No. 582 Squadron RAF

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No. 582 Squadron RAF was a bomber pathfinder squadron of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. The squadron motto was Provolanius designantes ('We fly before marking').

The squadron was formed with Avro Lancasters on April 1 1944 at RAF Little Staughton, Huntingdonshire, England, from 'C' Flight of 7 Squadron and 'C' Flight 156 Squadron. It was part of No 8 Group, also referred to as the Pathfinder Force, and began operation nine days later with a night raid on Lille on the 9/10th April 1944.

During a raid on 23 February 1945, Major Edwin Swales, a South African, won a posthumous Victoria Cross over Pforzheim.

The squadron finished last operational raid against enemy forces was a raid on gun batteries on the 25th April 1945. The squadron spent the remainder of the war dropping food to the Dutch, during Operation Manna, and the repatriation of Prisoners of War. It was disbanded at RAF Little Staughton on 10 September 1945

[edit] Aircraft operated

• 1944 - Avro Lancaster I & III

[edit] See also

• List of Royal Air Force aircraft squadrons

[edit] References

• G G Jefford, RAF Squadrons, second edition 2001, Airlife Publishing, UK, ISBN 1-84037-141-2.