No. 357 Squadron RAF
{{Short description|Defunct flying squadron of the Royal Air Force}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2015}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2015}}
{{Infobox military unit|
|unit_name= No. 357 Squadron RAF
|image=
|caption= Official squadron crest for no. 357 Squadron RAF
|dates= 1 February 1944 – 15 November 1945
|country= {{flagicon|UK}} United Kingdom
|allegiance=
|branch= 23px Royal Air Force
|type=
|role=special operations
|size=
|command_structure= No. 231 Group RAF, South East Asia Command{{Harvnb|Delve|1994|pp=77, 84.}}
|current_commander=
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|motto=Latin: Mortem hostibus
(Translation: "We bring death to the enemy"){{Harvnb|Rawlings|1982|p=204.}}{{Harvnb|Halley|1988|p=386.}}
|colors=
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|identification_symbol= A crocodile
|identification_symbol_label= Squadron Badge heraldry
|identification_symbol_2= No specific identity markings are known to have been carried{{Harvnb|Rawlings|1982|p=205.}}
|identification_symbol_2_label= Squadron Codes
}}
No. 357 Squadron was a special operations squadron of the Royal Air Force. During the Second World War it was involved in supplying Allied ground forces operating behind enemy lines, in the South-East Asian theatre.
History
The squadron was formed on 1 February 1944 at Digri, Bengal, from No. 1576 (Special Duties) Flight as an expansion of the Royal Air Force Special Duty Service. The squadron was equipped with Consolidated Liberator and Lockheed Hudson aircraft, which formed "A" Flight, whilst "B" Flight consisted of four Consolidated Catalina aircraft operated by the squadron from Red Hills Lake, Madras. The Catalina flight became No. 628 Squadron on 21 March 1944. On 15 September 1944, No. 357 Squadron moved to Jessore, Bengal. Operational flights dropping small numbers of agents and equipment into Malaya began in November 1944 using the squadrons Liberators. The flights in early 1945 were to locations in Kelatan and Perak. Later flights were reaching as far south as Batu Pahat and Kota Tinggi and covering 3,500 air miles with a flying times of over 22 hours - near the aircraft's maximum range.
Also early in 1945, the Hudsons were replaced by Douglas Dakotas, and "C" Flight was equipped with Westland Lysanders joined the squadron. The squadron disbanded on 15 November 1945.
Aircraft operated
| class="wikitable"
|+Aircraft operated by no. 357 Squadron RAF, data from{{Harvnb|Jefford|2001|p=94.}} ! From !! To !! Aircraft !! Version | |||
| February 1944 | March 1944 | Consolidated Catalina | Mk.IV |
| February 1944 | December 1944 | Lockheed Hudson | Mk.IIIa |
| February 1944 | December 1944 | Consolidated Liberator | Mk.III |
| September 1944 | October 1945 | Consolidated Liberator | Mk.VI |
| December 1944 | November 1945 | Douglas Dakaota | Mks.III, IV |
| January 1945 | March 1945 | Stinson Sentinel | |
| March 1945 | November 1945 | Westland Lysander | Mk.IIIa |
Squadron bases
| class="wikitable"
|+Bases and airfields used by no. 357 Squadron RAF, data from ! From !! To !! Base !! Remark | |||
| 1 February 1944 | 15 September 1945 | Digri, Bengal, British India | Dets. at RAF China Bay, Ceylon and RAF Redhills Lake, Madras, British India |
| 15 September 1945 | 15 November 1945 | RAF Jessore, Bengal, British India | Dets. at RAF Meiktila, Burma and RAF Mingaladon, Burma |
Commanding officers
| class="wikitable"
|+Officers commanding no. 357 Squadron RAF, data from ! From !! To !! Name | ||
| February 1944 | December 1944 | W/Cdr. J.R. Moore |
| December 1944 | July 1945 | W/Cdr. L.M. Hodges, DSO, DFC |
| July 1945 | November 1945 | W/Cdr. P.R. Gaskell, DFC |
References
=Citations=
{{Reflist|2}}
=Bibliography=
{{Refbegin}}
- {{cite book |last=Delve |first=Ken |title=The Source Book of the RAF |location= Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK |publisher=Airlife Publishing |year= 1994 |isbn=1-85310-451-5}}
- {{cite book |last=Gwynne-Timothy |first=John R.W. |title=Burma Liberators: RCAF in SEAC |location= Toronto, Ontario, Canada |publisher= Next Level Press |year= 1991 |isbn=1-895578-02-7}}
- {{cite book |last=Halley |first=James J. |title=The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth, 1918–1988 |year=1988 |location=Tonbridge, Kent, UK |publisher=Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd.|isbn=0-85130-164-9 }}
- {{cite book |last= Jefford |first= C.G. |title= RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912 |year=2001 |edition=2nd |publisher=Airlife Publishing Ltd. |location=Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK |isbn=1-85310-053-6 }}
- {{cite book |last=O'Brien |first= Terence |title=The Moonlight War: the Story of Clandestine Operations in South-East Asia, 1944-5 |location= London |publisher= Collins |year= 1987 |isbn=0-00-217803-6}}
- {{cite book |last1=Oughton |first1= James D. |first2= John |last2=Hamlin |first3= Andrew |last3=Thomas |title=The Liberator in Royal Air Force and Commonwealth Service |location= Tonbridge, Kent, UK |publisher= Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. |year= 2007 |isbn=978-0-85130-362-8}}
- {{cite book |last=Rawlings |first= John D.R. |title=Coastal, Support and Special Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft |location=London |publisher= Jane's Publishing Company Ltd. |year= 1982 |isbn=0-7106-0187-5}}
{{Refend}}
External links
- [http://www.rquirk.com/357.html No.357 Squadron history]
- [http://www.storyvault.com/video/view/working_in_the_raf_in_the_1940s1 Video Interview with a 357 Squadron Engineer]
{{RAF squadrons}}
{{Royal Air Force}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:No. 357 Squadron Raf}}
Category:Military units and formations established in 1944
Category:Aircraft squadrons of the Royal Air Force in World War II
Category:Military units and formations of Ceylon in World War II
Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1945