History of 576 Squadron
576 Squadron was formed at Elsham Wolds in Lincolnshire on the 25 November 1943, as part of 1 Group Bomber Command, under the leadership of Wing Commander G T B Clayton DFC.
13 experienced crews together with nine Avro Lancasters and their ground crews were transferred from ‘C’ Flight of the existing 103 Squadron,
already stationed at the airfield. The initial 75 ground personnel “included clerks, armourers, fitters, riggers, transport drivers and aircraft hands” that were gradually augmented “by more postings each day.”
This transfer formed the nucleus of the new Squadron’s ‘B’ Flight under the command of Squadron Leader M R Attwater. The ‘A’ Flight, commanded by Squadron Leader
Dilworth, was made up of four experienced crews from 101 Squadron from Ludford Magna, with other crews coming directly from Heavy Conversion Unit(s), on completion of final training.
The Squadron’s first planned mission to Munich on 30 November was cancelled “due to unfavourable weather conditions,” so it did not commence operations until the
night of 2/3 December 1943 with a raid on Berlin: at the height of the “Battle of Berlin”. Seven Lancasters and crews were detailed for this attack and one
failed to return. In its first month of operations the Squadron lost a total of seven aircraft and crews.
The Squadron continued operations that winter taking part in many long and hard raids until the “Battle of Berlin” concluded at the end of March 1944.
In April 1944 the Squadron’s efforts were concentrated in bombing railway communications and military installations in preparation for the D-Day landings
on 6 June 1944. Throughout the summer of 1944 most of the Squadron's operations were in direct support of the land forces in the field or against German V
weapon facilities and synthetic oil/ fuel production or storage facilities. Many of these operations were carried out in daylight.
In October 1944 the Squadron moved to a new base at Fiskerton**, approximately six miles
(10km) east of Lincoln – roughly 25 miles (40km) south of its initial home. During the winter of 1944/45 the Squadron continued to participate in a series of heavy
attacks across Germany. Again, many of these were to support Allied land forces and strike industrial or synthetic oil/ fuel targets.
The last bombing operation in which 576 Squadron took part was the attack on Hitler’s mountain retreat at Berchtesgaden, with 25 Lancasters and crews participating.
Towards the end of the war the Squadron became involved in the dropping of food supplies to the starving population of The
Netherlands (Operation Manna) and flying liberated Prisoners of War back to Britain.
576 Squadron was disbanded at Fiskerton on the 13th September 1945.
During its brief existence 576 Squadron only operated a single type of aircraft: the Avro Lancaster. The Squadron had flown on numerous difficult operations with great
success, but at a heavy cost in terms of both the aircraft and aircrew lost during 189 bombing operations and 2 minelaying operations. 2788 sorties had been flown
for the loss of 66 aircraft, with a further nine destroyed in crashes in Britain.
More detailed info on the squadron and operations can be found at the ever developing 576 Squadron website
**NOTE: Further details on Fiskerton Airfield are also available from an earlier website version.
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