© RAF WWII 38 GROUP SQUADRONS (161,
190, 196, 295, 296, 297, 298, 299, 570, 620, 644, GPEU, HCU, HGCU, LWU, ORTU, OTU,
PTS) REUNITED
A Brief History
of No.38 Wing and No.38 Group
(As written in Official Roll of Honour)
No.38 Wing was established 15th January 1942. It’s first Commander was
Group Captain Sir Nigel NORMAN. The Wing’s first Order of Battle consisted
of No.296 and No.297 Squadrons, both based at Netheravon.
Neither
of the squadrons was immediately available for operations, so the Wing had
to command of detachments from Bomber Command for both Operations “BITING
(Bruneval) and “FRESHMAN” (Norway). The first was very successful,
but the second was tragically disastrous. In the meantime, No.295 Squadron was
formed at Netheravon 3rd August 1942.
During 1943, changes of all aircraft types
and operational bases were made. From March to August, No.295 Squadron flew transits
of Halifax / Horsa combinations from Portreath to North Africa (Operation
“BEGGAR”). Subsequently No.296 and No.297 Squadrons flew Albemarles
and Halifaxes in Operation “HUSKY”, (the invasion of Sicily).
Later, No.295 and No.297 Squadrons towed further gliders to North Africa during
the period August to November 1943 for Operation “ELABORATE” (see
photos of Halifax DG396/QQ).
Tragically, Air Commodore Sir Nigel Norman was killed
on 19th May 1943. He was on his way to North Africa, but the aircraft crashed
on take-off from Portreath. On 6th November 1943 No.38 Wing became No.38 Group
with
nine squadrons : four Albemarle (295,
296, 297, 570), one Halifax (298) and four Stirling (299, 190, 196, 620).
All were fully manned in January 1944 and No.644 (Halifax) Squadron completed
the order of battle during February 1944.
From
February 1944 until the end of the war in Europe many sorties were made in
support of Special Operations Executive and detachments of the Special Air
Service. Sorties to drop leaflets were also carried out. By 5th June 1944
the Group’s strength was fully redeployed between Brize Norton, Fairford,
Harwell, Keevil and Tarrant Rushton for Operation “OVERLORD” (the
invasion of Europe). Between that day and 16th June the Group was involved
in operations “TONGA”, “MALLARD”, and “ROB ROY”.
Three months later, the Group went back
to war with a vengeance (Operation “MARKET”) from 17th to 21st
September, an attempt to take bridges over the canals and across the Rhine
at Nijmegen. The worst levels of casualties were suffered particularly in
No.190 and No.196 Squadrons on 20th and 21st September.
Immediately after the operation HQ No.38
Group moved to Markshall (Essex) in October 1944, and the squadrons were redeployed
once more to Earls Colne, Rivenhall, Great Dunmow, Wethersfield (later to
Shepherds Grove) and Woodbridge while 199 Squadron remained at Fairford. On
10th March 1945 No.161 Squadron and RAF Tempsford came under the control of
No.38 Group. On 24th March 1945 the squadrons
were fully employed in delivering airborne troops to the far bank of the Rhine
(Operation “VARSITY”). It is of particular note that 60 RAF pilots
were lost flying gliders in this action.
By New Year 1946 virtually all the Squadrons
in the Group had been disbanded or transferred to the Far East and HQ No.38 Group
moved to Upavon in May 1946. No.297 Squadron remained in service and No.295 Squadron
was reformed in August 1947. The two squadrons were based at Fairford.
****
38 GROUP RAF
ORDER OF BATTLE
JULY 1944
Station |
Squadron |
Aircraft |
Serviceable |
Strength
Total |
Total |
Serviceable
gliders :
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Horsa, |
Hamilcar |
,Waco |
Tarrant |
298
|
Halifax
|
30
|
39
|
|
|
|
|
Rushton |
644
|
Halifax
|
21
|
36
|
51/75
|
49
|
61
|
26
|
Fairford |
190
|
Stirling
|
33
|
39
|
|
|
|
|
|
620
|
Stirling
|
30
|
35
|
63/74
|
82
|
/
|
3
|
Keevil |
196
|
Stirling
|
36
|
38 |
|
|
|
|
|
299 |
Stirling
|
35
|
39
|
71/77
|
78
|
/
|
/ |
Brize |
296
|
Albemarle
|
37
|
39
|
|
|
|
|
Norton |
297
|
Albemarle
|
36
|
38
|
73/77
|
80
|
/
|
/ |
|
295
|
Stirling
|
0
|
4
|
Albemarle
|
|
|
|
Harwell |
295
|
Albemarle
|
34
|
35
|
70/72
|
|
|
|
|
570
|
Stirling
|
0
|
4
|
Stirling
|
72
|
/
|
/
|
|
570
|
Albemarle
|
36
|
37
|
0/8
|
|
|
|
Other
Stations |
/
|
/
|
/
|
/
|
/
|
456
|
/
|
1 |
TOTAL |
/
|
/
|
328
|
383
|
/
|
817
|
61
|
30
|
Albemarle
: 143/149
Stirling
: 134/159
Halifax
: 51/75