No. 298 Squadron RAF

No. 298 Squadron RAF
Active	24 Aug 1942 - 19 Oct 1942 4 Nov 1943 - 21 Dec 1946
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	Royal Air Force
Role	Special Operations Transport
Part of	No. 38 Group RAF
Motto	Silent We Strike[1][2]
Insignia
Squadron Badge heraldry	A hand holding a dagger in bend sinister thrusting to the dexter[1][2]
Squadron Codes	8A (May 1944 - Jun 1945; 'A' Flt)[3][4] 8T (May 1944 - Jun 1945; 'B' Flt)[5][6]

No. 298 Squadron was a Royal Air Force special operations squadron during the second world war. Later in that war it changed to the transport role, disbanding after the end of the hostilities.

History

Formation

No. 298 Squadron was formed on 24 August 1942 at RAF Thruxton from a nucleus of 297 Squadron as a special operations squadron, equipped with the Armstrong Whitworth Whitley. The squadron was however not required for operations, so the formation was suspended and the squadron was disbanded on 19 October 1942.^[7]

Gliders and Special Operations

The squadron was re-formed on 4 November 1943 at RAF Tarrant Rushton, from 'A' Flight of 295 Squadron, with the Handley Page Halifax. It trained to air-tow the big General Aircraft Hamilcar glider, but began operations in February 1944 in its original role, dropping SOE agents. On 16 March 1944 298 Squadrons 'C' Flight split off, to form 644 squadron.

During the Normandy landing the squadron air-towed both the Airspeed Horsas and the Hamilcars to landing-zones around the beach head. An unusual operation involved parachuting jeeps which had been carried underneath the Halifax. The squadron then returned again to SOE duties. In between the SOE duties the squadron air-towed Hamilcar and Horsa gliders for the Arnhem landing (Operation Market Garden). The squadron moved in March 1945 to RAF Woodbridge, England to air-tow gliders for the Rhine crossing (Operation Varsity). After Operation Varsity the squadron flew normal supply and transport duties.

Transport in British India

In July 1945 the squadron moved to Raipur, British India to provide transport support to the Army. In March 1946 the squadron was involved in rice-dropping sorties from Meiktila, Burma to the starving population in the jungle areas. The squadron disbanded at Mauripur, Sindh, British India (Now Pakistan Air Force Base Masroor) on 21 December^[2][7] or 30 December 1946^[1]

Aircraft operated

Aircraft operated by no. 298 Squadron RAF, data from^[2][7][8]

From	To	Aircraft	Version
August 1942	October 1942	Armstrong Whitworth Whitley	Mk.V
November 1943	November 1944	Handley Page Halifax	Mk.V
September 1944	July 1945	Handley Page Halifax	Mk.III
March 1945	December 1946	Handley Page Halifax	A.7

Squadron bases

Bases and airfields used by no. 298 Squadron RAF, data from^[1][2][7]

From	To	Base	Remark
24 August 1942	19 October 1942	RAF Thruxton, Hampshire
4 November 1943	21 March 1945	RAF Tarrant Rushton, Dorset
21 March 1945	24 March 1945	RAF Woodbridge, Suffolk
24 March 1945	5 July 1945	RAF Tarrant Rushton, Dorset
5 July 1945	15 July 1945	en route to British India
15 July 1945	9 December 1945	RAF Raipur, Chhattisgarh, British India	Dets. at RAF Akyab, Burma and RAF Alipore, Bengal, British India
9 December 1945	20 May 1946	RAF Digri, Sindh, British India	Dets. at RAF Negombo, Ceylon; RAF Meiktila, Burma and RAF Chaklala, Punjab, British India
20 May 1946	24 July 1946	RAF Baroda, Gujarat, British India
24 July 1946	21 December 1946	RAF Mauripur, Sindh, British India	Det. at RAF Risalpur, North-West Frontier Province, British India

Commanding officers

Officers commanding no. 298 Squadron RAF, data from^[9][10]

From	To	Name
24 August 1942	19 October 1942	S/Ldr. L.C. Bartram
4 November 1943	4 December 1943	S/Ldr. C.H. Briggs
4 December 1943	January 1945	W/Cdr. D.H. Duder, DSO, DFC
January 1945	17 April 1945	W/Cdr. Law-Wright, DSC, DFC
17 April 1945	1945	W/Cdr. J. Stewart, DFC
1945	January 1946	W/Cdr. A.G. Norman, DFC
January 1946	21 December 1946	W/Cdr. W.G. Gardiner, DFC, AFC

See also

• List of Royal Air Force aircraft squadrons

References

Notes

1. ^ ^{a b c d} Rawlings 1982, p. 196.
2. ^ ^{a b c d e} Halley 1988, p. 354.
3. ^ Bowyer and Rawlings 1979, p. 21.
4. ^ Flintham and Thomas 2003, p. 60.
5. ^ Bowyer and Rawlings 1979, p. 100.
6. ^ Flintham and Thomas 2003, p. 61.
7. ^ ^{a b c d} Jefford 2001, p. 86.
8. ^ Rawlings 1982, pp. 196–197.
9. ^ Rawlings 1982, p. 197.
10. ^ "298 Squadron, 38 Group : History". Raf38group.org. http://www.raf38group.org/298squadron. Retrieved 2011-11-13. 

Bibliography

• Bowyer, Michael J.F. and John D.R. Rawlings. Squadron Codes, 1937-56. Cambridge, UK: Patrick Stephens Ltd., 1979. ISBN 0-85059-364-6.
• Delve, Ken. The Source Book of the RAF. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing, 1994. ISBN 1-85310-451-5.
• Flintham, Vic and Andrew Thomas. Combat Codes: A full explanation and listing of British, Commonwealth and Allied air force unit codes since 1938. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing Ltd., 2003. ISBN 1-84037-281-8.
• Halley, James J. The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth 1918-1988. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air Britain (Historians) Ltd., 1988. ISBN 0-85130-164-9.
• Jefford, Wing Commander C.G., MBE, BA, RAF(Retd.). RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing, 1988 (second edition 2001). ISBN 1-85310-053-6.
• Rawlings, John D.R. Coastal, Support and Special Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Jane's Publishing Company Ltd., 1982. ISBN 0-7106-0187-5.

External links

• 298 squadron page on 38 group website
• 298 squadron history on MOD site
• squadron histories for nos. 296-299 squadron on RAFWeb's Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation

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