No. 157 Squadron RAF

No. 157 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force Squadron active as a night fighter unit in the Second World War.

No. 157 Squadron RAF
Squadron badge
Active14 Jul 1918 – 1 Feb 1919
15 Dec 1941 – 16 Aug 1945
CountryUnited Kingdom United Kingdom
Branch Royal Air Force
Motto(s)Our cannon speak our thoughts[1][2]
Commanders
Notable
commanders		Vashon James 'Pop' Wheeler
Insignia
Squadron Badge heraldryA lion rampant chequy[2]
"The lion in the squadron's badge denotes fighting power and the black and white check the squadron's day and night capability"[1]
Squadron CodesRS (Dec 1941 - Aug 1945)[3][4]

History

Formation and First World War

No. 157 Squadron Royal Air Force formed on 14 July 1918 at RAF Upper Heyford and was eventually equipped with Sopwith TF.2 Salamander aircraft for ground support duties, but disbanded on 1 February 1919 without becoming operational.[2][5]

Reformation in Second World War

The squadron reformed in December 1941 at RAF Debden as a night fighter unit and was eventually equipped with the latest Mosquito night-fighter aircraft at RAF Castle Camps. The squadron flew patrols over East Anglia and by July 1943, after moving to RAF Hunsdon, began intruder attacks on German fighter bases with its new Mosquito Mk VIs. In November 1943, it moved to RAF Predannack in Cornwall, closer to the German bases. In March 194, it moved to RAF Valley and flew defensive patrols over the Irish Sea. In May 1944, it moved back to East Anglia, receiving Mosquito Mk XIXs and supporting bomber streams as part of No. 100 Group RAF. It disbanded on 16 August 1945 at RAF Swannington.[2][5][6]

Aircraft operated
A No. 157 Squadron Mosquito NF.Mk.II at RAF Predannack
Aircraft operated by No. 157 Squadron RAF[2][5][7]
FromToAircraftVariant
November 1918February 1919Sopwith Salamander
January 1942June 1944de Havilland MosquitoMk.II
July 1943April 1944de Havilland MosquitoMk.VI
May 1944May 1945de Havilland MosquitoMk.XIX
February 1945August 1945de Havilland MosquitoMk.XXX

Squadron bases
Bases and airfields used by No. 157 Squadron RAF[2][5][7]
FromToBaseRemark
14 July 19181 February 1919RAF Upper Heyford, Oxfordshire
13 December 194117 December 1941RAF Debden, Essex
17 December 194115 March 1943RAF Castle Camps, Cambridgeshire
15 March 194313 May 1943RAF Bradwell Bay, Essex
13 May 19439 November 1943RAF Hunsdon, Hertfordshire
9 November 194326 March 1944RAF Predannack, Cornwall
26 March 19447 May 1944RAF Valley, Anglesey, Wales
7 May 194421 July 1944RAF Swannington, Norfolk
21 July 194428 August 1944RAF West Malling, Kent
28 August 194416 August 1945RAF Swannington, Norfolk

Commanding officers
Officers commanding No. 157 Squadron RAF[7]
December 1941January 1943W/Cdr. R.G. Slade
January 1943August 1943W/Cdr. V.J. Wheeler, MC, DFC
August 1943March 1944W/Cdr. J.A. Mackie
March 1944June 1944W/Cdr. H.D.U. Denison
June 1944September 1944W/Cdr. W.K. Davison
September 1944August 1945W/Cdr. K.H.P. Beauchamp, DSO, DFC

References

Notes
  1. Rawlings 1978, p. 297.
  2. Halley 1988, p. 229.
  3. Bowyer & Rawlings 1979, p. 91.
  4. Flintham & Thomas 2003, p. 105.
  5. Jefford 2001, p. 66.
  6. Rawlings 1978, pp. 297-298.
  7. Rawlings 1978, p. 298.

Bibliography
  • Bowyer, Chaz. Mosquito Squadrons of the Royal Air Force. Shepperton, Surrey: Ian Allan Ltd., 1984. ISBN 0-7110-1425-6.
  • Bowyer, Michael J.F. and John D.R. Rawlings. Squadron Codes, 1937-56. Cambridge, UK: Patrick Stephens Ltd., 1979. ISBN 0-85059-364-6.
  • Flintham, Vic and Andrew Thomas. Combat Codes: A full explanation and listing of British, Commonwealth and Allied air force unit codes since 1938. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing Ltd., 2003. ISBN 1-84037-281-8.
  • Halley, James J. The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth, 1918-88. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd., 1988. ISBN 0-85130-164-9.
  • Jefford, C.G. RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive Record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing, 2001. ISBN 1-84037-141-2.
  • Rawlings, John D.R. Fighter Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Macdonald and Jane's (Publishers) Ltd., 2nd edition 1976 (reprinted 1978). ISBN 0-354-01028-X.
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