357 Squadron RAF

357 Squadron was formed on February 1, 1944 at Digri, India.

The "A" flight was formed from No. 1576 SD flight with Liberators and Hudsons; the "B" flight was equipped with Catalinas at Redhills Lake.

Its Liberators were used for long range supply and agent dropping flights to Malaya and Sumatra.

The Catalinas formed No. 628 Squadron on March 1944.

The Hudsons were replaced by Dakotas, and Lysanders were added in January 1945.

The squadron was disbanded on November 15, 1945.

Squadron Bases in India were:

  • Digri:: February 1944 to September 1944
    • (with detachments at Redhills Lake and Dum Dum)
  • Jessore: September 1944 to September 1945
    • (with detachments at Cox's Bazaar, Minneriya, China Bay, Toungoo, Drigh Road, Meiktela, and Mingaladon)
  • Mingaladon: September 1945 to November 1945
    • (with detachments at Don Muang)

Aircraft types flown:

  • Hudson IIIA: February 1944 to January 1945
  • Liberator III: February 1944 to January 1945
  • Liberator VI: September 1944 to November 1945
  • Catalina IV: February 1944 to March 1945
  • Dakota IV: January 1945 to November 1945

 

Liberators listed as serving with 357 Squadron

Includes the "fates" of the aircraft.

The "Operation Record Book" -- transcipts of the "Official Records" as held at the National Archives, Kew.

Transcript for 1944 (pdf file) -- this copy is "as typed" -- no checking or editing has been done -- normally I do not put files up at this stage, but as I am working on 1945 now, and I am not certain when I will have the time to edit 1944 -- so I decided to share it at the "Draft No. 0" stage.

Return to "Slices of History"

Return to Home Page

 

Updated April 11, 2009