No. 198 Squadron RAF
Encyclopedia
No. 198 Squadron was a Royal Air Force
aircraft squadron that operated during the Second World War particularly in the ground attack role as the allies advanced through continental Europe.
No. 198 Squadron was formed at Rochford
on 1 June 1917 with Avro 504K
biplanes to teach pilots elementary night flying and later a comprehensive night flying course for home defence pilot. It disbanded at Rochford in September 1919.
The squadron reformed at Digby
as a fighter squadron equipped with the Hawker Typhoon
on 8 December 1942. From March 1943 198 Squadron joined 609 Squadron at Manston
where it provided fighter-escorts to the twin-engined Westland Whirlwind
fighter bomber on sorties into continental Europe. Over the next nine months 198 Squadron and 609 Squadron were the only Typhoon units to operate full time on escort duties for RAF and USAAF bombers and long-range fighter sweeps (code-named "Ramrods") over France, Belgium and Holland; during these operations the squadron used long-range Typhoons each equipped with a cigar-shaped 45 gallon fuel tank mounted below each wing. In these roles the unit was very successful, becoming one of the top scoring Typhoon units.
During this time most of the other Typhoon units began to be equipped with bomb racks or rocket rails and had started training to carry out ground attack operations in preparation for the cross-channel invasion.
After building up a score of enemy aircraft destroyed the squadron changed role to ground attack at the beginning of 1944, when the Typhoons were fitted with RP-3
rockets. In January 1944 the squadron became part of the Second Tactical Air Force's 123 Airfield (later known as 123 Wing), partnered with 609 Squadron
. Initially 123 Airfield was commanded by New Zealand
er Wing Commander
Desmond J. Scott
.
The squadron lost several of its pilots during this re-organisation to bring them into line with 2nd TAF's established strength requirements, and the ground crew echelon was completely changed. Morale slumped for a short while, but soon picked up as the squadron became familiarised with its new role.. In March 1944 Scott was replaced by Wg Cdr R. E. P Brooker and 123 Wing moved to an Armament Practice Camp (APC) at Llanbedr
in Wales
before moving in April to RAF Thorney Island in preparation for D-Day. After the landings the squadron was heavily involved in fighting around Caen using the rocket equipped Typhoons against tanks and enemy positions. In July it moved to France and followed the advancing troops into the Netherlands and eventually moving to Wunstorf in Germany in May 1945. On 15 September 1945 the squadron was disbanded.
The RAF's top scoring Typhoon pilot was 198 Squadron's John Robert Baldwin
, who claimed 15 aircraft shot down during 1942–44. Baldwin became C/O of the squadron in November 1943 and relinquished command in April 1944. He continued his association with 198 Squadron and ended the war as a Group Captain
commanding 84 (Typhoon) Group.
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
aircraft squadron that operated during the Second World War particularly in the ground attack role as the allies advanced through continental Europe.
History
Rochford
Rochford is a small town in the Rochford district of Essex in the East of England. It is sited about 43 miles from Central London and approximately 21 miles from the Essex county town, Chelmsford...
on 1 June 1917 with Avro 504K
Avro 504
The Avro 504 was a World War I biplane aircraft made by the Avro aircraft company and under licence by others. Production during the War totalled 8,970 and continued for almost 20 years, making it the most-produced aircraft of any kind that served in World War I, in any military capacity, during...
biplanes to teach pilots elementary night flying and later a comprehensive night flying course for home defence pilot. It disbanded at Rochford in September 1919.
The squadron reformed at Digby
RAF Digby
RAF Digby is a Royal Air Force station which, since March 2005, has been operated by the Ministry of Defence's Joint Service Signals Organisation, part of the Intelligence Collection Group. Formerly a training and fighter airfield, it is currently a tri-service military signals installation located...
as a fighter squadron equipped with the Hawker Typhoon
Hawker Typhoon
The Hawker Typhoon was a British single-seat fighter-bomber, produced by Hawker Aircraft. While the Typhoon was designed to be a medium-high altitude interceptor, and a direct replacement for the Hawker Hurricane, several design problems were encountered, and the Typhoon never completely satisfied...
on 8 December 1942. From March 1943 198 Squadron joined 609 Squadron at Manston
RAF Manston
RAF Manston was an RAF station in the north-east of Kent, at on the Isle of Thanet from 1916 until 1996. The site is now split between a commercial airport Kent International Airport and a continuing military use by the Defence Fire Training and Development Centre , following on from a long...
where it provided fighter-escorts to the twin-engined Westland Whirlwind
Westland Whirlwind
Westland Whirlwind may mean:* Westland Whirlwind , a fixed wing Second World War fighter aircraft* Westland Whirlwind , a post-war helicopter based on the Sikorsky S-55...
fighter bomber on sorties into continental Europe. Over the next nine months 198 Squadron and 609 Squadron were the only Typhoon units to operate full time on escort duties for RAF and USAAF bombers and long-range fighter sweeps (code-named "Ramrods") over France, Belgium and Holland; during these operations the squadron used long-range Typhoons each equipped with a cigar-shaped 45 gallon fuel tank mounted below each wing. In these roles the unit was very successful, becoming one of the top scoring Typhoon units.
During this time most of the other Typhoon units began to be equipped with bomb racks or rocket rails and had started training to carry out ground attack operations in preparation for the cross-channel invasion.
After building up a score of enemy aircraft destroyed the squadron changed role to ground attack at the beginning of 1944, when the Typhoons were fitted with RP-3
RP-3
The RP-3 , was a British rocket used in the Second World War. Though primarily an air-to-ground weapon, it saw limited use in other roles. Its 60 lb warhead gave rise to the alternative name of the "60 lb rocket"; the 25 lb solid-shot armour piercing variant was referred to as the "25 lb rocket"...
rockets. In January 1944 the squadron became part of the Second Tactical Air Force's 123 Airfield (later known as 123 Wing), partnered with 609 Squadron
No. 609 Squadron RAF
No. 609 Squadron of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force, originally formed as a bomber squadron and in World War II active as fighter squadron, nowadays provides personnel to augment and support the operations of the Royal Air Force. The squadron is no longer a flying Squadron, but instead has the role...
. Initially 123 Airfield was commanded by New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
er Wing Commander
Wing Commander (rank)
Wing commander is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries...
Desmond J. Scott
Desmond J. Scott
Group Captain Desmond James Scott, DSO, OBE, DFC & Bar was a New Zealand fighter pilot during the Second World War. He got his licence as a private pilot in New Zealand in 1939 and was automatically enlisted in the Royal New Zealand Air Force in September of that year...
.
The squadron lost several of its pilots during this re-organisation to bring them into line with 2nd TAF's established strength requirements, and the ground crew echelon was completely changed. Morale slumped for a short while, but soon picked up as the squadron became familiarised with its new role.. In March 1944 Scott was replaced by Wg Cdr R. E. P Brooker and 123 Wing moved to an Armament Practice Camp (APC) at Llanbedr
Llanbedr
Llanbedr is a village in the Ardudwy area of Gwynedd, Wales.The village originally grew around the slate quarrying industry. Attractions in Llanbedr include Neolithic standing stones and Bronze Age hut circles. The Morfa Dyffryn sand dunes and Mochras lie nearby...
in Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
before moving in April to RAF Thorney Island in preparation for D-Day. After the landings the squadron was heavily involved in fighting around Caen using the rocket equipped Typhoons against tanks and enemy positions. In July it moved to France and followed the advancing troops into the Netherlands and eventually moving to Wunstorf in Germany in May 1945. On 15 September 1945 the squadron was disbanded.
The RAF's top scoring Typhoon pilot was 198 Squadron's John Robert Baldwin
John Robert Baldwin
Wing Commander John Robert Baldwin, DSO and Bar, DFC and Bar AFC was a British Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve officer and the top scoring fighter ace flying the Hawker Typhoon exclusively....
, who claimed 15 aircraft shot down during 1942–44. Baldwin became C/O of the squadron in November 1943 and relinquished command in April 1944. He continued his association with 198 Squadron and ended the war as a Group Captain
Group Captain
Group captain is a senior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks above wing commander and immediately below air commodore...
commanding 84 (Typhoon) Group.
Aircraft operated
| Dates | Aircraft | Variant | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1942–1943 | Hawker Typhoon Hawker Typhoon The Hawker Typhoon was a British single-seat fighter-bomber, produced by Hawker Aircraft. While the Typhoon was designed to be a medium-high altitude interceptor, and a direct replacement for the Hawker Hurricane, several design problems were encountered, and the Typhoon never completely satisfied... |
IA | Original 12 x .303 armed Typhoon variant. A few were used to train pilots. |
| 1942–1944 | Hawker Typhoon | IB | Main production variant. Armed with 4 20mm cannon. Squadron used aircraft equipped with RP-3 RP-3 The RP-3 , was a British rocket used in the Second World War. Though primarily an air-to-ground weapon, it saw limited use in other roles. Its 60 lb warhead gave rise to the alternative name of the "60 lb rocket"; the 25 lb solid-shot armour piercing variant was referred to as the "25 lb rocket"... rockets from early 1944. |
Aircraft and Pilot Losses
| Dates | Aircraft lost | Pilots killed | Unit roles - notable events | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 February 1943 - 31 December 1943 | 25 | 9 | Training and squadron work-up. Fighter interception missions over English coast and long-range fighter sweeps and bomber escort missions over France | |
| 1 January 1944 - 5 June 1944 | 12 | 10 | Became part of 123 Airfield, 2 TAF. Start of ground attack operations. Attacks on V-1 V-1 flying bomb The V-1 flying bomb, also known as the Buzz Bomb or Doodlebug, was an early pulse-jet-powered predecessor of the cruise missile.... launch sites, coastal Radar installations. |
|
| 6 June 1944 - 31 December 1944 | 27 | 20 | 123 Airfield operating during D-Day and Operation Overlord Operation Overlord Operation Overlord was the code name for the Battle of Normandy, the operation that launched the invasion of German-occupied western Europe during World War II by Allied forces. The operation commenced on 6 June 1944 with the Normandy landings... . Intensive ground attack sorties in support of ground troops: Caen breakout and Falaise pocket Falaise pocket The battle of the Falaise Pocket, fought during the Second World War from 12 to 21 August 1944, was the decisive engagement of the Battle of Normandy... . |
|
| 1 January 1945 - 8 May 1945 | 16 | 4 | Bodenplatte to V-E Day | |
| 9 May 1945 - 15 September 1945 | 1 | |||
| Squadron officially disbanded 15 September. | ||||
| 16 February 1943- 15 September 1945 | Total: 81 | Total: 43 | Information from "The Typhoon and Tempest Story" |
Squadron Leaders
| Name | Awards | Period in Command | Notes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S/Ldr J. W. Villa | DFC Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom) The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against... , |
Dec 1942 - May 1943. | |||||
| S/Ldr J. Manak | DFC | May 1943 - Aug 1943. | Shot down by flak, ditched aircraft west of Knocke, became POW, 28 August 1943. | ||||
| S/Ldr C C F Cooper | Aug 1943 - Oct 1943 | Shot down by flak, baled out near Klundert Klundert Klundert is a city in the Dutch province of North Brabant. It is located close to the Hollands Diep, about 3 km northwest of Zevenbergen. It received city rights in 1357.... , became POW, 4 October 1943. |
|||||
| S/Ldr J. M. Bryan | DFC | Aug 1943 - Nov 1943. | |||||
| S/Ldr J. R. Baldwin | DSO Distinguished Service Order The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September... , DFC |
Nov 1943 - Apr 1944. | 609 Squadron No. 609 Squadron RAF No. 609 Squadron of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force, originally formed as a bomber squadron and in World War II active as fighter squadron, nowadays provides personnel to augment and support the operations of the Royal Air Force. The squadron is no longer a flying Squadron, but instead has the role... to command 198. Went on to become Group Captain Group Captain Group captain is a senior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks above wing commander and immediately below air commodore... 84 Group. MIA Korean War Korean War The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union... . >- |
S/Ldr J. M. Bryan | DFC | Apr 1944 - May 1944. | Went on to become Wing Commander, C/O 136 Wing. Shot down by flak : KIA 10 June 1944. |
| S/Ldr J. Niblett | DFC | May 1944 - June 1944. | Shot down by flak attacking radar site near Dieppe Dieppe, Seine-Maritime Dieppe is a commune in the Seine-Maritime department in France. In 1999, the population of the whole Dieppe urban area was 81,419.A port on the English Channel, famous for its scallops, and with a regular ferry service from the Gare Maritime to Newhaven in England, Dieppe also has a popular pebbled... : KIA 2 June 1944. |
||||
| S/Ldr I. J. Davies | DFC | June 1944. | Shot down by flak engaging ground target near Cherbourg: KIA 22 June 1944. | ||||
| S/Ldr Y. P. E. H. Ezanno | Croix de Guerre Croix de guerre The Croix de guerre is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was awarded during World War I, again in World War II, and in other conflicts... |
June 1944 - Oct 1944. | Free French. Tour ended 22 October 1944. | ||||
| S/Ldr A. W. Ridler | Oct 1944 - Dec 1944. | ||||||
| S/Ldr N. J. Durrant | DFC | Dec 1944 - Sept 1945. | |||||
123 Wing Commanding Officers
- W/Co D J Scott DSO, DFC and bar, Jan 1944 - Mar 1944
- W/Co R. E. P. Brooker DFC, Mar 1944 - July 1944.
- W/Co W. Dring DSO, DFC, July 1944 - Jan 1945.
- W/Co J. C. Button DFC, Jan 1945 - Sept 1947
84 Group Commanding Officers
- G/C D. J. Scott DSO,OBE, DFC and bar, Mar 1944 - Feb 1945.
- G/C J. R. Baldwin DSO, DFC, Feb 1945 - Dec 194