|
|
|
No. 103 Squadron Royal Air Force
No. 103 Squadron, RFC, was formed at Beaulieu, Hampshire, in 1917, employed in day-bombing and reconnaissance on the Western Front, and disbanded in 1919.
It was re-formed on the 10th August 1936, as No. 103 (Bomber) Squadron with Hawker Hinds. By the outbreak of war it was based at RAF Usworth and equipped with the Fairey Battle.
No. 103 Squadron began the war as part of the Advanced Air Striking Force, and was sent to France the day before war was declared. The Fairey Battle squadrons suffered very heavy loses during the Battle of France. Six days after the German invasion, No.103 Squadron abandoned its advanced bases for the centre of France. Once there 103 took the surviving aircraft of 218 Squadron to bring its strength back up to 31 aircraft. By early June only sixteen of those aircraft were left, and only half of the sixteen escaped back to Britain at the end of the campaign.
The squadron re-equipped with the Fairey Battle once more, using it in short-range day and night bombing attacks against German invasion barges during the autumn of 1940 (including attacks on the Meuse bridges and the invasion ports). The Vickers Wellington arrived in October 1940, and the squadron became a night bomber unit, carrying out that role for the rest of the war, spending nearly two years operating the Wellington and three using the Avro Lancaster.
Airfields No. 103 Squadron flew from:
- Challerange, France. from 3rd September 1939 to 28th Nov 1939
- Plivot, France. from 28th November 1939 to 15th Feb 1940
- Betheniville, France. from 15th February, 1940 to 16th May 1940
- Rheges-St-Lucien Ferme, France. from the 16th May, 1940 to 3rd June 1940
- Herbouville, France. from 3rd to 4th June 1940
- Ozouer-le-Doyen, France. from 4th to 14th June 1940
- Solge, France. from 14th to 15th June 1940
- RAF Abingdon, Berkshire from 15th to 16th June 1940
- RAF Honington, Suffolk from 16th June to 3rd July 1940
- RAF Newton, Nottinghamshire from 3rd July 1940 to 11th July 1941
- RAF Elsham Wolds, Lincolnshire from 11th July 1941 onwards
2nd September 1939 Move to France
27th Sep 1939 103 Squadron Battle lost
26th March 1940 Aircraft crew killed
10th May 1940 103 Squadron Battles lost
12th May 1940 2 Battles of 103 Squadron lost
13th May 1940 Aerodrome bombed
14th May 1940 Overwhelming losses
14th May 1940 Three Aircraft lost by 103 Squadron
14th May 1940 Died of wounds
16th May 1940 Aerodrome evacuated
17th May 1940 New base
18th May 1940 Operations resumed
19th May 1940 New tactics
21st May 1940 First night operation
22nd May 1940 Tanks attacked
23rd May 1940 Aircraft lost: crews safe
25th May 1940 Shot down and walked back
26th May 1940 Lufwaffe HQ bombed
7th June 1940 Attacked by fighters
8th Jun 1940 103 Squadron Battles lost
9th Jun 1940 Aircraft Lost
10th Jun 1940 Aircraft Lost
14th June 1940 Airfield evacuated
15th June 1940 Souge airfield abandoned
16th June 1940 Leaving France
3rd July 1940 On the move
9th Sep 1940 Aircraft Lost
October 1940 Re-equipped
30th Mar 1941 Aircraft Lost
8th May 1941 Aircraft Lost
15th May 1941 Aircraft Lost
12th Jun 1941 Aircraft Lost
16th Jun 1941 Aircraft Lost
11th July 1941 New airbase
24th Jul 1941 Aircraft Lost
2nd Aug 1941 Aircraft Lost
5th August 1941 Aircraft Lost
29th Aug 1941 Aircraft Lost
10th Sep 1941 Aircraft Lost
20th Sep 1941 Aircraft Lost
16th Oct 1941 Aircraft Lost
24th Oct 1941 Aircraft Lost
7th November 1941 Aircraft Lost
15th Jan 1942 Aircraft Lost
6th June 1942 Aircraft lost
12th July 1942 Attack Made
12th July 1942 Difficult Operations
July 1942 Re-equipped with heavy bombers
October 1942 Equipped with Lancasters
5th October 1942 Bombing raid a failure
21st November 1942 Operations resumed
21st Dec 1942 103 Squadron Lancaster lost
22nd Dec 1942 103 Squadron Lancaster lost
10th Jan 1943 103 Squadron Lancaster lost
21st Jan 1943 103 Squadron Lancaster lost
22nd Jan 1943 103 Squadron Lancaster lost
17th Feb 1943 103 Squadron Lancaster lost
27th Feb 1943 103 Squadron Lancaster lost
27th Feb 1943 Lancaster lost in Training
2nd Mar 1943 103 Squadron Lancaster lost
4th Mar 1943 103 Squadron Lancaster lost
17th Jun 1943 103 Squadron Lancaster lost
1st Apr 1943 103 Squadron Lancaster lost
10th Apr 1943 103 Squadron Lancaster lost
14 April 1943 103 Squadron Lancaster lost
21st April 1943 19 Aircraft lost
9th Jun 1943 103 Squadron Lancaster lost
15th Jun 1943 103 Squadron Lancaster lost
17th Jun 1943 103 Squadron Lancaster lost
4th Jul 1943 Two 103 Squadron Lancasters lost
13th Jul 1943 103 Squadron Lancaster lost
24th July 1943 Lancaster lost
24th Jul 1943 103 Squadron Lancaster lost
24th Jul 1943 Aircraft Lost
26th Jul 1943 Night Operations
3rd Aug 1943 103 Squadron Lancasters lost
10th Aug 1943 Mid-air collision
18th Aug 1943 103 Squadron Lancaster lost
23rd Aug 1943 103 Squadron Lancaster lost
1st Sep 1943 103 Squadron Lancaster lost
28th Sep 1943 103 Squadron Lancaster lost
21st Oct 1943 103 Squadron Lancaster lost
22nd Oct 1943 103 Squadron Lancaster lost
16th December 1943 Lancasters in mid-air crash
30th Dec 1943 103 Squadron Lancaster lost
15th February 1944 Lancaster lost
20th February 1944 Lancaster lost
20th Febriary 1944 Collision on the runway
30th Mar 1944 Aircraft Lost
31st Mar 1944 Aircraft Lost
24th Apr 1944 Bomber Command
29th May 1944 Lancaster failed to return
6th Jun 1944 Lancaster Lost
13th June 1944 Lancasters shoot each other down
17th June 1944 Lancaster lost
15th Jul 1944 103 Squadron Lancaster lost
4th January 1945 Mission aborted but aircraft lost
28th February 1945 Two Lancasters lost
June 1945 Operation Dodge
If you can provide any additional information, please add it here.
|
Logbooks
Do you have a WW2 Flying Log Book in your possession?
If so it would be a huge help if you could add logbook entries to our new database. Thank you.
View Logbook entries
|
Those known to have served with No. 103 Squadron Royal Air Force during the Second World War 1939-1945. - Abrams Sidney Edward. WO. (d.7th Jan 1945)
- Armstrong Robert. FO (d.29th July 1944)
- Armstrong Robert. F/O. (d.29th July 1944)
- Aston DFM John Edward Griffiths . Flt.Sgt. (d.27th September 1943)
- Baynes Charles James. Sgt. (d.25th July 1944)
- Blencowe Arthur Frank. Sgt. (d.26th Apr 1942)
- Boccinfuso Angelo Joseph. F/Sgt.
- Bradley William Leslie. Sgt. (d.20th Feb 1944)
- Bradshaw Neville Rollinson. (d.29th July 1944)
- Butcher Leslie Charles. Sgt. (d.25th Feb 1941)
- Cameron MID. Norman Alister. W/O
- Cameron Norman Alister. WO.
- Chad G. Sgt.
- Charlwood Donald.
- Cole Fredrick Ivor Geoffrey. Sgt.
- Cooke J. C.. F/Sgt. (d.29th Nov 1944)
- Coughlan Maurice Claude. F/Sgt.
- Crich DFM. William Ralph. Sgt
- Denwood G.. W/O.
- Dugard Harry Welland. FO (d.12th March 1943)
- Farley G. Arthur. Sgt.
- Faulkner Arthur James. F/O. (d.13th July 1944)
- Hamilton Ernest William. Sgt. (d.20th Feb 1944)
- Henry DFC David Alexander. F/Lt
- Houghton George. Sergeant (d.16 Jun 1941)
- Johnson Paul. P/O
- Johnson T. F.. Flt Sgt. (d.20th Feb 1944)
- Kinvig Clifford Clarke. Sgt. (d.2nd Jul 1944)
- Langston DFC. William Frederick. F/O.
- Layfield J.. W/OP.
- Lee John Charles. Flt.Sgt. (d.7th Aug 1942)
- Lee John. F/Sgt. (d.7th Aug 1944)
- Lowrie DFC. John William. F/O (d.23rd Jan 1945)
- Luck Jack. Flt Sgt. (d.20th Feb 1944)
- Mallen William James. Flt.Sgt.
- McCoubray J. H. C.. F/Sgt. (d.29th Nov 1944)
- McDonald Bernard Graham. F/O.
- McGrath E. W.. Sgt. (d.29th Nov 1944)
- McIntosh Douglas Howie. Sgt.
- Miller John. WO.
- Mitchell Francis John.
- Mitchell Kenneth Walter. PO (d.16th May 1944)
- Molesworth James. F/Sgt. (d.25th Oct 1942)
- Morneau Wilfred L.. W/O
- Morris Donald. Sgt. (d.13th March 1945)
- Orr Melvin Osborne. P/O (d.29th November 1944)
- Osborne Frederick George Francis. Sgt. (d.20th Feb 1944)
- Page Arthur William Horace. WO. (d.3rd August 1943)
- Phillips Harold Paul. Sgt
- Poole Christopher John Stafford. Sgt. (d.5th May 1940)
- Porter Harvey James. Flt.Sgt. (d.13th March 1945)
- Stevens Arthur. F/O (d.20th Feb 1944)
- Tapp Ralph Aubrey. Flt.Sgt. (d.16th May 1944)
- Taylor Francis James. Sgt. (d.20th Feb 1944)
- Taylor Ronald. Sgt. (d.21st Jan 1943)
- Telfer Robert Lloyd. WO1. (d.28th Aug 1942)
- Thomas Ambrose Bowen. Sgt. (d.15th Jan 1942)
- Thomas Ambrose Bowen. Sgt. (d.15th Jan 1942)
- Thompson Edward. Sgt. (d.31st Aug 1944)
- Vowles Peter Adrian. F/Sgt.
- Wadsworth Joseph. F/Sgt. (d.24th March 1944)
- Waern DFM. Lennaert. Sgt.
- Watt Alastair Clarence. F/Lt. (d.17th Mar 1945)
- Weight Christopher Joseph. P/O. (d.4th Jan 1945)
- Whiting Harold Douglas. W/O.
- Wild DFM. Peter. F/Sgt.
- Wise Robert Kenneth. F/Sgt.
- Wright Wilfred. AC/2 (d.4th Jan 1940)
- Wright Wilfred. AC2. (d.4th January 1940)
- Zingelmann Leonard William. Flt.Sgt. (d.6th June 1944)
The names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed,
please Add a Name to this List
Records of No. 103 Squadron Royal Air Force from other sources.
|
|
|
The Wartime Memories Project is the original WW1 and WW2 commemoration website.
Announcements
- 1st of September 2024 marks 25 years since the launch of the Wartime Memories Project. Thanks to everyone who has supported us over this time.
- The Wartime Memories Project has been running for 25 years. If you would like to support us, a donation, no matter how small, would be much appreciated, annually we need to raise enough funds to pay for our web hosting and admin or this site will vanish from the web.
- 16th Jan 2025 - Please note we currently have a huge backlog of submitted material, our volunteers are working through this as quickly as possible and all names, stories and photos will be added to the site. If you have already submitted a story to the site and your UID reference number is higher than
265273 your information is still in the queue, please do not resubmit, we are working through them as quickly as possible.
- Looking for help with Family History Research?
Please read our Family History FAQs
- The free to access section of The Wartime Memories Project website is run by volunteers and funded by donations from our visitors. If the information here has been helpful or you have enjoyed reaching the stories please conside making a donation, no matter how small, would be much appreciated, annually we need to raise enough funds to pay for our web hosting or this site will vanish from the web.
If you enjoy this site
please consider making a donation.
Want to find out more about your relative's service? Want to know what life was like during the War? Our
Library contains an ever growing number diary entries, personal letters and other documents, most transcribed into plain text. |
|
Wanted: Digital copies of Group photographs, Scrapbooks, Autograph books, photo albums, newspaper clippings, letters, postcards and ephemera relating to WW2. We would like to obtain digital copies of any documents or photographs relating to WW2 you may have at home. If you have any unwanted
photographs, documents or items from the First or Second World War, please do not destroy them.
The Wartime Memories Project will give them a good home and ensure that they are used for educational purposes. Please get in touch for the postal address, do not sent them to our PO Box as packages are not accepted.
World War 1 One ww1 wwII second 1939 1945 battalion
Did you know? We also have a section on The Great War. and a
Timecapsule to preserve stories from other conflicts for future generations.
|
|
Want to know more about No. 103 Squadron Royal Air Force? There are:2101 items tagged No. 103 Squadron Royal Air Force available in our Library
These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Second World War. |
|
F/Sgt. James Molesworth 103 Squadron (d.25th Oct 1942)  James Molesworth and his crew, aboard Handley Page Halifax bomber W1223 were lost over France while on a bombing raid to Milan, Italy. Jim was the rear gunner and the crew was apparently on only their 2nd combat mission with 103 Squadron, Royal Air Force. They took off from Elsham Wold at 18:44 on October 24, 1942 and were never heard from again. The aircraft crashed at Moulin-sous-Touvent (Oise), 18 km NE of Compiegne, France. The crew are all buried in Moulin-sous-Touvent Communal Cemetery and they are the only Commonwealth War Graves in this particular cemetery. The cause of their loss is unknown. Jim's older brother Frank also enlisted in the RCAF and survived the war.
Crew:
- Pilot - Sgt Sidney Arthur Claridge, 1331580, RAF
- Flight Engineer - Sgt Bernard Dudley Swain, 547856, RAF
- Navigator - P/O Ernest Adam Wagstaff, 121733, RAF
- Bomb-Aimer - Sgt Stanley Victor Goodhew, 1265668, RAF
- Wireless-Operator/Air Gunner - Sgt Ronald Ward Taylor, 403844, RAAF
- Mid-Upper Gunner - Sgt Kevin William McAuliffe, 1314722, RAF
- Rear-Gunner - Sgt James Molesworth, R85993, RCAF
|
F/Sgt. Robert Kenneth Wise 103 Sqn. Robert Wise served as a Navigator with 103 Squadron.
|
Sgt. Arthur Frank Blencowe No. 103 Squadron (d.26th Apr 1942) Vickers Wellington Mk IC Aircraft, Reg DV579, went missing after having made a bombing mission from RAF Elsham Wold. The aircraft went down in the North Sea NW of Ameland in the Netherlands. It is possible that it was the same Wellington claimed to have been shot down by Uffz Heinz Grimm 5./NJG2 in the North Sea NW of Ameland at 03:37 on 26 April 1942. The bomber’s crew all perished and are commemorated as follows:
- R/78203 Flt. Sgt. Charles Lorne Bray DFM RCAF, Runnymede Memorial Panel 102.
- 1259439 Sgt. Frank O'Kearney Eivers, Runnymede Memorial Panel 82.
- 1280517 Sgt. Sydney Harold Harle, Runnymede Memorial Panel 85.
- 1258441 Sgt. Arthur Frank Blencowe, Runnymede Memorial Panel 78.
- 929396 Sgt. Harry Bircham Bullen, Runnymede Memorial Panel 79.
- 1161384 Sgt. Dennis William Musgrove, Runnymede Memorial Panel 90.
|
Sgt. Clifford Clarke Kinvig 103 Squadron (d.2nd Jul 1944) Air Gunner Clifford Kinvig was the son of John Fletcher Kinvig and Esther Mary Kinvig, of Douglas.
|
F/O. William Frederick Langston DFC. 103 Squadron William Langston served at RAF Waddington with 103 Squadron.
|
Sgt Harold Paul Phillips 103 Squadron Harry Philips was a friend of my father, who I knew as a child. He served with 103 Squadron RAF as an Air Gunner on Lancaster bombers in 1944, based at RAF Elsham Wolds.
|
W/O. Harold Douglas Whiting 103 Squadron Harold Whiting was flying in a Wellington aircraft on the 11th of January 1942 when a parachute flare went off in the cargo bay. The plane was on fire and they were ordered to bale out by the captain. He did but the captain then managed to fly the plane home to Britain. He was then captured and was a POW in various camps until released from Stalag IIIA by the Russians.
|
F/O. Arthur James Faulkner 103 Squadron (d.13th July 1944) Arthur Faulkner flew in Lancaster PA999 of 103 Squadron.
|
WO. Arthur William Horace Page 103 Squadron (d.3rd August 1943) Arthur Page was an Air Gunner in a 103 Squadron Lancaster on a raid over Hamburg, where his aircraft was shot down by a German night fighter. He is buried in the allied war grave outside of Hamburg, none of the crew survived. He is an uncle to my partner.
|
F/O. Robert Armstrong 103 Squadron (d.29th July 1944) On 29th of July 1944, Avro Lancaster B1 s/n ME 799 PM-K was shot by a German night fighter, close to Glonville in France.
Three men of the crew died and are buried in Glonville cemetery, two were taken prisoner and two escaped.
- F/O Robert Armstrong, pilot, RAFVR, 172414, 20y, son of William and Mary from Camelon, Falkirk, Stirlingshire.
- Sgt Douglas Jereme Thomas, Radar/gunner,RAFVR, 1459137, 21y.
- Sgt Keith Dawson Kibbey, gunner, RAF VR, 1587588, 19y, son of Maj Frederick Victor Kibbey, MC., and Elizabeth Kibbey from Staple Hill, Glouscestershire.
- Sgt Albert M B Cutting, gunner, RAF, 1806570, born in 1924, injured by leg broken, Pow 52466, camp Luft 3.
- F/Sgt A A "Terry" Holmwood, bomber, RAF, 132071, made prisonner at Menil-Flin (Meurthe-et-Moselle, Lorraine, France), Pow 53392 camp 9C.
- Sgt Malcom E T Macrae, RAF, Flight Engeneer, 1567360
- F/Sgt Cyril Shaw, Navigator, RAF, 1542386
More information on the French web site: glonville.org
|
Recomended Reading.Available at discounted prices.
|
|
|
Site Home
Add Stories
