No. 619 Squadron

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No. 619 Squadron was formed at Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire, on 18th April 1943, as a heavy bomber squadron equipped with Lancasters, and during the period June 1943 to April 1945, took part in many major attacks on enemy targets. It is recorded that during a raid against the Dortmund-Ems Canal at Ladbergen on 3rd/4th March 1945, Lancaster I PD441 "B-Baker" (captain, Wing Commander SG Birch) destroyed a V1 in flight.

Another of No. 619's Lancasters - EE134 "Y-Yoke", a Mk. III, and previously a No. 49 Squadron aircraft - became a veteran of 99 operational sorties. From No. 619 Squadron it went to No. 5 Lancaster Finishing School (where it became coded "CE-O"), thence to Messrs. Rolls-Royce Ltd., at Hucknall, where it served as a power-plant fire extinguisher ground test rig.

Bomber Command WWII Bases:
Formed 18.4.43 as No. 619 (Bomber) Squadron at

• Woodhall Spa, Lincs : Apr 1943-Jan 1944
• Coningsby, Lincs : Jan 1944-Apr 1944
• Dunholme Lodge, Lincs : Apr 1944-Sep 1944
• Strubby, Lincs : Sep 1944-Jun 1945
• Skellingthorpe, Lincs : Jun 1945 onwards

Bomber Command WWII Aircraft:

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

Code Letters:

• "PG"

First Operational Mission in WWII:

• 11/12th June 1943 : 12 Lancasters despatched to bomb Düsseldorf. 10 aircraft
attacked primary target, 1 aborted owing to instrument failures & jettisoned bombs, and the other FTR.

Last Operational Mission in WWII:

• 25/26th April 1945 : 2 Lancasters laid mines in Oslo fjord off Horten &
2 more Lancasters aborted.

Last Mission before VE Day:

• 4th May 1945 : 12 Lancasters ferried ex-POWs home to UK from Belgium.