No. 358 Squadron RAF

No. 358 Squadron RAF was a Bomber and Special duties squadron of the Royal Air Force flying with South East Asia Command from 1944 to 1945.

No. 358 Squadron RAF
Squadron badge for No. 358 Squadron RAF
Active8 November 1944 – 19 November 1945
CountryUnited Kingdom United Kingdom
Branch Royal Air Force
RoleBomber squadron
Special duties
Part ofNo. 231 Group RAF, South East Asia Command[1]
Motto(s)Latin: Alere flammam
(Translation: "To feed the flame")[2][3]
Insignia
Squadron Badge heraldryAn arm embowed, holding in the hand a torch[3]
The torch represents the spirit of freedom and the arm upholding it the role played by the squadron[2]
Squadron CodesTA (Nov 1944 – Dec 1944)[4][5]
Aircraft flown
BomberConsolidated Liberator
TrainerVickers Wellington

History

The squadron was formed on 8 November 1944 at Kolar, India with personnel of the disbanded 1673 Heavy Conversion Unit. Its role was as a heavy bomber unit flying the Consolidated Liberator. The squadron performed only one bombing mission on 13 January 1945, bombing Mandalay and by then flying from Digri. Thereafter the squadron role changed to a special duties squadron,[2][3] starting operations as such in the night from 22 to 23 January 1945,[2][3] when 11 of the squadron's Liberators were dispatched on missions around Hanoi. Three aircraft were lost, with only two successfully completing their missions.[6] On 10 February 1945 the squadron moved to Jessore. For the rest of the war the squadron dropped agents and supplies to resistance groups in Japanese-held territory. After the Japanese surrender the squadron then dropped supplies to POW camps and repatriated released prisoners. It was disbanded on 21 November 1945 at Bishnupur.[3]

Aircraft operated
Aircraft operated by no. 358 Squadron RAF, data from[2][7][8]
FromToAircraftVersion
November 1944December 1944Vickers WellingtonMk.X
December 1944November 1945Consolidated LiberatorMk.VI

Squadron bases
Bases and airfields used by no. 358 Squadron RAF, data from[2][7][8][9]
FromToBase
8 November 19443 January 1945RAF Kolar, Karnataka, British India
3 January 194510 February 1945RAF Digri, Bengal, British India
10 February 194519 November 1945RAF Jessore, Bengal, British India
19 November 194521 November 1945RAF Bishnupur, Bengal, British India

See also

References

Citations
  1. Delve 1994, p. 84.
  2. Moyes 1976, p. 234.
  3. Halley 1988, p. 386.
  4. Bowyer & Rawlings 1979, p. 96.
  5. Flintham & Thomas 2003, p. 107.
  6. Nicholas 2021, p. 37
  7. Halley 1988, p. 387.
  8. Jefford 2001, p. 90.
  9. Jefford 2001, pp. 268–271.

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.
  • Gwynne-Timothy, John R.W. (1991). Burma Liberators: RCAF in SEAC. Toronto, Ontario, Canada: Next Level Press. ISBN 1-895578-02-7.
  • 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.
  • Moyes, Philip J.R. (1976). Bomber Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Macdonald and Jane's (Publishers) Ltd. ISBN 0-354-01027-1.
  • Nicholas, David (August 2021). "Jungle Lifeline". Aeroplane. Vol. 49, no. 8. pp. 36–40. ISSN 0143-7240.
  • Oughton, James D.; Hamlin, John; Thomas, Andrew (2007). The Liberator in Royal Air Force and Commonwealth Service. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. ISBN 978-0-85130-362-8.
  • Shores, Christopher (2005). Air War For Burma: The Allied Air Forces Fight Back in South-East Asia. London: Grub Street. ISBN 1-904010-95-4.
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