160 Squadron RAF

• 160 Squadron was originally formed at Thurleigh in England on Jan. 16, 1942.
• The ground crew were posted to the India on February 12, 1942, arriving without their aircraft.
• The squadron's aircraft were flown to Palestine in early June, 1942, from where they carried out raids on Lybia and Crete.
• Aircraft started leaving for India in October; some aircraft remained and were absorbed into 178 Sqn.
• Initial operations in India were patrols over the Bay of Bengal.
• The squadron moved to Ceylon and was engaged in shipping protection flights, minelaying, and photographic reconnaissance over Sumatra and the Nicobar Islands.
• In June 1945 the squadron converted to special duties, dropping agents and supplies over Malaya and Sumatra.
• After VJ day the squadron carried out transport duties.
• The squadron was returned to England on June 15, 1946 where it briefly converted to Lancaster GR3's until disbandment on Sept. 30, 1946
• The squadron only flew Liberator aircraft; Mk's II, III, V, VI, and VIII during WWII.

Details on 160 Squadron's "Special Flight"

Liberators listed as serving with 160 Squadron
Includes the "fates" of the aircraft.

160 Squadron Association Newsletters

Next Squadron Association Reunion -- September 2013
(Notice and Form as PDF file)

The Canadians on 160 Squadron
(including some photos)

Photo-Reconnaissance Tactics, 160 Squadron by J. Jackson

F/Lt. Mullins' Photographs.
F/Lt. Mullins served with 160 Squadron in the 1943-44 period; here are his photos from that time.

Information Provided by Les Crawley

160 Squadron Honour Role

Notes on 160 losses and casualties

Information from the Official Records

Report on the ditching of BZ828

Report on the ditching of FL911

Report on minelaying tactics

The squadron records -- Form 540 "Summary of Activities" Jan. 43 to Mar. 44

All records for 1942, by month, with index of names as a PDF file
(note: draft format, with some "?" marks where it was hard to transcribe; most of these records pertain to operations in the U.K. and M.E.)

All records for 1943, by month, with index of names as a PDF file
(note: draft format, with very little editing of the transcription done so far)

All records for 1944, by month, with index of names as a PDF file
(note: draft format, with some ‘?’ marks where it was hard to transcribe)

All records for 1945, by month, with index of names as PDF file
(note: draft format; Forms 540 and 541 are "getting there", but the appendices need a lot of work)

All records for 1946, by month, with index of names as PDF file
(note: draft format -- post war records have few details of flights)

If you have any comments, please e-mail me.

Robert Quirk

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Last updated June 5, 2012