No. 245 Squadron (RAF): Second World War

Aircraft - Locations - Group and Duty - Books

No.245 Squadron served with Fighter Command from 1939 until 1943, before joining 2nd Tactical Air Force to take part in the D-Day invasion. The squadron was reformed on 30 October 1939 at Leconfield, and was originally equipped with Blenheim fighters. In January 1940 Battles were issued for training in single engined aircraft, and in March the squadron converted to the Hurricance.

In May 1940 the squadron moved south to Hawkinge to help cover the Dunkirk evacuation, but in July it was moved to Northern Ireland, thus missing the Battle of Britain. The squadron was used for air defence and to fly convoy patrols from Northern Ireland, before moving back to the south of England to fly offensive sweeps over France in September 1941.

In January 1943 the squadron converted to the Typhoon, and in June 1943 it joined the new 2nd Tactical Air Force. Attacks on targets in France continued, but now with communications targets as the main priority. In April 1944 the squadron began to use rockets as its main weapon.

On the day before D-Day the squadron took part in a successful attack on the Joburg radar station near Cap de la Hague, and 10 June it took part in an attack on the headquarters of Panzer Group West, in which the group's chief of staff, General von Dawans, was killed.

In late June the squadron moved to Normandy, and after that it followed the advancing armies into the Netherlands, which it reached by the start of October. During this period its main targets were enemy tanks and other vehicles. The squadron then flew sweeps over Germany, and moved to its first German base on 21 March 1945. Armed reconnaissance missions continued until the end of the war. The squadron was disbanded on 10 August 1945.

Aircraft
November 1939-March 1940: Bristol Blenheim IF
February-March 1940: Fairey Battle I
March 1940-August 1941: Hawker Hurricane I
August 1941-January 1943: Hawker Hurricane IIB
January 1943-August 1945: Hawker Typhoon IB

Location
October 1939-May 1940: Leconfield
May-June 1940: Drem
    May-June 1940: Detachment to Hawkinge
June-July 1940: Turnhouse
    June-July 1940: Detachment to Hawkinge
July 1940-July 1941: Aldergrove
July-September 1941: Ballyhalbert
September-November 1941: Chilbolton
November 1941: Warmwell
November-December 1941: Chilbolton
December 1941-October 1942: Middle Wallop
October 1942-January 1943: Charmy Down
January-March 1943: Peterhead
March-May 1943: Gravesend
May-June 1943: Fairlop
June 1943: Selsey
June-October 1943: Lydd
October 1943-April 1944: Westhampnett
April 1944: Holmsley South
April 1944: Eastchurch
April-May 1944: Holmsley South
May 1944: Eastchurch
May-June 1944: Holmsley South
June-August 1944: B.5 Camilly
August-September 1944: B.24 St. Andre de l'Eure
September 1944: B.42 Beauvais-Tille
September 1944: B.50 Vitry-en-Artois
September-October 1944: B.70 Deurne
October-December 1944: B.80 Volkel
December 1944-January 1945: Warmwell
January-March 1945: B.80 Volkel
March-April 1945: B.100 Goch
April 1945: B.110 Achmer
April-May 1945: B.150 Celle
May-June 1945: B.164 Schleswig
June-July 1945: Warmwell
July-August 1945: B.164 Schleswig

Squadron Codes: DX (Hurricane I), MR (All else)

Duty
1939-1943: Fighter Command
1943-1945: 2nd Tactical Air Force

Part of
8 August 1940: No.13 Group; Fighter Command
June 1943 to end of war: No.121 Wing; No.83 Group; 2nd Tactical Air Force

Books

 

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How to cite this article: Rickard, J (15 July 2011), No. 245 Squadron (RAF): Second World War, http://www.historyofwar.org/air/units/RAF/245_wwII.html

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