No. 626 Squadron RAF was a heavy bomber squadron of the Royal Air Force from 1943 to 1945. History The squadron was formed on 7 November 1943 at RAF Wickenby from C Flight of No. 12 Squadron. It operated in the strategic bombing role with the Avro Lancaster. It was disbanded on 14 October 1945, having spent the last months of the war on food droppings (Operation Manna) and transport duties (Operation Exodus), repatriating former prisoners of war and bringing British troops home from Italy. First operational mission 10/11 November 1943 7 Lancasters bombed Modane Last operational mission 25 April 1945 14 Lancasters bombed Obersalzberg Last mission before V.E. day 7 May 1945 19 Lancasters dropped supplies to the Dutch in Rotterdam The squadron flew 2,728 sorties during the Second World War for the loss of 49 aircraft. Aircraft operated Squadron bases Notable personnel Michael Bentine – Intelligence Officer Colin Tapley – Flying Control Officer Eric Simms – bomb-aimer Jack Currie, Lancaster (later Mosquito) pilot, writer, broadcaster and artist Stewart Jacques - Flight Sergeant See also List of Royal Air Force aircraft squadrons References Notes Bibliography Further reading Currie, Jack. Lancaster Target: The Story of a Crew Who Flew from Wickenby. Goodall Publications Ltd., 1997. . Smith, Ron. Rear Gunner Pathfinder. Manchester, UK: Goodall Publications Ltd./Crécy, 1998. . Ward, Cris. Royal Air Force Bomber Command Squadron Profiles, Number 122: 626 Squadron, "To Strive and Not to Yield". Berkshire, UK: Ward Publishing, 1998. West, Dennis. To Strive and Not to Yield: No. 626 Squadron and the Battle of Berlin . Woodfield Publishing, 2002. . External links Tom Bint – 626 Squadron & RAF Wickenby 626 Squadron on RAF website History of No.'s 621–650 Squadrons at RAF Web Bomber squadrons of the Royal Air Force in World War II 626 Military units and formations established in 1943 Military units and formations disestablished in 1945