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- No. 58 Squadron Royal Air Force during the Second World War -


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World War 2 Two II WW2 WWII 1939 1945

No. 58 Squadron Royal Air Force



   No. 58 Squadron, R.F.C., was formed at Cramlington, Northumberland, on 8th June 1916 as a training squadron. In December 1917 it was mobilised and subsequently flew F.E.2b's and later Handley Page bombers on the Western Front, where it remained until the Armistice. It was then sent to Egypt where it reverted to a training role and was re-designated as No.70 Training Squadron.

58 Squadron re-formed in England in 1924 as a heavy bomber unit. At the start of World War II the Squadron was based at RAF Linton-on-Ouse flying Whitley bombers as part of No. 4 Group in Bomber Command.



 

3rd September 1939   

No. 58 Squadron first went into action on the night of 3rd/4th September, 1939, when it made a leaflet raid over Germany.

3rd September 1939 

6th Oct 1939 Convoy Duties

February 1940 On the Move

April 1940 Long Range Ops

12th May 1940 18 Squadron Blenheim lost

12th May 1940 Bombing Raid on Germany

12th May 1940 First bomber raid on Germany

20th May 1940 Bombers lost

22nd May 1940 Bomber lost: crew safe

7th June 1940 Coastal patrols

12th June 1940 First attack on Italy

12th June 1940 Operation Haddock

18th Jun 1940 58 Squadron Whitley lost

11th July 1940 Raid

31st August 1940 Bombing raids over Europe

3rd Oct 1940 58 Squadron Whitley lost

7th April 1941 Aircraft Lost

17th Apr 1941 Eleven Aircraft Lost

4th May 1941 Aircraft Lost

16th Jun 1941 Aircraft Lost

17th Jun 1941 Aircraft Lost

7th Jul 1941 Aircraft Lost

8th Jul 1941 Aircraft Lost

24th Jul 1941 Aircraft Lost

6th Aug 1941 Aircraft Lost

16th Aug 1941 Aircraft Lost

29th Aug 1941 Aircraft Lost

3rd Sep 1941 Aircraft Lost

7th September 1941 Aircraft Lost

11th Sep 1941 Aircraft Lost

19th Sep 1941 Aircraft Lost

20th Sep 1941 Aircraft Lost

29th Sep 1941 Aircraft Lost

10th Oct 1941 Aircraft Lost

12th Oct 1941 Aircraft Lost

7th November 1941 Aircraft Lost

30th Nov 1941 Aircraft Lost

27th Dec 1941 Aircraft Lost

8th April 1942 Patrols

20th June 1942 Wellington crew rescued from the Atlantic

August 1942 Move

December 1942 On the Move

March 1943 Another Move

31st May 1943 U-Boat sunk

July 1943 

December 1943 

August 1944  On the Move

25th May 1945 

10th June 1945 Transfers to Transport Command


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



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Those known to have served with

No. 58 Squadron Royal Air Force

during the Second World War 1939-1945.

  • Adlam Leonard F P. Sgt (d.20th Oct 1940 )
  • Bird Arthur. Sgt. (d.8th July 1941)
  • Brown. Ernest Henry . P/O (d.20th Oct 1940)
  • Caryll-Tilkin Marcel C.. Sgt.
  • Caryll-Tilkin Marcel C . Sgt (d.20th Oct 1940)
  • Collie DFM. Alexander Petrie. WO.
  • Crisp . Sgt
  • Eades. George Hadley Templeton . (d.26th March 1943 )
  • Ford Edgar Ivan. F/O. (d.24th April 1945)
  • Ford Gordon James. Flt.Sgt. (d.18th June 1940)
  • Gosling. . Sgt
  • Green Cyril S G . Sgt (d.23rd Oct 1940 )
  • Isherwood Leonard. Sgt. (d.11th Jul 1940)
  • Jones-Robert Eric. Sgt. (d.18th June 1940)
  • Kerry . P/O
  • Kirby . Sgt
  • Langfield. Robert E . Sgt
  • Laws. Andrew. A. . P/O
  • Leahy Patrick J. Sgt. (d.20th April 1942)
  • Mulvihill Neville Robert.
  • Newlove Dudley. Flt.Sgt. (d.20th April 1942)
  • Philp John Adam. P/O. (d.4th Jun 1942)
  • Shipley Howard Piper. F/Sgt. (d.15th Jan 1941)
  • Smith Norman Sidney. Sgt (d.14th Nov 1940)
  • Uff . Sgt
  • Williams Leonard Stanley. Flt.Sgt. (d.10th Aug 1942)
  • Wright Charles Austin. SgtPilot. (d.9th Oct 1940)

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. 58 Squadron Royal Air Force from other sources.



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Want to know more about No. 58 Squadron Royal Air Force?


There are:2048 items tagged No. 58 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. Leonard Isherwood 58 Squadron (d.11th Jul 1940)

Leonard Isherwood was my great uncle.

Paul Jackson



Neville Robert Mulvihill 58 Squadron

Neville Mulvihill served in the RCAF from 9th of October 1942 to September 1945. He was a Flying Officer. His medals were the Atlantic Star, Canadian Volunteer Service Medal with Clasp and War Medal 1939-1945. He joined 58 Squadron on the 27th of April 1945 and was part of Coastal Command.

Barbara Bazinet



Sgt. Eric Jones-Robert 58 Squadron (d.18th June 1940)

Sergeant (Observer) Eric Jones-Robert was the son of Charles and Elizabeth Jones-Roberts of Llangollen, Denbighshire. He was aged 23 when his plane Crash landed after engine failure - three crew baled out and were taken PoW. Pilot, Fl/Sgt. Gordon James Ford 562682 RAF and Observer, Sgt. Eric Jones-Roberts 580580 RAF were killed during landing. He is buried in the Culemborg General Cemetery, Gelderland, Netherland.

S Flynn



Flt.Sgt. Gordon James Ford 58 Squadron (d.18th June 1940)

Flight Sergeant Gordon Ford was the son of William James Ford and Rachel Ford of Crumlin, Monmouthshire. He was aged 28 when his plane crash-landed after engine failure, three crew baled out and were taken POW. Pilot, Fl/Sgt. Gordon James Ford 562682 RAF and Observer, Sgt. Eric Jones-Roberts 580580 RAF were killed during landing. He is buried in the Culemborg General Cemetery, Gelderland, Netherlands.

S Flynn



F/Sgt. Howard Piper Shipley No. 58 Squadron Royal Air Force (d.15th Jan 1941)

Sergeant (Pilot) Shipley was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Shipley, and stepson of Kate E. Shipley, of Walsall, Staffordshire.

He was 24 when he was killed and is buried in the Alkmaar General Cemetery, Noord-Holland, Netherlands.

S. Flynn



Flt.Sgt. Dudley Newlove 58 Squadron (d.20th April 1942)

Flight Sergeant (Pilot) Dudley Newlove was the son of William J. and Olive B. Newlove of Islington, Ontario, Canada. He was 27 when he died and is buried in the Protestant Section of the Bantry Abbey Churchyard, Co. Cork, Ireland.

s flynn



WO. Alexander Petrie Collie DFM. 58 Squadron

My father, Alexander Collie did not disclose a lot of information to us about his time in the RAF. He had several crash landings returning from bombing raids, one landing crashed into a hen house, he had a photograph of the crew standing beside the plane with feathers everywhere, unfortunately we do not now have the photograph.

He was awarded the DFM for cutting loose a bomb stuck in the bomb release bay, the aircraft had been damaged by anti aircraft fire and had been in collision with a night fighter, the plane could not gain height because of the weight of the bomb and the damage to the tail fin. Once the bomb was cut free the aircraft managed to climb from 500 feet to 1000 feet and crawl home to the nearest airfield. His squadron was later posted to the middle East.

Alexander Collie



F/O. Edgar Ivan Ford 58 Squadron (d.24th April 1945)

Flying Officer (Wireless Op./Air Gunner) Edgar Ford was the son of Edgar and Elizabeth Anne Ford of Gilroy, Saskatchewan, Canada. He was aged 20 when he died and is buried in the Odder Sogns Churchyard in Denmark.

s flynn



P/O. John Adam Philp 76 Sqd. (d.4th Jun 1942)

John Philp served with 58 and 76 squadrons operationally flying Whitleys and Halifaxs. Details from his Pilots flying log book state: John Adams Philp was born on 28th February 1921 at 44 Henleage Avenue, Bristol. He attended Dover College and then the Medical School at the University of Bristol where he volunteered for service with the RAFVR. His flying training commenced at No.17 EFTS (elementary flying training school) RAF North Luffenham on 19th April 1941, where he flew DH 82As, finally flying solo and then being assessed as a pilot with average proficiency after 51 hours 30 min flying time on 30th May. After a period of leave he continued at the EFTS from 8th June to 18th June where he received further training flying DH 82As. On 19th of June, John transferred to No 6 SFTS at RAF Little Rissington achieving flying A/S Oxfords. His first solo flight in an Oxford was on 3rd July. He qualified for the award of the Flying Badge as a Pilot on 30th August 1941, after a total of 136 hours 35 minutes flying time. John was then posted to No.19 OTU (officers training unit) at Kinloss on 18th September for further training, this time on Whitley IV and Vs to 6th November.

John then joined 58 Squadron `B’ flight on 20th of November 1941 at RAF Linton on Ouse and, after further training practice including 5 days at No.2 BAT Flight Driffield, he flew his first nine missions on Whitley Vs. These included bombing operations to Stavanger on 6th January 1942, Brest on 8th January, Emden on 10th January, Rotterdam on 28th January, Mannheim on 11th February, Le Harve on 14 February (abandoned operation due to failure of aircraft to climb plus bad icing and suffered a forced landing at Digby with bombs still on board on his return), Emden on 12th March (Johnny missing) Boulogne on 13th March (docks targeted 16.250 lbs bombs nickels) and on Paris 26th March (nickel raid).

On 7th April 1942 he commenced a Halifax conversion course, completing this on 17th May when he was posted to 76 Squadron `A' flight on 19th May 1942. His first mission with 76 Squadron was on 30th May 1942 and was part of the 1000 bomber raid on Cologne; he was to fly Halifax 11 F-W1104. The Flight crew of F for Freddie were F.O. Philp - Pilot. F.Sgt Mullhauser - Wireless Operator, F.Sgt Ormerod - Obs/Navigator, F.Sgt – Lofts Bomb Aimer, Sgt Watson - Rear Gunner, Sgt Battersby - Flight Engineer, Sgt Hart - Mid-Gunner. He noted in his log book; `aircraft on target in biggest raid ever whole Cologne area ablaze and fires seen for miles. Our load dropped well on target'. His second operational mission with F-W1104 was to Essen on 1st June.

He was killed in action on only his 3rd mission with F-W1104 of 76 Squadron (his 12th operational) on 3rd/4th June 1942, flying on a raid over Bremen. His log book was noted as missing and stamped ‘death presumed’ by his commanding officer. John Adams Philp was aged 21 years the son of Leslie and Evelyn Philp of Bristol and is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.

Tim Kirby



Flt.Sgt. Leonard Stanley Williams 58 Squadron (d.10th Aug 1942)

Leonard Williams took off from Wick, northern Scotland at 12.00 hrs on 6th of August 1942 in Whitley Mk VII, Z 9525 for and anti submarine patrol. The aircraft and crew failed to return.

Keith Williams







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