No._353_Squadron_RAF
No. 353 Squadron RAF
Defunct flying squadron of the Royal Air Force
No. 353 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force squadron, active during World War II carrying out maritime patrol and transport tasks.
| No. 353 Squadron RAF | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1 June 1942 – 1 October 1946 |
| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Branch |  Royal Air Force |
| Part of | No. 221 Group RAF, Air Command, South East Asia[1] No. 229 Group RAF, ACSEA[2] |
| Motto(s) | Fear naught in unity[3][4] |
| Insignia | |
| Squadron Badge heraldry | A Bengal Tiger rampant[3][4] |
| Squadron Codes | No identity markings are known to have been carried[3] |
No. 353 Squadron was formed on 1 June 1942 at Dum Dum, British India from 62 Squadron RAF and 103 (Coast Defence) Flight, Indian Air Force. The squadron was engaged in coastal patrols over the Bay of Bengal equipped with Lockheed Hudson, an American a light bomber and coastal reconnaissance aircraft. In August 1943 the squadron moved to Palam and was assigned to transport duties. From 1944 onwards the squadron re-equipped with Douglas Dakota, an American military transport aircraft and also operated a number of Avro Anson, a British twin-engine multi-role aircraft, which were replaced with Beech Expeditor twin-engine light aircraft in January 1945. The squadron became fully Dakota equipped by April 1945, but disbanded at RAF Mauripur on 1 October 1946.
| From | To | Aircraft | Version |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 1942 | October 1944 | Lockheed Hudson | Mk.III |
| October 1944 | October 1944 | Lockheed Hudson | Mk.VI |
| April 1944 | September 1945 | Douglas Dakota | Mk.I |
| April 1944 | October 1946 | Douglas Dakota | Mks.III, IV |
| August 1944 | January 1945 | Avro Anson | Mks.I, X, XII |
| November 1944 | March 1945 | Vickers Warwick | Mk.III |
| January 1945 | July 1945 | Beechcraft Expeditor | Mk.II |
| From | To | Base | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 June 1942 | 24 February 1943 | RAF Dum Dum, Bengal | Det. at RAF Cuttack, Orissa |
| 24 February 1943 | 2 April 1943 | RAF Dhubalia, Bengal | Det. at RAF Jessore, Bengal |
| 2 April 1943 | 24 August 1943 | RAF Tanjore, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu | Det. at St Thomas Mount, Madras, Tamil Nadu |
| 24 August 1943 | 1 May 1946 | RAF Palam, Delhi | Dets. at Dum Dum (renumbered to 52 Squadron on 1 July 1944) and Jiwani, Balochistan |
| 1 May 1946 | 1 October 1946 | RAF Mauripur, Sindh | Disbanded here |
| From | To | Name |
|---|---|---|
| 1 June 1942 | 1 July 1944 | W/Cdr. L.G.W. Lilly |
| 1 July 1944 | February 1945 | W/Cdr. C.E. Slee, MVO, AFC |
| February 1945 | March 1945 | S/Ldr. F.M. Biddulph |
| March 1945 | October 1945 | W/cdr. A.M. Harding, DFC |
| October 1945 | 1 October 1946 | W/Cdr. P.B. Wood |
Notes
- Delve 1994, p. 68.
- Delve 1994, pp. 77, 84.
- Rawlings 1982, p. 203.
- Halley 1988, p. 383.
- Jefford 2001, p. 90.
- Jefford 2001, pp. 266–271.
Bibliography
- Delve, Ken (1994). The Source Book of the RAF. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing. ISBN 1-85310-451-5.
- Halley, James J. (1988). The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth, 1918–1988. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. ISBN 0-85130-164-9.
- Jefford, C.G. (2001). RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912 (2nd ed.). Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing Ltd. ISBN 1-85310-053-6.
- Rawlings, John D.R. (1982). Coastal, Support and Special Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Jane's Publishing Company Ltd. ISBN 0-7106-0187-5.