No. 623 Squadron RAF
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No. 623 Squadron RAF was a bomber squadron of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War.
The squadron was formed on 10 August 1943 at RAF Downham Market in Norfolk from C Flight of 218 Squadron, as well as receiving crews from No.3 L.F.S. and 1653 Conversion Unit[1]. It was equipped with Stirling III bombers, as part of No. 3 Group RAF in Bomber Command. The Squadron code was IC.
The squadron carried out night raids against Germany, but was short-lived and was disbanded on 6 December 1943 at Downham Market. The aircraft went mostly to conversion units of No. 5 Group RAF[2].
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[edit] Squadron Commanders
| Date | Name | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| 18-Aug-43 | W/C E.J. Little | Killed 31/8/43 |
| 06-Sep-43 | W/C G.T. Wynne-Powell | Moved to 90 Sqn 29/11/43 |
| 29-Nov-43 | W/C F.M. Milligan |
[edit] Aircraft Operated
- 1943 - Short Stirling III
- BF568: IC-B Taken over from 218 Squadron, later to 214 Squadron and 1651 Conversion Unit. Struck of charge 24.4.45
- BK727: IC-A Taken over from 218 Squadron, later to 214 Squadron and 1651 Conversion Unit. Struck of charge 24.4.45
- BK803: IC-S and IC-D Taken over from 218 Squadron, later to 1654 Conversion Unit. Crashed 30.6.44
- EE876: IC-T Taken over from 218 Squadron, later to 1654 Conversion Unit. Struck of charge 25.4.46
- EE966: IC-E Taken over from 218 Squadron, later transferred to 299 Squadron. Crashed 11.5.45 at Gardermoen, Norway
- EF199: IC-I Went to 214 Squadron and later to 1651 Conversion Unit. Struck of charge 24.4.45
- EF204: IC-E Went to 1654 Conversion Unit after its service life with 623 Squadron, crashed 14.1.45
- EH878: IC-I Failed to return from a bombing mission to Mannheim, 6.9.43
- EJ121: IC-Q Went to 1654 Conversion Unit after its service life with 623 Squadron. Struck of charge 28.2.45
- LJ454: IC-E Failed to return from a bombing mission to Mannheim, 19.11.43
- LK387: IC-P Failed to return on 5.12.43 on a mine laying operation at the Friesian Islands
[edit] Operations
| Date | Type | Target | Despatched | DCO | Alt | DNCO | Recalled | Lost | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10/11-Aug-43 | Stirling | Nürnberg | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 12/13-Aug-43 | Stirling | Turin | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 16/17-Aug-43 | Stirling | Turin | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 23/24-Aug-43 | Stirling | Berlin | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| 24/25-Aug-43 | Stirling | Gardening | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Nectarines |
| 25/26-Aug-43 | Stirling | Gardening | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Deodars |
| 26/27-Aug-43 | Stirling | Gardening | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Deodars |
| 27/28-Aug-43 | Stirling | Nürnberg | 5 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| 30/31-Aug-43 | Stirling | Mönchengladbach | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| 31/01-Aug-43 | Stirling | Berlin | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| 02/03-Sep-43 | Stirling | Gardening | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Nectarines |
| 05/06-Sep-43 | Stirling | Mannheim | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| 08/09-Sep-43 | Stirling | Boulogne | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 15/16-Sep-43 | Stirling | Montluçon | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 16/17-Sep-43 | Stirling | Modane | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 22/23-Sep-43 | Stirling | Hannover | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 23/24-Sep-43 | Stirling | Mannheim | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 24/25-Sep-43 | Stirling | Gardening | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Nectarines |
| 25/26-Sep-43 | Stirling | Gardening | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | Nectarines |
| 27/28-Sep-43 | Stirling | Hannover | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 27/28-Sep-43 | Stirling | Gardening | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Nectarines |
| 02/03-Oct-43 | Stirling | Gardening | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Silverthorne |
| 03/04-Oct-43 | Stirling | Kassel | 5 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | |
| 04/05-Oct-43 | Stirling | Frankfurt | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| 04/05-Oct-43 | Stirling | Gardening | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Deodars |
| 07/08-Oct-43 | Stirling | Gardening | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Nectarines 1, Silverthorne 2 |
| 08/09-Oct-43 | Stirling | Bremen | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 08/09-Oct-43 | Stirling | Gardening | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Deodars |
| 17/18-Oct-43 | Stirling | Gardening | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Nectarines |
| 20/21-Oct-43 | Stirling | Gardening | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Nectarines |
| 22/23-Oct-43 | Stirling | Gardening | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Nectarines |
| 24/25-Oct-43 | Stirling | Gardening | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Nectarines |
| 25/26-Oct-43 | Stirling | Gardening | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 03/04-Nov-43 | Stirling | Gardening | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 04/05-Nov-43 | Stirling | Gardening | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 07/08-Nov-43 | Stirling | Gardening | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | Deodars, Furze |
| 10/11-Nov-43 | Stirling | Gardening | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | La Rochelle |
| 18/19-Nov-43 | Stirling | Mannheim | 7 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | |
| 19/20-Nov-43 | Stirling | Leverkusen | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 19/20-Nov-43 | Stirling | Gardening | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Nectarines/Cinnamon |
| 22/23-Nov-43 | Stirling | Berlin | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 25/26-Nov-43 | Stirling | Gardening | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | |
| 04/05-Dec-43 | Stirling | Gardening | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | Nectarines |
| Totals | 138 | 115 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 11 |
Despatched - number of aircraft taking off
DCO - Duty Carried Out
Alt - Alternative target attacked
DNCO - Duty Not Carried Out (sortie aborted)
Gardening - laying anti-shipping mines in coastal waters
Comments - code names for area where mines dropped.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- No. 623 Squadron RAF movement and equipment history
- Michael J.F. Bowyer, The Stirling Bomber, 1980, Faber and Faber Ltd., UK, ISBN 0-571-11101-7.
- Bryce Gomersall, The Stirling File. 1979, Air Britain Ltd. and Aviation Archaeologists Publications. ISBN 0-85130-072-3.
- G G Jefford, RAF Squadrons, second edition 2001, Airlife Publishing, UK, ISBN 1-84037-141-2.
- Philip Moyes, Bomber Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft, second edition 1976, Macdonald and Jane's Ltd., UK, ISBN 0-354-01027-1.
- No. 623 Squadron Operational Record Book (Forms 540/541), National Archives, Kew (AIR 27/2141).
