No. 298 Squadron (RAF): Second World War

Aircraft - Locations - Group and Duty - Books

No.298 Squadron was an airborne forces squadron which went through two incarnations during the Second World War. The first short lived incarnation was in 1942, but the active squadron history began in November 1943 when it was reformed from C Flight of No. 295 Squadron.

This second incarnation of the squadron took part in the D-Day landings, towing six Horsa gliders on the mission to capture the Orne bridges on the night of 5-6 June and then bringing fifteen more gliders during 6 June.

At Arnhem the squadron towed thirteen Horsas and seven Hamilcars on the first day, eight Horsas and eight Hamilcars on the second day and ten Horsas on the third day. The squadron also took part in the crossing of the Rhine in March 1945, and transported troops to Norway and Denmark to accept to German surrender.

Aircraft
August 1942-October 1942: Armstrong Whitworth Whitley V

November 1943-October 1944: Handley Page Halifax V
October 1944-August 1945: Handley Page Halifax III
May 1945-December 1946: Handley Page Halifax VII

Location
24 August-19 October 1942: Thruxton

4 November 1943-21 March 1945: Tarrant Rushton
21 March-24 March 1945: Woodbridge
24 March-15 July 1945: Tarrent Rushton
15 July 1945-9 December 1945: Raipur

Squadron Codes: 8A, 8T

Duty
1943-1945: Airborne Forces Squadron

Books

Review of Halifax Squadrons by John lake Halifax Squadrons of World War II , Jon Lake. This is a very good book on the combat record of the Handley Page Halifax. It covers much more than just its role as a front line bomber, with chapters on the Halifax with Coastal Command, the Pathfinders and SOE, amongst others. [see more]
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How to cite this article: Rickard, J (23 March 2007), No. 298 Squadron (RAF): Second World War, http://www.historyofwar.org/air/units/RAF/298_wwII.html

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