No. 540 Squadron RAF
Encyclopedia
No. 540 Squadron RAF was a photo-reconnasissance squadron of the Royal Air Force
from 1942 to 1956.
at RAF Leuchars
as a photo-reconnaissance unit with the de Havilland Mosquito
.
It operated from Leuchars to carry out missions over Norway
and Germany
, while a detachment based at RAF Benson
carried out similar missions over France
and Italy
. Another detachment, based at RAF Gibraltar
covered the south of France and Algeria
, but from 1944 on the unit was wholly based at RAF Benson, the range of the later Mosquito permitting missions deep in Austria
or to the Canary Islands
. In March 1945 the squadron went overseas, to France, coming back to the UK in November, again at RAF Benson where the unit was disbanded on 30 September 1946, when it was renumbered to 58 Squadron
.
s, the last Mosquito leaving in September 1953. By that time the squadron had moved to RAF Wyton
, where the unit disbanded on 31 March 1956.
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...
from 1942 to 1956.
Formation and World War II
The squadron was formed on 19 October 1942 from 'H' and 'L' flights of No. 1 PRUNo. 1 Photographic Reconnaissance Unit RAF
No. 1 Photographic Reconnaissance Unit was a flying unit of the Royal Air Force, first formed in 1940.-History:The origins of 1 PRU date to the "Heston Flight" formed on 24 September 1939, when the Royal Air Force took over Sidney Cotton's Aircraft Operating Company, based at Heston Aerodrome...
at RAF Leuchars
RAF Leuchars
RAF Leuchars is the most northerly air defence station in the United Kingdom. It is located in Leuchars, Fife, on the east coast of Scotland, near to the university town of St Andrews.-Operations:...
as a photo-reconnaissance unit with the de Havilland Mosquito
De Havilland Mosquito
The de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito was a British multi-role combat aircraft that served during the Second World War and the postwar era. It was known affectionately as the "Mossie" to its crews and was also nicknamed "The Wooden Wonder"...
.
It operated from Leuchars to carry out missions over Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
and Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, while a detachment based at RAF Benson
RAF Benson
RAF Benson is a Royal Air Force station near Benson in South Oxfordshire, England. It is home to the Royal Air Force's support helicopters, the Aérospatiale Puma and the EH-101 Merlin, known as the Puma HC.Mk 1 and the Merlin HC.Mk 3 and Mk 3a....
carried out similar missions over France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. Another detachment, based at RAF Gibraltar
RAF Gibraltar
Royal Air Force Station Gibraltar, better known as RAF Gibraltar and formally as North Front, is a Royal Air Force station on Gibraltar. No military aircraft are currently stationed there, but there are regular visits...
covered the south of France and Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
, but from 1944 on the unit was wholly based at RAF Benson, the range of the later Mosquito permitting missions deep in Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
or to the Canary Islands
Canary Islands
The Canary Islands , also known as the Canaries , is a Spanish archipelago located just off the northwest coast of mainland Africa, 100 km west of the border between Morocco and the Western Sahara. The Canaries are a Spanish autonomous community and an outermost region of the European Union...
. In March 1945 the squadron went overseas, to France, coming back to the UK in November, again at RAF Benson where the unit was disbanded on 30 September 1946, when it was renumbered to 58 Squadron
No. 58 Squadron RAF
No. 58 Squadron was a squadron of the Royal Air Force.- History :No. 58 Squadron was first formed at Cramlington, Northumberland, on 8 June 1916 as a squadron of the Royal Flying Corps....
.
Post-war
On 1 December 1947 no. 540 squadron was reformed at Benson, from the Mosquito element of 58 Squadron, taking up its old role and still flying Mosquitoes again as well. In December 1952 these gave way to English Electric CanberraEnglish Electric Canberra
The English Electric Canberra is a first-generation jet-powered light bomber manufactured in large numbers through the 1950s. The Canberra could fly at a higher altitude than any other bomber through the 1950s and set a world altitude record of 70,310 ft in 1957...
s, the last Mosquito leaving in September 1953. By that time the squadron had moved to RAF Wyton
RAF Wyton
RAF Wyton is a Royal Air Force station near St. Ives, Cambridgeshire, England.In terms of organisation RAF Wyton is now part of the combined station RAF Brampton Wyton Henlow, a merger of Wyton with two previously separate bases, RAF Brampton and RAF Henlow. Wyton is the largest of the three. It...
, where the unit disbanded on 31 March 1956.
Aircraft operated
| From | To | Aircraft | Version |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 1942 | December 1942 | Supermarine Spitfire Supermarine Spitfire The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s... |
Mk.IV |
| October 1942 | May 1943 | de Havilland Mosquito De Havilland Mosquito The de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito was a British multi-role combat aircraft that served during the Second World War and the postwar era. It was known affectionately as the "Mossie" to its crews and was also nicknamed "The Wooden Wonder"... |
Mk.I |
| October 1942 | September 1943 | de Havilland Mosquito | Mk.IV |
| December 1942 | September 1943 | de Havilland Mosquito | Mk.VIII |
| July 1943 | March 1945 | de Havilland Mosquito | Mk.IX |
| May 1944 | September 1946 | de Havilland Mosquito | Mk.XVI |
| November 1944 | September 1945 | de Havilland Mosquito | Mk.VI |
| November 1944 | November 1945 | de Havilland Mosquito | Mk.XXXII |
| November 1945 | October 1946 | de Havilland Mosquito | Mk.XXXIV |
| December 1947 | October 1951 | de Havilland Mosquito | PR.34 |
| April 1951 | September 1953 | de Havilland Mosquito | PR.34a |
| December 1952 | March 1956 | English Electric Canberra English Electric Canberra The English Electric Canberra is a first-generation jet-powered light bomber manufactured in large numbers through the 1950s. The Canberra could fly at a higher altitude than any other bomber through the 1950s and set a world altitude record of 70,310 ft in 1957... |
PR.3 |
| June 1953 | September 1954 | English Electric Canberra | B.2 |
| May 1954 | March 1956 | English Electric Canberra | PR.7 |
Squadron bases
| From | To | Base | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19 October 1942 | 29 February 1944 | RAF Leuchars RAF Leuchars RAF Leuchars is the most northerly air defence station in the United Kingdom. It is located in Leuchars, Fife, on the east coast of Scotland, near to the university town of St Andrews.-Operations:... , Fife Fife Fife is a council area and former county of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire... |
Dets. At RAF Benson RAF Benson RAF Benson is a Royal Air Force station near Benson in South Oxfordshire, England. It is home to the Royal Air Force's support helicopters, the Aérospatiale Puma and the EH-101 Merlin, known as the Puma HC.Mk 1 and the Merlin HC.Mk 3 and Mk 3a.... , Oxfordshire Oxfordshire Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire .... and RAF North Front RAF Gibraltar Royal Air Force Station Gibraltar, better known as RAF Gibraltar and formally as North Front, is a Royal Air Force station on Gibraltar. No military aircraft are currently stationed there, but there are regular visits... , Gibraltar Gibraltar Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region... |
| 29 February 1944 | 29 March 1945 | RAF Benson, Oxfordshire | Dets. at RAF North Front, Gibraltar; RAF Agadir Agadir Agadir is a major city in southwest Morocco, capital of the Agadir province and the Sous-Massa-Draa economic region .-Etymology:... , Morocco Morocco Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara... ; RAF Lossiemouth RAF Lossiemouth RAF Lossiemouth is a Royal Air Force station to the west of the town of Lossiemouth in Moray, Scotland. It is one of the RAF's biggest bases and is currently Britain's main base for Tornado GR4s. From 2013 the Northern QRA force of Typhoon F2 will relocate to Lossiemouth following the closure of... , Morayshire; Yagodnik Yagodnik Yagodnik, Arkhangelsk Oblast, north west Russia, was the site of a World War II airfield. It is located near Arkhangelsk, on the Northern Dvina river, 9 kilometres from the sea at Dvina Bay.-Operation Paravane:... , Russia Russia Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects... ; RAF Dyce, Aberdeenshire Aberdeenshire Aberdeenshire is one of the 32 unitary council areas in Scotland and a lieutenancy area.The present day Aberdeenshire council area does not include the City of Aberdeen, now a separate council area, from which its name derives. Together, the modern council area and the city formed historic... and RAF Leuchars, Fife |
| 29 March 1945 | 23 September 1945 | Coulommiers Coulommiers Coulommiers is a commune in the Seine-et-Marne department in the Île-de-France in north-central France.It is also the name of a cheese of the Brie family produced in and around that city.-Twin towns:Coulommiers was twinned with Leighton Buzzard in 1958... , France |
|
| 23 September 1945 | 6 November 1945 | RAF Mount Farm RAF Mount Farm RAF Mount Farm is a former World War II airfield in England. The field is located three miles north of Dorchester, Oxfordshire.-USAAF use:Mount Farm was originally a satellite airfield for the RAF Photographic Reconnaissance Unit at RAF Benson. The airfield was originally a grass field, but... , Oxfordshire |
|
| 6 November 1945 | 30 September 1946 | RAF Benson, Oxfordshire | |
| 1 December 1947 | 26 March 1953 | RAF Benson, Oxfordshire | |
| 26 March 1953 | 31 March 1956 | RAF Wyton RAF Wyton RAF Wyton is a Royal Air Force station near St. Ives, Cambridgeshire, England.In terms of organisation RAF Wyton is now part of the combined station RAF Brampton Wyton Henlow, a merger of Wyton with two previously separate bases, RAF Brampton and RAF Henlow. Wyton is the largest of the three. It... , Cambridgeshire Cambridgeshire Cambridgeshire is a county in England, bordering Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the northeast, Suffolk to the east, Essex and Hertfordshire to the south, and Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire to the west... |
Commanding officers
| From | To | Name |
|---|---|---|
| October 1942 | May 1943 | W/Cdr. Wing Commander (rank) Wing commander is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries... M.J.B. Young, 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... |
| May 1943 | March 1944 | W/Cdr. Lord M. Douglas-Hamilton Lord Malcolm Douglas-Hamilton Wing Commander Lord Malcolm Avondale Douglas-Hamilton OBE, DFC was a Scottish nobleman and politician.... , OBE Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions... |
| March 1944 | September 1944 | W/Cdr. J.R.H. Merifield, 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 |
| September 1944 | W/Cdr. A.H.W. Ball Alfred Ball Air Marshal Sir Alfred Henry Wynne Ball KCB DSO DFC is a former Royal Air Force officer who became Deputy Commander of RAF Strike Command.-RAF career:... , DSO, DFC |