The Bomber Command Order of Battle

March 1943

 

The codes in the last two columns can be translated thus:-

"S.E." - The nominal amount of aircraft allotted to that squadron by HQ Bomber Command. In 1943 this generally consisted of two numbers - the nominal establishment plus a figure for the number of "spare" aircraft allocated to the squadron to replace the inevitable losses. For example, for 12 Squadron, the S.E. total is 16+2, which indicates a squadron allocation of 16 aircraft, and 2 spares.

"A.E." - The actual number of aircraft held on charge by that squadron.

1 Group. Headquarters - Bawtry Hall, Bawtry, Yorkshire.

SQN

AIRFIELD

AIRCRAFT TYPE OPERATED

S.E.

A.E.

12

Wickenby

Lancaster

Wellington Mk.II

16+2 (All types)

19 Lancs

1 Well.

100

Grimsby

Lancaster

16+2

19

101

Holme-on-Spalding Moor

Lancaster

16+2

20

103

Elsham Wolds

Lancaster

Halifax

16+2 (All types)

18 Lancs

1 Halifax

166

Kirmington

Wellington Mks.III and X

16+2

18 (III) & 4(X)

199

Ingham

Wellington Mks.III and X

16+2

15 (III) & 6 (X)

300 (Polish)

Hemswell

Wellington Mks.III and X

10+2

12 (III) & 2 (X)

301 (Polish)

Hemswell

Wellington Mk.IV

10+2

12

305 (Polish)

Hemswell

Wellington Mk.IV

10+2

11

460 (RAAF)

Breighton

Lancaster

16+2

20

2 Group. Headquarters - Castlewood House, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire.

SQN

AIRFIELD

AIRCRAFT TYPE OPERATED

S.E.

A.E

21

Methwold

Ventura

16+2

19

88

Oulton

Boston Mk.III

16+2

14

98

Foulsham

Mitchell B-25

16+2

19

105

Marham

Mosquito

16+2

16

107

Great Massingham

Boston Mk.III

16+2

5

139

Marham

Mosquito

Blenheim Mk.V

16+2 (All types)

19

4

180

Foulsham

Mitchell B-25

16+2

19

226

Swanton Morley

Boston Mk.III

16+2

14

464 (RAAF)

Feltwell

Ventura

16+2

18

487 (RNZAF)

Feltwell

Ventura

16+2

17

3 Group. Headquarters - Exning, Suffolk.

SQN

AIRFIELD

AIRCRAFT TYPE OPERATED

S.E.

A.E.

15

Bourn

Stirling

24+3

27

75

Newmarket

Stirling

16+2

16

90

Ridgewell

Stirling

16+2

20

115

East Wretham

Wellington

Lancaster

16+2 (All types)

8

13

138 (Special Duties)

Tempsford

Halifax

15+2

13

149

Lakenheath

Stirling

16+2

16

161 (Special Duties)

Tempsford

Lysander

Halifax
Hudson
Havoc
Albemarle Hudson
Cygnet

7+0

5+0
1+0
2+0
2+0
1+0

8

5
0
2
2
N/K

192 (Special Duties)

Gransden Lodge

Halifax

Wellington Mk.X
Mosquito
Wellington Mk.IC

1+1

8+3
3+0
N/K

2

8
4
2

214

Chedburgh

Stirling

16+2

15

218

Downham Market

Stirling

24+3

24

4 Group. Headquarters - Heslington Hall, York.

SQN

AIRFIELD

AIRCRAFT TYPE OPERATED

S.E.

A.E.

10

Melbourne

Halifax

16+2

22

51

Snaith

Halifax and Whitley

24+3 (All types)

22 Halifax 2 Whitley

76

Linton-on-Ouse

Halifax

16+2

17

77

Elvington

Halifax and Whitley

16+2 (All types)

18 Halifax 1 Whitley

78

Linton-on-Ouse

Halifax

16+2

18

102

Pocklington

Halifax

16+2

18

158

Rufforth

Halifax and Wellington Mk.II

24+3

23 Halifax 1 Well.

196

Leconfield

Wellington Mk.X

16+2

17

429 (RCAF)

East Moor

Wellington Mks.III and X

16+2

11 (III) & 3 (X)

431 (RCAF)

Burn

Wellington Mk.X

16+2

20

466 (RAAF)

Leconfield

Wellingtom Mk.X

16+2

20

5 Group. Headquarters - St. Vincents, Grantham, Nottinghamshire.

SQN

AIRFIELD

AIRCRAFT TYPE OPERATED

S.E.

A.E.

9

Waddington

Lancaster

16+2

17

44

Waddington

Lancaster

16+2

17

49

Fiskerton

Lancaster

16+2

18

50

Skellingthorpe

Lancaster

16+2

16

57

Scampton

Lancaster

16+2

17

61

Syerston

Lancaster

16+2

18

97

Woodhall Spa

Lancaster

16+2

20

106

Syerston

Lancaster

16+2

17

207

Langar

Lancaster

16+2

18

467 (RAAF)

Bottesford

Lancaster

16+2

18

6 Group. Headquarters - Allerton Park, Knaresborough, Yorkshire.

All squadrons within 6 Group were part of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF).

SQN

AIRFIELD

AIRCRAFT TYPE OPERATED

S.E.

A.E.

405

Topcliffe

Halifax

16+2

21

408

Leeming

Halifax

16+2

18

419

Middleton St. George

Halifax

16+2

18

420

Middleton St. George

Wellington Mks.III and X

16+2

10 (III) & 8 (X)

424

Topcliffe

Wellington Mks.III and X

16+2

10 (III) & 8 (X)

425

Dishforth

Wellington Mk.III

16+2

17

426

Dishforth

Wellington Mks.III and X

16+2

17 (III) & 2 (X)

427

Croft

Wellington Mks.III and X

16+2

11 (III) & 4 (X)

428

Dalton

Wellington Mks.III and X

16+2

12 (III) & 6 (X)

8 Group. Headquarters - Wyton, Cambridgeshire.

SQN

AIRFIELD

AIRCRAFT TYPE OPERATED

S.E.

A.E.

7

Oakington

Stirling

24+3

23

35

Gravely

Halifax

24+3

24

83

Wyton

Lancaster

16+2

18

109

Wyton

Mosquito and Wellington Mk.IC

18+3 (All types)

22 Moss. 1 Well.

156

Warboys

Lancaster and Wellington Mk.III

16+2 (All types)

18 Lanc & 1 Well.
Please click here to return to the Bomber Command Order of Battle page

Please click here to return to the Bombers Page

Please click here to return to our homepage