463/467 (Lancaster) Squadron RAAF Plaque

About

Brass plaque dedicated to the two Squadrons, in remembrance of service in Europe during World War II. The plaque displays respective Squadron Crests. Additional Information No. 463 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force was formed at Waddington in the United Kingdom on 25 November 1943. Like 467 Squadron, 463 was equipped with Lancaster heavy bombers and formed part of 5 Group of RAF Bomber Command. Its first commanding officer was Wing Commander Rollo Kingsford-Smith, the nephew of the famous Australian aviator Sir Charles Kingsford-Smith. Night raids on Germany became a focus of the squadron's activities and it was heavily engaged during the battles of Berlin and the Ruhr. It also took part in numerous raids on the sites used to assemble and launch V1 flying bombs and V2 rockets against Britain. Prior to the Allied invasion of occupied Europe, the emphasis of Bomber Command's operations switched to military targets in and around Normandy. On D-Day, 6 June 1944, 467 Squadron attacked the German artillery batteries on Pointe du Hoc, which covered "Omaha" beach. 463 Squadron also operated three specially-modified Lancasters for the RAF film unit which were used to record bombing raids and their results. One of these aircraft took part in the attack on the German battleship Tirpitz on 15 September 1944. 463 Squadron continued to mount raids against Germany until the war's end. The squadron flew its last raid on the night of ANZAC Day 1945. Battle Honours Tirpitz, Fortress Europe 1940-1944, France and Germany 1944-1945, Ruhr 1940-1945, Berlin 1940-1945, German Ports 1940-1945, Normandy 1944, Walcheren No. 467 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force was formed at Scampton in the United Kingdom on 7 November 1942, although the majority of its personnel were originally British. The replacement of these men with Australians was a gradual process and it was only towards the end of the war that the squadron gained a dominant Australian character. The squadron relocated to Bottesford on 23 November 1942 and commenced operations on 2 January 1943. A year later it moved to Waddington, which remained the squadron's home until the end of the war. Equipped with Avro Lancaster heavy bombers, and forming part of 5 Group, RAF Bomber Command, the squadron's operational focus for much of the war was the strategic night bombing offensive against Germany. In addition to the strategic bombing offensive, 467 Squadron was also employed in support of ground operations prior to, and during the D-Day landings, during the drive out of the Normandy beachhead in mid-1944, and during the crossing of the Rhine in March 1945. The squadron also participated in the offensive to remove the threat posed by Germany's terror weapons and participated in raids on the weapons research facility at Peenemünde, and on V1 flying bomb and V2 rocket assembly and launch sites in France. 467 Squadron's last bombing raid of the war was an attack on the oil refinery and tankerage at Vallo in Norway. Battle Honours Fortress Europe 1940-1944, France and Germany 1944-1945, Ruhr 1940-1945, Berlin 1940-1945, German Ports 1940-1945, Normandy 1944, Walcheren, Rhine (Source: Australian War Memorial www.awm.gov.au)