Paratroopers dropping out of a 295 Sqn Whitley, October 1942
No. 295 Squadron was formed on 3 August 1942 at RAF Netheravon as an airborne forces unit, equipped with Whitley Mk.Vs. These were from November 1942 used in leaflet dropping missions over France, supplemented in February 1943 with Halifax Mk.Vs, which they used in Operation Beggar. By October 1943 the squadron converted to the Albemarle Mk.I. With these aircraft the squadron shared – with 570 Sqn. – the honour of being the first to drop troops over Normandy on the eve of D-Day, while other aircraft of the squadron towed gliders to the landing zones. The Albemarles gave way in July 1944 to the Stirling Mk.IV. The squadron used these aircraft during the Battle of Arnhem during Operation Market Garden, again towing gliders.
An example of the Armstrong Whitworth Albemarle as used by No 295 Sqn
In early October 1944, Short Stirlings of the RAF's No 295 Squadron took up residence at RAF Rivenhall, with most of its operations consisting of supply drops to Norwegian resistance forces and similar activities over the Netherlands and Denmark. The last assault action with the Stirlings was on 24 March 1945, when the unit took part in Operation Varsity, the crossing of the Rhine. The Stirlings further provided service carrying troops to Norway to disarm the Germans there when the war was over. The squadron was disbanded at Rivenhall on 14 January 1946.[8][9]
A Short Stirling bomber taking off from RAF Harwell, Oxfordshire with a Horsa glider in tow for Operation Market Garden, 17 September 1944
With Transport Commandedit
On 21 January 1946 190 squadron was renumbered to 295 squadron as a Transport Squadron (Rawlings claims 1 February, and does not mention the renumbering[1]), flying Halifaxes of the A.7 type. It was soon disbanded however, on 1 April 1946 at RAF Tarrant Rushton, the same airfield where it had been reformed and renumbered to No. 297 Squadron RAF
With the Airborne Forces againedit
The squadron was reformed again as an airborne forces squadron on 10 September 1947 at RAF Fairford, again flying Halifaxes, but now the A.9 type. After a little more than a year it disbanded again, at Fairford on 1 October 1948.[9][8]
Aircraft operatededit
Aircraft operated by no. 295 Squadron RAF – data from[1][2]
Bowyer, Michael J.F.; Rawlings, John D.R. (1979). Squadron Codes, 1937–56. Cambridge, UK: Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN0-85059-364-6.
Flintham, Vic; Thomas, Andrew (2003). Combat Codes: A Full Explanation and Listing of British, Commonwealth and Allied Air Force Unit Codes since 1938. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing Ltd. ISBN1-84037-281-8.
Halley, James J. (1988). The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth, 1918–1988. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. ISBN0-85130-164-9.
Jefford, C.G. (2001). RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912 (2nd ed.). Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing Ltd. ISBN1-85310-053-6.
Rawlings, John D.R. (1982). Coastal, Support and Special Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Jane's Publishing Company Ltd. ISBN0-7106-0187-5.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to No. 295 Squadron RAF.
Site with pages for all squadron of No 38 Group RAF
Squadron history on MOD site
January 01, 1970
squadron, squadron, airborne, forces, transport, squadron, royal, force, during, world, first, unit, equipped, with, armstrong, whitworth, albemarle, transport, glider, aircraft, active3, august, 1942, january, 1946, january, 1946, march, 1946, september, 1947. No 295 Squadron RAF was an airborne forces and transport squadron of the Royal Air Force during World War II It was the first unit to be equipped with the Armstrong Whitworth Albemarle transport and glider tug aircraft No 295 Squadron RAFActive3 August 1942 21 January 1946 21 January 1946 31 March 1946 10 September 1947 31 October 1948CountryUnited KingdomBranchRoyal Air ForceRoleAirborne forces and TransportPart ofNo 38 Group RAFMotto s Latin In caelo auxilium Translation Aid from the skies 1 2 InsigniaSquadron Badge heraldryA hand manacled and couped at the wrist holding a sword in its scabbard in bend sinister 1 2 Squadron CodesPX Aug 1942 Nov 1943 3 8Z Nov 1943 Jan 1946 A Flt 4 5 8E Feb 1944 Jan 1946 B Flt 6 7 Contents 1 History 1 1 With the Airborne Forces 1 2 With Transport Command 1 3 With the Airborne Forces again 2 Aircraft operated 3 Squadron airfields 4 Commanding officers 5 References 5 1 Notes 5 2 Bibliography 6 External linksHistory editWith the Airborne Forces edit nbsp Paratroopers dropping out of a 295 Sqn Whitley October 1942 No 295 Squadron was formed on 3 August 1942 at RAF Netheravon as an airborne forces unit equipped with Whitley Mk Vs These were from November 1942 used in leaflet dropping missions over France supplemented in February 1943 with Halifax Mk Vs which they used in Operation Beggar By October 1943 the squadron converted to the Albemarle Mk I With these aircraft the squadron shared with 570 Sqn the honour of being the first to drop troops over Normandy on the eve of D Day while other aircraft of the squadron towed gliders to the landing zones The Albemarles gave way in July 1944 to the Stirling Mk IV The squadron used these aircraft during the Battle of Arnhem during Operation Market Garden again towing gliders nbsp An example of the Armstrong Whitworth Albemarle as used by No 295 Sqn In early October 1944 Short Stirlings of the RAF s No 295 Squadron took up residence at RAF Rivenhall with most of its operations consisting of supply drops to Norwegian resistance forces and similar activities over the Netherlands and Denmark The last assault action with the Stirlings was on 24 March 1945 when the unit took part in Operation Varsity the crossing of the Rhine The Stirlings further provided service carrying troops to Norway to disarm the Germans there when the war was over The squadron was disbanded at Rivenhall on 14 January 1946 8 9 nbsp A Short Stirling bomber taking off from RAF Harwell Oxfordshire with a Horsa glider in tow for Operation Market Garden 17 September 1944 With Transport Command edit On 21 January 1946 190 squadron was renumbered to 295 squadron as a Transport Squadron Rawlings claims 1 February and does not mention the renumbering 1 flying Halifaxes of the A 7 type It was soon disbanded however on 1 April 1946 at RAF Tarrant Rushton the same airfield where it had been reformed and renumbered to No 297 Squadron RAF With the Airborne Forces again edit The squadron was reformed again as an airborne forces squadron on 10 September 1947 at RAF Fairford again flying Halifaxes but now the A 9 type After a little more than a year it disbanded again at Fairford on 1 October 1948 9 8 Aircraft operated editAircraft operated by no 295 Squadron RAF data from 1 2 From To Aircraft Variant August 1942 November 1943 Armstrong Whitworth Whitley Mk V February 1943 November 1943 Handley Page Halifax Mk V October 1943 July 1944 Armstrong Whitworth Albemarle Mk I November 1943 July 1944 Armstrong Whitworth Albemarle Mk I April 1944 July 1944 Armstrong Whitworth Albemarle Mk V June 1944 January 1946 Short Stirling Mk IV January 1946 March 1946 Handley Page Halifax A 7 September 1947 October 1948 Handley Page Halifax A 9Squadron airfields editAirfields used by No 295 Squadron RAF data from 1 2 From To Station Remark 3 August 1942 1 May 1943 RAF Netheravon Wiltshire Det at RAF Hurn Dorset 1 May 1943 30 June 1943 RAF Holmsley South Hampshire 30 June 1943 15 March 1944 RAF Hurn Dorset 15 March 1944 11 October 1944 RAF Harwell then Berkshire Det at RAF Ayr Ayrshire Scotland 11 October 1944 21 January 1946 RAF Rivenhall Essex 21 January 1946 1 April 1946 RAF Tarrant Rushton Dorset 10 September 1947 1 October 1948 RAF Fairford GloucestershireCommanding officers editOfficers Commanding No 295 squadron RAF data from 1 9 From To Name 3 August 1942 29 August 1942 Sqn Ldr A B Wilkinson DFC US Acting 29 August 1942 1 January 1943 Wg Cdr G P Marvin 1 January 1943 19 February 1943 Wing Commander P V M Lysaght acting KIA Saumur France 19 February 1943 March 1943 Squadron Leader L C Bartram acting March 1943 14 September 1944 Wing Commander B R Macnamara OPW2 USSR 14 September 1944 November 1945 Wing Commander H E Pluto Angell DFC November 1945 14 January 1946 Wing Commander R N StidolphReferences editNotes edit a b c d e f Rawlings 1982 p 194 a b c d Halley 1988 p 352 Flintham amp Thomas 2003 p 98 Bowyer amp Rawlings 1979 p 124 Flintham amp Thomas 2003 p 61 Bowyer amp Rawlings 1979 p 39 Flintham amp Thomas 2003 p 60 a b Operational Record Book of 295 Squadron a b c 295 Squadron 38 Group History Bibliography edit Bowyer Michael J F Rawlings John D R 1979 Squadron Codes 1937 56 Cambridge UK Patrick Stephens Ltd ISBN 0 85059 364 6 Flintham Vic Thomas Andrew 2003 Combat Codes A Full Explanation and Listing of British Commonwealth and Allied Air Force Unit Codes since 1938 Shrewsbury Shropshire UK Airlife Publishing Ltd ISBN 1 84037 281 8 Halley James J 1988 The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force amp Commonwealth 1918 1988 Tonbridge Kent UK Air Britain Historians Ltd ISBN 0 85130 164 9 Jefford C G 2001 RAF Squadrons a Comprehensive record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912 2nd ed Shrewsbury Shropshire UK Airlife Publishing Ltd ISBN 1 85310 053 6 Rawlings John D R 1982 Coastal Support and Special Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft London Jane s Publishing Company Ltd ISBN 0 7106 0187 5 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to No 295 Squadron RAF Site with pages for all squadron of No 38 Group RAF Squadron history on MOD site Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title No 295 Squadron RAF amp oldid 1140307330, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
