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No. 104 Squadron Royal Air Force
No 104 Squadron, RFC, was formed at Wyton, Huntingdonshire, in1917, from a nucleus provided by No. 20 Training Squadron, and went to France in May 1918.
Disbanded in June 1919, the squadron did not re-appear in the order of battle until January 1936, when it was re-formed as No 104 (Bomber) Squadron at Abingdon. On the day before the outbreak of the Second World War it became a No. 6 Group training squadron and in April 1940, it was merged with 108 Squadron to form No 13 OTU.
In April 1941, the squadron was re-formed at Driffield as a Wellington medium-bomber unit of No. 4 Group and began to take part in the night-bombing offensive against Fortress Europe. Towards the end of 1941 it moved to the Middle East. On October 1941 a detachment was sent to Malta for attacks against targets in North Africa and Italy, moving to Egypt in January 1942, where it was reunited with its ground echelon. The detachment was then renumbered as No 158 Squadron but on the 31th this was rescinded and the Driffield based component was renumbered 158, with the Middle East element retaining the number 104.
The squadron performed night assaults against targets in the Western Desert until the end of the North African campaign, after which the squadron occupied airfields in Tunisia attacking targets in Sicily and Italy. In December 1943, 104 move to the Italian mainland from where it concentrated its attacks on targets in Northern Italy and the Balkans until the end of the war. It eventually received replacements for its aging Wellingtons in February 1945, when Liberators arrived and these were retained until November, when having moved back to Egypt the previous month, it received Lancasters, remaining as part of the post-war RAF in the region. On 1 April 1947 the squadron disbanded at Shallufa.
Airfields No. 104 Squadron flew from:
- RAF Bassingbourn, Cambridgeshire to 18th September 1939
- RAF Bicester, Oxfordshire from 18th September 1939 to 8th April 1940. (Became 13 OTU)
- RAF Driffield, Yorkshire (Re-formed) 7th April 1941 to 14th January 1942;
- from 17 October 1941: Detachment of 15 aircraft to Luqa (Malta)
- Kabrit (Egypt) from 3rd January 1942 to 13th May 1942 (as 158 Squadron between 14th and 30th January 1942)
- LG 106 from 13th May 1942 to 14th Feb 1943
- 19th May to 26th June 1942 detachment of 10 aircraft to Luqa (Malta)
- 26th June-6th November 1942 Kabrit
- 6th November 1942 LG 224 (Cairo)
- 13th November 1942-21 January 1943: Detachment to Luqa
- 12-27 November 1942: L.G. 104
- 27 November 1942-6 February 1943: L.G. 237
- 6-14 February 1943: Soluch (Libya)
- Gardabia Main. from 14th February 1943 to 26th May 1943
- Kairouan / Cheria (Tunisia) from 26th May 1943 to 24th June 1943
- Hani West from 24th June 1943 to 18th Nov 1943
- Oudna from 18th November 1943 to 13th Dec 1943
- Cerignola No. 3 (Italy) from 13th to 30th December 1943
- Foggia Main. from 30th December 1943
19th Sep 1939 Training
24th Sep 1939 Duties
4th Oct 1939 Training
11th Oct 1939 Aircraft Move
13th Oct 1939 Aircraft Collected
17th Oct 1939 Aircraft Move
8th April 1940 Squadrons merged to form OTU
7th April 1941 Squadron reformed
14th Jul 1941 Aircraft Lost
24th Jul 1941 Aircraft Lost
24th July 1941 DFC Awarded
2nd Aug 1941 Aircraft Lost
5th August 1941 Aircraft Lost
12th Aug 1941 Aircraft Lost
14th Aug 1941 Aircraft Lost
16th Aug 1941 Aircraft Lost
19th Aug 1941 Aircraft Lost
23rd Aug 1941 Aircraft Lost
28th Aug 1941 Aircraft Lost
2nd Sep 1941 Aircraft Lost
7th September 1941 Aircraft Lost
10th Sep 1941 Aircraft Lost
12th Sep 1941 Aircraft Lost
27th Sep 1941 Aircraft Lost
17th October 1941 Detachment
31st October 1941 DFC awarded
7th Dec 1941 Aircraft Lost
3rd January 1942 Move to Egypt
15th Jan 1942 Aircraft Lost
31st January 1942 RAF Squadrons renumbered
February 1942 Ground crew arrive without aircraft
30th April 1942 Wounded
19th May 1942 Relocated
29th May 1942 Crashed on Malta
26th June 1942 Relocated
12th September 1942 Detachment to Malta for RDF investigations
6th November 1942 Bomber force for Malta
6th November 1942 Relocated
7th November 1942 Wellington lost
8th November 1942 Joint sortie
12th November 1942 On the move
19th November 1942 Wellington lost
27th November 1942 Squadron HQ Relocated
27th November 1942 Wellington lost at sea
14th December 1942 Squadron disbanded on Malta
18th December 1942 George Medal awarded
21st January 1943 Withdrawal
6th February 1943 Into Libya
14th February 1943 Relocated
27th May 1943 Move to Tunisia
24th June 1943 Bombers Relocated
2nd Jul 1943 Operations
14th Sep 1943 104 Squadron Bombing raid
18th November 1943 On the move
14th December 1943 Move to Italy
30th December 1943 Move to Foggia
January 1944 Increase in Special Duties squadrons
5th April 1944 Move to Britain
1st Jun 1944 Flying Log F/O Colin Culter's Logbook for June 1944
1st Jun 1944 Flying Log
25th Jun 1944 104 Squadron Bombing raid
18th August 1944 Aircraft Lost
February 1945 Re-equipped
If you can provide any additional information, please add it here.
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Logbooks
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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. 104 Squadron Royal Air Force during the Second World War 1939-1945. - Anderson Andrew Charles. F/Sgt. (d.17th Feb 1944)
- Anderson Andrew Charles. F/Sgt. (d.17th Feb 1944)
- Armstrong Edward Burnett. WOII.
- Avery Robert. F/O (d.5th May 1944)
- Avery Robert. F/O. (d.5th May 1944)
- Baker Estcourt Elias.
- Banyard Clifford William. P/O.
- Barnett Wilfred Sydney. LAC.
- Barriskill William John. Sgt (d.7th-8th Aug 1943)
- Bell Richard Lancelot. Sgt. (d.21st Oct 1942)
- Best Leonard Francis. LAC.
- Bowles Jesse Jack. Sgt. (d.30th Sep 1942)
- Bracewell Philip Stroud. Sgt.
- Chadwick Peter Morgan. F/Lt
- Clark charles Francis. LAC.
- Cunningham Cyril. Sgt.
- Cutler Colin Thomas. F/O.
- Davison John. F/Lt.
- Edgington Douglas Frank. F/Sgt.
- Flesch Francis Ronald. Sgt (d.3rd Feb 1945)
- Flux Jack. Sgt. (d.8th May 1943)
- Fox William. Sgt. (d.17th April 1944)
- Franks Geoffrey. Sgt. (d.24th Feb 1942)
- Gibson John Edward.
- Gordon Frederick Peter. Flt.Sgt.
- Gregory John Desmond. F/Lt.
- Herring Robert Stephen. Sgt. (d.14th Aug 1941)
- Hughes John Frederick. Flt.Sgt.
- Jenvey Keith. Sgt. (d.22nd Jul 1944)
- Lakin James Duncan. Sgt. (d.11th October 1944)
- Mann Herbert Reuben. Flt.Sgt. (d.19th July 1944)
- Martin Eric George. Sgt. (d.6th June 1942)
- Millar Thomas Roberts. F/O (d.12th October 1944)
- Mousley Cecil Kearne. Sgt.
- Murphy DFC. Samuel James Gordon. F/O
- Murray Andrew.
- Pile John H.S.. W/O
- Russell Sydney Douglas. Flt Sgt (d.1st February 1944)
- Russell Sydney Douglas. Flt.Sgt. (d.1st February 1944)
- Shaw Ronald John. F/O (d.5th May 1944)
- Shaw Ronald John. F/O (d.5th May 1944)
- Stephenson William Thomas Ross. Sgt. (d.17th August 1941)
- Stone Jack. F/Lt.
- Stone Jack. F/Lt.
- Strutt DFC Ivan Cornwallis. Sqd.Ldr. (d.6th Jan 1943)
- Taylor Arthur Dix. Sgt. (d.25th Aug 1943)
- Trollope DFM AFC. Kenneth Sydney. Flt.Sgt.
- Turner William Edward.
- Turner William.
- Vincent Douglas Robert. Sgt. (d.10th Nov 1944)
- Vincent Douglas Robert. Sgt. (d.10th Nov 1944)
- Wallbank Ralph Henry. F/Lt.
- Wells Victor George. F/Sgt.
- West John Ernest Astrella. LAC.
- West John Ernest A. AC
- White Ralph. Flt Lt.
- Williams John Ivor . Flt/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. 104 Squadron Royal Air Force from other sources.
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Want to know more about No. 104 Squadron Royal Air Force? There are:2065 items tagged No. 104 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/Lt. Ralph Henry Wallbank 104 Sqn and 21 Sqn Ralph Wallbank was a Wireless Operator Air Gunner who flew with 104 and 21 Squadrons.
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Sgt Francis Ronald Flesch 104 Squadron (d.3rd Feb 1945) My Uncle Francis Flesch was lost during WW2 whilst dropping supplies to partisans in the mountains in former Yugoslavia on 3rd Feb 1945.
He flew with 104 Squadron in Wellington bombers, his rank was Sergeant and his role was navigator.
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AC John Ernest A "Spike" West 104 Squadron John West served with 104 Squadron Royal Air Force in WW2.
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Sgt. Philip Stroud Bracewell 104 Squadron Philip Bracewell served with 104 Squadron.
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Sgt. James Duncan Lakin 104 Squadron (d.11th October 1944) James Lakin was my cousin. At the start of the war he was a student at the Wigan Grammar school. Unknown to his father and mother he volunteered for the RAF. Even though he was only 17 he was accepted.
We learned very little about his early training but was very proud when he earned his half wings and was promoted to sergeant.
In 1944 we knew he was based in Italy and everyone thought the war might be over soon. Then in October Auntie Minnie and Uncle George got a telegram that said Jim was missing. Soon after came the news that his plane had been shot down in Northern Italy and Jim had not survived. He was buried in Padua War Graves Cemetery and his family got his watch sent to them.
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Flt.Sgt. John Frederick Hughes 104 Squadron Came across some old photos of my dad, John Hughes. He was an RCAF Bombardier, Navigator assigned to 104 Squadron in North Africa.
His plane was F for Freddy and they went by the name The Grive Crew,
I believe after the pilot Frank Grive.
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LAC. John Ernest Astrella "Spike" West 104 Squadron John West served as an Electrical Mechanic with 104 Squadron.
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WOII. Edward Burnett Armstrong 104 Squadron My father, Eddie Armstrong, served as RAF aircrew.
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Sgt. Robert Stephen Herring 104 Squadron (d.14th Aug 1941) Bob Herring was shot down over Bremen area in Germany, probably during night-time bombing.
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Sgt. William Thomas Ross Stephenson 104 Sqdn. (d.17th August 1941) Sgt Pilot William T R Stephenson was shot down by a German 'night intruder' as he took off from Driffield around midnight on August 16th, all seven aboard were killed.
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Recomended Reading.Available at discounted prices.
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Grandpa's WarShawn S. Doyle
An account of a Canadian navigator's experiences in Tunisia and Italy in WWII.
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