No. 298 Squadron RAF

No. 298 Squadron was a Royal Air Force special operations squadron during the Second World War. Later in that war it changed to the transport role, disbanding after the end of the hostilities.

No. 298 Squadron RAF
Active24 Aug 1942 – 19 Oct 1942
4 Nov 1943 – 21 Dec 1946
Country United Kingdom
Branch Royal Air Force
RoleSpecial Operations
Transport
Part ofNo. 38 Group RAF
Motto(s)Silent We Strike[1][2]
Insignia
Squadron Badge heraldryA hand holding a dagger in bend sinister thrusting to the dexter[1][2]
Squadron Codes8A (May 1944 – Jun 1945; 'A' Flt)[3][4]
8T (May 1944 – Jun 1945; 'B' Flt)[5][6]

History

Formation

No. 298 Squadron was formed on 24 August 1942 at RAF Thruxton from a nucleus of 297 Squadron as a special operations squadron, equipped with the Armstrong Whitworth Whitley. The squadron was however not required for operations, so the formation was suspended and the squadron was disbanded on 19 October 1942.[7]

Gliders and Special Operations
Operation Varsity. General Aircraft Hamilcars and Airspeed Horsas, flanked by Handley Page Halifax A Mark VII glider tugs of Nos. 298 and 644 Squadrons RAF, lined up and ready for take-off at RAF Woodbridge, Suffolk, March 1945

The squadron was re-formed on 4 November 1943 at RAF Tarrant Rushton, from 'A' Flight of 295 Squadron, with the Handley Page Halifax. It trained to air-tow the big General Aircraft Hamilcar glider, but began operations in February 1944 in its original role, dropping SOE agents. On 16 March 1944 298 Squadrons 'C' Flight split off, to form 644 squadron.

During the Normandy landing the squadron air-towed both the Airspeed Horsas and the Hamilcars to landing-zones around the beach head. An unusual operation involved parachuting jeeps which had been carried underneath the Halifax. The squadron then returned again to SOE duties. In between the SOE duties the squadron air-towed Hamilcar and Horsa gliders for the Arnhem landing (Operation Market Garden). The squadron moved in March 1945 to RAF Woodbridge, England to air-tow gliders for the Rhine crossing (Operation Varsity). After Operation Varsity the squadron flew normal supply and transport duties.

Transport in British India

In July 1945 the squadron moved to Raipur, British India to provide transport support to the Army. In March 1946 the squadron was involved in rice-dropping sorties from Meiktila, Burma to the starving population in the jungle areas. The squadron disbanded at Mauripur, Sindh, British India (Now Pakistan Air Force Base Masroor) on 21 December[2][7] or 30 December 1946.[1]

Aircraft operated
Aircraft operated by no. 298 Squadron RAF, data from[2][7][8]
FromToAircraftVersion
August 1942October 1942Armstrong Whitworth WhitleyMk.V
November 1943November 1944Handley Page HalifaxMk.V
September 1944July 1945Handley Page HalifaxMk.III
March 1945December 1946Handley Page HalifaxA.7

Squadron bases
Bases and airfields used by no. 298 Squadron RAF, data from[1][2][7]
FromToBaseRemark
24 August 194219 October 1942RAF Thruxton, Hampshire
4 November 194321 March 1945RAF Tarrant Rushton, Dorset
21 March 194524 March 1945RAF Woodbridge, Suffolk
24 March 19455 July 1945RAF Tarrant Rushton, Dorset
5 July 194515 July 1945en route to British India
15 July 19459 December 1945RAF Raipur, Chhattisgarh, British IndiaDets. at RAF Akyab, Burma and RAF Alipore, Bengal, British India
9 December 194520 May 1946RAF Digri, Sindh, British IndiaDets. at RAF Negombo, Ceylon; RAF Meiktila, Burma and RAF Chaklala, Punjab, British India
20 May 194624 July 1946RAF Baroda, Gujarat, British India
24 July 194621 December 1946RAF Mauripur, Sindh, British IndiaDet. at RAF Risalpur, North-West Frontier Province, British India

Commanding officers
Officers commanding no. 298 Squadron RAF, data from[9][10]
FromToName
24 August 194219 October 1942S/Ldr. L.C. Bartram
4 November 19434 December 1943S/Ldr. Buster Briggs
4 December 1943January 1945W/Cdr. D.H. Duder, DSO, DFC
January 194517 April 1945W/Cdr. Law-Wright, DSC, DFC
17 April 19451945W/Cdr. J. Stewart, DFC
1945January 1946W/Cdr. A.G. Norman, DFC
January 194621 December 1946W/Cdr. W.G. Gardiner, DFC, AFC

See also

References

Notes
  1. Rawlings 1982, p. 196.
  2. Halley 1988, p. 354.
  3. Bowyer & Rawlings 1979, p. 21.
  4. Flintham & Thomas 2003, p. 60.
  5. Bowyer & Rawlings 1979, p. 100.
  6. Flintham & Thomas 2003, p. 61.
  7. Jefford 2001, p. 86.
  8. Rawlings 1982, pp. 196–197.
  9. Rawlings 1982, p. 197.
  10. "298 Squadron, 38 Group : History". Raf38group.org. Retrieved 13 November 2011.

Bibliography
  • Bowyer, Michael J.F.; Rawlings, John D.R. (1979). Squadron Codes, 1937–56. Cambridge, UK: Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN 0-85059-364-6.
  • Delve, Ken (1994). The Source Book of the RAF. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing. ISBN 1-85310-451-5.
  • 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 & 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.
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