625 squadron

[jupiter]

Hi new to the board .
Im trying to find out any info about 625 squadron,the squadron my grandfather fiew with before being shot down on 28/29 7 44,
i have dtails of that event and in the process of recording his 23 missions.
what im really after is any war time photos of 625 either its aircraft or raf kelstern

cheers

 

[smg]

No. 625 Squadron RAF was a bomber squadron of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War.

Squadron motto was We Avenge.

The squadron was formed on 1 October 1943 at RAF Kelstern from 'C' flight of 100 Squadron. It was equipped with Avro Lancaster, as part of No. 1 Group RAF in Bomber Command, of which it formed part between 18 October 1944 and 25 April 1945.

The squadron carried out night raids against Germany. On 5 April 1945 it moved to RAF Scampton. At the end of the war the squadron dropped food to the starving Dutch people, flew POW repatriation flights from Belgium and repatriated British troops from Italy, before it was disbanded on 7 October 1945 [1].


its all i was able to find

 

[Njaco]

Found acouple quick sites. One has current photos of buildings and others have the 625 badge and airplanes and memorials.

RAF-lincolnshire.info :: Kelstern

Technical site buildings - Duration only airfields

Sqn Markings 618-695_P

Lincolnshire Memorials to the RAF

RAF History - Bomber Command 60th Anniversary

Hope this helps.
Welcome to the forum!

 

[Wurger]

Wlcome to the forum.Greetings from Poland.

 

[jupiter]

cheers

 

[Wayne Little]

Hey man welcome to the forum.

 

[Heinz]

Welcome.

 

[Concorde247]

Welcome to the forum,

Heres a 625 sdn lanc picture taken from the book Lancaster Squadrons in focus by M Postlethwaite.

My records show that 625 sdn lost two aircraft that night on the raid on stuttgart, the other main raid that night was on Hamburg, it was a bad night for bomber command as it lost 66 bombers in combat several others on landing. The Two 625 Sdn Lancasters lost were:

Lancaster Mk I Serial No: LL962 coded CF-U with 3 crew Kia 1 Injured (died later in hospital), with 3Pow's

Lancaster Mk III Serial No: LM546 coded CF-O all 7 crew Pow's

 

[jupiter]

cheers for that mate
pete
Thats the only 625 picture i have ever seen

 

[Mike156]

Hi

Was your grandfather part of Flying Officer Collett's crew or Pilot Officer Tuck's.
I have some information regarding Tuck and his crew and also the Stuttgart operation in general.

Happy to pass on
Would also be interested to learn what information that you have.

regards

Mike

 

[Airframes]

Hi, Mike. Jupiter's Grandfather was Frank Collett. I've been in touch, as I did a painting of the Lanc just after take off on the final 'op', and this was made into limited edition prints, signed by four of the surviving crew, including Jupiter's Grandfather. (The former Flight Engineer is a friend of mine, hence the connection.)
Jupiter, Hi, mate! Terribly sorry, but I've mislaid your address and details! Can you PM or e-mail me please, so that I can get the photograph and the original sketch to you?
Sorry to answer part of Mike's question for you, I'll let you provide the details!
Cheers,
Terry.

 

[Erich]

this sure missed me by

shot down by Flak or night fighter Jupiter ?

NJG's 2, 5 and 6 were pretty active in the area of Stuttgart

 

[jupiter]

Hi Thanks for your replies.
My Grandfather was P/O F.Collett and was shot down on the 28/29/7/44 over Stuttgart.
Through research and help from many others i believe he was shot down by Uffz. Martin Uhlmann: 4 2./NJG4 .Sadly i have been able to find any info on him other than he survived the war with 5 victories.
As for information i have collated on my Grandfather i have 2 reports from 2 of the crew the night they were shot down. The bomber stream route for Bomber command the night of the raid. Also details of 20 missions he flew and Bi ogs of the aircraft he flew and details of the planes history.
Mike what is your interest in P/o Tuck ? I am in touch with the family of the bomb aimer from that crew.
Pete

 

[Mike156]

Hi Pete and Terry

The navigator of Tuck's crew was F/O AJ Hewetson. He is buried alongside a 156 Sqn crew that I am principally interested in but inevitably I have been researching him and his crew.
You must be referring to the family of Robert Morrison. I had thought about trying to contact him or his family - this could be a stroke of luck!
I have viewed and copied the report of the operations that night - it will no doubt be of interest to you if you haven't already seen it. Also some other info relating to the Stuttgart op.
I presume the two crew you mention are the engineer and the gunner - both report being hit by a night fighter(?)
Bye for now.

Mike

 

[jupiter]

Mike any info would be great , if you want i will contact Morrisons family and pass on your details .As regards the crew you are right it is the engineer and gunner i have details from.
Erich have you any info on NJG 2 at all that might help.
Pete

 

[625 Secretary]

Hi Jupiter et al,
I have just registered to this forum. My name is Nic Lewis and I am the Secretary of the 625 Squadron Memorial Association. I was pointed this way by mike156. In addition to organising reunions and the maintenance of our permanent Memorial at Kelstern I hold a large library of historic material about the squadron. I am slowly moving towards making this public on the web (copyright permitting), in the meantime I try to assist on an ad hoc basis to individual requests.

Jupiter, your research is of particular interest to me, my father flew with 625 (hence my position as Secretary) and completed his tour just a few days before the fateful Stuttgart raid. What is even more poignant is that he had flown 14 ops of his tour in LL962 (CF-U), which was the aeroplane piloted by HH Tuck lost on that night together with LM546 CF-O which from previous postings I understand your Grandfather piloted. My father's last op in LL962 was on the 18th July 44, a daylight raid to Sannerville, near Caen. I also am in touch with RG Morrison's family. It's a small world.......

Please PM me to let me know what specific information you are looking for and I will see if I can help. That also applies to other members of this forum with a specific interest in 625 Squadron.

I will post URLs to stuff of interest to the forum also, as soon as I can!

rgds to all
Nic

 

[Lucky13]

Welcome to the family Nic! Make yourself at home...

 

[Airframes]

Hi Nic, and welcome. looking forward to your future posts. For your benefit, and for those forum mmbers who have not already seen it, here's my painting of CF-O, the Lanc flown by Pete's Grandfather, just after take-off for the fateful Stutgart mission. It was due to this painting, entitled 'Final Flight', and the subsequent prints, that attracted to me to the forum due to Pete's initial request.
Terry.

 

[Lucky13]

....and we all know where it went from there Terry, dear boy, eh? 8)

 

[Airframes]

Yup, you're right Jan! just noticed, almost 1,000 posts in 3 months!
Great Scott, Wizard show!