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No. 157 Squadron RAF

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No. 157 Squadron RAF
Squadron badge
Active14 Jul 1918 – 1 Feb 1919
15 Dec 1941 – 16 Aug 1945
CountryUnited Kingdom United Kingdom
Branch Royal Air Force
Motto(s)Our cannon speak our thoughts[1][2]
Commanders
Notable
commanders		Vashon James 'Pop' Wheeler
Insignia
Squadron Badge heraldryA lion rampant chequy[2]
"The lion in the squadron's badge denotes fighting power and the black and white check the squadron's day and night capability"[1]
Squadron CodesRS (Dec 1941 - Aug 1945)[3][4]

No. 157 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force Squadron active as a night fighter unit in the Second World War.

History

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Formation and First World War

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No. 157 Squadron Royal Air Force formed on 14 July 1918 at RAF Upper Heyford and was eventually equipped with Sopwith TF.2 Salamander aircraft for ground support duties, but disbanded on 1 February 1919 without becoming operational.[2][5]

Reformation in Second World War

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The squadron reformed in December 1941 at RAF Debden as a night fighter unit and was eventually equipped with the latest Mosquito night-fighter aircraft at RAF Castle Camps. The squadron flew patrols over East Anglia and by July 1943, after moving to RAF Hunsdon, began intruder attacks on German fighter bases with its new Mosquito Mk VIs. In November 1943, it moved to RAF Predannack in Cornwall, closer to the German bases. In March 194, it moved to RAF Valley and flew defensive patrols over the Irish Sea. In May 1944, it moved back to East Anglia, receiving Mosquito Mk XIXs and supporting bomber streams as part of No. 100 Group RAF. It disbanded on 16 August 1945 at RAF Swannington.[2][5][6]

Aircraft operated

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A No. 157 Squadron Mosquito NF.Mk.II at RAF Predannack
Aircraft operated by No. 157 Squadron RAF[2][5][7]
From To Aircraft Variant
November 1918 February 1919 Sopwith Salamander
January 1942 June 1944 de Havilland Mosquito Mk.II
July 1943 April 1944 de Havilland Mosquito Mk.VI
May 1944 May 1945 de Havilland Mosquito Mk.XIX
February 1945 August 1945 de Havilland Mosquito Mk.XXX

Squadron bases

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Bases and airfields used by No. 157 Squadron RAF[2][5][7]
From To Base Remark
14 July 1918 1 February 1919 RAF Upper Heyford, Oxfordshire
13 December 1941 17 December 1941 RAF Debden, Essex
17 December 1941 15 March 1943 RAF Castle Camps, Cambridgeshire
15 March 1943 13 May 1943 RAF Bradwell Bay, Essex
13 May 1943 9 November 1943 RAF Hunsdon, Hertfordshire
9 November 1943 26 March 1944 RAF Predannack, Cornwall
26 March 1944 7 May 1944 RAF Valley, Anglesey, Wales
7 May 1944 21 July 1944 RAF Swannington, Norfolk
21 July 1944 28 August 1944 RAF West Malling, Kent
28 August 1944 16 August 1945 RAF Swannington, Norfolk

Commanding officers

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Officers commanding No. 157 Squadron RAF[7]
December 1941 January 1943 W/Cdr. R.G. Slade
January 1943 August 1943 W/Cdr. V.J. Wheeler, MC, DFC
August 1943 March 1944 W/Cdr. J.A. Mackie
March 1944 June 1944 W/Cdr. H.D.U. Denison
June 1944 September 1944 W/Cdr. W.K. Davison
September 1944 August 1945 W/Cdr. K.H.P. Beauchamp, DSO, DFC

References

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Notes

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  1. ^ a b Rawlings 1978, p. 297.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Halley 1988, p. 229.
  3. ^ Bowyer & Rawlings 1979, p. 91.
  4. ^ Flintham & Thomas 2003, p. 105.
  5. ^ a b c d Jefford 2001, p. 66.
  6. ^ Rawlings 1978, pp. 297-298.
  7. ^ a b c Rawlings 1978, p. 298.

Bibliography

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  • Bowyer, Chaz. Mosquito Squadrons of the Royal Air Force. Shepperton, Surrey: Ian Allan Ltd., 1984. ISBN 0-7110-1425-6.
  • Bowyer, Michael J.F. and John D.R. Rawlings. Squadron Codes, 1937-56. Cambridge, UK: Patrick Stephens Ltd., 1979. ISBN 0-85059-364-6.
  • 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, 1918-88. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd., 1988. ISBN 0-85130-164-9.
  • Jefford, C.G. RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive Record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing, 2001. ISBN 1-84037-141-2.
  • Rawlings, John D.R. Fighter Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Macdonald and Jane's (Publishers) Ltd., 2nd edition 1976 (reprinted 1978). ISBN 0-354-01028-X.
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