No. 40 Squadron

Motto: Motto: "Hostem acœlo expellere" (To drive the enemy from the sky).
Badge: A broom. The broom was chosen to immortalise the frequent exhortation of Major 'Mick' Mannock, the famous World War I pilot, who served with the squadron, to "sweep the Huns from the air!"
Authority: Authority: King George VI, February 1937.

No.40 Squadron, RFC, was formed at Gosport, Hampshire, on 26th February 1916, and from August 1916, to the Armistice served on the Western Front as a fighter squadron. During its service on the Western Front it claimed the destruction of 130 enemy aircraft and 30 kite balloons, and the driving down of a further 144 aircraft out of control and ten balloons in a damaged condition. Disbanded in 1919, No.40 was re-formed as a bomber squadron in 1931 and in the Second World War operated in several theatres: flying Blenheims and Wellingtons from bases in England it bombed targets in France, the Low Countries and Germany; flying Wellingtons from bases in the Middle East it bombed targets in North Africa, Sicily, Sardinia, Rhodes, Crete, Greece, Pantellaria, Lampedusa and Italy; and flying Welling tons and Liberators from a base in Italy (Foggia Main) it bombed targets in Italy and the Balkans.

Bomber Command WWII Bases:

• Bétheniville, France : Sep 1939-Dec 1939
• Wyton : Dec 1939-Feb 1941
• Alconbury : Feb 1941-Feb 1942

Bomber Command WWII Aircraft:

• Fairey Battle : Jul 1938-Dec 1939
• Bristol Blenheim IV : Dec 1939-Nov 1940
• Vickers Wellington IC and III : Nov 1940 onwards

Code Letters:

• During the 1938 Munich crisis No.40 was allotted the code letters "OX" In WW2, the squadron's code letters were "BL".

First Operational Mission in WWII:

• 21st September 1939 : Photographic reconnaissance of Monneren, Merzig & Losheim by 6 Battles.

First Bombing Mission in WWII:

• 1Oth May 1940 : 12 Blenheims despatched to bomb Ypenburg airfield. 8 or 9 aircraft bombed primary, 1 bombed a landing ground 5 miles W of Leyden and 1 also strafed enemy aircraft parked along beach from The Hague to Noordwick. 3 a/c failed to return, 1 of these being shot down by enemy aircraft after bombing primary.

[ Aircraft | Background | Commanders | Diary | Anatomy | Groups ]
[ Famous Raids | Gallery | Squadrons | Stations ]

[ Home ]
[ Return to the RAF Site ]

© Crown Copyright 2004 and © Deltaweb International Ltd 2004