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- No. 198 Squadron Royal Air Force during the Second World War -


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World War 2 Two II WW2 WWII 1939 1945

No. 198 Squadron Royal Air Force



   No 198 (Depot) Squadron was formed at Rochford on 27 June 1917, it was tasked with night fighter training and disbanded in September 1919.

The Squadron was reformed at Digby on 8th December 1942 as a night fighter squadron equipped with the Hawker Typhoon. In May 1943 it began training for a ground attack role, initially equipped as a bomber but later re-equipped with Rocket Projectiles. It joined the 2nd Tactical Air Force in April 1944 and went to France to provide close support to the Canadian Army in July. The Squadron remained on the continent until the end of hostilities and moved into Germany as part of the Occupation force in May 1945.

198 Squadron Bases:

  • Digby from 8th December 1942.
  • Ouston from 23rd January 1943.
  • Acklington from 9th February 1943.
  • Manston from 24th March 1943.
    • detachment Martlesham Heath from 29th April 1943.
  • Woodvale from 15th May 1943.
  • Martlesham Heath from 5th June 1943.
  • Bradwell Bay from 19th August 1943.
  • Manston from 23rd August 1943.
  • Tangmere from 17th March 1944.
  • Llanbedr from 30th March 1944.
  • Thorney Island from 6th April 1944.
  • Llanbedr from 22nd April 1944.
  • Thorney Island from 30th April 1944.
  • Funtington from 18th June 1944.
  • Hurn from 22nd June 1944.

  • B.10 (Plumetot) from 1st of July 1944 (aircraft detained at Hurn until 8th July, and then at B.5 Camilly 8-11th July).
  • B7 (Martragny) from 19th July 1944.
  • B23 (Morainville) from 3rd September 1944.
    • Detachment at RAF Newchurch 5-10th September 1944.
  • B35 (Baromsnil) from 6th September 1944.
  • B53 (Merville) from 11th September 1944.
  • B67 (Ursel) from 30th October 1944.
  • Fairwood Common from 6th November 1944.
  • B67 (Ursel) from 20th November 1944.
  • B77 (Gilze-Rijen) from 26th November 1944.
  • A84 (Chievres) from 31st December 1944.
  • B77 (Gilze-Rijen) from 19th January 1945.
  • B91 (Kluis) from 21st March 1945.
  • B103 (Plantlunne) from 17th April 1945.
  • B116 (Wunstorf) from 27th May 1945.


 

8th December 1942 New Typhoon Squadron formed

14th January 1943 Army officers attached

21st January 1943 Tiger Moth crash

23rd January 1943 Squadron on the move

30th January 1943 Trade skills shortage

9th February 1943 Move to the north

8th March 1943 Scrambled

24th March 1943 Move south

28th March 1943 Aircraft arrive at Manston

1st April 1943 Pilot killed on first patrol

6th April 1943 Offensive sortie

10th April 1943 Squadron's first Rhubarb

21st April 1943 Air-sea rescue

29th April 1943 Relocated for training

7th May 1943 Back to Exercises

7th May 1943 Postings

15th May 1943 Relocated

16th May 1943 Training programme

26th May 1943 Crashed at sea

5th June 1943 Moved again

10th June 1943 Lucky escapes

12th June 1943 Rescued from the drink

20th June 1943 Killed on test flight

21st June 1943 Escort duty

30th June 1943 Rhubarbs

11th July 1943 Taken PoW

14th July 1943 Night flying duties

20th July 1943 Attack on a train

19th August 1943 Airfield closed

23rd August 1943 Relocated again

28th August 1943 Two commanders lost

2nd September 1943 3 aircraft lost in attack on Dutch coast

5th September 1943 Unexplained loss of Tiger Moth

10th September 1943 Shipping Strike

13th September 1943 Air sea searches

20th September 1943 Two Typhoons missing

27th September 1943 Two pilots lost

4th October 1943 New C.O. lost

7th October 1943 Crash at sea

10th November 1943 Coastal installations bombed

18th October 1943 Long range sortie cut short

2nd November 1943 Encounter with improved FW190

5th November 1943 Escort Duty

20th November 1943 Combat avoided

25th November 1943 Mysterious loss of Typhoon

30th November 1943 Successful attacks

4th December 1943 German bombers destroyed

20th December 1943 Flight Commander Lost

21st December 1943 Friendly fire incident

31st December 1943 Collision

1st January 1944 Ship damaged in port

2nd January 1944 Ranger Ops.

3rd January 1944 Canadian pilot missing

4th January 1944 Long range sweep

13th January 1944 Australian pilot killed

20th January 1944 Weather recce

24th January 1944 Coastal Command escort duty

29th January 1944 Flight commander taken PoW

30th January 1944 Best Typhoon results

7th February 1944 Collision in thick cloud

10th February 1944 Aircraft Lost over Boulogne

12th February 1944 Aircraft and barges attacked

18th February 1944 Mosquitos bomb prison at Amiens

6th March 1944 Bomber escort duties

9th March 1944 Crash landing

15th March 1944 Squadrons swap duties

16th March 1944 RDF Tower damaged

17th March 1944 Bomphoons

18th March 1944 Move to Manston

30th March 1944 R.P. practice

4th April 1944 Under arrest

6th April 1944 Aircraft swap

9th April 1944 Old C.O. resumes command

12th April 1944 Escort duty

21st April 1944 Address by Eisenhower

22nd April 1944 Rocket Firing Practice

28th April 1944 Killed in training

30th April 1944 Training course completed

2nd May 1944 New C.O.

3rd May 1944 Wing attack on railway target

23rd May 1944 Very active

24th May 1944 Collision over target

2nd June 1944 C.O. killed in action

3rd June 1944 Radar installations attacked

5th June 1944 Army HQ attacked

6th June 1944 Killed in borrowed aircraft

6th June 1944 Invasion

7th June 1944 Armed recces

8th June 1944 Road transport attacked

10th June 1944 Wing Commander killed

14th June 1944 Two pilots lost

15th June 1944 Attack Made

17th June 1944 Missing pilot returns

18th June 1944 Two pilots lost

20th June 1944 Railways attacked

22nd June 1944 C.O. killed

23rd June 1944 Pilot lost at sea

25th June 1944 Move to France postponed

30th June 1944 Pack up for move to France

1st July 1944 Typhoon Squadron moves without aircraft

4th July 1944 Passing time

8th July 1944 Move to France

11th July 1944 ME109 shot down

18th July 1944 Gun positions attacked

26th July 1944 Wing reunited

31st July 1944 Crashed on take-off

9th August 1944 104 sorties by the Wing

10th August 1944 Pilot under fire

13th August 1944 Pilot safe

18th August 1944 5 operational sorties

19th August 1944 Two pilots lost

20th August 1944 Mass wing attack on tanks

21st August 1944 Stood down

22nd August 1944  Killed in crash landing

23rd August 1944 Souvenirs collected

30th August 1944 Pilots sent to England for training

3rd September 1944 Villagers welcome airmen

5th September 1944 Relocated

6th September 1944 Airstrip u/s due to rain

10th September 1944 Back to France

11th September 1944 French Guard of Honour

18th September 1944 Lost at sea

2nd October 1944 Take-off accident kills pilot

3rd October 1944 Villagers attend funeral

7th October 1944 Cab rank duties

21st October 1944 Cab rank duties

28th November 1944 German army HQ attacked

29th October 1944 Into Belgium

1st November 1944 Results of attacks unseen

2nd November 1944 V.C.P. operations

3rd November 1944 Pilot killed in forced landing

5th November 1944 Back to England

21st November 1944 Return to Belgium

26th November 1944 Move into the Netherlands

29th November 1944 Visit by Eisenhower

8th December 1944 Two Typhoon pilots killed

11th December 1944 Typhoon lost

23rd December 1944 New C.O.

25th December 1944 No Christmas celebrations

31st December 1944 Attacked whilst on the move

1st January 1945 Trains attacked

12th January 1945 No flying

13th January 1945 Wing Commnader killed in flying accident

19th January 1945 Move back to Belgium

8th February 1945 Arrived late

14th February 1945 Record number of sorties

16th February 1945 Typhoon missing

24th February 1945 Typhoon shot down

22nd February 1945 Two SAAF Typhoon pilots lost

2nd March 1945 German pontoon bridge destroyed

20th March 1945 S.S. HQ destroyed

21st March 1945  Wing Moves to New Airbase

22nd March 1945 Clearing the way

2nd April 1945 Attack on radar station

7th April 1945 Flight Leader killed in road accident

17th April 1945 Wing Moved again

23rd April 1945 Railways, ships and troops attacked


If you can provide any additional information, please add it here.



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Those known to have served with

No. 198 Squadron Royal Air Force

during the Second World War 1939-1945.

  • Johnson Kenneth. F/O (d.31st Dec 1943)

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. 198 Squadron Royal Air Force from other sources.



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Want to know more about No. 198 Squadron Royal Air Force?


There are:2156 items tagged No. 198 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/O Kenneth Johnson 198 Sqdn. (d.31st Dec 1943)

Kenneth Johnson was in the RAF 198 Squadron and died in a mid-air collision on the 31st December 1943. He lived in Blackpool. His mother's name was Ethel Johnson and father's name was William Johnson. I am searching for anyone who knew Kenneth Johnson or his family.

Wendy







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