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Aircraft - Locations - Group and Duty - Books
No. 82 Squadron reformed in June 1937 as a day bomber squadron. By the start of the Second World War it had converted to the Bristol Blenheim. From its bases in Norfolk (first Watton and then the satellite field at Bodney) the squadron took part in the Battle of France, attacking German columns, and the Battle of Britain, where it was used in night attacks on the German invasion barges.
In the spring of 1941 the squadron moved to Lossiemouth, from where it performed anti-shipping missions. In June 1941 a number of the squadron's Blenheims were detached to Malta, where they were transferred to squadrons already on the island.
In March 1942 the squadron left for India, without its Blenheims. New aircraft did not arrive until August 1942, when the squadron received Vengeance dive bombers, which it would keep for the next two years. With these aircraft the squadron began anti-submarine patrols operating from Cholavarum, close to Madras.
In May 1943 the squadron moved to Salbani, West Bengal, nearer to the Burmese border. From there the squadron began bombing operations against the Japanese in Burma, performing this duty from June 1943 to July 1944.
In that month the Vengeance dive bombers were replaced with de Havilland Mosquito VIs. From December 1944 to May 1945 the squadron used it's Mosquitoes on ground attack missions, again against targets in Burma. In May 1945 the squadron moved back to India in preparation for the invasion of Malaya. The Japanese surrender removed the need for this operation, and the squadron was disbanded in March 1946.
Aircraft
August 1939-March 1942: Bristol Blenheim IV
August 1942-July 1944: Vengeance I, II and III
July 1944-March 1946: De Havilland Mosquito VI
Location
25 August 1939-1 October 1940: Watton, Norfolk
1 October 1940-18 April 1941: Bodney, Norfolk
18 April-3 May 1941: Lossiemouth
3 May-21 March 1942: Bodney
11 June 1941: Detachment sent to Malta
21 March 1942: Squadron leaves for Far East, loosing Blenheims
24 May-11 June 1942: Karachi
11 June-6 July 1942: Quetta
6 July 1942-5 March 1943: Cholavarum (Gains Vengeance aircraft here)
2 July-28 October 1942: Detachment to Karachi
26 February-5 March 1943: Detachment to Madhaiganj
5 March-12 April 1943: Madhaiganj
12 April-23 May 1943: Asansol
23 May-13 August 1943: Salbani
31 May-20 Kune 1943: Chittagong
13 August-21 November 1943: Feni
21 November 1943-22 January 1944: Dohazari
22 January-25 May 1944: Jumchar
20 March-9 April 1944: Detachment to Kumbhirgram
25 May-5 October 1944: Kolar
5 October-13 December 1944: Ranchi
13-19 December 1944: Chharra
19 December 1944-26 April 1945: Kumbhirgram
26 April-4 June 1945: Joari
4 June-14 October 1945: Cholavarum
Group and Duty
26 September 1939: Bomber squadron with No.2 Group, 79 Wing
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.
