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- No. 53 Squadron Royal Air Force during the Second World War -


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World War 2 Two II WW2 WWII 1939 1945

No. 53 Squadron Royal Air Force



   No. 53 Squadron was formed at Catterick on 15th May 1916. Originally intended to be a training squadron, in January 1917 it was sent to France as an army cooperation and reconnaissance squadron. The squadron was disbanded in October 1919. It was reformed on 28th of June 1937 at Farnborough equipped with the Hawker Hector for Army Cooperation and specialising in night reconnaissance. The squadron was re-equipped with the Bristol Blenheim in January 1939 and was still at Farnborough at the outbreak of war. They saw action in France with Fighter Command and in 1940 were transferred to Coastal Command.

 

1st Sep 1939 Orders

2nd Sep 1939 Transfer

3rd September 1939 On the Move

6th Sep 1939 Mobilisation

8th Sep 1939 Engineering

9th Sep 1939 Posting

11th Sep 1939 Orders

12th Sep 1939 Orders

13th Sep 1939 Advance Party

14th Sep 1939 Road Party

17th Sep 1939 Advance Party

18th Sep 1939 Main Party

20th Sep 1939 Difficulties

22nd Sep 1939 Arrival

23rd Sep 1939 Arrival

24th Sep 1939 Defence

25th Sep 1939 Orders

26th Sep 1939 Visit

28th Sep 1939 Recconaissance

29th Sep 1939 Orders

30th Sep 1939 Sorties

1st Oct 1939 Poor Weather

3rd Oct 1939 Reliefs

4th Oct 1939 Reliefs

6th Oct 1939 Recconaissance

7th Oct 1939 Recconaissance

8th Oct 1939 Recconaissance

9th Oct 1939 Convoy

10th Oct 1939 New Wing Formed

10th Oct 1939 Billets

11th Oct 1939 On the Move

12th Oct 1939 Arrivals

12th Oct 1939 Arrivals

13th Oct 1939 Aircraft

13th Oct 1939 Wet Ground

13th Oct 1939 Ceremony

14th Oct 1939 Hand Over

16th Oct 1939 Inspection

16th Oct 1939 Inspection

18th Oct 1939 Congratulations

18th Oct 1939 Air Raid Warning

19th Oct 1939 Conference

21st Oct 1939 Orders

21st Oct 1939 Emergency Landing Grounds

22nd Oct 1939 Advanced Landing Ground

22nd Oct 1939 Emergency Landing Grounds

24th Oct 1939 Visit

25th Oct 1939 Move

26th Oct 1939 Guns

28th Oct 1939 Promotions

29th Oct 1939 Battle Flight

31st Oct 1939 Strength

1st Nov 1939 New Station Commander

1st of November 1939 Reorganisation

2nd Nov 1939 Poor Conditions

3rd Nov 1939 Weather

4th Nov 1939 Weather

5th Nov 1939 Sorties

6th Nov 1939 Works

6th of November 1939 Conference

7th Nov 1939 Poor Weather

8th Nov 1939 Poor Weather

8th of November 1939 Reorganisation

9th Nov 1939 Maps

10th Nov 1939 Poor Weather

11th Nov 1939 Ceremony

12th Nov 1939 Survey

17th Nov 1939 Excerise

18th Nov 1939 Excerise

19th Nov 1939 Sport

20th Nov 1939 Badges

21st Nov 1939 Aircraft Recognition

22nd Nov 1939 Sorties

23rd Nov 1939 Sorties

24th Nov 1939 Poor Conditions

25th Nov 1939 Sorties

26th Nov 1939 Badge

27th Nov 1939 Weather

28th Nov 1939 Sorties

29th Nov 1939 Standards

30th Nov 1939 Strength

30th of April 1940 Monthly summary

3rd May 1940 Aircraft Lost

9th May 1940 Aircraft Lost

11th May 1940 Aircraft Lost

15th May 1940 Aircraft Lost

16th May 1940 Aircraft Lost

18th May 1940 Aircraft Lost

18th May 1940 Evacuation

19th May 1940 Withdrawal

24th May 1940 On the Move

26th May 1940 Aircraft Lost

31st May 1940 Back to Britain

1st Jun 1940 Arrival

8th June 1940 On the Move

12th June 1940 Move

13th Jun 1940 Departure

3rd July 1940 Change of Duty

13th August 1940  Eagle Day

31st August 1940 Bombing raids over Europe

November 1940 Move

February 1941 Patrols

11th June 1941 Aircraft Lost

July 1941 Detachments

October 1941 Return to Ops

December 1941 On the Move

February 1942 Off operations

May 1942 Patrols

23rd July 1942 Relocation

15th August 1942 Detachment

August 1942 On the Move

10th November 1942 U-Boat attacked

1st January 1943 Return

18th February 1943 Re-equipped

March 1943 Patrols

20th April 1943 Move

30th July 1943 U-Boat group attacked

25th September 1943 Move

October 1943 New Equipment

3rd January 1944 

3rd January 1944 Return

13th June 1944 U-Boat damaged

13th September 1944 On the Move

1st June 1945 Transport

September 1945   Airfields No. 53 Squadron flew from during the war:
  • RAF Farnborough
  • RAF Odiham, Hampshire from 3rd September 1939
  • Plivot, France from 17th September 1939
  • Poix, France from 11th October 1939
    • Vitry, France from 11th May 1940 (detachment)
  • Crecy, France from 19th May 1940
  • RAF Lympne, Kent from 19th May 1940
  • RAF Andover from 20th May 1940
    • Coummier, France from 20th May 1940 (detachment )
    • RAF Hawkinge, Kent from 21st May 1940 (detachment )
  • RAF Eastchurch, Kent from 31st May 1940
    • Rouen, France from 3rd June 1940 (detachment)
  • RAF Gatwick, Surrey from 13th June 1940
  • RAF Detling, Kent from 3rd July 1940
    • RAF Bircham Newton, Norfolk from 19th September 1940 (detachment)
  • RAF Thorney Island, Hampshire from 20th September 1940
    • RAF Manston, Kent from 14th November 1940 (detachment)
  • RAF St. Eval, Cornwall from February 1941
  • RAF Bircham Newton, Norfolk from July 1941
    • RAF St. Eval from July 1941 (detachment)
    • RAF Limavady, Londonderry from July 1941 (detachment)
  • RAF St. Eval from October 1941
  • RAF Limavady, Londonderry from December 1941
  • RAF North Coates, Lincolnshire from February 1942
  • RAF St. Eval from May 1942
    • RAF Zandery from 15th August 1942 (detachment)
  • Quonset Point, USA from November 1942
  • Waller Field, Trinidad from August 1942
  • Edinburgh Field, Trinidad from 15th August 1942
  • Norfolk, USA from November 1942 to December 1942
  • RAF Davidstow Moor, Cornwall, February 1943
  • RAF Docking, Norfolk from 15th February 1943
  • RAF Bircham Newton, Norfolk from March 1943
  • RAF Thorney Island, Hampshire from April 1943
    • RAF St. Eval, Cornwall from April 1943 (detachment)
  • RAF Beaulieu, Hampshire from September 1943
  • RAF St. Eval from January 1944
    • RAF Ballykelly, Londonderry from January 1944 to September 1944 (detachment)
  • Reykjavik, Iceland from 13th September 1944
  • RAF St. David's, Pembrokeshire from 1st June 1945


September 1945 


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



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Those known to have served with

No. 53 Squadron Royal Air Force

during the Second World War 1939-1945.

  • Corns Harry Ashley. WO. (d.7th Jun 1944)
  • Duncan Edmund Albert.
  • Mather Robert. Cadet
  • Stigner Jack Hubert. Flt.Lt.

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. 53 Squadron Royal Air Force from other sources.



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Want to know more about No. 53 Squadron Royal Air Force?


There are:2124 items tagged No. 53 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.


WO. Harry Ashley Corns No.53 Squadron (d.7th Jun 1944)

Telegram notice

Letter notification

Last letter home

My uncle, Harry Corns, was reported missing in action after failing to return from an operational flight on 7th of June 1944. The squadron formed part of Coastal Command based at St. Eval in Cornwall. It performed anti-submarine patrols and, as the date indicates, was supporting the D-Day landings. Even though no wreckage was found, the body of one of the crew washed up on the French coast. At his death, my uncle was 26 years old and had been married for only 3 weeks.

Chris Corns



Cadet Robert Mather 2053 Sqd.

As an air cadet in 1942 I was stationed at Hawarden as a cadet sergeant and later Flt/Sgt I was attached there for three periods during 1943/4 before entering the RAF. I remember there was a very active ATA pool at Hawarden a number of who were women. My squadron visited RAF Ringway for my first flying experience and I was lucky enough to be allocated to the crew of an Armstrong Whitworth Whitley bomber dropping paratroopers over Tatton Park. It was a terrific thrill for a young teenager and I remember well the raucous humour of the trainee paras, some of which I suspect was borne of nervousness. After the exercises we adjourned to the NAAFI. I didn't drink at the time but the NAAFI had lemonade (made from crystals) at 1d (old penny)a pint. I imbibed enthusiastically. Some people were sick flying. Not me! But that lemonade almost made it!

Bob Mather







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