No. 311 Squadron RAF
Encyclopedia
No. 311 Squadron RAF was a Czechoslovakian-manned
bomber squadron of the Royal Air Force
during the Second World War.
It was first formed at Honington
on 29 July 1940, equipped with Wellington I bombers
and crewed mostly by escaped Czechslovakian aircrew. It was transferred from Bomber Command
to Coastal Command in April 1942, and re-equipped with Liberator bombers
in June 1943. In June 1945 the squadron was transferred to RAF Transport Command
and began flights between the UK and Czechoslovakia. The squadron continued flying from UK bases until it was disbanded in the UK at RAF Milltown
on 15 February 1946, but since 21 August 1945 actually flew from Prague
.
Aircraft of this squadron used squadron code letters KX on their Wellingtons, and later PP on their Liberators.
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|To
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Name
|-----
| July 1940
| March 1941
| W/Cdr. Toman-Mareš
|-----
| March 1941
| July 1941
| W/Cdr. Josef Schejbal
|-----
| July 1941
| April 1942
| W/Cdr. Josef Ocelka, DFC
|-----
| April 1942
| January 1943
| W/Cdr. Josef Šnajdr, DFC
|-----
| January 1943
| August 1943
| W/Cdr. Jindřich Breitcetl, DFC
|-----
| August 1943
| January 1944
| W/Cdr. V. Nedvěd, MBE
, DFC
|-----
| January 1944
| August 1944
| W/Cdr. J. Šejbl, DFC
|-----
| August 1944
| February 1946
| W/Cdr. J. Kostohryz, DSO
|}
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|To
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Name
|-----
| 29 July 1940
| 16 September 1940
| RAF Honington
|-----
| 16 September 1940
| 28 April 1942
| RAF East Wretham
|-----
| 28 April 1942
| 12 June 1942
| RAF Aldergrove
|-----
| 12 June 1942
| 26 May 1943
| RAF Talbenny
|-----
| 26 May 1943
| 23 February 1944
| RAF Beaulieu
|-----
| 23 February 1944
| 7 August 1944
| RAF Predannack
|-----
| 7 August 1944
| 6 August 1945
| RAF Tain
|-----
| 6 August 1945
| 21 August 1945
| RAF Manston
|-----
| 21 August 1945
| 15 February 1946
| Prague
|}
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
bomber squadron of the Royal Air Force
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...
during the Second World War.
It was first formed at Honington
RAF Honington
RAF Honington is a Royal Air Force station located south of Thetford near Ixworth in Suffolk, England. Although used as a bomber station during the Second World War, RAF Honington is now the RAF Regiment depot and home to the Joint CBRN Regiment.-RAF use:...
on 29 July 1940, equipped with Wellington I bombers
Vickers Wellington
The Vickers Wellington was a British twin-engine, long range medium bomber designed in the mid-1930s at Brooklands in Weybridge, Surrey, by Vickers-Armstrongs' Chief Designer, R. K. Pierson. It was widely used as a night bomber in the early years of the Second World War, before being displaced as a...
and crewed mostly by escaped Czechslovakian aircrew. It was transferred from Bomber Command
RAF Bomber Command
RAF Bomber Command controlled the RAF's bomber forces from 1936 to 1968. During World War II the command destroyed a significant proportion of Nazi Germany's industries and many German cities, and in the 1960s stood at the peak of its postwar military power with the V bombers and a supplemental...
to Coastal Command in April 1942, and re-equipped with Liberator bombers
B-24 Liberator
The Consolidated B-24 Liberator was an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and a small number of early models were sold under the name LB-30, for Land Bomber...
in June 1943. In June 1945 the squadron was transferred to RAF Transport Command
RAF Transport Command
RAF Transport Command was a Royal Air Force command that controlled all transport aircraft of the RAF. It was established on 25 March 1943 by the renaming of the RAF Ferry Command, and was subsequently renamed RAF Air Support Command in 1967.-History:...
and began flights between the UK and Czechoslovakia. The squadron continued flying from UK bases until it was disbanded in the UK at RAF Milltown
RAF Milltown
RAF Milltown was a Royal Air Force station and second world war RAF Coastal Command airfield on the Moray Firth, Scotland.-History:RAF Milltown, lying to the southeast of Lossiemouth on the Moray Firth, began life as a bombing decoy for nearby RAF Lossiemouth...
on 15 February 1946, but since 21 August 1945 actually flew from Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
.
Aircraft of this squadron used squadron code letters KX on their Wellingtons, and later PP on their Liberators.
Commanding officers
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|From! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|To
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Name
|-----
| July 1940
| March 1941
| W/Cdr. Toman-Mareš
|-----
| March 1941
| July 1941
| W/Cdr. Josef Schejbal
|-----
| July 1941
| April 1942
| W/Cdr. Josef Ocelka, 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...
|-----
| April 1942
| January 1943
| W/Cdr. Josef Šnajdr, DFC
|-----
| January 1943
| August 1943
| W/Cdr. Jindřich Breitcetl, DFC
|-----
| August 1943
| January 1944
| W/Cdr. V. Nedvěd, MBE
MBE
MBE can stand for:* Mail Boxes Etc.* Management by exception* Master of Bioethics* Master of Bioscience Enterprise* Master of Business Engineering* Master of Business Economics* Mean Biased Error...
, DFC
|-----
| January 1944
| August 1944
| W/Cdr. J. Šejbl, DFC
|-----
| August 1944
| February 1946
| W/Cdr. J. Kostohryz, 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...
|}
Squadron bases
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|From! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|To
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Name
|-----
| 29 July 1940
| 16 September 1940
| RAF Honington
RAF Honington
RAF Honington is a Royal Air Force station located south of Thetford near Ixworth in Suffolk, England. Although used as a bomber station during the Second World War, RAF Honington is now the RAF Regiment depot and home to the Joint CBRN Regiment.-RAF use:...
|-----
| 16 September 1940
| 28 April 1942
| RAF East Wretham
RAF East Wretham
RAF East Wretham is a former World War II RAF Station airfield in England. The field is located near East Wretham 6 miles NE of Thetford in Norfolk.- RAF use:...
|-----
| 28 April 1942
| 12 June 1942
| RAF Aldergrove
RAF Aldergrove
RAF Aldergrove was a Royal Air Force station situated northwest of Belfast. It adjoined Belfast International Airport, sometimes referred to simply as Aldergrove which is the name of the surrounding area...
|-----
| 12 June 1942
| 26 May 1943
| RAF Talbenny
RAF Talbenny
RAF Talbenny was a World War II Royal Air Force airfield in Pembrokeshire operational from 1942 to December 1946. There were 3 concrete runways encircled by a perimeter track and 36 dispersal points....
|-----
| 26 May 1943
| 23 February 1944
| RAF Beaulieu
RAF Beaulieu
RAF Station Beaulieu was a World War II airfield in the New Forest, Hampshire, England. It was also known as Beaulieu airfield, Beaulieu aerodrome and USAAF Station AAF 408...
|-----
| 23 February 1944
| 7 August 1944
| RAF Predannack
Predannack Airfield
Predannack Airfield is situated near Mullion on Cornwall's Lizard Peninsula in the United Kingdom. The runways are operated by the Royal Navy and today it is used as a satellite airfield and relief landing ground for nearby RNAS Culdrose.-World War II:...
|-----
| 7 August 1944
| 6 August 1945
| RAF Tain
RAF Tain
RAF Tain is a Ministry of Defence air weapons range on the Moray Firth near Tain in Scotland. Royal Air Force aircrews from RAF Lossiemouth and RAF Leuchars are trained in air weaponry on the range, along with NATO aircrew.-Facilities:...
|-----
| 6 August 1945
| 21 August 1945
| RAF 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...
|-----
| 21 August 1945
| 15 February 1946
| Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
|}
Aircraft operated
| Dates | Aircraft | Variant | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1940–1943 | Vickers Wellington Vickers Wellington The Vickers Wellington was a British twin-engine, long range medium bomber designed in the mid-1930s at Brooklands in Weybridge, Surrey, by Vickers-Armstrongs' Chief Designer, R. K. Pierson. It was widely used as a night bomber in the early years of the Second World War, before being displaced as a... |
IC | Twin-engined medium bomber |
| 1943 1943-1945 1945-1946 |
Consolidated Liberator B-24 Liberator The Consolidated B-24 Liberator was an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and a small number of early models were sold under the name LB-30, for Land Bomber... |
IIIA V VI |
Four-engined heavy bomber |
See also
- Charles PickardPercy Charles PickardGroup Captain Percy Charles "Pick" Pickard DSO & Two Bars, DFC, was a British bomber pilot and commander during World War II. He is best remembered by the public for his role in the 1941 wartime propaganda film Target for Tonight in which he featured as the pilot of 'F for Freddie' – a Wellington...
- Jindřich Svoboda (aviator)Jindřich Svoboda (aviator)Jindřich Svoboda was a Czech colonel in memoriam, a captain of the bomber of the 311th Squadron RAF.Jindřich Svoboda was born in Jungmann’s Street in Třebíč. Then his family moved to Zámostí where they lived in No. 119....
- List of Royal Air Force aircraft squadrons
External links
- No. 311 (Czechoslovak) Squadron at raf.mod.uk Bomber Command history
- No. 311 (Czechoslovak) Squadron RAF movement and equipment history - Bomber Command
- No. 311 (Czechoslovak) Squadron RAF movement and equipment history - Coastal Command