No. 356 Squadron (RAF): Second World War

Aircraft - Locations - Group and Duty - Books

No.356 Squadron was a heavy bomber squadron that operated over South East Asia and that took part in the last bombing raid of the Second World War. The squadron was formed in India in January 1944, and received its first Liberators only one week later, a sign of the greatly improved Allied position by 1944.

The new squadron spent the first half of 1944 training. Its first operations, a series of meteorological flights, didn't begin until June, and its first bombing mission came on 27 July. The squadron was used to attack Japanese bases in Burma, Sumatra and Malaya and to drop sea mines.

In July 1945 the squadron moved to the Cocos Islands in preparation for the planned invasion of Malaya. Normal operations continued, and on 7 August 1945 eight Liberators from No.99 Squadron and three from No.356 Squadron took part in the last bombing mission of the Second World War.

After the end of the fighting the squadron spent two months serving as a transport squadron, before being disbanded on 15 November 1945

Aircraft
January 1944-November 1945: Consolidated Liberator VI

Location
January 1944-July 1945: Salbani
July-November 1945: Cocos Island

Squadron Codes: P

Duty
July 1944-August 1945: Heavy Bomber squadron, Far East

Part of
1 July 1944: No.231 Group; Eastern Air Command; Air Command South-East Asia

Books

 

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How to cite this article: Rickard, J (3 December 2011), No. 356 Squadron (RAF): Second World War, http://www.historyofwar.org/air/units/RAF/356_wwII.html

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