No. 21 Squadron, Royal Air Force

No. 21 Squadron, RFC, was formed in 1915 intended as the first specialist bomber squadron. Re-equipped in 1917 it served the remainder of the war as an artillery cooperation squadron. It was disbanded in October 1919. It was re-formed as a bomber squadron at Bircham Newton in December 1935. In 1938 it began to receive Blenheim light bombers and on the outbreak of war was based at Watton, Norfolk.

No.21 Squadron, RFC, was formed at Netheravon, Wiltshire, on 23rd July 1915, and went to France in January 1916. It was employed on the Western Front as a general purpoose squadron, mostly engaged in reconnaissance and escort duties. It was disbanded in October 1919.
No. 21 Squadron, Royal Air Force was reformed in December 1935 at RAF Bircham Newton as a bomber squadron. At the outbreak of war in 1939, they were based at RAF Watton and in the process of converting to Blenheim MkIV aircraft. The Squadron was heavily involved in the defence of Belgium in May and June 1940, but in June a detachment was made available to Coastal Command based at Lossiemouth for North Sea patrols. The Squadron moved to Malta in December 1941, but was disbanded there in March 1942.
The Squadron reformed immediately at RAF Bodney and were equipped with Ventura light bombers. In October 1943 they were re-equipped with the Mosquito. Operating over northern Europe, the Squadron moved to Belgium in February 1945 and remained there following VE Day.
Airfields where 21 Squadron was based:

2 March 1939-24 June 1940: Watton Light Bomber squadron

24 June-29 October 1940: detachment to Lossiemouth Coastal Command anti-shipping;

29 October 1940-27 May 1941: Watton and Bodney
27 May-14 June 1941: Lossiemouth
14 June-17 July 1941: Watton
17-25 July 1941: Manston
25 July-7 September 1941: Watton
7-21 September 1941: Lossiemouth
21 September-26 December 1941: Watton
26 December 1941-14 May 1942: Luqa (disbanded)

15 May-30 October 1942: reformed Bodney Light Bomber squadron
30 October 1942-April 1943: Methwold
April 1943-24 September 1943: Oulton
27 September-31 December 1943: Sculthorpe
31 December 1943-17 April 1944: Hunsdon
17 April-18 June 1944: Gravesend
18 June 1944-6 February 1945: Thorney Island
6 February-17 April 1945: B.87 Rosières-en-Santerre
17 April-3 November 1945: B.58 Melsbroek

16th Feb 1940 21 Squadron Blenheim lost

16th February 1940 Bomber lost

23rd Feb 1940 Delivery to Finland

31st Mar 1940 21 Squadron Blenheim lost

6th Apr 1940 21 Squadron Belnheim lost

10th May 1940 Reconnaissance

11th May 1940 Bridges attacked

12th May 1940 Blenheim lost

12th May 1940 Bomber lost

14th May 1940 Six Blenheims lost

14th May 1940 Aircraft lost

14th May 1940 Aircraft lost

14th May 1940 21 Squadron Belnheim lost

25th May 1940 21 Squadron Blenheim lost

25th May 1940 Bomber lost

28th May 1940 Bomber lost

29th May 1940 Crash landing

8th June 1940 Shot down

8th Jun 1940 21 Squadron Blenheim lost

11th Jun 1940 21 Squadron Blenheim lost

11th June 1940 Three aircraft lost

13th June 1940 Twelve bombers destroyed

14th Jun 1940 21 Squadron Blenheim lost

14th June 1940 Captured at sea

24th June 1940 Move

10th Jul 1941 21 Squadron Blenheim lost

29th Oct 1940 Patrols

16th Nov 1940 21 Squadron Blenheim lost

30th Nov 1940 21 Squadron Blenheim lost

11th Feb 1941 21 Squadron Blenheim lost

23rd Mar 1941 Bomber Command on Ops

31st March 1941 Aircraft Lost

4th April 1941 Operational Order 2GOO.24

18th Apr 1941 Aircraft Lost

22nd Apr 1941 Aircraft Lost

26th Apr 1941 Aircraft Lost

30th Apr 1941 Aircraft Lost

1st May 1941 Detachment

5th May 1941 Aircraft Lost

6th May 1941 Aircraft Lost

7th May 1941 Aircraft lost

11th May 1941 Aircraft destroyed on the ground

15th May 1941 Aircraft Lost

30th May 1941 Operational Order 2GOO.27

16th Jun 1941 Aircraft Lost

21st Jun 1941 Aircraft Lost

25th Jun 1941 Aircraft Lost

1st Jul 1941 21 Squadron Blenheim lost

1st Jul 1941 Aircraft Lost

10th Jul 1941 Aircraft Lost

16th Jul 1941 Aircraft Lost

18th Jul 1941 21 Squadron Belnheim lost

18th Jul 1941 21 Squadron Belnheim lost

18th Jul 1941 Aircraft Lost

23rd Jul 1941 21 Squadron Blenheim lost

23rd Jul 1941 Aircraft Lost

28th Jul 1941 Aircraft Lost

3rd Aug 1941 Aircraft Lost

12th Aug 1941 Blenheim lost

12th Aug 1941 Aircraft Lost

26th Aug 1941 Aircraft Lost

27th Aug 1941 Aircraft Lost

28th Aug 1941 Blenheim lost

28th Aug 1941 Aircraft Lost

1st Sep 1941 Quiet

2nd Sep 1941 Quiet

3rd Sep 1941 Orders

4th Sep 1941 Road Party Departs

5th Sep 1941 Preparations

6th Sep 1941 Preparations

7th Sep 1941 On the Move

8th Sep 1941 Move

9th Sep 1941 Training

10th Sep 1941 Training

11th Sep 1941 Shipping Beat

12th Sep 1941 Training

13th Sep 1941 Aircraft Lost

13th Sep 1941 Quiet

14th Sep 1941 Quiet

15th Sep 1941 Aircraft Lost

16th Sep 1941 Quiet

17th Sep 1941 Quiet

18th Sep 1941 Quiet

19th Sep 1941 Quiet

20th Sep 1941 Attack Made

21st Sep 1941 On the Move

22nd Sep 1941 Quiet

23rd Sep 1941 Quiet

24th Sep 1941 Stand by

25th Sep 1941 Quiet

26th Sep 1941 Move

27th Sep 1941 Quiet

28th Sep 1941 Exercise

29th Sep 1941 Exercise

30th Sep 1941 Exercise

1st Oct 1941 Excerise

2nd Oct 1941 Excerise

3rd Oct 1941 Excerise

4th Oct 1941 Excerise

5th Oct 1941 Orders

6th Oct 1941 Quiet

7th Oct 1941 Delay

8th Oct 1941 Ops Cancelled

9th Oct 1941 Quiet

10th Oct 1941 Bad Weather

11th Oct 1941 Bad Weather

12th Oct 1941 Aircraft Lost

12th Oct 1941 Attack Made

13th Oct 1941 Quiet

14th Oct 1941 Poor Weather

15th Oct 1941 Poor Weather

16th Oct 1941 Poor Weather

17th Oct 1941 Operations

18th Oct 1941 Ops Cancelled

19th Oct 1941 Poor Conditions

20th Oct 1941 Quiet

21st Oct 1941 Aircraft Lost

21st Oct 1941 Aircraft Lost

28th Oct 1941 Quiet

29th Oct 1941 Ops Cancelled

30th Oct 1941 Quiet

31st Oct 1941 Attack Made

1st Nov 1941 Operations

2nd Nov 1941 Quiet

3rd Nov 1941 Quiet

4th Nov 1941 Orders

7th Nov 1941 Quiet

8th Nov 1941 Operations

22nd Nov 1941 Quiet

23rd Nov 1941 Orders

24th Nov 1941 Poor Weather

25th Nov 1941 Operations

26th Nov 1941 Aircraft Return

30th Nov 1941 Quiet

1st Dec 1941 Quiet

2nd Dec 1941 Quiet

6th Dec 1941 Excerise

7th Dec 1941 Excerise

8th Dec 1941 Leave

25th Dec 1941 On the Move

26th Dec 1941 Move to Malta

9th January 1942 Detachment disbanded

10th Jan 1942 Patrols

11th Jan 1942 Quiet

12th Jan 1942 On the Move

13th Jan 1942 Orders

14th Jan 1942 Blenheims lost

14th Jan 1942 Shipping Attacked

15th Jan 1942 Patrols

16th Jan 1942 Orders

17th Jan 1942 Sea Search

18th Jan 1942 Sweeps

19th Jan 1942 Operations

20th Jan 1942 Attacks Made

21st Jan 1942 Orders

22nd Jan 1942 Recconaissance

23rd Jan 1942 Operations

24th Jan 1942 Standing by

25th Jan 1942 Standing by

26th Jan 1942 Attack Made

27th Jan 1942 Aircraft Attacked

28th Jan 1942 Calibration

29th Jan 1942 Bombing

30th Jan 1942 Maintenance

31st Jan 1942 Ops

4th Feb 1942 Train destroyed

5th February 1942 Blenheims shot down

11th Feb 1942 Blenheim missing

14th March 1942 Disbanded and reformed

14th March 1942 Reorganisation

30th March 1942 Posting

1st Apr 1942 Posting

4th Apr 1942 Posting

8th Apr 1942 Posting

13th Apr 1942 Training

15th April 1942 Re-equipped

16th Apr 1942 Posting

28th Apr 1942 Exercise

29th Apr 1942 Exercise

30th Apr 1942 Ground Crews

10th Sept 1942 Reorganisation and Training

30th October 1942 Relocation

3rd Nov 1942 Raids

6th Nov 1942 Ventura of 21 Squadron lost

7th Nov 1942 Ventura of 21 Squadron lost

6th Dec 1942 Ventura of 21 Squadron lost

6th Dec 1942 Ventura of 21 Squadron lost

6th Dec 1942 Bombing Raid

6th December 1942 Precision bombing

3rd March 1943 Exercise Spartan

3rd March 1943 Exercise Spartan

4th March 1943 Exercise Spartan

5th March 1943 Exercise Spartan

6th March 1943 Exercise Spartan

7th March 1943 Exercise Spartan

8th March 1943 Exercise Spartan

9th March 1943 Exercise Spartan

10th March 1943 Exercise Spartan

11th March 1943 Exercise Spartan

12th March 1943 Stand down

15th Mar 1943 Ventura of 21 Squadron lost

29th March 1943 Three bombing attacks

1st April 1943 Low level raids

3rd May 1943 Heavy losses

9th September 1943 Last Ventura raid

24th Sept 1943 Conversion

31st Dec 1943 Move

18th February 1944 Mosquitos bomb prison at Amiens

17th April 1944 Move

18th June 1944 Move

6th February 1945 Move into France

22nd Feb 1945 Operation Clarion

12th Mar 1945 Bomber Command

May 1945

If you can provide any additional information, please add it here.

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Those known to have served with
No. 21 Squadron, Royal Air Force
during the Second World War 1939-1945.

Bartlett DFC. George Arthur. Wg.Cdr. (d.26th April 1941)
Bellis DFC. Iorwerth. F/Lt.
Bennett Leslie Clive. Wing.Cdr (d.9th July 1940)
Bondett Howard. Sgt.
Dorrington Jack Brereton. Sgt. (d.9th July 1940)
Fitzgerald Kenneth Brian. Sgt (d.6th May 1941)
Garrett John Alfred. Flying Officer (d.31st July 1944)
Grabham Justyn Stuart. Sgt. (d.11th Feb 1942)
Lamerton Roy Charles. Sgt. (d.6th Dec 1942)
Leavers DFM Evered Arthur Reginald Rex. Flt.Sgt. (d.16th June 1941)
Legge Bill.
McConnell Robert James. F/Lt.
Oats Victor Rundle. Wing Cdr. (d.12th Mar 1945)
Porter Owen Wells. Flying Officer (d.31st July 1944)
Ricketts Albert. F/Lt.
Saunders William Anthony. P/O. (d.17th Jun 1940)
Stubbs John Henry. Sgt. (d.11th February 1942)
Tyas Peter. Sgt. (d.11th Feb 1942)
Wallbank Ralph Henry. F/Lt.
Wallett William Harry. Cpl. (d.28th Dec 1941)
Webb MBE. Clifford. 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. 21 Squadron, Royal Air Force from other sources.

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Want to know more about No. 21 Squadron, Royal Air Force?

There are:2214 items tagged No. 21 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.

Sgt. Clifford Webb MBE. 21 Squadron

We believe that my father Clifford Webb was captured twice. This article was found which was probably written by our father to his mother after the second capture/escape. If anybody can shed some light on Clifford Webb, it would certainly be most appreciated !
The article Letter home from Sgt. C. Webb, RAF, from “Woodside”, Homer, aged 24 years. C. 1940. We were shot down in France, near Calais, on June 14th, by six Messerschmitts, but nobody was injured, so we tried to make our way back to England. We found a little boat three days after the crash, but had no chance to stock it with food and drink. Our oars were very weak and soon broke. The upshot of it all was that we were in the channel for three days without food or drink and not a stitch of dry clothing on us. One of my companions died on the last night and the two of us left were washed back on the French coast, still behind the German lines. We hid for two days to regain our strength, and started walking to Le Havre about 50 miles away, but abandoned the idea as the port was too closely watched. Then we tried to get work on the farms, posing as Belgians, but failed because we had no identification papers. We begged bought and stole food and civilian clothing during this time.
Eventually we decided to go north and try to cross the Channel again, but were unlucky enough to walk into a hidden German aerodrome, just south of the Somme. We were stopped and questioned; I was the only one speaking French. They found out my companion was English so I was taken as well. This was on the evening of July 1st. I don’t know how I escaped, but all the people in this camp are the same. Some of the escapees from crashes are nothing short of miraculous.
Report of incident near Calais. 14/06/1940: Merville, France.

Type: Bristol Type 142L, Blenheim Mk. IV
Serial number: R3742,YH-?
Operation: Merville
Lost: 14/06/1940
Pilot Officer William A. Saunders, RAF 40756, 21 Sqn., age 20, 14/06/1940, missing
Sgt W.H.Eden PoW also initialled H.W.Eden
Sgt C.Webb PoW
Airborne from Bodney. Crash-site not established. Last seen being chased by Me109s.
P/O Saunders has no known grave and is commemorated on the Runnymede Mmemorial.
Sgt W.H.Eden on his 30th operation evaded until captured July 40 near Doullens after spending 3 days in a rowing boat and interned in Camps L1/L6/357, PoW No.87.
Sgt C.Webb was also captured with his comrade but was interned in Camps L1/L3/L6/357, PoW No.76.

Tony Webb

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Sgt. Peter Tyas 21 Squadron (d.11th Feb 1942)

Peter Tyas trained at No.8 Bombing and Gunnery School. Date of movement: 9th of April 1941. He served with 21 Squadron.

Dermott Kelly

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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.

David Wallbank

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Cpl. William Harry Wallett No. 21 Squadron (d.28th Dec 1941)

My grandfather, John Wallett, kept the following letter regarding his son Harry Wallett, tucked away in his belongings and never spoke about it. Only recently have I discovered the letter during searches about my family history:
Hairmyers Hospital, Lanarkshire, June 5th.
Dear Mr. Wallett, I have been meaning to write to you for a long time. I did write to you from Gibraltar, but I have reason to believe that the letter never reached England, owing to the ship being sunk. I was the pilot of your son’s plane. When we hit the sea near the rock, Harry came up alongside of me when I was floating in the water, and I tried to keep his head above the water, but I was forced to leave go of him when the plane sank a minute or two later, and I rather think he must have been caught up in the under-carriage, but all this can interest you better now. What I really want to say is that Harry was a splendid mechanic and took such a tremendous interest in his work, that I took special care to see that only he looked after my plane. I am quite sure that if only he had vetted the plane at Gibraltar instead of the Gibraltar mechanic, we would never have had the engine trouble and failure, and crash, but he was not allowed to, and somebody else did the engine check-up, and we had engine trouble about five minutes after taking off. My choice of him as a mechanic was a terrible one for him, because he lost his life as a result, but I thought I must write and tell you how very much he was appreciated.
The ground mechanics at an RAF station get very little credit from the public, but they do a tremendous lot of work and your son, especially, was the best man at his job that I ever met. I wish I knew a tenth as much about a plane as he did.
I am still in hospital after getting a broken leg in the crash. I was ten weeks in bed at Gibraltar, but I am up on crutches now and hope to be flying again in a few months. It’s nice to be back in Scotland again after Gibraltar. The rest of the squadron had a very bad time of it in Malta, only six crews were left after two months of operations.
With deepest sympathy, yours sincerely, A.D. Tanered

Roger Wallett

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Sgt Kenneth Brian Fitzgerald No.21 Squadron (d.6th May 1941)

Kenneth Fitzgerald was lost in action on 6th of May 1941. We do have a telegram and other documents to say Kenneth was killed in action while attacking enemy shipping off the Dutch coast aged 19. His father was Thomas Moffet Fitzgerald who was Pay Master commander to HMS Wellesley, Liverpool.

Rachel Rollinson

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Sgt. John Henry "Jack" Stubbs 21 Squadron (d.11th February 1942)

Combat Report
Air Ministry (London)
20.04.1948
Copy to RAAF Overseas HQ Canberra House (London)
Aus. 406374
Sgt. Stubbs, J.H. Pilot
1265240 Sgt. Tyas, P. A/OBS
976771 Sgt. Graham, J.S. WO/AG

Blenheim Mk. 4, Z.9823 21 Squadron, was one of a vic. of four which took off from RAF Station Luqa on the morning of 11.02.1942 to carry out a shipping sweep of the Kerkenna Islands.
On returning to base, the gunner in the leading aircraft received by W/T the stand-off signal Air Raid in Progress. The formation circled a point approx. 50 miles south of Malta for 15 minutes, during which time no more stand-off signals were received. The gunner then wirelessed for instructions. The reply was in the form of a Q.D.M. This Q.D.M was followed in until approx. 3 miles from Filfola (sic) when the formation was attacked by enemy fighters and aircraft Z.9823 was shot down into the sea.
A search was made but no survivors could be found. It must therefore be presumed that this crew are Lost at Sea.
J.S. Chick (Sqd)
Group Capt. Commanding
RAF Station Luqa

Dermott Kelly

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Flt.Sgt. Evered Arthur Reginald Rex Leavers DFM 21 Squadron (d.16th June 1941)

Flight Sergeant (Pilot) Reginald Leavers was the son of Jessie Leavers of Dunkirk, Nottingham. He was 24 when he died and is buried in the Baflo (Den Andel) Protestant Cemetery, Groningen in The Netherlands.

s flynn

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Wg.Cdr. George Arthur Bartlett DFC. 21 Squadron (d.26th April 1941)

I am begging for help to identify the full names (and pictures if available) of the following 21 Squadron airmen, in March 1941:
Sergeants Clinton (RAFVR) Probably a Navigator or 2nd Pilot
Sgt. Chinn (RAFVR) Probably an Air gunner
Sergeant Dennis (RAFVR) pilot
Sgt.Webb (RAFVR) Navigator or 2nd Pilot
Sgt. Goode (RAFVR) Air Gunner
F/O Windsor (RAFO) Navigator or 2nd Pilot

Looking for pictures of the following 21 Squadron airmen in 1941:
Sgt. Sidney Ernest Sproson (RAFVR 745815) pilot
W/C George Arthur Bartlett, D.F.C. (RAFO 32071)
Lt. Albert Parsons Wireless Operator/Air-Gunner (RAFVR 808419)

Any picture of 21 Squadron machines and airmen inMarch 1941 would be most welcomed for a book-project.

Adriano Silva Baumgartner

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Wing.Cdr Leslie Clive Bennett 21 Squadron (d.9th July 1940)

Clive Bennett was the Son of Frederick H. and Gertrude Bennett, husband of Joan Bennett, of Chichester, Sussex. Native of New Zealand. He was aged 34 when he died and is buried in the Lonstrup Churchyard in Denmark.

s flynn

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P/O. William Anthony Saunders 21 Squadron (d.17th Jun 1940)

On a mission to bomb Merville Airfield, on 14th June 1940, P/O William Saunders in his aircraft R3742, was shot up badly by Me109's. He put the Blenheim down at Ardres, and he and his crew (Sgt Webb & Sgt Eden) escaped. They got as far as the channel, acquired a rowing boat, and got to within 10 miles of the English Coast when an oar broke. Carried back by the current, they slept exhausted. On awaking, P/O Saunders was no longer in the boat. Missing presumed drowned, his body was never found. His crew were both POW's. William (my Mother's elder brother) was just 20 years old on April 17th that year.

Patrick Anns

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No. 21 Squadron, Royal Air Force

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Those known to have served with
No. 21 Squadron, Royal Air Force
during the Second World War 1939-1945.

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Announcements

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No. 21 Squadron, Royal Air Force

Logbooks

Those known to have served with No. 21 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. 21 Squadron, Royal Air Force?

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Links

The Wartime Memories Project
- No. 21 Squadron, Royal Air Force during the Second World War -

Those known to have served with
No. 21 Squadron, Royal Air Force
during the Second World War 1939-1945.