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- No. 49 Squadron Royal Air Force during the Second World War -


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World War 2 Two II WW2 WWII 1939 1945

No. 49 Squadron Royal Air Force



   No.49 Squadron, RFC, was formed at Dover, Kent, in 1916 and, after 20 months as a Training Unit, it went to France as a day-bombing squadron in November 1917. In May 1919, the squadron was posted to Germany as part of the Army of Occupation, but post-war disarmament led to its disbandment in July of that year. It was re-formed at Bircham Newton in 1936 from a nucleus provided by 'C' Flight of No 18 Squadron as a bomber squadron, equipped with Hawker Hinds. When war came No.49 was flying Hampdens from Scampton, Lincolnshire.

Airfields No. 49 Squadron RAF flew from during WW2.

  • RAF Scampton, Lincolnshire. from 3rd Sept 1939 to Jan 1943
  • Detachment at RAF Kinloss from January to March 1940
  • RAF Fiskerton, Lincolnshire. from Jan 1943 to Oct 1944
  • RAF Fulbeck, Lincolnshire. from Oct 1944 to Apr 1945
  • RAF Syerston, Nottinghamshire. from April 1945


 

3rd Sep 1940 Ships Sighted

October 1939 Mine-laying

22nd November 1939 144 Squadron - New Aircraft Collected

21st Dec 1939 Aircraft Lost

Jan 1940 Detachment

11th May 1940 Raid

12th May 1940 18 Squadron Blenheim lost

12th May 1940 Bombing Raid on Germany

12th May 1940 First bomber raid on Germany

15th May 1940 German troops attacked

12th June 1940 Bomber attacks bombers

27th Jun 1940 49 Squadron Hampden lost

11th July 1940 Raid

12th August 1940 Attack Made

17th Aug 1940 49 Squadron Hampden lost

11th Feb 1941 49 Squadron Hampden lost

27th May 1941 Aircraft Lost

19th Jun 1941 Aircraft Lost

25th Jun 1941 Aircraft Lost

30th Jun 1941 Aircraft Lost

5th Jul 1941 Aircraft Lost

6th Jul 1941 Aircraft Lost

12th Jul 1941 Aircraft Lost

25th Jul 1941 Aircraft Lost

14th Aug 1941 Aircraft Lost

24th Aug 1941 Aircraft Lost

28th Aug 1941 Aircraft Lost

2nd Sep 1941 Aircraft Lost

6th Sep 1941 Aircraft Lost

7th September 1941 Aircraft Lost

8th Sep 1941 Aircraft Lost

28th Sep 1941 Aircraft Lost

1st Nov 1941 Aircraft Lost

8th Nov 1941 Aircraft Lost

18th Dec 1941 Aircraft Lost

28th Dec 1941 Aircraft Lost

6th Jan 1942 Aircraft Lost

9th Jan 1942 Aircraft Lost

28th January 1942 Aircraft replaced

7th February 1942 Bombers lost on minelaying sortie

12th Feb 1942 Attack on the Scharnhorst

April 1942 

11th April 1942 Manchester bombers replaced

30th May 1942 1000 Bomber Raid

31st May 1942 49 Squadron Manchester lost

3rd Jun 1942 49 Squadron Manchester lost

July 1942 

17th Oct 1942 

17th October 1942 Operation Robinson

23rd Oct 1943 49 Squadron Lancaster lost

23rd Nov 1942 49 Squadron Lancaster lost

1st Jan 1943 

6th Mar 1943 49 Squadron Lancaster lost

21st April 1943 19 heavy boimbers lost over Denmark

13th Jun 1943 49 Squadron Lancaster lost

15th Jun 1943 49 Squadron Lancaster lost

9th Jul 1943 49 Squadron Lancaster lost

13th Jul 1943 49 Squadron Lancaster lost

Aug 1943 

23rd Oct 1943 49 Squadron Lancaster lost

11th Nov 1943 49 Squadron Lancaster lost

3rd Jan 1944 49 Squadron Lancaster lost

27th Mar 1944 49 Squadron Lancaster lost

30th Mar 1944 Aircraft Lost

11th Aug 1944 49 Squadron Lancaster lost

16th Oct 1944 

29th Oct 1944 49 Squadron Lancaster lost

22nd Nov 1944 49 Squadron Lancaster lost

17th Mar 1945 49 Squadron Lancaster lost

22 April 1945 

15th August 1945 Tiger Force


If you can provide any additional information, please add it here.



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Those known to have served with

No. 49 Squadron Royal Air Force

during the Second World War 1939-1945.

  • Ainger Stanley R.J.. Sgt.
  • Bone Alexander Victor. F/O. (d.17th Apr 1943)
  • Bourton Eric. F/O. (d.6th October 1944)
  • Cachart Ted. Sgt.
  • Chatterton Haigh. Sgt. (d.8th April 1943)
  • Cruickshank David Alexander. F/Sgt. (d.11th Feb 1941)
  • Evans MID Brian Herbert. F/Lt. (d.31st March 1944)
  • Fazakerley Thomas. Sgt. (d.29th March 1943)
  • Gaunt Philip Henry. WO.
  • Hardy James. Flt.Sgt.
  • Hartley Clement Alfred Victor. Sgt. (d.7th Apr 1942)
  • Heard Kenneth William. Sgt. (d.12th Feb 1942)
  • Hitchings Sydney James. Sgt.
  • Humble George. Sgt. (d.18th Aug 1943)
  • Hurst Percy. Sgt. (d.26th April 1940)
  • Kirwan DFM. John Anthony. Sgt. (d.18th Jul 1944)
  • Mackenzie Archibald James Stuart. P/O.
  • Marshall MBE Charles. F/Lt.
  • Martin Harold Hargreaves. F/Lt.
  • McCracken . Sgt.
  • McNutt Frank Arthur. WO2 (d.29th March 1943)
  • Moore Philip. Flt.Sgt. (d.15th/16th Sep 1943)
  • Mould David Kenneth. Sgt.
  • O'Leary W. K..
  • Perry William James. Sgt.
  • Pullen Harold Brian. F/Sgt.
  • Robertson James. Sgt. (d.29th March 1943)
  • Shaw John. Sgt.
  • Shaw MID John Cecil. Sgt. (d.4th Jan 1942)
  • Vidow Allan William. Sgt.
  • Wood John. W/O.
  • Young D.. Sgt.

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. 49 Squadron Royal Air Force from other sources.



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Want to know more about No. 49 Squadron Royal Air Force?


There are:2080 items tagged No. 49 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.


Sgt. Kenneth William Heard 49 Squadron (d.12th Feb 1942)

Kenneth Heard

Kenneth Heard is in centre back row

Sgt Kenneth Heard was posted to 49 Squadron in January 1942, based at Scampton in Leicestershire, flying Hampden bombers. He flew as Navigator on Operation Fuller - the Channel Dash - the operation to prevent the breakout of the German warships Scharnhorst, Gneisenau and Prinz Eugen from Brest.

His first mission in January was against the ships in Brest. He then attacked the ships in the Channel on 10th February, without success, and on his third mission on 1942-02-12 the aircraft and its crew, Pilot Sgt Phillips, W/OP Sgt Jackson, Sgt Toghill, Air Gunner and Sgt Kenneth Heard failed to return.

In recent months, Bomber Command had dropped over 3,000 tons of bombs on the battle cruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau and the light cruiser Prinz Eugen as they resided in the French port of Brest. The two larger ships had both been badly damaged, and the threat of further damage had prevented the ships from sailing out into the Atlantic on another raid against allied shipping. In a daring and well-executed operation, the Germans sailed their 3 ships straight up through the English Channel to bring them back to the greater protection of a German port. What followed on the part of the British Command has since been labelled as a catalogue of catastrophes, needless to say that the German warships achieved their destination unharmed. Heavily armed and protected by the Luftwaffe, the Germans exacted a heavy toll during the gallant British attempts to stop their breakout; Fighter Command lost 16 aircraft and the Fleet Air Arm had 6 Swordfish destroyed.

Bomber Command's part in the action involved 244 aircraft of which 15 were lost in action, and a further 2 crashing on return. Only 5 Group had been on a 4 hour stand by, as bomber Squadrons made frantic efforts to prepare their aircraft. Eventually, 5 Group contributed 64 Hampdens and 15 Manchesters to attack the German warships; 9 Hampdens were reported missing and one crashed on return.

49 Squadron's participation was prompted by a signal from Group received at 10.00hrs requesting 20 aircraft to attack the Scharnhorst and Gneisenau at sea! Cpl Trevor Simpson recalled the urgency with which the preparations were carried out, and he is almost certain that this was the occasion when the Hampdens were taxied into a hangar, bombed up and then taxied out! In low cloud and rain with extremely poor visibility, only 3 of the squadron's aircraft found the primary target.

It is now believed that two of the aircraft were shot down by German fighters, AE132 piloted by F/Sgt Charles Pollitt and AE396 flown by Sgt Edward Phillips. What we do know for certain is that these two crews plus that of Sgt Mervyn Holt (AE240) disappeared into the dark waters of the North Sea without trace

Daniel Spencer



Sgt. Stanley R.J. Ainger No. 49 Squadron

I'm currently carrying out research for a possible book about Stanley Ainger who served in No. 49 Squadron at RAF Scampton. He and his crew were shot down 6th of April 1942. Stanley, who was serving as an air gunner, bailed out of their Hampden bomber and managed to evade capture. I've seen at least one account of him as being killed and buried in a war grave in Belgium which is incorrect. He survived the war and took part in the Berlin Airlift, passing away in 2001.

Julian Amos



F/O. Eric Bourton 49 Squadron (d.6th October 1944)

Eric Bourton served in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve in WW2. He flew with 49 Squadron. He died 6th of October 1944 aged 21 years and is buried Becklingen War Cemetery in Germany. Son of John Bertie and Lilian Beatrice Bourton of Oxford.

Allan Bourton



Sgt. William James Perry 83 Squadron

My late Father, William Perry was operational with 83 Sqn PFF from September 1944 after being posted from 49 Squadron at Fiskerton. I do not have a lot of detail but I do have my Father's flying logs which show all operations (including those with 49 Sqn) flown under F/O Roderick Neville Periera.

My Father survived the war and remained in the Royal Air Force until 1st October 1968. All but the final two years as Aircrew. He passed away in June 2008 aged 89.

Stephen J W Perry



F/O. Alexander Victor Bone 49 Squadron (d.17th Apr 1943)

Alec Bone served with 49 Squadron Royal Air Force. I'm looking for any information about him, he was the brother of Arthur "Alf" Bone, or any living relatives. Any help would be much appreciated.

Samantha



P/O. Archibald James Stuart "Mac" Mackenzie 49 Squadron

My father, Archibald Mackenzie, was shot down over Berlin on the 19th of February 1944 whilst flying Lancaster ND516 N-Nan, 49 Squadron, RAF, on a mission to bomb Leipzig. He was a prisoner in Stalag Luft III, for the rest of the war.

Hamish Mackenzie



F/Sgt. David Alexander Cruickshank No. 49 Squadron Royal Air Force (d.11th Feb 1941)

Sergeant (Observer) Cruickshank was the son of David Alexander Cruickshank and Eleanor Addison Cruickshank, of Rait, Perthshire.

He was 21 when he died and is buried in the Alkmaar General Cemetery, Nor-Holland, Netherlands.

S. Flynn



Sgt. Haigh "Harry" Chatterton 49 Squadron (d.8th April 1943)

Harry Chatterton was a rear gunner on a Lancaster bomber and was killed when his plane was shot down during a raid over Germany. He is buried at Reichswald Forest Cemetery with the rest of the crew.

A. White



F/Lt. Charles "Jimmy" Marshall MBE 49 Squadron

My great uncle was Charles Marshall of Sheffield, wing commander/flight lieutenant for 49th Squadron in WW2. In April 1942, he bailed out of his aircraft following an attack but survived. Charles evaded capture for three days but was arrested by German Police and imprisoned at Dulag Luft but he escaped over the perimeter fence after hiding in a sentry box until dusk. He was then arrested again and was sentenced to 14 days imprisonment but he picked the lock of his cell and got out of the camp once again.

Charles was moved to Stalag Luft 3, as it was considered more secure. However, on two further occasions he tried to escape by dressing as a German workman and carrying necessary papers. The first time he was able to get out of the camp but was later recognised and returned. Charles could speak fluent German and his attempts to escape are thought to have been with help from German prison guards. Charles led the committee of allied prisoners in digging a tunnel out of the camp through which he and 31 prisoners escaped on 3rd March 1943. It is thought this escape and similar were contributory to the depictions in The Great Escape and The Wooden Horse.

Post war, Charles went on to work for the Secret Service but I do not as yet have any information about this. A remarkable guy!

Chloe Alden-Dennis



Sgt. David Kenneth Mould 49 Squadron

Dave Mould was a Lancaster rear gunner from Saskatchewan with 49 Squadron during WWII who illustrated his tour with amazing paintings and sketches. I am presently assembling a book based on his service at the Bomber Command Museum of Canada.

Susan Raby-Dunne







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