No. 347 Squadron

Badge: None authorised
French designation: Groupe 1/25 'Tunisie'

No.347 Squadron was formed at Elvington, near York, on 20th June 1944, and was the second of the two French Air Force heavy-bomber squadrons which served in this country in the Second World War. The squadron's CO and aircrew were French but the adjutant was English. Many of the original aircrew had previously served with the French Air Force in North Africa.

Beginning operations at the end of June 1944, with Halifax Vs, No.347 switched to Halifax IIIs in mid-July and continued solely with these until early April 1945, when it began to use Halifax VIs also. Over a span of ten months it flew 1,355 operational sorties (1,242 bombing and 113 emergency transport), dropped almost 3,977 tons of bombs, and, during the period 25th September to 2nd October 1944, ferried 84,850 gallons of petrol from Elvington to Brussels for the 2nd Army.

Bomber Command WWII Bases: Formed 20.6.44 as No. 347(B) Squadron at:

• Elvington - Jun 1944 onwards

• Handley Page Halifax B.V, B.III and B.VI - Jun 1944 onwards

Code Letters:

• "L8"

• 27/28th Jun 1944 : 11 Halifaxes bombed a V-weapon site at Mont Candon and another Halifax aborted.

• 25th Apr 1945 : 12 Halifaxes despatched to bomb gun batteries on island of Wangerooge 11 aircraft bombed primary and the other failed to return

 

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