No. 514 Squadron

Motto: "Nil obstare potest" ("Nothing can withstand").
Badge: A cloud pierced by a sword. The design indicates the function of the squadron, i.e. its role of a GH-equipped blind-bombing squadron.
Authority: King George VI, August 1944.

No. 514 Squadron was formed at Foulsham, Norfolk, on 1st September 1943, as a heavy-bomber squadron in No. 3 Group. Beginning operations (in November 1943) with Lancaster IIs, it gradually changed over to Lancaster Is and IIIs during the summer of 1944, and, in all, over a span of 18 months, flew 3,675 operational sorties. Its personnel won 1 DSO, 84 DFCs, 1 bar to the DFC, and 26 DFMs. Immediately before the German capitulation the squadron dropped food supplies to the starving Dutch people and, subsequently, its aircraft were busily employed on ferrying liberated POWs to England from France and Belgium.

Bomber Command WWII Bases:
Formed 1.9.43 as No. 514 (Bomber) Squadron at:

• Foulsham, Norfolk : Sep 1943-Nov 1943
• Waterbeach, Cambs : Nov 1943 onwards

Bomber Command WWII Aircraft:

• Avro Lancaster B.I, B.II, B.III : Sep 1943 onwards

Code Letters:

• "JI" and - in the case of "C" Flt., which became operational in Dec 1943 - "A2"

First Operational Mission in WWII:

• 3rd/4th November 1943 : 2 Lancasters despatched to bomb Mannesman Works at Düsseldorf. 1 aircraft bombed primary & the other, unable to pin-point it, joined main attack on Düsseldorf. On same night 4 other Lancasters laid mines in Frisian Isles area.

Last Operational Mission in WWII:

• 24th April 1945 : 13 Lancasters bombed marshalling yards at Bad Oldesloe.

Last Mission before VE Day:

• 7th May 1945 : 20 Lancasters dropped supplies to Dutch at The Hague.

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