Page 3 - 576 Squadron History

History of 576 Squadron

Formation

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The Squadron was formed on the 25 November 1943 at Elsham Wolds during the height of the
Battle of Berlin as a unit of No. 1 Group Bomber Command under the command of Wing
Commander G. T. B. Clayton DFC.

13 experienced crews together with 9 Avro Lancasters and their ground crews were transferred
from the ‘C’ Flight of 103 Squadron, also based at Elsham Wolds. These made up the nucleus of
the new Squadron forming ‘B’ Flight under the command of Squadron Leader M. R. Attwater.
The Squadron’s ‘A’ Flight, under the command of Squadron Leader Dilworth, was made up of 4
experienced crews from 101 Squadron at Ludford Magna with additional crews coming straight
from Heavy Conversion Unit.

The Squadron crest featured a merlin preying on a serpent which was symbolic of the unit seeking
and destroying its prey. The Squadron motto was "Carpe Diem" which translated means
“Seize the Day”

Into Battle

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The Squadron quickly commenced operations participating in a raid on Berlin on the 2/3
December 1943.This was part of a series of heavy raids against the German capital undertaken by
Bomber Command throughout the winter of 1943/44.

Seven Lancasters and crews were detailed for this attack. The German night fighters were very
active along the route and incorrectly forecast winds scattered the bomber stream. This produced
difficulties with the marking which led to a scattered attack. Nevertheless some useful damage
was caused to the industrial areas in the west and east of the city. Flight Sergeant J. M. Booth
R.A.A.F and his crew failed to return from this operation. Apart from the Flight engineer, Sergeant
J. M. Kaye, all the crew were Australian. Sadly they were all killed when their Lancaster crashed
near Mönchengladbach.

An operation followed on the next night to Leipzig when the Squadron detailed 6 Lancasters and
crews. This was a relatively successful attack but again 1 Lancaster and crew failed to return.

There then followed a period of further training due to the bad weather and also the
unserviceability of the aircraft.

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Operations resumed on the 16/17 December when another raid on Berlin took place. The
Lancaster of Flight Sergeant F. R. Scott and crew collided with another Lancaster from 103
Squadron in cloud soon after take-off and crashed at Ulceby with no survivors. Flying Officer R. S.
McAra and crew failed to return from this operation. Warrant Officer T. J. Bassett and crew were
diverted to Wickenby on return due to bad weather at Elsham Wolds and overshot the runway and
crash landed.