No. 215 Squadron Royal Air Force

No 215 Squadron was formed in 1917 as a heavy bombing squadron (No 15 RNAS, becoming No 215 RAF in April 1918). It was disbanded in late 1919.
It re-formed as a bomber squadron in October 1935, and in April 1940 merged with SHQ, RAF Bassingbourn to form No 11 OTU. It re-fomed again in December 1941 as a bomber unit and in 1942 when to India to operate against the Japanese in Burma.
No 215 was engaged in supply-dropping flights after the retreat from Burma, and in coastal patrols on the east coast of India. In October 1942 airborne training began and in March 1943 started bombing missions over Burma. In June 1944 No 215 moved to Kolar for Liberator conversion training, resuming night and day operations in October. April 1945 the squadron undertook supply-dropping missions for the 14th Army as Burma was cleared of the Japanese. In October 1945 No 215 moved to Malaya, Java and Hong Kong, and was renumbered 48 Squadron in February 1946.

Airfields No. 215 Squadron flew from:

RAF Honington, Suffolk from 3rd September 1939 (Harrow, Wellington I)
RAF Bramcote, Warwickshire from 10th September 1939
RAF Bassingbourn, Cambridgeshire from 24th September 1939 (Anson I)
became No 11 OTU, 8th April 1940
RAF Newmarket, Cambridgeshire from 9th December 1941 (re-formed)
RAF Stradishall, Suffolk from 5th January 1942
RAF Waterbeach from 21st February 1942 (Wellington IC)
RAF Harwell from 1st March 1942
Asansol from 14th April 1942
Pandaveswar from 17th April 1942
St. Thomas Mount from 18th August 1942
Chaklala from 13th October 1942
Jessore from 12 March 1943 (Wellington X)
Digri from 17th September 1944 (Dakota III, IV)
Dhubalia from the 28th December 1944 (Consolidated Liberator VI, VIII)
Tulihal from the 5th of May 1945
to Basal from the 1st of June 1945
Basal from 22nd June 1945
to Patenga from the 9th July 1945
Patenga from 17th July 1945
Hmawbi from 19th August 1945

26th Sep 1939 Posting

1st Oct 1939 Training

3rd Oct 1939 Training

18th May 1940 Advance Party

22nd May 1940 Reorganisation

14th Feb 1942 Reorganisation

1st May 1942 Squadron re-formed

31st May 1942 Collision on landing

21st May 1944 Relief crews

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Logbooks

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Those known to have served with
No. 215 Squadron Royal Air Force
during the Second World War 1939-1945.

Barnes Arthur. WO. (d.17th May 1943)
Buchanan MID. Thomas MacDonald. Wing Co.
Murch Arthur Lionel. ACM.
Warrington George Ninian. Grp.Cpt. (d.8th Sep 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. 215 Squadron Royal Air Force from other sources.

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There are:2008 items tagged No. 215 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.

ACM. Arthur Lionel Murch No. 215 Squadron

My dad, Arthur Murch, served with 215 Squadron in India and the Far East during WW2. He was born in Bristol on 24 November 1919, and died as a result of a hit-and-run incident in Shrewsbury, Shropshire in 1970.
He enlisted at RAF Cardington on 11th of October 1940, and then went to RAF Blackpool for training. He is down on his RAF Record of Service as W/Mech, initially on Wellington Bombers. He was admitted to Weavins Home, Poulton on 29th of January 1941 and discharged on 17th of February 1941 (it’s difficult to discern the writing on his record for this). He joined 215 Squadron sometime in 1941 and was posted to the Far East on 12th of February 1942. He was again admitted to BMH Asansol on 24 July 1942, and discharged on 29th July 1942. He was then admitted to BMH Lucknow and BGH Calcutta in 1943. Following this, he was then admitted to hospitals at Innsworth and Cranwell in 1945.
I have only recently requested his service record and I am awaiting any information regarding awards from the MoDMO. I hope to do further research in the near future.

Jennifer Rosemary Murch

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Wing Co. Thomas MacDonald Buchanan MID. 215 Squadon

Thomas Buchanan was born on 14th of April 1914 and joined the RAF as a regular in 1935 or 1936 and became a pilot. He was a Pilot Officer in 1936, was promoted to F/O on 27th January 1937, then to Flt Lt on 27th January 1939. He was then promoted to Sqn Ldr on 1st September 1940, then to permanent Wg Cdr on 1st July 1947 (information from London Gazette and Flight). He became Station Commander of RAF Newton on 20th December 1954 when it was HQ of No 12 Group Fighter Command from 1946-1958. In a copy of Flight dated 15th October 1936, page 395, it shows that he was posted to No 822 (FSR) Squadron on 26th September 1936. This is a Fleet Air Arm Squadron flying Fairey Seals, then Blackburn Sharks at the time. However, he was an RAF pilot flying in the Fleet Air Arm as was the case for all aircrew until the Admiralty took control on 24th May 1939. He is shown on the Air Force List April 1938 in a Fleet Air Arm Unit list of flying officers with 822 Torpedo, Spotter Reconnaissance Sqn on 1st April 1937 on HMS Furious.
He became O.C. 215 Squadron. Here is a quote: "Wing Commander T. M. Buchanan arrived to assume command over the Squadron on 28th April 1945 - coming by air in a Dakota aircraft piloted by F/Lt. Jenkins. A party was held in the Officers' Mess that night for the double purpose of extending to him a very hearty welcome, and of celebrating the Squadron's impending departure and new duties.".... The squadron was equipped with Dakotas and was stationed in Burma dropping supplies to the 14th Army until Burma was cleared of the Japanese and in October the squadron was moved to Malaya. He maintained command until February 1946. He became O.C. 110 Squadron from June 1946 to Aug 1946. Then he became O.C. 48 Squadron from February 1947 to October 1947.

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Grp.Cpt. George Ninian Warrington 215th Sqd. (d.8th Sep 1945)

My father, Gp Capt George Warrington commanded 215 Squadron in December 1941 and then took the squadron of Wellingtons to Burma in March/April 1941. He lost his life along with his wife, my mother, in September 1945, in a boating accident off S W Scotland. I am interested to hear any stories about his time in Burma, and indeed before that as I only have his flying log book up to the outbreak of war, I know he flew Fairey Battles with 218 squadron in 1939/40.

Alastair Warrington

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No. 215 Squadron Royal Air Force

Logbooks

Those known to have served with
No. 215 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. 215 Squadron Royal Air Force?

Recomended Reading.

Links

The Wartime Memories Project - No. 215 Squadron Royal Air Force during the Second World War -

No. 215 Squadron Royal Air Force

Logbooks

Those known to have served with No. 215 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. 215 Squadron Royal Air Force?

Recomended Reading.

Links

The Wartime Memories Project
- No. 215 Squadron Royal Air Force during the Second World War -

Those known to have served with
No. 215 Squadron Royal Air Force
during the Second World War 1939-1945.