No. 160 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force unit during the Second World War, when it flew for four years in a number of roles including heavy bomber, minelaying, reconnaissance, special operations and transport unit in the Middle East and South-East Asian theatre of World War II.
History
First World War: False start No. 160 Squadron was originally proposed on 9 May 1918 as a bomber squadron for deployment to France with DH.9As on 7 October, shortly afterwards amended to 20 October, but formation had not yet taken place when these plans were cancelled on 4 July. The formation was then rescheduled to take place on 20 September at Bristol (Filton) for deployment to France on 20 November, but this plan in its turn was suspended on 29 July and cancelled altogether on 17 August. The squadron thus never effectively formed during the First World War.
Second World War
To India via Palestine No. 160 Squadron RAF was formed at RAF Thurleigh, Bedfordshire on 16 January 1942 as a heavy bomber/reconnaissance unit equipped with Consolidated Liberator aircraft. The squadron was posted to India on 12 February 1942, but without its aircraft and crews, who remained in England for training at RAF Polebrook, Northamptonshire. In June 1942 the crews and aircraft moved to the Middle East for bomber operations alongside No. 159 squadron. Whilst being based in Egypt and Palestine the squadron flew missions against targets in Libya and Crete. From November 1942 the squadron's crew and aircraft gradually moved to India, this being completed early February 1943, first mission was flown on 6 February over the Bay of Bengal. The squadron moved to Ceylon on 19 February, being based first at Ratmalana and later at Sigiriya, Kankesanturai and Minneriya. At first the squadron was involved in reconnaissance missions and minelaying and later became involved in dropping supplies to units operating behind enemy lines. When the war ended 160 squadron returned to Kankesanturai and served for a while in the transport role.
Back in the UK On 23 June 1946, the return to the UK of the squadron was completed, and they were based at RAF Leuchars, Fife, Scotland, operating as a reconnaissance squadron. The squadron converted to Avro Lancaster GR.3s in August 1946, but was disbanded shortly after on 30 September 1946, being renumbered to No. 120 Squadron RAF.
Aircraft operated +Aircraft operated by no. 160 Squadron RAF, data from From To Aircraft Version May 1942 January 1943 Consolidated Liberator Mk.II November 1942 October 1945 Consolidated Liberator Mk.III June 1943 November 1945 Consolidated Liberator Mk.V January 1944 January 1945 Consolidated Liberator Mk.VI October 1945 September 1946 Consolidated Liberator Mk.VIII August 1946 September 1946 Avro Lancaster GR.3
Squadron bases +Bases and airfields used by no. 160 Squadron RAF, data from From To From To Base Remark 16 January 1942 12 February 1942 RAF Thurleigh, Bedfordshire Ground personnel January 1942 26 April 1942 RAF Polebrook, Northamptonshire Air echelon, training at 1653 HCU 12 February 1942 4 June 1942 Left for India Ground personnel 26 April 1942 7 May 1942 RAF Lyneham, Wiltshire Air echelon 7 May 1942 30 May 1942 RAF Nutts Corner, County Antrim, Northern Ireland Air echelon 30 May 1942 8 June 1942 RAF Lyneham, Wiltshire Air echelon 4 June 1942 17 June 1942 RAF Drigh Road, Karachi Ground personnel 8 June 1942 11 June 1942 Left for Middle East Air echelon 17 June 1942 22 November 1942 RAF Quetta, Balochistan Ground personnel 11 June 1942 16 September 1942 RAF Fayid, Egypt Air echelon (absorbed into 159 sqn) 16 September June 1942 8 November 1942 RAF Aqir, Palestine Air echelon 8 November 1942 15 January 1943 Shandur, Egypt Air echelon (leftovers absorbed by 178 sqn) 22 November 1942 19 February 1943 RAF Salbani, Paschim Medinipur, Bengal Ground personnel first,later joined by greater part of air echelon 19 February 1943 2 August 1943 RAF Ratmalana, Ceylon Det. at RAF Sigiriya, Ceylon 2 August 1943 31 July 1944 RAF Sigiriya, Ceylon Dets. at RAF Cuttack, Orissa;RAF Ratmalana, Ceylon;RAF Vavuniya, Ceylon andRAF Gan (Addu Atoll), the Maldives 1 August 1944 7 February 1945 RAF Kankesanturai, Ceylon Dets. at Addu Atoll, the Maldives andRAF Kandy (Senkadagalapura), Ceylon 7 February 1945 17 October 1945 RAF Minneriya, Ceylon Det. at RAF Ramree Island, Burma 17 October 1945 23 June 1946 RAF Kankesanturai, Ceylon 23 June 1946 30 September 1946 RAF Leuchars, Fife, Scotland
Commanding officers +Officers commanding no. 160 Squadron RAF, data from From To Name March 1943 January 1944 W/Cdr. C.A. Butler January 1944 November 1944 W/Cdr. G.R. Brady November 1944 May 1945 W/Cdr. J.N. Stacy, DSO, DFC May 1945 September 1945 W/Cdr. G. MacKenzie September 1945 September 1946 W/Cdr. R.D. Williams
References
Citations
Bibliography
External links Burma Star Association: 160 Squadron RAF Squadron histories for nos. 156–160 sqn on Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation No. 160 Squadron history Graves of 160 Sqdn Liberator crew (Cox, Durrant, Ellerker, Harwood, Lawrence, Reilly) killed over Crete, 28 Oct 1942