No. 103 Squadron

Motto: "Noli me tangere" ("Touch me not").
Badge: A swan, wings elevated and addorsed. A swan was chosen because it is very strong on the wing and well able to defend itself.
Authority: King George VI, December 1937.

No 103 Squadron, RFC, was formed at Beaulieu, Hampshire, on 1st September 1917, and in the following year was employed on day-bombing and reconnaissance on the Western Front with DH9 aircraft. Disbanded in 1919 it was re-formed in August 1936, as No 103 (Bomber) Squadron with Hawker Hinds. During the Second World War No 103 Squadron made short-range day- and night-bombing attacks with Fairey Battles (including attacks on the Meuse bridges and the "invasion ports") and longer-range attacks with Wellingtons, then Halifaxes and, finally, Lancasters. In August 1943, it contributed 24 Lancasters to the force of 600-odd Bomber Command "heavies" which was sent to make the first-ever raid on the German V-weapons experimental station at Peenemunde. The most distinguished Lancaster of them all, Lancaster III ED888 "M2" ("Mike Squared"), was resident for part of it's career with No. 103 Squadron. The aircraft made its first operational sortie - to Dortmund on 4/5th May 1943, and on retirement in December 1944, had logged 140 trips (the first 66 with No 103 Squadron, then 65 with No 576 Squadron and then 9 more with No 103 Squadron) totalling 974 operational hours. This was a Bomber Command record and it is sad to reflect that "Mike Squared" was not selected for preservation after the war.¹

1. After languishing at a maintenance unit for several months, "M2" was reduced to scrap in or about January 1947.

Bomber Command WWII Bases:

• Benson : Apr 1939-Sep 1939
• Challerange, France : Sep 1939-Nov 1939
• Plivot, France : Nov 1939-Feb 1940
• Bétheniville, France : Feb 1940-May 1940
• St. Lucien Ferme, France : May 1940-Jun 1940
• Ozouen-le-Doyen, France : Jun 1940
• Souge, France (air echelon) : Jun 1940
• Honington : Jun 1940-Jul 1940
• Newton : Jul 1940-Jul 1941
• Elsham Wolds : Jul 1941 onwards

Bomber Command WWII Aircraft:

• Fairey Battle : late I938-Oct 1940
• Vickers Wellington IC : Oct 1940-Jul 1942
• Handley Page Halifax B.II : Jul 1942-Oct 1942
• Avro Lancaster B.I and B.III : Oct 1942 onwards

Code Letters:

• During the 1938 Munich crisis No 103 was allotted the code letters "GV". In WW2 the sqdn's a/c were coded "PM".

First Operational Mission in WWII:

• 17th September 1939 : Reconnaissance of Franco-German frontier between Bouzonville & Lauterbourg by 3 Battles.

First Bombing Mission in WWII:

• 10th May 1940 : 4 Battles despatched to bomb German troops advancing through Luxembourg. 1 a/c returned (after having attacked target) & other 3 FTR.

Last Operational Mission in WWII:

• 25th April 1945 : 16 Lancasters bombed SS barracks at Berchtesgaden.

Last Mission before VE Day:

• 7th May 1945 : 19 Lancasters dropped supplies to Dutch at Rotterdam.

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