| No. 582 Squadron RAF | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1 April 1944 - 10 September 1945 |
| Country |
 United Kingdom |
| Branch |
 Royal Air Force |
| Type | Inactive |
| Role | Pathfinder Bomber squadron |
| Part of | no. 8 Group RAF, Bomber Command |
| Motto(s) |
Latin: Praevolamus designates (Translation: "We fly before marking")[1][2] |
| Insignia | |
| Squadron Badge heraldry |
On a hurt three mullets in a bend fimbriated[2] A hurt represents the night sky while the three mullets, in the colours of flares used, symbolise the squadron's target-marking role[1] |
| Squadron Codes | 6O (Apr 1944 - Sep 1945)[3][4] |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Bomber |
Avro Lancaster Four-engined heavy bomber |
No. 582 Squadron RAF was a bomber pathfinder squadron of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War.
History[]
The squadron was formed with Avro Lancasters on 1 April 1944 at RAF Little Staughton, Huntingdonshire, England, from 'C' Flight of 7 Squadron and 'C' Flight 156 Squadron. It was part of No. 8 Group RAF, also referred to as the Pathfinder Force, and began operation nine days later with a night raid on Lille on the 9/10 April 1944.[5] The squadron last finished operational raid against enemy forces was a raid on gun batteries on the island of Wangerooge on the 25th April 1945. The squadron spent the remainder of the war dropping food to the Dutch, during Operation Manna, and the repatriation of Prisoners of War, Operation Exodus.[1] It was disbanded at RAF Little Staughton on 10 September 1945.
The squadron had operated 2,157 sorties and lost 28 aircraft during the war.[6]
Victoria Cross[]
During a raid on 23 February 1945, Captain Edwin Swales, a South African, won a posthumous Victoria Cross over Pforzheim.[7]
Aircraft operated[]
| From | To | Aircraft | Version |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 1944 | September 1945 | Avro Lancaster | Mks.I & III |
Squadron bases[]
| From | To | Base |
|---|---|---|
| 1 April 1944 | 10 September 1945 | RAF Little Staughton, Huntingdonshire |
See also[]
References[]
Notes[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Moyes 1976, p. 270.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Halley 1988, p. 414.
- ↑ Bowyer and Rawlings 1979, p. 81.
- ↑ Flintham and Thomas 2003, p. 60.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Moyes 1976, p. 271.
- ↑ Falconer 2003, p. 256
- ↑ Moyes 1976, p. 359.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Jefford 2001, p. 98.
Bibliography[]
- Bowyer, Michael J.F. and John D.R. Rawlings. Squadron Codes, 1937-56. Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, UK: Patrick Stephens Ltd., 1979. ISBN 0-85059-364-6.
- J Falconer, Bomber Command Handbook 1939-1945, 2003, Sutton Publishing, Stroud, England, ISBN 0 7509 3171 X.
- Flintham, Vic and Andrew Thomas. Combat Codes: A full explanation and listing of British, Commonwealth and Allied air force unit codes since 1938. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing Ltd., 2003. ISBN 1-84037-281-8.
- Halley, James J. The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth 1918-1988. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air Britain (Historians) Ltd., 1988. ISBN 0-85130-164-9.
- Jefford, Wing Commander C.G., MBE,BA,RAF (Retd). RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive Record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing, 2001. ISBN 1-84037-141-2.
- Moyes, Philip J.R. Bomber Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Macdonald and Jane's, 1964 (2nd edition 1976). ISBN 0-354-01027-1.
Further reading[]
- Stocker, Flt Lt Ted, DSO, DFC A Pathfinders war: An extraordinary tale of surviving over 100 bomber operations against all odds''. London: Grubb Street, 2009. ISBN 1-906502-52-8.
External links[]
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