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No. 514 Squadron Royal Air Force
No: 514 Squadron was formed on 1st September 1943 Foulsham, Norfolk, a heavy-bomber squadron flying Lancasters in No. 3 Group. A total of 3,675 operational sorties were flown during the war. Its personnel won 1 DSO, 84 DFCs, 1 bar to the DFC, and 26 DFMs. 514's first operation in WWII was on the 3rd/4th November 1943 when 2 Lancasters were despatched to bomb the Mannesman Works at Düsseldorf. 1 aircraft bombed primary & the other, unable to pin-point it, joined main attack on Düsseldorf. On same night 4 other Lancasters laid mines in Frisian Isles area.
The last operation in WWII was on 24th April 1945 when 13 Lancasters bombed marshalling yards at Bad Oldesloe.
The last mission before VE Day was on 7th May 1945 when 20 Lancasters from the squadron dropped food supplies to the starving Dutch people and after the end of hostilities they ferried liberated POWs back to England.
Airfields No: 514 Squadron flew from.
- Foulsham, Norfolk. from Sep to Nov 1943
- Waterbeach, Cambridgeshire. from Nov 1943 onwards
29th July 1941 New Wing formed
31st Jan 1944 514 Squadron Lancaster lost
30th Mar 1944 Aircraft Lost
18th April 1944 Ops
12th May 1944 Posting
22nd May 1944 514 Squadron Lancaster lost
30th June 1944 Aircraft Lost
3rd Aug 1944 514 Squadron Lancaster lost
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Want to know more about No. 514 Squadron Royal Air Force? There are:2007 items tagged No. 514 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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Flying Officer William Lachlan McGown DFC and Bar 514 Squadron, 162 Squadron Flying Officer William Lachlan McGown was pilot of Lancaster DS822 of 514 Squadron that came down at Le Celles Les Bordes in France on the night of 7th of June 1944. He parachuted down along with 3 colleagues and evaded capture. My wife's cousin flew with him on the fateful night when the Lancaster came down. He too was killed and laid to rest in Le Celles Les Bordes. France with a further two colleagues. F/O McGown returned to Britain and moved onto 162 Squadron. I understand he left the RAF in 11th April 1946 and return to his native Scotland where he passed away in 1984 aged 70 years, a true hero. I would like to hear of anything from living relatives of his second crew at 162 Squadron.
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Douglas Kenny 514 Squadron Royal Air Force (d.20th Feb 1944) Doug Kenny was a rear gunner on Lancasters and was killed on 20th Feb 1944. He was my great uncle. I recently went to the Imperial War Museum and they have a database which told me the date he was killed. It prompted me to find out more about his service. I was born on 20th Feb 1964, and as my grandmother always told me I was very much like him, it compels me to learn more about him and his time in the RAF. If anyone has any information I would be really interested and grateful to hear about him and the squadron.
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Flt/Sgt. Gordon Stromberg 514 Squadron (d.9th June 1944) My grandmother died not so long ago, and although I had always know about my great uncle who died during the war, it wasn't until clearing out the house that my mother and I came across his flight log book. My great uncle was Flt/Sgt Gordon Stromberg No1386539 a w/op. From his log book he was posted to Waterbeach on November 1943. His first flight was on a Lancaster C on the 25th of November 1943 with no 1678 otu and flew ops with 514 Squadron. His first op was on the 29th of December 1943 to Berlin in a Lancaster S which ditched in the North Sea. He flew various other ops, mostly in C, until he was shot down on 7th June 1944 and died as a POW on 9th June 1944.
I am trying to get as much information as possible as we were always told he died with his aircraft until his log book indicated he died two days later as a POW.
I would welcome any information that anyone may have or advice on how I might proceed further. It would be great to piece together this family mystery.
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Sgt Joseph Shepherd mid upper gunner 514 Sqd. (d.31st Mar 1944) Joseph Shepherd was the mid upper gunner of P/O Chitty's crew, he lost his life when Lancaster LL645 A2-R returned to Waterbeach on the 31st of March 1944. While attempting to go around after an aborted landing the aicraft struck the ground, ripping off the undercarrage. He was 19 years old and is buried in Heywood Cemetery, Lancashire.
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Sgt Allen Bruce Pattison bomb aimer 514 Sqd. (d.31st Mar 1944) Sgt Pattison was a member of P/O Chitty's crew, he lost his life when Lancaster LL645 A2-R returned to Waterbeach on the 31st of March 1944. While attempting to go around after an aborted landing the aicraft struck the ground, ripping off the undercarrage. He is buried in Brookwood Military Cemetery, he was 23 years old. His brother John was also killed whilst serving as a signalman with the 1st Canadian Division.
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Sgt C. Pratt 514 Sqd. Sgt Pratt was a member of P/O Chitty's crew, he survived a serious crash when Lancaster LL645 A2-R was returning to Waterbeach on the 30th of March 1944. While attempting to go around after an aborted landing the aicraft struck the ground, ripping off the undercarrage.
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Sgt R. Fox 514 Sqd. Sgt Fox was a member of P/O Chitty's crew, he survived a serious crash when Lancaster LL645 A2-R was returning to Waterbeach on the 30th of March 1944. Their landing was aborted and whilst attempting to go around the aicraft struck the ground, ripping off the undercarrage.
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Sgt L. A. Ive 514 Sqd. Sgt Ive survived a serious crash when Lancaster LL645 A2-R was returning to Waterbeach on the 30th of March 1944. Their landing was aborted and whilst attempting to go around the aicraft struck the ground, ripping off the undercarrage.
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F/S G. C. Wells 514 Sqd. (d.30th Jul 1944) F/S Wells was lost without trace over the English Channel on the 30th of July 1944 when his Lancaster failed to return to Waterbeach after a raid on Caen.
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F/S E. W. Jenner 514 Sqd. (d.30th Jul 1944) F/S Jenner was lost without trace over the English Channel on the 30th of July 1944 when his Lancaster failed to return to Waterbeach after a raid on Caen.
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