No. 626 Squadron

Motto: "To strive and not to yield."
Badge: On the waves of the sea, an ancient ship, sails furled, charged on the bow with an eye. The ship with its seven oars represents the crew of a Lancaster bomber. It is intended to be that of Ulysses and symbolises the aircraft which, like the ship, makes its journey's in spite of difficulties. The motto is taken from the last tine of Lord Tennyson's Ulysses and is appropriate/or any bomber operation.
Authority: King George VI, October 1944.

No. 626 Squadron was formed at Wickenby, Lincolnshire, on 7th November 1943, as a heavy-bomber unit equipped with Lancaster Is and IIIs. It formed part of No. 1 Group and between November 1943 and April 1945, took part in many major raids on enemy targets.

Following its final bombing mission it helped to drop food supplies to liberated Holland, repatriate British ex-POWs to Great Britain and bring British troops home from Italy.

Bomber Command WWII Bases:
Formed 7.11.43 as No. 626 (Bomber) Squadron from "C" Flt of No.12 (Bomber) Squadron

• Wickenby, Lincs : Nov 1943 onwards

Bomber Command WWII Aircraft:

• Avro Lancaster B.I, B.III : Nov 1943 onwards

Code Letters:

• "UM"

First Operational Mission in WWII:

• 10/11th November 1943 : 7 Lancasters bombed Modane.

First Bombing Mission in WWII:

Last Operational Mission in WWII:

• 25th April 1945 : 14 Lancasters bombed Berchtesgaden.

Last Mission before VE Day:

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

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