No. 342 Squadron RAF
Encyclopedia
The No. 342 Squadron also known in French as 'Groupe de Bombardement n° 1/20 "Lorraine", was a Free French squadron
in the RAF during World War II
.
with personnel from the Free French Air Forces (Forces aériennes françaises libres) transferred from the Middle East, in particular the personnel of the French Escadrilles "Metz" and "Nancy". The squadron was part of No. 2 Group RAF
of RAF Bomber Command
and equipped with Douglas Mk IIIA Bostons (aka Douglas A-20C Havocs). They later moved with their sister squadron No. 88 Squadron
to RAF Hartford Bridge.
The squadron flew low-level bombing and strafing missions over France and the Netherlands, in particular against V-1 bases in Northern France and selected sites connected with the preparation for D-Day.
In October 1944 the squadron relocated to France from where it continued to support the Allied advance. In March/April 1945 the Bostons were replaced by Mitchells and the squadron relocated to Holland. The squadron was transferred from RAF control to the French Air Force ( Armée de l'Air ) on 2 December 1945.
Squadron (aviation)
A squadron in air force, army aviation or naval aviation is mainly a unit comprising a number of military aircraft, usually of the same type, typically with 12 to 24 aircraft, sometimes divided into three or four flights, depending on aircraft type and air force...
in the RAF during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
History
No. 342 Squadron was formed on 7 April 1943 at RAF West RaynhamRAF West Raynham
RAF West Raynham was a Royal Air Force station located west of the village of West Raynham in Norfolk, England. It opened in the 1930s and closed in 1994. During the Second World War, RAF Bomber Command operations from RAF West Raynham claimed 86 aircraft. The site was sold by the Ministry of...
with personnel from the Free French Air Forces (Forces aériennes françaises libres) transferred from the Middle East, in particular the personnel of the French Escadrilles "Metz" and "Nancy". The squadron was part of No. 2 Group RAF
No. 2 Group RAF
Number 2 Group is a Group of the Royal Air Force which was first activated in 1918, served from 1918–20, from 1936 through the Second World War to 1947, from 1948 to 1958, from 1993 to 1996, was reactivated in 2000, and is today part of Air Command....
of RAF 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...
and equipped with Douglas Mk IIIA Bostons (aka Douglas A-20C Havocs). They later moved with their sister squadron No. 88 Squadron
No. 88 Squadron RAF
No 88 Squadron RAF was an aircraft squadron of the Royal Air Force formed at Gosport, Hampshire in July 1917.-Involvement in World War I:The squadron was moved to France in April 1918 where it undertook fighter-reconnaissance duties...
to RAF Hartford Bridge.
The squadron flew low-level bombing and strafing missions over France and the Netherlands, in particular against V-1 bases in Northern France and selected sites connected with the preparation for D-Day.
In October 1944 the squadron relocated to France from where it continued to support the Allied advance. In March/April 1945 the Bostons were replaced by Mitchells and the squadron relocated to Holland. The squadron was transferred from RAF control to the French Air Force ( Armée de l'Air ) on 2 December 1945.