Wellington Crew - "Thomas' Flying Circus": (l-r) F/S Doug Phipps RAAF (W/Op), F/S/ A. "Bill" Neal, (Nav), Fl. Lt. Norman W. "Tommy" Thomas, DFC, (Pilot andCaptain), F/S John A. "Shorty" Long (Nav B/Bombaimer), Flt. Lt. Peter " Scotty" Scott, DFC (R/Ag and Squadron Gunnery Leader. (photo: John A. Long)
Introduction:
As an aviation researcher my main interest in 150 Squadron lies in the period from June 1943 to October 1944. This is the period during which the squadron was based in Tunisia and in Italy. However, it is important to have a basic understanding of the history of the squadron before looking at the Mediterranean campaign in detail. I encourage anyone who has material on the squadron outside of the time frame above to send it to me and I will build new pages onto the site to cover these aspects of the squadron's past.
A Note on pronunciation: In The Royal Air Force a squadron is called "..... Squadron" therefore 150 Squadron is pronounced "One Fifty Squadron" never "The 150th Squadron" or "Squadron 150". Also in the RAF one served "on" a squadron not "in" one. The RAF pronunciation of "Lieutenant" is "Lef-tenant".
W/C A.A.N. Malan, DFC, 15.01.43 to 03.08.43
W/C J.M. Southwell, DFC, DSO, 03.08.43 to 15.10.43
W/C W.M. Morris, DFC, 15.10.43 to 15.01.44
W/C (A) W.D. Boxwell, DFC, 15.01.44 to 26.05.44
W/C E.R. Walker, DFC, 26.05.44 to 05.10.44
W/C W.D. "Boxy" Boxwell, DFC (photo: E.V. Titheridge)
Tribute to Commonwealth Airforce Crews on 150 Squadron
It is important to understand that although 150 was an RAF Squadron, very significant numbers of aircrew from the RAAF, RNZAF, RCAF and the SAAF were part of the squadron. In fact, during the period November 1943 to July 1944 only about 20% of the squadron was made up of members of the RAF or RAFVR. The remainder came from Commonwealth airforces.
Badge of The Royal Canadian Air Force
Badge of the British Royal Air Force
Badge of The Royal Australian Air Force
Badge of The South African Air Force
Badge of The Royal New Zealand Air Force
Per Ardua Ad Astra - "Through Adversity to the Stars"
A Brief History of 150 Squadron Royal Air Force
No. 150 Squadron was formed on April 1, 1918 at Kirec in Macedonia from "A Flight" of Nos. 17 and
fighter squadron over the front north of Salonika, while a detachment was based at Salonika for air
defense at the end of the First World War. They also flew air operations over Turkey. After the collapse
of Bulgaria, the squadron remained in Macedonia until it was disbanded on September 18, 1919.
On August 8 1938, No. 150 Squadron was reformed at Boscombe Down as part of the expansion of the
Royal Air Force as the threat of war with with Nazi Germany grew.. Before war broke out with
Germany in September 1939, the squadron, equipped with Fairey Battle light day bombers, moved to
France as part of the Advanced Air Striking Force. During the opening weeks of the war and during the
"Phony War" of the winter of 1939-40, it flew leaflet raids and reconnaissance missions and when the
German Wehrmacht struck at France through the Ardennes Forest in May 1940, the squadron bravely
attacked bridges and armoured columns, taking extremely high losses to light flak and fighters. 150 was
one of the squadrons that flew the ill-fated but heroic operations against the Meuse Bridges. An
excellent account of this brutal campaign can be found in the book Valiant Wings by Norman Franks.
The squadron continued its attacks by night when heavy losses to the Battles made daylight operations
too hazardous. In mid-June 1940 it was evacuated to the U.K.
In October 1940, No. 150 was re-equipped with the Vickers Armstrongs Wellington bomber and
became a night bomber squadron for the rest of the war. From 1940 to 1942 it was a part of the Main
Force of Bomber Command taking part in the bombing of Europe. During this period of operations it
flew 1,717 sorties from the U.K.
In December 1942 the squadron was reformed from A Flight and posted to Algeria to carry out attacks
on enemy bases in North Africa, Sicily and Italy in support of the Operation Torch Invasion. Based at
Blida and later Fontaine Chaude, the squadron became part of 330 Wing with its sister squadron 142. In
June of 1943 the squadron joined with the strategic bomber squadrons of 205 Group at Kairouan,
Tunisia to become the RAF night bombing force in the Mediterranean Theatre. In December 1943, the
Squadron moved to the Italian Mainland to the newly captured air bases on the Foggia Plain where they
became the precision night bomber component of the 15th Air Force, the only RAF formation to ever
be placed under foreign operational control. Targets from Italy were railheads, marshaling yards, bridges
and the oil production and transport facilities of the Balkans. Mining the Danube at night from 100 feet
was a 205 Group specialty and 150 did its share of these operations. For an excellent reference to this
period of the squadron's operations, Through Darkness to Light by Patrick MacDonald is the best
book available.The squadron was disbanded along with 142 squadron at Regina, Italy on October 5,
1944. Remaining elements of the two squadrons were sent to 70 and 104 Squadrons. Thus 150
Squadron returned to the UK "on paper".
On November 1, 1944 No. 150 reformed from "C Flight" of No. 550 Squadron at Fiskerton, moving
later in the month to Hemswell. Re-equipped with Avro Lancaster I and III aircraft it carried out attacks
as part of Main Force of Bomber Command for the rest of the war. It was involved in the last bombing
raid of the war on s. s. Barracks at Hitler's summer home at Berchesgarten and in Operation Manna -
the dropping of food and supplies to the starving Dutch in April-May 1945. The squadron was
disbanded on November 7, 1945.
On August 1, 1959, No. 150 was reformed as a Thor intermediate ballistic missile unit at Carnaby,
disbanding again on April 9, 1963.
Click on the topics below to find out more detail on specific squadron history:
Bases and representative aircraft
Bibliography of Books on 150 Squadron and the Wellington Bomber
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