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No. 161 Squadron Royal Air Force
No 161 Squadron was originally formed as a day bomber unit in June 1918, but disbanded in July to provide personnel for other units.
It re-formed at Newmarket in February 1942 from a nucleus from No 138 Squadron and the King's Flight. It was a highly secretive unit used by the Special Operations Executive to drop supplies and agents over Europe, using Lysanders, Havocs and Hudsons. It also escorted convoys under the control of Fighter or Coastal Command. It received Halifaxes in November 1942 and Stirlings in 1944, continuing its covert tasks until the end of the war when No 161 was disbanded.
Airfields
No. 161 Squadron
flew from:
- RAF Newmarket, Cambridgeshire from 15th February 1942 (Lysander IIIA, Hudson I, Whitley V)
- RAF Graveley, Huntingdonshire from the 1st March 1942 (Special Duties)
- RAF Tempsford, Bedfordshire from the 11th April 1942 (Halifax II, Halifax V, Albemarle II, Havoc I, Hudson III, Hudson V, Stirling III, Stirling IV. to 38 Group March 1945)
14th February 1942 Squadron Formed
27th Feb 1942 Secret Operations
1st Mar 1942 On the Move
1st March 1942 Operations
1st Mar 1942 Operations
31st Mar 1942 Establishment
31st Mar 1942 Postings to 161 Squadron
1st Apr 1942 SoE Operations
1st Apr 1942 Operations
1st Apr 1942 Operations
8th Apr 1942 Move
21st April 1942 Austrian Agents killed in crash
24th Apr 1942 Poor Visibility
24th Apr 1942 Operations
26th Apr 1942 Operations
26th Apr 1942 Operations
27th Apr 1942 Unexpected passenger
30th Apr 1942 Postings to 161 Squadron
30th Apr 1942 Operations
30th Apr 1942 Operations
30th Apr 1942 Operations
30th Apr 1942 Operations
5th May 1942 Operations
5th May 1942 Operations
24th May 1942 Operations
24th May 1942 Operations
28th May 1942 Operations
28th May 1942 Operations
28th May 1942 Operations
29th May 1942 Operations
29th May 1942 Operations
29th May 1942 Special ops pilot captured, but escaped
30th May 1942 Raid
31st May 1942 Raid
31st May 1942 Postings and Awards
2nd Jun 1942 Operations
23rd June 1942 Crashed on take-off
July 1942 Radio relay role
26th July 1942 138 Squadron Whitley lost
29th July 1942 Trainees shot down over Germany
25th August 1942 Aircrew evaded capture
28th August 1942 Crash landing after operation
1st September 1942 Evaded capture
20th September 1942 Failed to return
25th Sep 1942 161 Squadron Whitley lost
October 1942 Role assignment
2nd October 1942 Ditched off the Dutch Coast
8th October 1942 Supplies to N Africa
October 1942 Commander promoted
22nd October 1942 Pilot killed in crash landing
18th November 1942 Forced landing in Portugal
23rd November 1942 Lost at sea
25th November 1942 Training on the Halifax
27th November 1942 C/O flies abortive SOE Mission
6th December 1942 New aircraft into service
15th January 1943 Halifax shot down on SOE operation
14th February 1943 Hudsons used for SOE ops
22nd February 1943 Whitley borrowed for SOE sortie
10th March 1943 Exercise Spartan
15th March 1943 Two Halifaxes lost on Special Ops
20th March 1943 Failed to return from Norway
16th May 1943 Crashed on training flight
19th May 1943 C/O flies sorties to France
10th June 1943 Hudson crashed in Scotland
12th June 1943 Shot down on SOE Mission
23rd June 1943 Halifax lost in the IJsselmeer
24th June 1943 Special Agent brought back from France
17th July 1943 Collision on the ground at Blida
22nd Jul 1943 SOE Aircraft Lost: 5 crew evaded
22nd September 1943 Agents delivered to SE France
16th October 1943 Agents collected from France
19th October 1943 Big push to support the Maquis in SE France
21st October 1943 Shot down at Valenciennes
11th November 1943 One survivor from Halifax crash in France
Pilot evaded Bogged down
11th December 1943 Pilot and SOE agents killed
17th December 1943 8 Special Duty aircraft lost in fog
20th December 1943 Radio relay work
January 1944 Increase in Special Duties squadrons
23rd January 1944 14 airmen lost on air-sea search
9th February 1944 The Sussex Plan
11th February 1944 Crashed on landing
3rd March 1944 Crashed but evaded capture
14th March 1944 Pilot collected from France
28th March 1944 Crashed on training flight
10th April 1944 SOE Mission crashed in France
19th April 1944 Very very lost!
30th April 1944 Agents retrieved from France
3rd May 1944 SOE agents and pilot killed
10th May 1944 Aircrew join the Maquis!
1st June 1944 SOE Hudson shot down over Holland
5th June 1944 First Jedburgh Team dropped into France
6th June 1944 Diversionary Tactics
7th June 1944 Agents dropped in France
6th July 1944 Eight killed on SOE flight
August 1944 SOE squadrons re-equipped
29th August 1944 161 Squadron Halifax lost
29th September 1944 Lysander missing on staff flight
7th October 1944 SOE op crashed in Denmark
19th October 1944 Broke up during air test
27th November 1944 Hudson shot down over Belgium
14th February 1945 Mid-air collision
21st Feb 1945 Hudson lost
3rd March 1945 German intruder
5th March 1945 Shot down over Denmark
21st March 1945 Three SOE Hudson's Lost to Friendly Fire over Belgium
23rd March 1945 Rear gunner survived
31st March 1945 Stirling shot down over Norway
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. 161 Squadron Royal Air Force during the Second World War 1939-1945. - Bicknell George Harold Allan. Sgt.
- Brewer William Henry.
- Brown Stanley Victor Douglas. WO (d.28th July 1945)
- Clarke Norman. FO (d.5th March 1945)
- Dean Arnold Keith Michael . F/O. (d.28th August 1944)
- Gray Eric Edward. WO (d.5th March 1945)
- Johns DFC. Stephen Joshua. F/Lt.
- Kelly Patrick. AC2. (d.23rd Mar 1945)
- Kempton Henry John. Sgt.
- Mahoney Frederick. WO (d.5th March 1945)
- Morgan Ken. (d.5th Aug 1944)
- Mott MBE. Arnold John. Sqd.Ldr.
- Peterson DFC, CdG. Malcolm Albert.
- Philp Ross Perrier. PO (d.7th Oct 1944)
- Pulton James Ansford. F/O (d.21st April 1942)
- Russell DFC. Michael. F/Lt.
- Slade Norman Francis. WO. (d.30th August 1944)
- Walker DFC. Anthony De Quincy. Sqd.Ldr. (d.12th Jun 1943)
- Watson DFM. Frederick John. F/O. (d.5th March 1945)
- Watts Arthur Henry. Fl.Sgt. (d.2nd August 1945)
- Wigley DFC. Henry Thomas. F/O. (d.5th March 1945)
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. 161 Squadron Royal Air Force from other sources.
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Want to know more about No. 161 Squadron Royal Air Force? There are:2107 items tagged No. 161 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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William Henry Brewer 161 Squadron Bill Brewer was posted to 11 OTU as Staff Wireless Operator in January 1944 after serving with 161 Squadron.
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Malcolm Albert Peterson DFC, CdG. No. 138 Squadron I know so little about my father Malcolm Peterson's war record. I have his log books and I know he trained to be a pilot in Blenheim NZ before travelling via Canada to Britain where he first joined 51 Squadron in Sept 1941, during which time he flew on bombing ops over Europe. Following that he joined No. 138 Squadron in January 1942, and this is where the information becomes sketchy because his logbook states 'ops as ordered', rather than mentioning towns which were bombed as happened during the time with 51 Squadron. I think this is when he was with SOE flying out of RAF Stradishall.
From July 1942 there was a stint at No. 10 OTU Abingdon followed by one at No.24 OTU Honeybourne, and on 14th February 1943 a crash at RAF Greenham Common, where the aircraft was totally destroyed. There were no injuries sustained by the crew, but my father was very badly injured and out of the war for 10 months. He recuperated at Stretton Hall, Staffordshire where he met my mother who was a nurse there. There seems to have been a long period of training when my father returned to the war, and finally he joined No. 692 Squadron in Feb 1945.
He was awarded the DFC and also the Croix de Geurre avec palme for his war efforts.
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Sgt. Henry John Kempton 161 Squadron My uncle, Henry Kempton, was a gunner in a Halifax, flying out of RAF Tempsford. On his last mission, Operation Iridium, which was to drop some Czechoslovakian operatives, the aircraft was shot down and crashed with the loss of all crew.
They were buried in Durnbach Cemetery in Bavaria.
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Sqd.Ldr. Anthony De Quincy Walker DFC. 161 Squadron (d.12th Jun 1943) Anthony Walker was the son of Charles Henry and Elsie Violet Walker of Weston-super-Mare, Somerset. He served with 161 Squadron and has no known grave. He is commemorated at All Saints Church in Weston super Mare.
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WO. Norman Francis Slade 161 Squadron (d.30th August 1944) Warrant Officer (Navigator) Slade was the son of William Henry and Sarah Slade, husband of Ivy Georgina Slade, of Causway Green, Worcestershire.
He was 36 when his aircraft was shot down above the Netherlands and crashed in the village of Engelen.
He is buried in the Engelen General Cemetery, Noord-Brabant, Netherlands.
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F/O. Arnold Keith Michael Dean 161 Squadron (d.28th August 1944) Flying Officer (Air Bomber) Keith Dean was the son of Ernest F. and Helen Agnes (nee Arnold) Dean.
He was 21 when he died and is buried in the Engelen General Cemetery, Noord-Brabant, Netherlands.
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AC2. Patrick Kelly 161 Squadron (d.23rd Mar 1945) Aircraftman 2nd Class Kelly was 25 when he died and is buried in Dromahaire (Carrickatemple) Catholic Old Graveyard, Co. Leitrim, Ireland.
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F/Lt. Michael Russell DFC. 161 Squadron Whilst reseaching Roxton Soldiers & Airmen, I found a local newspaper article, in which Michael Russell was awarded the D.F.C.. He is also mentioned in the London Gazette,Supplement: 35837, page 5638 on 29.12.1942. He was in the 161 Squadron, operating from Tempsford airfield. (Tempsford village is next to Roxton, Beds)
Newspaper Article in The Biggleswade Chronicle, 9 April 1943, page 7. Roxton Award: Among those who received awards for gallant conduct at the hands of the King at Buckingham Palace last week was F/Lt. M. Russell, R.A.F.V.R. stationed at an aerodrome in Eastern Counties. His award was the D.F.C. He is well known in Roxton, where his wife & baby daughter reside. F/Lt. Russell is a native of Scarborough, Yorks. His wife, and younger brother, also in the R.A.F., were present at the investiture.
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F/O. Frederick John Watson DFM. 161 Squadron (d.5th March 1945) Flying Officer (Flight Engineer) Frederick Watson was the son of Frederick John and Margret Watson, husband of Marjorie Maria Watson of Orpington, Kent.
He was 26 years old when he died and is buried in the Sejerslev Churchyard in Denmark.
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F/O. Henry Thomas Wigley DFC. 161 Squadron (d.5th March 1945) Flying Officer (Air Bomber) Henry Wigley was the Son of Frederick Henry Wigley and Dorothy Clarice Wigley, of Winchester.
He was aged 23 when he died and is buried in the Logstar General Cemetery in Denmark.
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Recomended Reading.Available at discounted prices.
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Runways to FreedomRobert Body
The Nazi occupation of much of Western Europe in early 1940 posed many challenges for the British Secret Services. A high priority was to find an effective means of infiltrating and exfiltrating agents and, later, reliable methods for supplying the growing resistance movements with arms and ammunition. The work fell outside the normal duties of Raf squadrons so, in March 1940, RAF Tempsford in Bedfordshire became the base for No.138 (Sd) Squadron and No. 161 (Sd) Squadrons. Flying mainly by the light of the full moon, these two squadrons operated throughout the length and breadth of Western Europe, delivering agents and supplies. Without the agents the secret services would have been hamstrung, and without the supplies the resistance movements would have been unable to participate in the armed struggle. By the end of the war, the Squadrons had, between them, lost in excess of 600 men. This Is Their Story.
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