No. 110 Squadron (RAF) during the Second World War

No. 110 "Hyderbad" Squadron served in two very different roles during the Second World War. At the start of the war it was a day bomber squadron, equipped with the Blenheim IV. In this role the squadron took part in some of the earliest bombing raids of the war, against the German fleet. It then moved to Scotland to attack German held airfields during the invasion of Norway, before moving south to attack German troops during the battle of France.

During the period when a German invasion was expected, No. 110 Squadron took part in the attacks on the German invasion barges, before moving on to attack airfields and industrial targets. In July 1941 a detachment was sent to Malta, operating from Luqa for most of the month.

In March 1942 the squadron transferred to India, ferrying its Blenheims out at the same time, but then spending several months waiting for the arrival of the Vultee Vengeance. Even after the arrival of this dive bomber in October 1942, the squadron did not enter combat over Burma until March 1943.

In May 1944 the squadron was withdrawn to convert to the Mosquito, but once again a long gap followed, and the first Mosquito FB.VIs did not arrive until November 1944. In the meantime a detachment was sent to the Gold Coast with some of the unneeded Vengeances, to carry out mosquito-spraying experiments.

Mosquito operations finally began on 31 March 1945, and from then until the end of the war the squadron operated against Japanese targets in Burma. At the end of the war the squadron moved to Singapore, and remained active in the Far East until April 1946.

Location
11 May 1939-17 March 1942: Wattisham
  19 April-2 May 1940: Detachment to Lossiemouth
  16 February-15 March 1941: Detachment to Horsham St. Faith
  26 May-9 June 1941: Detachment to Manston
  4-28 July 1941: Detachment to Luqa (Malta)
  15-20 September 1941: Detachment to Lindholme
  23-28 December 1941: Detachment to Lossiemouth
17 March 1942: Departs for India

19 May-5 June 1942: Karachi
5 June-11 October 1942: Quetta
  6 September-10 December 1942: Detachment to Karachi
11-31 October 1942: Pandaveswar
6 December-13 June 1943: Madhaiganj
  17-24 March 1943: Detachment to Dohazari
  12-31 May 1943: Detachment to Chittagong
13 June-15 October 1943: Digri
  24 July-16 August 1943: Detachment to Ranchi
  27 July-22 September 1943: Detachment to Amarda Road
15 October 1943-5 June 1944: Kumbhirgram
  1-5 June 1944: Detachment to Allahabad
5 June-6 October 1944: Kalyanpur
  24 August-7 December 1944: Takoradi
6-26 October 1944: Kolar
26 October 1944-22 May 1945: Yelahanka
  11-16 March 1945: Detachment to Joari
22 May-16 August 1945: Kinmagan
16 August-22 September 1945: Hmawbi
  10 September-October 1945: Detachment to Kallang/ Seletar

Group and Duty
26 September 1939: Bomber squadron with No.2 Group, 83 Wing Force
1939-1942: Bomber squadron, UK
1942-1944: Dive Bomber squadron, Burma
1944-1945: Mosquito bomber squadron, Burma

Blenheim Squadrons of World War Two, Jon Lake. This book looks at the entire RAF service career of the Bristol Blenheim, from its debut as a promising fast bomber, through the deadly disillusionment of the blitzkrieg, on to its work in the Middle East and Mediterranean, where the aircraft found a new lease of life. Lake also looks at the use of the Blenheim as an interim fighter aircraft and its use by Coastal Command.

Mosquito Bomber/ Fighter-Bomber Units of World War 2, Martin Bowman. The first of three books looking at the RAF career of this most versatile of British aircraft of the Second World War, this volume looks at the squadrons that used the Mosquito as a daylight bomber, over occupied Europe and Germany, against shipping and over Burma. [see more]

How to cite this article: Rickard, J (15 April 2008), No. 110 Squadron (RAF): Second World War, http://www.historyofwar.org/air/units/RAF/110_wwII.html

No. 110 "Hyderbad" Squadron (RAF): Second World War