No. 640 Squadron RAF

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Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use British English Script error: No such module "Infobox".Template:Template otherScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".Template:Short description No. 640 Squadron RAF was a heavy bomber squadron of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War.

History

No. 640 Squadron was first formed at RAF Leconfield, East Riding of Yorkshire on 7 January 1944,[1] from 'C' Flight of No. 158 Squadron RAF. It was equipped with Halifax Mk.III bombers, and operated as part of No. 4 Group in Bomber Command. It re-equipped with Halifax VI bombers in March 1945, and was disbanded at RAF Leconfield on 7 May of that year.[2]

Operational highlights

File:640 Squadron RAF Leconfield Dec 1944.JPG
A crew from No. 640 Squadron at Leconfield taken in December 1944, with a Halifax III in the background. Photograph features: Captain F/O R.Wakeman, DFC; Navigator P/O Reginald William Parr, DFC; Bomb Aimer F/O C.B.Morrison, RCAF, DFC; W/Op. F/Sgt H. Bearyman; Flt.Eng F/Sgt P/McPhie; Mid-upper Gunner F/S R.Thomas; Rear Gunner F/Sgt E.G. Humphries.
  • First Operational Mission 5 Halifaxes bombed Berlin while 3 others aborted on the night from 20 to 21 January 1944
  • Last Operational Mission 18 Halifaxes bombed gun batteries on the island of Wangerooge on 25 April 1945[3]
Listed below are further operational highlights for the Wakeman crew (see photograph right)[4]
Position Name crew member Known as
Captain F/O R.Wakeman, DFC Jimmy
Navigator P/O Reginald William Parr, DFC Reg
Bomb Aimer F/O C.B.Morrison, RCAF, DFC Cliff
W/Op F/Sgt. H.Bearyman Harry
Flt.Eng. F/Sgt. P.McPhie Peter
Mid-upper Gunner F/S R.Thomas Tommy
Rear Gunner F/Sgt. E.G.Humphries Eric
Individual missions for the above named crew, data from[4][5][6][7][8][9]
Date (all dates are in 1944) Off Back Target Mission Detail Bomb Load (lbs) Individual Aircraft Code Aircraft Serial No.
6 August 11:12 14:27 Forêt de Nieppe V-Weapon Sites. 16×500 X
7 August 20:53 01:48 May-sur-Orne Army Support – Five aiming points in front of Allied ground troops in Normandy. 9×1000 H NA573
9 August 11:53 15:28 Le Châtellier Chemical works. 4×500 X
10 August 20:50 03:50 Dijon A railway junction and the railway yards. 4×500 J
11 August 18:22 22:07 Étaples Railway bridge. 4×500 Z
15 August 09:40 13:45 Eindhoven Airfield 4×500 B MZ561
16 August 21:40 01:45 Kiel 4×500 B MZ561
18 August 22:20 03:00 Sterkrade/Holten, Ruhr. Ruhrchemie AG synthetic oil plant
(SBC = small bomb container)		 1×2000, 4×SBC B MZ561
9 September 06:44 11:09 Le Havre Abandoned – cloud. 16×500 G
11 September 05:19 09:49 Cadillac 7×1000, 6×500 K
12 September 16:15 20:50 Münster 1×2000 & Incendiary P MZ678
17 September 06:52 10:43 Boulogne German positions in preparation for an attack by Allied troops. 9×1000, 4×500 J NP631
25 September 06:35 10:36 Calais German defensive positions. 9×1000, 4×500 J NP931
27 September 09:29 13:03 Calais German defensive positions. 9×1000, 4×500 D LW554
30 September 09:45 14:22 Bottrop, Ruhr. Oil plant. 16×500 H MZ344
6 October 14:28 19:04 Sterkrade/Holten, Ruhr. Ruhrchemie AG Synthetic oil plant. 16×500 J NP931
7 October 11:45 16:03 Kleve Army support – Approach routes by which German units could threaten the vulnerable Allied right flank near Nijmegen. 9×1000, 4×500 J NP931
15 October 00:16 05:53 Duisburg 8×1000, 5×500 K MZ930
15 October 17:48 21:41 Wilhelmshaven 8×1000, 5×500 K MZ930
25 October 12:09 17:51 Essen Industrial concerns, particularly to the Krupps steelworks. 9×1000, 4×500 J NP931
28 October 09:45 13:05 Walcheren Gun positions at 5 places on the rim of the island. 1×2000, 7×1000, 4×500 L NP931
31 October 18:03 23:10 Cologne 1×2000, 6×1000, 5×500 G MZ404
2 November 16:05 22:00 Düsseldorf 1×2000 & Incendiary J NP931
4 November 17:34 22:34 Bochum Industrial areas, particularly the steelworks. 1×2000, 6×1000, 5×500 J NP931
6 November 11:42 16:42 Gelsenkirchen Nordstern synthetic-oil plant. 1×2000, 6×1000, 5×500 J NP931
16 November 12:43 17:30 Jülich Army support – cut communications behind the German lines. 1×2000, 6×1000, 5×500 J NP931
21 November 17:25 23:55 Sterkrade/Holten, Ruhr. Ruhrchemie AG Synthetic oil plant. 16×500 J NP931
29 November 02:26 08:22 Essen Industrial areas, including the Krupps works. 1×2000, 16×500 J NP931
2 December 17:35 00:07 Hagen Industrial areas – unknown at the time this included a factory making U-boat accumulator batteries. 1×2000 & Incendiary J NP931
12 December 16:24 21:58 Essen Industrial areas, including the Krupps works. 1×2000, 4×1000, 6×500 J NP931
22 December 15:05 21:33 Bingen am Rhein Railway yards. 1×2000, 4×1000, 6×500 J NP931
24 December 11:17 16:42 Essen/Mülheim Airfields. 5×1000, 8×250 J NP931

Aircraft operated

Aircraft operated by no. 640 Squadron RAF, data from[1][2][3]
From To Aircraft Version
January 1944 March 1945 Handley-Page Halifax Mk.III
March 1945 May 1945 Handley-Page Halifax Mk.VI

Squadron bases

Base operated by no. 640 Squadron RAF, data from[1][2][3]
From To Name
7 January 1944 7 May 1945 RAF Leconfield, East Riding of Yorkshire

References

Notes

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  4. ↑ a b Reginald William Parr Flight Log 1944
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Bibliography

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External links

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