No. 353 Squadron RAF

No. 353 Squadron RAF
Official Squadron crest for no. 353 Squadron RAF
Active1 June 1942 – 1 October 1946
CountryUnited Kingdom United Kingdom
Branch Royal Air Force
Part ofNo. 221 Group RAF, Air Command, South East Asia[1]
No. 229 Group RAF, ACSEA[2]
Motto(s)Fear naught in unity[3][4]
Insignia
Squadron Badge heraldryA Bengal Tiger rampant[3][4]
Squadron CodesNo identity markings are known to have been carried[3]

No. 353 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force squadron, active during World War II carrying out maritime patrol and transport tasks.

History

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No. 353 Squadron was formed on 1 June 1942 at RAF Dum Dum, British India from 62 Squadron RAF and 103 (Coast Defence) Flight, Indian Air Force. The squadron was engaged in coastal patrols over the Bay of Bengal equipped with Lockheed Hudson, an American a light bomber and coastal reconnaissance aircraft. In August 1943 the squadron moved to Palam and was assigned to transport duties. From 1944 onwards the squadron re-equipped with Douglas Dakota, an American military transport aircraft and also operated a number of Avro Anson, a British twin-engine multi-role aircraft, which were replaced with Beech Expeditor twin-engine light aircraft in January 1945. The squadron became fully Dakota equipped by April 1945, but disbanded at RAF Mauripur on 1 October 1946.

Aircraft operated

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Aircraft operated by no 353 Squadron RAF, data from[3][4][5]
From To Aircraft Version
June 1942 October 1944 Lockheed Hudson Mk.III
October 1944 October 1944 Lockheed Hudson Mk.VI
April 1944 September 1945 Douglas Dakota Mk.I
April 1944 October 1946 Douglas Dakota Mks.III, IV
August 1944 January 1945 Avro Anson Mks.I, X, XII
November 1944 March 1945 Vickers Warwick Mk.III
January 1945 July 1945 Beechcraft Expeditor Mk.II

Squadron bases

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Bases and airfields used by no 353 Squadron RAF, data from[3][4][5][6]
From To Base Remark
1 June 1942 24 February 1943 RAF Dum Dum, Bengal Det. at RAF Cuttack, Orissa
24 February 1943 2 April 1943 RAF Dhubalia, Bengal Det. at RAF Jessore, Bengal
2 April 1943 24 August 1943 RAF Tanjore, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu Det. at St Thomas Mount, Madras, Tamil Nadu
24 August 1943 1 May 1946 RAF Palam, Delhi Dets. at Dum Dum (renumbered to 52 Squadron on 1 July 1944) and Jiwani, Balochistan
1 May 1946 1 October 1946 RAF Mauripur, Sindh Disbanded here

Commanding officers

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Officers commanding no. 353 Squadron RAF, data from[3]
From To Name
1 June 1942 1 July 1944 W/Cdr. L.G.W. Lilly
1 July 1944 February 1945 W/Cdr. C.E. Slee, MVO, AFC
February 1945 March 1945 S/Ldr. F.M. Biddulph
March 1945 October 1945 W/cdr. A.M. Harding, DFC
October 1945 1 October 1946 W/Cdr. P.B. Wood

References

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Notes

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  1. ^ Delve 1994, p. 68.
  2. ^ Delve 1994, pp. 77, 84.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Rawlings 1982, p. 203.
  4. ^ a b c d Halley 1988, p. 383.
  5. ^ a b Jefford 2001, p. 90.
  6. ^ Jefford 2001, pp. 266–271.

Bibliography

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  • Delve, Ken (1994). The Source Book of the RAF. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing. ISBN 1-85310-451-5.
  • Halley, James J. (1988). The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth, 1918–1988. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. ISBN 0-85130-164-9.
  • Jefford, C.G. (2001). RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912 (2nd ed.). Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing Ltd. ISBN 1-85310-053-6.
  • Rawlings, John D.R. (1982). Coastal, Support and Special Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Jane's Publishing Company Ltd. ISBN 0-7106-0187-5.
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