No. 627 Squadron

Motto: "At first sight".
Badge: A hawk diving, holding in the beak a firebrand. The badge symbolises two of the unit's wartime functions - high-level bombing and target marking for the main heavy bomber force.
Authority: King George VI, March 1945.

No. 627 Squadron was formed at Oakington, Cambridgeshire, on 12th November 1943, as a Mosquito light-bomber unit and during the rest of the European War took part in many major raids. At first it flew with No. 8 Group (the Pathfinder Force) but in April 1944, not long after the Battle of Berlin had ended, it was attached to No. 5 Group and re-located at Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire. It remained with No. 5 Group until victory had been won and during this period figured in such notable attacks as those against Munich on 24/25th April 1944; the Gestapo Headquarters at Oslo on 31St December 1944; and Wesel on 23rd/24th March 1945, just before the crossing of the Rhine. Its duties with No. 5 Group included, in addition to bombing and target marking, Window-dropping, minelaying (in German canals, but only on a very few occasions) and photographic reconnaissance.

It was while flying on operations in a Mosquito of No. 627 Squadron1 on 19/20th September 1944, that Wing Commander Guy Gibson, VC, met his death. He had acted as Master Bomber in a raid on Rheydt near the Ruhr (he was Base Operations Officer, No. 54 Base at the time and had volunteered for this mission), and his aircraft crashed in Holland on the return journey killing both himself and his navigator. Both men were subsequently buried by the Germans in an un-numbered communal grave seven miles from Bergen-op-Zoom.

Bomber Command WWII Bases:
Formed 12.11.43. Main nucleus-posted in during next few days-comprised one fit. of No. 139 (Jamaica) Squadron at

• Oakington, Cambs : Nov 1943-Apr 1944
• Woodhall Spa, Lincs : Apr 1944 onwards

Bomber Command WWII Aircraft:

• de Havilland Mosquito B.IV, B.IX, B.XVI, B.XX, B.XXV : Nov 1943 onwards

Code Letters:

• "AZ"

First Operational Mission in WWII:

• 24th/25th November 1943 : 1 Mosquito bombed Berlin & 2 more aborted.

Last Operational Mission in WWII:

• 25/26th April 1945 : 10 Mosquitos despatched against oil refinery & tankerage at Vallo (Tonsberg).

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