Achieve Your Aim
As part of Group 5 PFF Target marking
Lancaster
Bombing up
Lancaster
Crew needed for a Lancaster
Lest We forget
The memorial at Woodhall Spa
++Latest News++
Remembering
those 97 Squadron crews that took part 80 years ago on the 17th
April 1942.
Operation Margin, The Raid on Augsburg.
More
details can be found at this link.
This
is the raid that should have resulted in a VC for S/L Sherwood
for his efforts but this was downgraded to a DSO which is still a
remarkable achievement.
L7573 OF-K S/L Sherwood
DFC & bar, P/O Webb, F/O Hepburn, Sgt Page, Sgt Cox, F/Sgt
Harrington, F/Sgt Wilding.
R5537 OF-B F/L Hallows, P/O Friend, P/O Cutting, F/Sgt Louch, Sgt Jones, Sgt Broomfield, Sgt Goacher.
R5488 OF-F F/O Rodley, P/O Colquhoun, Sgts Henley, Merrals, Cummings, Ratcliffe, Crisp.
R5496 OF-U F/L Penman DFC, P/O Hooey (USA), P/O Ifould RAAF, F/Sgt Elwood, Sgts Tales, Overton, Hebdon.
L7575 OF-Y F/O Deverill DFM, Sgt Cooper, P/O Butler, Sgts Irons, Mackay, Devine, F/Sgt Keane.
R5513 OF-P W/O Mycock DFC, Sgt Hayes, W/O Harrison, Sgts Eades, Macdonald, Shelly, Donoghue.
R5537 OF-B F/L Hallows, P/O Friend, P/O Cutting, F/Sgt Louch, Sgt Jones, Sgt Broomfield, Sgt Goacher.
R5488 OF-F F/O Rodley, P/O Colquhoun, Sgts Henley, Merrals, Cummings, Ratcliffe, Crisp.
R5496 OF-U F/L Penman DFC, P/O Hooey (USA), P/O Ifould RAAF, F/Sgt Elwood, Sgts Tales, Overton, Hebdon.
L7575 OF-Y F/O Deverill DFM, Sgt Cooper, P/O Butler, Sgts Irons, Mackay, Devine, F/Sgt Keane.
R5513 OF-P W/O Mycock DFC, Sgt Hayes, W/O Harrison, Sgts Eades, Macdonald, Shelly, Donoghue.
Lancaster I L7573 OF-K Op: Augsburg. T/O 1455 Woodhall Spa. Hit by flak in the target area and crash-landed, on fire, near Augsburg. Those who died are now buried in Durnbach War Cemetery. S/L Sherwood had a quite miraculous escape, being thrown from the Lancaster as it crashed.
S/L J.S.Sherwood DFC(pow), P/O A.T.Webb MiD(+), F/O D.S.R.Hepburn RCAF(+), Sgt R.S.Page MiD(+), Sgt A.M.Cox(+), F/Sgt D.W.Harrington MiD(+), F/Sgt V.Wilding(+).
Lancaster I R5513 OF-P Op:
Augsburg. T/O 1500 Woodhall Spa. Hit by flak and
exploded over the target area. All are buried in Durnbach War
Cemetery.
F/S Donoghue was an American
from Glen Head in New York State, serving in the RCAF.
W/O T.J.Mycock DFC(+), Sgt N.C.Hayes MiD(+), W/O L.Harrison
MiD(+), F/S S.E.Eades MiD(+), Sgt D.Macdonald(+),
F/S.W.Shelley(+),
F/S J.G.Donoghue RCAF(+).
World War 2
In all, 97 Squadron lost 123 aircraft on operations in the course of completing 4066 sorties. Personnel from the Squadron won 18 DSOs, one OBE, 228 DFCs, 41 Bars to the DFC, one BEM, 163 DFMs, 2 Bars to the DFM, 2 United States of America DFCs, 2 Belgian Croix de Guerres and one Russian Medal of Valour. Recently the French Government has bestowed the la legion d'honneur to members of 97 Squadron
Cold War
In 1955 the contract from the United States Government for the development of an IRBM (Intermediate Range Ballistic missile) system went to the Douglas Aircraft Corporation, which by prodigious feats of design and engineering delivered the first SM - 75 Thor in October 1956 and despite an inauspicious start in the flight test programme - the first 4 launches ended in failure - the system was declared operational in 1959 and place under the control of bomber Command.
Today
The squadron continues today through the 97 (straits settlements) Squadron Association. The Association is for all those who have served with 97 Squadron and is open to their relatives and friends as well.
This is the location for our Memory Page, where we remember those who survived the war but have since sadly departed us. It also contains news items and photo galleries from previous reunion events. This is continually being updated.
History
The history of 97 Squadron from its forming in December 1917, at Waddington to assuming the title of “97 (Straits Settlements) Squadron”,in February 1941. Finally its cold war importance.
Roll Of Honour
97 (Straits Settlements) Squadron suffered losses during World war 2. Listed here all those who gave the ultimate sacrifice.
"Lest We Forget"
Links
The 97 (Straits Settlements) Squadron Association is proud to be associated with.
Contact Us
We are always updating this site. If you notice any error or omission please get in touch here.