewart Xavier Mack 29 Squadron (d.26th Jun 1945) My Grandad, Robert Ewart Xavier Mack, (my Mum's dad), was in 29th Squadron and was Wing Commander.
He flew Mosquitos and was shot down over the English Channel on 26 June 1945.
He was killed along with F/Lt (118784) Bertram Cecil Towmsom (obs) RAFVR
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