No. 58 Squadron RAF
Encyclopedia
No. 58 Squadron was a squadron
of the Royal Air Force
.
, Northumberland
, on 8 June 1916 as a squadron of the Royal Flying Corps
.
During World War I it operated initially as an advanced training unit but was mobilised in late 1917 and posted to the Western Front until the end of the war. There from February 1918 it flew F.E.2b's and from September, 1918 Handley Page 0/400's. Its targets included airfields, railway communications, rest billets and troop columns, and during some nine months of operational service it dropped 247 tons of bombs. In 1919 it was moved to Egypt as a training unit and redesignated in February 1920 as No. 70 Squadron
It was reformed in 1924 as a heavy bomber unit on training duties, commanded from 1925 by Squadron Leader Arthur Harris
, later Air Marshal "Bomber" Harris.
At the start of World War II 58 Squadron was based at RAF Linton-on-Ouse
flying Whitley bombers as part of No. 4 Group RAF
in RAF Bomber Command
. From October 1939 until February 1940 it was based at RAF Boscombe Down attached to Coastal Command carrying out convoy escort patrols. The squadron then returned in February 1940 to Linton-on-Ouse as part of Bomber Command and remained there for the next two years, undertaking its first bombing raid on 17 April 1940. In April 1942 until the autumn of 1944 it again returned to Coastal Command, based at RAF St Eval
as part of No. 19 Group RAF. This time it operated as an anti-submarine squadron, converted to the Halifax bomber. For most of this period the squadron operated over the Western Approaches but then moved north to RAF Stornoway
in Scotland as part of No. 18 Group RAF
. In October 1944 the squadron switched from anti-submarine duties to anti-shipping duties, carrying out attacks on German shipping off the coast of Norway. It was disbanded on 25 May 1945.
In October 1946, No. 58 reformed at RAF Benson
in the photo-reconnaissance role, mainly operating Mosquitoes. In March 1953 the squadron re-equipped with Canberra PR.3s and moved to RAF Wyton
. These were replaced by Canberra PR.7s in 1955 which took part in the Operation Grapple
hydrogen bomb tests at Christmas Island
in the Pacific, and also were deployed to British Honduras
to face a threat by Guatemala
to overfly the country during an official visit by HRH Princess Margaret. The squadron disbanded on 1 September 1970.
It was lastly reformed at RAF Wittering
in 1973 as a ground-attack training unit equipped with Hawker Hunters before being finally disbanded in 1976.
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...
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...
.
History
No. 58 Squadron was first formed at CramlingtonCramlington
Cramlington is a town and civil parish in the county of Northumberland, North East England, situated north of the city of Newcastle upon Tyne. The town's name suggests a probable founding by the Danes or an Anglo-Saxon origin, the word "ton" meaning town. The population was estimated as 39,000 in...
, Northumberland
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
, on 8 June 1916 as a squadron of the Royal Flying Corps
Royal Flying Corps
The Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery co-operation and photographic reconnaissance...
.
During World War I it operated initially as an advanced training unit but was mobilised in late 1917 and posted to the Western Front until the end of the war. There from February 1918 it flew F.E.2b's and from September, 1918 Handley Page 0/400's. Its targets included airfields, railway communications, rest billets and troop columns, and during some nine months of operational service it dropped 247 tons of bombs. In 1919 it was moved to Egypt as a training unit and redesignated in February 1920 as No. 70 Squadron
It was reformed in 1924 as a heavy bomber unit on training duties, commanded from 1925 by Squadron Leader Arthur Harris
Arthur Harris
Arthur Harris may refer to:*Sir Arthur Harris , High Sheriff of Essex, England*Sir Arthur Harris, 1st Baronet , known as "Bomber Harris" or "Butcher Harris" , head of RAF Bomber Command during World War II*J. Arthur Harris Arthur Harris may refer to:*Sir Arthur Harris (High Sheriff of Essex)...
, later Air Marshal "Bomber" Harris.
At the start of World War II 58 Squadron was based at RAF Linton-on-Ouse
RAF Linton-on-Ouse
RAF Linton-on-Ouse is a Royal Air Force station at Linton-on-Ouse near York in Yorkshire, England. It is currently a major flying training centre, one of the RAF's busiest airfields...
flying Whitley bombers as part of No. 4 Group RAF
No. 4 Group RAF
No. 4 Group was a Royal Air Force group, originally formed in World War I, and reformed in the wake of the Second World War, mostly part of RAF Bomber Command, but ending its days in RAF Transport Command.-Formation in World War I:...
in 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...
. From October 1939 until February 1940 it was based at RAF Boscombe Down attached to Coastal Command carrying out convoy escort patrols. The squadron then returned in February 1940 to Linton-on-Ouse as part of Bomber Command and remained there for the next two years, undertaking its first bombing raid on 17 April 1940. In April 1942 until the autumn of 1944 it again returned to Coastal Command, based at RAF St Eval
RAF St Eval
RAF St Eval was a strategic airbase for the RAF Coastal Command in the Second World War . St Eval's primary role was to provided anti-submarine and anti-shipping patrols off the south west coast of England...
as part of No. 19 Group RAF. This time it operated as an anti-submarine squadron, converted to the Halifax bomber. For most of this period the squadron operated over the Western Approaches but then moved north to RAF Stornoway
RAF Stornoway
RAF Stornoway was a Royal Air Force station near the burgh of Stornoway, on the Isle of Lewis, in the Western Isles of Scotland.- Beginnings :...
in Scotland as part of No. 18 Group RAF
No. 18 Group RAF
No. 18 Group of the Royal Air Force was a group active from 1918 to 1919, and from 1938 to 1996.- 1918 - 1919 :The Group was initially formed on 1 April 1918 in No 4 Area. It was transferred to North-Eastern Area, 8 May 1918...
. In October 1944 the squadron switched from anti-submarine duties to anti-shipping duties, carrying out attacks on German shipping off the coast of Norway. It was disbanded on 25 May 1945.
In October 1946, No. 58 reformed 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....
in the photo-reconnaissance role, mainly operating Mosquitoes. In March 1953 the squadron re-equipped with Canberra PR.3s and 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...
. These were replaced by Canberra PR.7s in 1955 which took part in the Operation Grapple
Operation Grapple
Operation Grapple, and operations Grapple X, Grapple Y and Grapple Z, were the names of British nuclear tests of the hydrogen bomb. They were held 1956—1958 at Malden Island and Christmas Island in the central Pacific Ocean. Nine nuclear detonations took place during the trials, resulting in...
hydrogen bomb tests at Christmas Island
Christmas Island
The Territory of Christmas Island is a territory of Australia in the Indian Ocean. It is located northwest of the Western Australian city of Perth, south of the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, and ENE of the Cocos Islands....
in the Pacific, and also were deployed to British Honduras
British Honduras
British Honduras was a British colony that is now the independent nation of Belize.First colonised by Spaniards in the 17th century, the territory on the east coast of Central America, south of Mexico, became a British crown colony from 1862 until 1964, when it became self-governing. Belize became...
to face a threat by Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
to overfly the country during an official visit by HRH Princess Margaret. The squadron disbanded on 1 September 1970.
It was lastly reformed at RAF Wittering
RAF Wittering
RAF Wittering is a Royal Air Force station within the unitary authority area of Peterborough, Cambridgeshire. Although Stamford in Lincolnshire is the nearest town, the runways of RAF Wittering cross the boundary between Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire....
in 1973 as a ground-attack training unit equipped with Hawker Hunters before being finally disbanded in 1976.