No. 223 Squadron Royal Air Force

No 223 Squadron was formed in April 1918 at Mitylene, flying bombing and reconnaissance missions in the Aegean until the end of the war, and disbanding in may 1919.
No 223 was re-formed at Nairobi, Kenya in December 1936. On the outbreak of war with Italy in June 1940, No 223 began raids on Italian East Africa from the Sudan. In April 1941 it moved to Egypt becoming a training unit for crews converting to Blenhiems, Marylands, Bostons and Baltimores, resuming bombing duties over North Africa in support of the Eighth Army in May 1941. It moved west through Libya after El Alamein, arriving in Tunisia in April 1943, then moving to Malta in July for tactical attacks in Sicily. By the end of September 1943 it operated from southern Italy, carrying out interdiction raids on enemy communications in Italy. It was renumbered No 30 Squadron South African Air Force on the 12th of August 1944.
On the 23rd of August 1944, No 223 re-formed at Oulton in No 100 Group as a bomber support squadron, flying radio counter measure missions, disrupting German night defences by jamming its radar and communications, until the end of the war. It was disbanded in July 1945.

Airfields No. 223 Squadron flew from:

Summit from 17th September 1939 (Wellesley)
Gordon's Tree from 22nd January 1940 (Maryland)
Summit from 18th May 1940 (Blenheim I)
Wadi Gazouza from the 1st December 1940 (Baltimore I)
Shandur, Egypt from 17th May 1941 (Baltimore II)
OTU from May 1941 to January 1942 (Baltimore III)
LG 116 from 16th April 1942 (Baltimore IIIA)
LG 99 from 22nd June 1942 (Baltimore V)
LG Y from 30th June 1942 (Liberator IV)
LG 86 from 2nd September 1942 (Fortress III)
Sirtan West from 7th March 1943
Sirtan North from 10th March 1943
Ben Gardane from 15th March 1943
Medanine from 2nd April 1943
La Fauconnerie from 13th April 1943
Enfindaville from 1st June 1943
Reyville from 20th June 1943
Monte Lungo from 17th August 1943
Sigonella from 22nd August 1943
Brindisi from 28th September 1943
Celone from the 26th October 1943
Biferno from the 14th March 1944
Pescara from the 26th June 1944
disbanded 12th August 1944
RAF Oulton, Norfolk from 23rd August 1944 (re-formed. Liberator IV)
disbanded 29th July 1945

21st June 1940

12th May 1943 Bombing Raid

September 1944 Operations

4th February 1945 Airborne Mandrel jamming

21st Feb 1945 223 Squadron Liberator lost

21st Mar 1915 223 Squadron Liberator lost

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Those known to have served with
No. 223 Squadron Royal Air Force
during the Second World War 1939-1945.

Bass Robert Walden. F/O..
Brown Kenneth Bartholemew.
Evans Ambrose Irfon. LAC.
Glaze Eric. WO
Goddard Robert. Flt.Sgt. (d.27th Jun 1942)
Graham Walter. Cpl. (d.28th Feb 1943)
Isaacs DFM/ George Arthur. F/Lt.
Spear Harold. LAC

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. 223 Squadron Royal Air Force from other sources.

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Want to know more about No. 223 Squadron Royal Air Force?

There are:2005 items tagged No. 223 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.

F/O.. Robert Walden Bass 223 Squadron

Bob Bass was a high school math and physics teacher in Ontario before the war. He grew up on a farm just outside the small town of Thedford, ON about 30 minutes from Sarnia. He attended the University Of Western Ontario, now Western University, at 17.
He enlisted at Rainy River, ON in 1943 and joined the Royal Canadian Air Force. Bob initially trained as a pilot but later switched to navigation as he felt he was more suited for it. Following all his flight and navigation training in Canada, he was transferred to the No. 111 Operational Training Unit in Nassau, Bahamas.
He went to England in August 1944 and was attached to the 223 Squadron at RAF Oulton. The 223 Squadron, at the time and seemingly still today, was a secret flying unit that flew electronic counter measure flights for bomber raids with 100 Group. He flew on 21 operational missions, day and night, as a navigator.
Bob was ready for another assignment in the Pacific but on his return home to Canada in August 1945, Japan surrendered and both theatres of war were over. Bob always said that the best lessons he learned in life he learned growing up on the farm. He returned to education after the war where he had a very distinguished career. Bob died in 2013 at age 95. His entire family thanks him for his service to his country in a time of great need. He is sorely missed by us all.

Bruce West

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Cpl. Walter Graham 223 Squadron (d.28th Feb 1943)

Walter Graham, son of William David Graham and Florence Graham, is buried in Benghazi War Cemetery. His parents lived in Colby, Isle of Man, and he is commemorated on the War memorial in Holy Tirnity Church, Patrick.

Graham McAll

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F/Lt. George Arthur "Pop" Isaacs DFM/ 223 Squadron

My father, George Isaacs was a mid upper gunner and completed his first tour in Lancasters with 61 Squadron. 223 Squadron was his second operational tour and he took the Official Secrets Act very seriously. He did not breath a word about 100 Group Spoof operations until 30 years after the war ended and two years before his death. When he told me he flew in B17s and B24s I thought he was pulling my leg. My abiding memory was his description of the crew standing well apart from the aircraft as German speaking Radio Operators were loaded into a secure compartment in the middle of the aircraft before take off and the procedure reversed on landing. Strictly no fraternisation. I recall his droll remark that they would be last out if the plane was hit also.
To get some idea of the equipment that was used on these operations I recommend Martin Streetly's book "Confound & Destroy" the story of 100 Group's WW2 activity in Norfolk. I donated my copy to the library at the 100 Group museum at Blickling Hall.

George W Isaacs

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LAC Harold Spear 223 Squadron

My Father, Harold Spear joined 223 Squadron when they were moved to North Africa in 1941, he remained with the Squadron in the 8th Army moving up through Sicily, Italy and then Germany. He was an ardent developer of photos and I have a lot of the planes, people, towns etc. during this period. The stresses of the war I am sure led to his early death from heart failure at the age of 56 as the stories of what our men went through are hard to describe. He was a man who did not want to talk much about the 5 years he was away but was proud to have been involved in the crushing of the German Army, and I am proud to have known him. RIP Dad x

Alan D Spear

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Flt.Sgt. Robert Goddard 223 Sqdn. (d.27th Jun 1942)

Robert Goddard was the son of Capt. William Henry Goddard and Mildred Amelia Goddard of Leicester, grandson of Major John Henry Joseph Hayhurst, M.B.E. He was born in Poona India where his Father was serving in the British Army, they returned to England in the 1930's. He was the brother of Major Edward George Goddard who served in the 15/5th Maratha Light Infantry.
Robert was due to fly home to be married the day he was killed. He was just 22 years old. He is buried in El Alamein War Cemetery, joint grave XXX1.A.3.

Felicity J Grant

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No. 223 Squadron Royal Air Force

Logbooks

Those known to have served with
No. 223 Squadron Royal Air Force
during the Second World War 1939-1945.

The Wartime Memories Project is the original WW1 and WW2 commemoration website.

Announcements

Want to know more about No. 223 Squadron Royal Air Force?

Recomended Reading.

Links

The Wartime Memories Project - No. 223 Squadron Royal Air Force during the Second World War -

No. 223 Squadron Royal Air Force

Logbooks

Those known to have served with No. 223 Squadron Royal Air Forceduring the Second World War 1939-1945.

The Wartime Memories Project is the original WW1 and WW2 commemoration website.

Announcements

Want to know more about No. 223 Squadron Royal Air Force?

Recomended Reading.

Links

The Wartime Memories Project
- No. 223 Squadron Royal Air Force during the Second World War -

Those known to have served with
No. 223 Squadron Royal Air Force
during the Second World War 1939-1945.