No. 623 Squadron RAF
Encyclopedia
No. 623 Squadron RAF was a heavy bomber squadron of the Royal Air Force
during the Second World War.
in Norfolk
from 'C' Flight of 218 Squadron
, as well as receiving crews from No.3 L.F.S. and No.1653 Conversion Unit. It was equipped with Stirling Mk.III
bombers, as part of No. 3 Group RAF
in Bomber Command
. The squadron carried out night raids against Germany, but was short-lived and was disbanded on 6 December 1943 at Downham Market. The aircraft went mostly to conversion units of No. 5 Group RAF
.
Some examples:
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
during the Second World War.
History
The squadron was formed on 10 August 1943 at RAF Downham MarketRAF Downham Market
RAF Downham Market was a Royal Air Force airfield in the west of the county of Norfolk in the United Kingdom which operated during the second half of World War II.-History:...
in Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
from 'C' Flight of 218 Squadron
No. 218 Squadron RAF
No. 218 Squadron RAF was a squadron of the Royal Air Force. It was also known as No 218 Squadron after the Governor of the Gold Coast and people of the Gold Coast officially adopted the squadron.-World War I:...
, as well as receiving crews from No.3 L.F.S. and No.1653 Conversion Unit. It was equipped with Stirling Mk.III
Short Stirling
The Short Stirling was the first four-engined British heavy bomber of the Second World War. The Stirling was designed and built by Short Brothers to an Air Ministry specification from 1936, and entered service in 1941...
bombers, as part of No. 3 Group RAF
No. 3 Group RAF
Number 3 Group of the Royal Air Force was an RAF group first active in 1918, again in 1923-26, part of RAF Bomber Command from 1936 to 1967, and part of RAF Strike Command from 2000 until it disbanded on 1 April 2006.-The 1930s and World War II:...
in Bomber Command
RAF Bomber Command
RAF Bomber Command controlled the RAF's bomber forces from 1936 to 1968. During World War II the command destroyed a significant proportion of Nazi Germany's industries and many German cities, and in the 1960s stood at the peak of its postwar military power with the V bombers and a supplemental...
. The squadron carried out night raids against Germany, but was short-lived and was disbanded on 6 December 1943 at Downham Market. The aircraft went mostly to conversion units of No. 5 Group RAF
No. 5 Group RAF
No. 5 Group was a Royal Air Force bomber group of the Second World War, led during the latter part by AVM Sir Ralph Cochrane.-History:The Group was formed on 1 September 1937 with headquarters at RAF Mildenhall....
.
Commanding officers
| Date | Name | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| 18 August 1943 | W/Cdr. Wing Commander (rank) Wing commander is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries... E.J. Little, DFC Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom) The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against... |
Killed in action, 31-08-1943 |
| 6 September 1943 | W/Cdr. G.T. Wynne-Powell | Moved to 90 Sqn, 29-11-1943 |
| 29 November 1943 | W/Cdr. F.M. Milligan, AFC Air Force Cross (United Kingdom) The Air Force Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom Armed Forces, and formerly also to officers of the other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying, though not in active operations against the enemy"... |
Aircraft operated
| From | To | Aircraft | Variant |
|---|---|---|---|
| August 1943 | December 1943 | Short Stirling Short Stirling The Short Stirling was the first four-engined British heavy bomber of the Second World War. The Stirling was designed and built by Short Brothers to an Air Ministry specification from 1936, and entered service in 1941... |
Mk.III |
Some examples:
- BF568: IC-B Taken over from No. 218 Squadron RAFNo. 218 Squadron RAFNo. 218 Squadron RAF was a squadron of the Royal Air Force. It was also known as No 218 Squadron after the Governor of the Gold Coast and people of the Gold Coast officially adopted the squadron.-World War I:...
, later to No. 214 Squadron RAFNo. 214 Squadron RAF-History:No 214 Squadron was formed from No. 14 Squadron Royal Naval Air Service , itself formerly No. 7A Squadron RNAS only taking on the new number in 9 December 1917. With the creation of the RAF from the Royal Flying Corps and the RNAS on 1 April 1918 it received the number 214. It was later...
and 1651 Heavy Conversion Unit (HCU). Struck of charge 24.4.45 - BK727: IC-A Taken over from No. 218 Squadron, later to No. 214 Squadron and 1651 HCU. Struck of charge 24.4.45
- BK803: IC-S and IC-D Taken over from No. 218 Squadron, later to 1654 HCU. Crashed 30.6.44
- EE876: IC-T Taken over from No. 218 Squadron, later to 1654 HCU. Struck of charge 25.4.46
- EE966: IC-E Taken over from No. 218 Squadron, later transferred to No. 299 Squadron RAFNo. 299 Squadron RAF-History:No. 299 Squadron was formed on 4 November 1943 form 'C' flight of 297 Squadron at RAF Stoney Cross, Hampshire as a special operations squadron. It became operational in April 1944 dropping SOE agents. During the Normandy landing the squadron first delivered paratroopers, and then returned...
. Crashed 11.5.45 at Gardermoen, Norway - EF199: IC-I Went to No. 214 Squadron RAFNo. 214 Squadron RAF-History:No 214 Squadron was formed from No. 14 Squadron Royal Naval Air Service , itself formerly No. 7A Squadron RNAS only taking on the new number in 9 December 1917. With the creation of the RAF from the Royal Flying Corps and the RNAS on 1 April 1918 it received the number 214. It was later...
and later to 1651 HCU. Struck of charge 24.4.45 - EF204: IC-E Went to 1654 Conversion Unit after its service life with No. 623 Squadron, crashed 14.1.45
- EH878: IC-I Failed to return from a bombing mission to Mannheim, 6.9.43
- EH925: IC-C Failed to return from bombing mission to Berlin, 23/24.08.43. Aircraft crashed 10 km south of Zossen, crew killed. Crash site has now been discovered in local area.
- EJ121: IC-Q Went to 1654 Conversion Unit after its service life with No. 623 Squadron. Struck of charge 28.2.45
- LJ454: IC-E Failed to return from a bombing mission to Mannheim, 19.11.43
- LK387: IC-P Failed to return on 5.12.43 on a mine laying operation at the Friesian Islands
Operations
| Date | Type | Target | Despatched | DCO | Alt | DNCO | Recalled | Lost | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10/11-Aug-43 | Stirling | Nürnberg Nuremberg Nuremberg[p] is a city in the German state of Bavaria, in the administrative region of Middle Franconia. Situated on the Pegnitz river and the Rhine–Main–Danube Canal, it is located about north of Munich and is Franconia's largest city. The population is 505,664... |
4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 12/13-Aug-43 | Stirling | Turin Turin Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat... |
4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 16/17-Aug-43 | Stirling | Turin | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 23/24-Aug-43 | Stirling | Berlin Berlin Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union... |
6 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| 24/25-Aug-43 | Stirling | Gardening | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Nectarines |
| 25/26-Aug-43 | Stirling | Gardening | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Deodars |
| 26/27-Aug-43 | Stirling | Gardening | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Deodars |
| 27/28-Aug-43 | Stirling | Nürnberg | 5 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| 30/31-Aug-43 | Stirling | Mönchengladbach Mönchengladbach Mönchengladbach , formerly known as Münchengladbach, is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located west of the Rhine half way between Düsseldorf and the Dutch border.... |
5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| 31/01-Aug-43 | Stirling | Berlin | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| 02/03-Sep-43 | Stirling | Gardening | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Nectarines |
| 05/06-Sep-43 | Stirling | Mannheim Mannheim Mannheim is a city in southwestern Germany. With about 315,000 inhabitants, Mannheim is the second-largest city in the Bundesland of Baden-Württemberg, following the capital city of Stuttgart.... |
3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| 08/09-Sep-43 | Stirling | Boulogne | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 15/16-Sep-43 | Stirling | Montluçon Montluçon Montluçon is a commune in central France. It is the largest commune in the Allier department, although the department's préfecture is located in the smaller town of Moulins. Its inhabitants are known as Montluçonnais... |
3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 16/17-Sep-43 | Stirling | Modane Modane Modane is a commune in the Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in southeastern France.It was part of the Kingdom of Sardinia until 1860.-Transportation:... |
4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 22/23-Sep-43 | Stirling | Hannover | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 23/24-Sep-43 | Stirling | Mannheim | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 24/25-Sep-43 | Stirling | Gardening | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Nectarines |
| 25/26-Sep-43 | Stirling | Gardening | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | Nectarines |
| 27/28-Sep-43 | Stirling | Hannover | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 27/28-Sep-43 | Stirling | Gardening | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Nectarines |
| 02/03-Oct-43 | Stirling | Gardening | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Silverthorne |
| 03/04-Oct-43 | Stirling | Kassel Kassel Kassel is a town located on the Fulda River in northern Hesse, Germany. It is the administrative seat of the Kassel Regierungsbezirk and the Kreis of the same name and has approximately 195,000 inhabitants.- History :... |
5 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | |
| 04/05-Oct-43 | Stirling | Frankfurt am Main | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| 04/05-Oct-43 | Stirling | Gardening | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Deodars |
| 07/08-Oct-43 | Stirling | Gardening | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Nectarines 1, Silverthorne 2 |
| 08/09-Oct-43 | Stirling | Bremen Bremen The City Municipality of Bremen is a Hanseatic city in northwestern Germany. A commercial and industrial city with a major port on the river Weser, Bremen is part of the Bremen-Oldenburg metropolitan area . Bremen is the second most populous city in North Germany and tenth in Germany.Bremen is... |
4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 08/09-Oct-43 | Stirling | Gardening | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Deodars |
| 17/18-Oct-43 | Stirling | Gardening | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Nectarines |
| 20/21-Oct-43 | Stirling | Gardening | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Nectarines |
| 22/23-Oct-43 | Stirling | Gardening | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Nectarines |
| 24/25-Oct-43 | Stirling | Gardening | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Nectarines |
| 25/26-Oct-43 | Stirling | Gardening | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 03/04-Nov-43 | Stirling | Gardening | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 04/05-Nov-43 | Stirling | Gardening | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 07/08-Nov-43 | Stirling | Gardening | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | Deodars, Furze |
| 10/11-Nov-43 | Stirling | Gardening | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | La Rochelle La Rochelle La Rochelle is a city in western France and a seaport on the Bay of Biscay, a part of the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Charente-Maritime department.The city is connected to the Île de Ré by a bridge completed on 19 May 1988... |
| 18/19-Nov-43 | Stirling | Mannheim | 7 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | |
| 19/20-Nov-43 | Stirling | Leverkusen Leverkusen Leverkusen is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany on the eastern bank of the Rhine. To the South, Leverkusen borders the city of Cologne and to the North is the state capital Düsseldorf.... |
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 19/20-Nov-43 | Stirling | Gardening | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Nectarines/Cinnamon |
| 22/23-Nov-43 | Stirling | Berlin | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 25/26-Nov-43 | Stirling | Gardening | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | |
| 04/05-Dec-43 | Stirling | Gardening | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | Nectarines |
| Totals | 138 | 115 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 11 |
- Despatched - number of aircraft taking off
- DCO - Duty Carried Out
- Alt - Alternative target attacked
- DNCO - Duty Not Carried Out (sortie aborted)
- Gardening - laying anti-shipping mines in coastal waters
- Comments - code names for area where mines dropped.