576 Squadron

576 badge 576 Squadron was formed from C Flight of 103 Squadron 25 November 1943. Together with 103 Squadron the squadron was stationed at RAF Elsham Wolds in Lincolnshire. Eleven months later 576 Squadron was relocated to RAF Fiskerton, a little way outside of Lincoln.

576 Squadron began bombing operations with Lancasters on on the night of 2/3 December 1943 with a raid on Berlin, and continued in this role until the end of the war as part of the main force of Bomber Command. On 13 September 1945, the squadron was disbanded.

576 Squadron took part in the Battle of Berlin, of which its first raid was at the height.

The last bombing operation of 576 Squadron was the attack on Hitler's mountain retreat at Berchtesgaden in which 25 Lancasters and crews from the squadron took part.

Towards the end of the war 576 Squadron took part in Operation Manna, the dropping of food supplies to the people of Holland, and later, after VE-Day, the transporting of liberated prisoners of war to Britain.

During its brief period of existence 576 Squadron operated only one aircraft, the Avro Lancaster.

576 Squadron was disbanded at Fiskerton on the 13 September 1945.


Lincolnshire ~ RAF Fiskerton
(c) Keith Parkins 2006-2008 -- January 2008 rev 1