No. 625 Squadron RAF

No. 625 Squadron RAF was a heavy bomber squadron of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War.

No. 625 Squadron RAF
Active1 October 1943 – 7 October 1945
Country United Kingdom
Branch Royal Air Force
TypeInactive
RoleBomber Squadron
Part ofNo. 1 Group RAF, Bomber Command
Motto(s)We Avenge[1][2]
AircraftAvro Lancaster
Insignia
Squadron Badge heraldryWithin a circular chain of seven links, a Lancaster rose[2]
The Lancaster rose stands for the aircraft used, the seven links the number of personnel in one such aircraft[1]
Squadron CodesCF (Oct 1943 - Oct 1945)[3][4]
Aircraft flown
BomberAvro Lancaster
Four-engined heavy bomber

History

The squadron was formed on 1 October 1943 at RAF Kelstern, Lincolnshire from 'C' flight of 100 Squadron. It was equipped with Avro Lancasters, as part of No. 1 Group RAF in Bomber Command, of which it formed part between 18 October 1944 and 25 April 1945. The squadron mainly carried out night raids against Germany. On 5 April 1945, it moved to RAF Scampton. At the end of the war, the squadron dropped food to the starving Dutch people (Operation Manna), and flew Prisoner of War repatriation flights from Belgium (Operation Exodus) and repatriated British troops from Italy, before it was disbanded on 7 October 1945.

In December 2010 the entire 625 Squadron Operational Records (ORB) and an Air Crew Roll Of Honour was compiled into a searchable database - contact www.lancaster-archive.com for more information

[1][2][5]

First operational mission

18/19 October 1943

Last operational mission

25 April 1945

Last mission before V.E. (Victory of Europe) Day

7 May 1945

  • 13 Lancasters dropped supplies to Dutch at Rotterdam and another Lancaster aborted[6]

Aircraft operated
Aircraft operated by no. 625 Squadron RAF, data from[2][5][6]
From To Aircraft Variant
October 1943October 1945Avro LancasterMks.I & II

Squadron bases
Bases and airfields used by no. 625 Squadron RAF, data from[2][5][6]
From To Base
October 1943April 1945RAF Kelstern, Lincolnshire
April 1945October 1945RAF Scampton, Lincolnshire

The squadron memorial stands near the village of Kelstern. It was erected in 1964 and was the first to be erected to the memory of a single squadron.

Notable Members
gollark: <@237328509234708481> They'll just make their copyright handling stricter, which would actually be worse.
gollark: Wait, it's fine, we have f l e x b o x now.
gollark: Oh no.
gollark: Like the word null three times.
gollark: what?

See also

Francis Aldred

References

Notes
  1. Moyes 1976, p. 287.
  2. Halley 1988, p. 440.
  3. Bowyer and Rawlings 1979, p. 26.
  4. Flintham and Thomas 2003, p. 65.
  5. Jefford 2001, p. 102.
  6. Moyes 1976, p. 288.

Bibliography
  • Bowyer, Michael J.F. and John D.R. Rawlings. Squadron Codes, 1937-56. Cambridge, UK: Patrick Stephens Ltd., 1979. ISBN 978-0-85059-364-8.
  • Flintham, Vic and Andrew Thomas. Combat Codes: A full explanation and listing of British, Commonwealth and Allied air force unit codes since 1938. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing Ltd., 2003. ISBN 978-1-84037-281-6.
  • Halley, James J. The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth 1918–1988. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air Britain (Historians) Ltd., 1988. ISBN 978-0-85130-164-8.
  • Jefford, C.G. RAF Squadrons: A Comprehensive Record of the Movement and Equipment of All RAF Squadrons and Their Antecedents Since 1912, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing, 1988. ISBN 978-1-85310-053-6. (2nd edition 2001. ISBN 978-1-84037-141-3.)
  • Mattingley, Christobel. Battle Order 204. Crows Nest, New South Wales, Australia: Allen & Unwin, 2007. ISBN 978-1-74175-161-1.
  • Moyes, Philip J.R. Bomber Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London, UK: Macdonald and Jane's Publishers Ltd., 1964, 2nd edition 1976. ISBN 978-0-354-01027-6.
  • Ward, Cris. Royal Air Force Bomber Command Squadron Profiles, Number 121: 625 Squadron. "We Avenge". Berkshire, UK: Ward Publishing, 1998.
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