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No. 626 Squadron RAF was a heavy bomber squadron of the Royal Air Force from 1943 to 1945.

No. 626 Squadron RAF
Active	7 November 1943 – 14 October 1945
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	Royal Air Force
Type	Inactive
Role	Bomber Squadron
Base	RAF Wickenby
Motto(s)	To Strive and not to Yield[1]
Insignia
Squadron Badge heraldry	On the waves of the sea, an ancient ship, sails furled, charged on the bow with an eye[1][2]
Squadron Codes	UM (Nov 1943 – Oct 1945)[3][4]
Aircraft flown
Bomber	Avro Lancaster four-engined heavy bomber

History

The squadron was formed on 7 November 1943 at RAF Wickenby from C Flight of No. 12 Squadron.[1][2] It operated in the strategic bombing role with the Avro Lancaster. It was disbanded on 14 October 1945, having spent the last months of the war on food droppings (Operation Manna) and transport duties (Operation Exodus), repatriating former prisoners of war and bringing British troops home from Italy.[1]

First operational mission

10/11 November 1943

• 7 Lancasters bombed Modane[1]

Last operational mission

25 April 1945

• 14 Lancasters bombed Obersalzberg[1]

Last mission before V.E. day

7 May 1945

• 19 Lancasters dropped supplies to the Dutch in Rotterdam[1]

The squadron flew 2,728 sorties during the Second World War for the loss of 49 aircraft.[5]

Aircraft operated

Aircraft operated by No. 626 Squadron RAF[1][2][6]

From	To	Aircraft	Variant
November 1943	October 1945	Avro Lancaster	Mks. I & III

Squadron bases

Base used by No. 626 Squadron RAF[1][2][6]

From	To	Name
November 1943	October 1945	RAF Wickenby, Lincolnshire

Notable personnel

• Michael Bentine – Intelligence Officer[7]
• Colin Tapley – Flying Control Officer[7]
• Eric Simms – bomb-aimer[7]
• Jack Currie, Lancaster (later Mosquito) pilot, writer, broadcaster and artist

• Stewart Jacques - Flight Sergeant

See also

• List of Royal Air Force aircraft squadrons

References

Notes

Bibliography

Further reading

• Currie, Jack. Lancaster Target: The Story of a Crew Who Flew from Wickenby. Goodall Publications Ltd., 1997. ISBN 0-907579-32-9.
• Smith, Ron. Rear Gunner Pathfinder. Manchester, UK: Goodall Publications Ltd./Crécy, 1998. ISBN 0-907579-27-2.
• Ward, Cris. Royal Air Force Bomber Command Squadron Profiles, Number 122: 626 Squadron, "To Strive and Not to Yield". Berkshire, UK: Ward Publishing, 1998.
• West, Dennis. To Strive and Not to Yield: No. 626 Squadron and the Battle of Berlin . Woodfield Publishing, 2002. ISBN 1-873203-95-0.

External links

• Tom Bint – 626 Squadron & RAF Wickenby
• 626 Squadron on RAF website
• History of No.'s 621–650 Squadrons at RAF Web

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