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Defunct flying squadron of the Royal Air Force From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
No. 514 Squadron RAF (514 Sqn) was a bomber squadron of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War.
No. 514 Squadron RAF | |
---|---|
Active | 1 September 1943 – 22 August 1945 |
Country | United Kingdom |
Branch | Royal Air Force |
Type | Flying squadron |
Role | Bomber Squadron |
Part of | No. 3 Group RAF, Bomber Command[1] |
Motto(s) | Latin: Nil Obstare Potest (Translation: "Nothing can withstand")[2][3] |
Insignia | |
Squadron Badge heraldry | A cloud pierced by a sword[3] The design indicates the function of the squadron, i.e. its role of a GH-equipped blind-bombing squadron[2] |
Squadron Codes | JI (Sep 1943 – Aug 1945)[4][5] A2 (Dec 1943 – Aug 1945, 'C' Flt only)[6][7] |
Aircraft flown | |
Bomber | Avro Lancaster |
Members of 514 Sqn were awarded 1 DSO, 84 DFCs, one Bar to the DFC and 26 DFMs.[2]
514 Squadron was part of 3 Group, RAF Bomber Command. It operated between September 1943 and August 1945, initially from RAF Foulsham, and then, from December 1943 onward, from RAF Waterbeach in Cambridgeshire. 437 aircrew were killed flying with the Squadron.[8][page needed]
From | To | Aircraft | Version |
---|---|---|---|
September 1943 | July 1944 | Avro Lancaster | Mk.II |
June 1944 | August 1945 | Avro Lancaster | Mks.I and III |
From | To | Base |
---|---|---|
1 September 1943 | 23 November 1943 | RAF Foulsham, Norfolk |
23 November 1943 | 22 August 1945 | RAF Waterbeach, Cambridgeshire |
From 1988 to 2012, the Squadron held an annual reunion in June at Waterbeach Barracks hosted by the Royal Engineers. A service of remembrance was held in the parish church, and the BBMF Lancaster made a flypast over the former RAF airfield.[10]
In 2013, following the barracks' closure, a reunion was held in the village on 15 June with the Lancaster flypast over the Recreation Ground.[11]
In 2015, a reunion was again held in Waterbeach Barracks in a new community building.[12]
The 514 Squadron Association and the Army established a museum in Waterbeach Barracks in 1985. This museum closed in September 2012, as the barracks closed permanently in March 2013, although the contents have been saved.[13] It expected that the new Waterbeach Military Heritage Museum will return to its building at the Barracks, and re-open in early summer 2016.[14][needs update]
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