No. 576 Squadron

Group
1 Group
Home station
RAF Fiskerton

About

No. 576 Squadron was formed at RAF Elsham Wolds in November 1943, built up from experienced crews of No. 101 and No. 103 Squadrons, and flew the Avro Lancaster in No. 1 Group. It opened operations against Berlin on the night of 2/3 December 1943, and later moved to RAF Fiskerton near Lincoln.

In its relatively short existence the squadron flew nearly 2,800 sorties. After the fighting ended it took part in the mercy and clear-up operations of 1945 — dropping food to the Dutch, bringing home released prisoners of war, and ferrying troops back from Italy — before disbanding in September 1945. Its motto was Noli me tangere, “touch me not”.

Sources: This page was compiled from publicly available historical sources, including History of War — No. 576 Squadron (RAF) in the Second World War and Wikipedia: No. 576 Squadron RAF. The text is original and has been written from factual source material; no source text has been copied unless specifically quoted and attributed.

Photographs

RAF Elsham Wolds - Memorial This memorial situated in the grounds of the water treatment plant is dedicated to those lost on operations from this RAF Station. For details on RAF Elsham Wolds see http://www.raf.mod.uk/bombercommand/s4.html No. 103 Squadron Motto: "Noli me tangere" ("Touch me not"). Badge: A swan, wings elevated and addorsed. A swan was chosen because it is very strong on the wing and well able to defend itself. http://www.raf.mod.uk/bombercommand/h103.html No. 576 Squadron Motto: "Carpe diem" ("Seize the opportunity"). Badge: A merlin, wings inverted and addorsed, preying on a serpent. This squadron had aircraft fitted with Merlin engines and the badge is symbolic of the unit seeking out and destroying its prey. http://www.raf.mod.uk/bombercommand/h576.html
ⓘ licence & creditDavid Wright / CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:RAF_Elsham_Wolds_-_Memorial_-_geograph.org.uk_-_289342.jpgView source & full licence →
AWM caption : FISKERTON RAF STATION, LINCOLNSHIRE, ENGLAND, 1945. A LANCASTER BOMBER AIRCRAFT OF NO. 576 SQUADRON RAF ON THE RUNWAY PREPARING FOR TAKEOFF.
ⓘ licence & creditnot stated / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:576_Squadron_RAF_Lancaster_Fiskerton_1945_AWM_P00811.019.jpgView source & full licence →
AWM caption : Probably FISKERTON RAF STATION, LINCOLNSHIRE, ENGLAND. C.1944. SOME NOSE ART. A KANGAROO MASCOT PAINTED ON THE SIDE OF A LANCASTER BOMBER AIRCRAFT OF NO. 576 SQUADRON RAF.
ⓘ licence & creditnot stated / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:576_Squadron_RAF_Lancaster_Fiskerton_1944_AWM_P00811.020.jpgView source & full licence →
AWM caption : FISKERTON RAF STATION, LINCOLNSHIRE, ENGLAND, 1945. LANCASTER BOMBER AIRCRAFT CREW FROM NO. 576 SQUADRON RAF. THEY ARE, FROM LEFT: * DON TYSHING (NAVIGATOR) * BERT ROBERTS (ENGINEER) * ROY VESPERMANN (MIDUPPER GUNNER) * DAVE CROFTS (PILOT) * JOHNNY MUSGROVE (BOMBARDIER) * HARRY DALE (WIRELESS OPERATOR) * DAVE "TITCH" FOWKES (REAR GUNNER)
ⓘ licence & creditnot stated / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:576_Squadron_RAF_Lancaster_aircrew_Fiskerton_1945_AWM_P00811.023.jpgView source & full licence →
AWM caption: HELGOLAND, GERMANY, 1945-04-18. AERIAL VIEW FROM 17,500 FEET. THE AIMING POINT PHOTOGRAPH WAS TAKEN FROM JOHN MUSGROVE'S PLANE (NO.576 SQUADRON RAF). HELGOLAND WAS ATTACKED ON 1945-04-18 BY 955 LANCASTER AND HALIFAX AIRCRAFT. EACH CARRIED 10 X 1,000LB GP BOMBS, 6 X 500LB MC BOMBS, AND 4 X 250LB GP BOMBS.
ⓘ licence & creditRAF / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:576_Squadron_RAF_bombing_Helgoland_Apr_1945_AWM_P00811.027.jpgView source & full licence →

No service records linked to this squadron yet. Aircraft, crews and sorties will appear here soon.

Further reading & sources

External sites — facts only are reused here; their text and images remain their authors'.