No. 44 Squadron — Rhodesia

Group
No. 5 Group
Command
Bomber Command
Home station
RAF Waddington

In the database: 12 aircraft · 13 service members · 6 sorties.

History

No. 44 Squadron earned its lasting fame as the first unit in the Royal Air Force to convert entirely to the Avro Lancaster, receiving its first aircraft at the end of December 1941 and flying the type’s first operational sortie in March 1942. Serving in No. 5 Group and flying earlier from the Handley Page Hampden, it was retitled No. 44 (Rhodesia) Squadron in 1941 in recognition of the many airmen drawn from Southern Rhodesia and southern Africa.

On 17 April 1942 the squadron led one of Bomber Command’s most daring operations: a low-level daylight raid on the MAN diesel works at Augsburg, deep in southern Germany. Acting Squadron Leader John Nettleton pressed the attack home through heavy losses — five of the six aircraft in his formation were shot down — and was awarded the Victoria Cross for his leadership. He was later killed on a raid in 1943. The squadron flew from Lincolnshire stations including RAF Waddington and RAF Dunholme Lodge, and carried the motto Fulmina regis iusta — “the King’s thunderbolts are righteous”.

Photographs

[Avro Lancaster](/aircraft/1/) Mk Is of [No. 44 Squadron](/squadrons/29/) RAF, 29 September 1942. Three Avro Lancaster B Mark Is of No 44 Squadron, Royal Air Force based at [Waddington](/airfields/2/), Lincolnshire, flying above the clouds. Left to right: W4125, `KM-W', being flown by Sergeant Colin Watt, Royal Australian Air Force; W4162,`KM-Y', flown by Pilot Officer T G Hackney, (later killed while serving with [No 83 Squadron](/squadrons/204/)); and W4187, `KM-S', flown by Pilot Officer J D V S Stephens DFM, who was killed with his crew two nights later during a raid on Wismar.
ⓘ licence & creditRoyal Air Force official photographer / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Avro_Lancaster_Mk_Is_of_No._44_Squadron_RAF,_29_September_1942._TR198.jpgView source & full licence →
[Avro Lancaster](/aircraft/1/) Mk I R5740/`KM-O' of [No. 44 Squadron](/squadrons/29/) at [Waddington](/airfields/2/) in Lincolnshire, 29 September 1942. At the controls is Squadron Leader Pat Burnett, 'B' Flight Commander. Avro Lancaster R5740/`KM-O' taxis out at Waddington, Lincolnshire for air-to-air photography. At the controls is Squadron Leader Pat Burnett, the B Flight Commander of No 44 Squadron RAF.
ⓘ licence & creditRoyal Air Force official photographer / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Avro_Lancaster_Mk_I_R5740-%60KM-O%27_of_No._44_Squadron_at_Waddington_in_Lincolnshire,_29_September_1942._At_the_controls_is_Squadron_Leader_Pat_Burnett,_%27B%27_Flight_Commander._TView source & full licence →
The Royal Air Force in Britain, September 1942 Testing the tyre pressure of [Avro Lancaster](/aircraft/1/) R5540 of [No 44 Squadron](/squadrons/29/) Conversion Flight at [Waddington](/airfields/2/), Lincolnshire.
ⓘ licence & creditRoyal Air Force official photographer / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Avro_Lancaster_-_Waddington_-_Royal_Air_Force_in_Britain,_September_1942_TR245.jpgView source & full licence →
The Royal Air Force in Britain, October 1942 A rigger touches up the code letters KM-O of [Avro Lancaster](/aircraft/1/) R5540, of [No 44 Squadron](/squadrons/29/), Royal Air Force at [Waddington](/airfields/2/), Lincolnshire.
ⓘ licence & creditRoyal Air Force official photographer / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Avro_Lancaster_-_Waddington_-_Royal_Air_Force_in_Britain,_October_1942_TR196.jpgView source & full licence →
The Royal Air Force in Britain, October 1942 A rigger touches up the code letters KM-O of [Avro Lancaster](/aircraft/1/) R5540, [No 44 Squadron](/squadrons/29/), Royal Air Force at [Waddington](/airfields/2/), Lincolnshire.
ⓘ licence & creditRoyal Air Force official photographer / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Avro_Lancaster_-_Waddington_-_Royal_Air_Force_in_Britain,_October_1942_TR195.jpgView source & full licence →
The Royal Air Force in Britain, October 1942 Rod cleaning the front machine guns of [Avro Lancaster](/aircraft/1/) R5666/`KM-F', while another member of the ground crew cleans the cockpit windows. Comment : Squadron code KM appears to identify this as as a Lancaster B Mk I of [No. 44 Squadron](/squadrons/29/) RAF, at [RAF Waddington](/airfields/2/), England.
ⓘ licence & creditRoyal Air Force official photographer / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Avro_Lancaster_-_Waddington_-_Royal_Air_Force_in_Britain,_October_1942_TR188.jpgView source & full licence →
Royal Air Force 1939-1945- Bomber Command Lancaster I R5729/KM-A of [No 44 Squadron](/squadrons/29/) at [Dunholme Lodge](/airfields/6127/), Lincolnshire, before setting out for Berlin on 2 January 1944.
ⓘ licence & creditStanley Devon / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Avro_Lancaster_-_Royal_Air_Force_1939-1945-_Bomber_Command_CH11929.jpgView source & full licence →
Aircraft of the Royal Air Force 1939-1945- Handley Page Hp.52 Hampden and Hereford. Hampden Mark Is, AE257 ‘KM-X’ and AE202 ‘KM-K’, of [No. 44 Squadron](/squadrons/29/) RAF based at [Waddington](/airfields/2/), Lincolnshire, in flight. Both aircraft were lost on raids over Germany, AE257 on the night of 21/22 October 1941 flying to Bremen, and AE202 over Hamburg on 26/27 July 1942.
ⓘ licence & creditDaventry B J (Mr), Royal Air Force official photographer / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Aircraft_of_the_Royal_Air_Force_1939-1945-_Handley_Page_Hp.52_Hampden_and_Hereford._CH3478.jpgView source & full licence →
Royal Air Force Bomber Command, 1939-1941. Three [Handley Page Hampden](/aircraft/6/) Mk Is of [No 44 Squadron](/squadrons/29/) RAF based at [Waddington](/airfields/2/), Lincolnshire, in flight.
ⓘ licence & creditRoyal Air Force official photographer, Daventry B J (Mr) / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Royal_Air_Force_Bomber_Command,_1939-1941._CH3482.jpgView source & full licence →
Royal Air Force Bomber Command, 1942-1945. A tractor-drawn train of 4,000-lb Mark I HC bombs ('cookies') pauses on its journey from the bomb-dump at [Mildenhall](/airfields/22/), Suffolk, while groundcrew chalk appropriate messages on them. In the background an [Avro Lancaster](/aircraft/1/) Mark I, L7540 'OL-U', of [No. 83 Squadron](/squadrons/204/) RAF's Lancaster Conversion Flight, normally based at [Scampton](/airfields/1/), Lincolnshire, undergoes repairs: the unit code-letters of its previous operators, [No. 44 Squadron](/squadrons/29/) RAF, are still visible under those of 83 Squadron.
ⓘ licence & creditRoyal Air Force official photographer, Brock (Fg Off) / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Royal_Air_Force_Bomber_Command,_1942-1945._CH17903.jpgView source & full licence →
Royal Air Force Bomber Command, 1942-1945. [Avro Lancaster](/aircraft/1/) B Mark I, R5729 'KM-A', of [No 44 Squadron](/squadrons/29/), Royal Air Force runs up its engines in a dispersal at [Dunholme Lodge](/airfields/6127/), Lincolnshire, before setting out on a night raid to Berlin. This veteran aircraft had taken part in more than 70 operations with the Squadron since joining it in 1942. It was finally shot down with the loss of its entire crew during a raid on Brunswick on the night of 14-15 January 1944.
ⓘ licence & creditRoyal Air Force official photographer, Devon S (Fg Off) / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Royal_Air_Force_Bomber_Command,_1942-1945._CH11927.jpgView source & full licence →
Royal Air Force Bomber Command, 1942-1945. Leading Aircraftwoman Lilian Yule tractors [Avro Lancaster](/aircraft/1/) B Mark III, DV238 'EA-O', of [No. 49 Squadron](/squadrons/30/) RAF to its dispersal slot at [Fiskerton](/airfields/7/), Lincolnshire. DV238 later went to [No. 44 Squadron](/squadrons/29/) RAF with whom it was lost during a raid on Berlin on 16/17 December 1944
ⓘ licence & creditRoyal Air Force official photographer / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Royal_Air_Force_Bomber_Command,_1942-1945._CH13716.jpgView source & full licence →
Royal Air Force 1939-1945- Bomber Command A member of the ground crew poses in the narrow 'fighter-type' cockpit of one of [No 44 Squadron](/squadrons/29/)'s Hampdens, September 1941. Note his 'Rhodesia' shoulder title and the bomb tally painted on the fuselage.
ⓘ licence & creditDaventry B J (F/O), Royal Air Force official photographer / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Royal_Air_Force_1939-1945-_Bomber_Command_CH3484.jpgView source & full licence →
Royal Air Force 1939-1945- Bomber Command Lancaster I, R5740/KM-O of [No 44 Squadron](/squadrons/29/), running up its engines at [Waddington](/airfields/2/), 12 October 1942.
ⓘ licence & creditRoyal Air Force official photographer, Woodbine G (Mr) / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Avro_Lancaster_-_Royal_Air_Force_1939-1945-_Bomber_Command_CH7491.jpgView source & full licence →
Testing the tyre pressure of [Avro Lancaster](/aircraft/1/) R5540 of [No 44 Squadron](/squadrons/29/) Conversion Flight at [RAF Waddington](/airfields/2/), Lincolnshire, UK.
ⓘ licence & creditRoyal Air Force official photographer / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:0Testing_the_tyre_pressure_of_Avro_Lancaster_R5540_of_No_44_Squadron_Conversion_Flight_at_Waddington,_Lincolnshire.jpgView source & full licence →

Operations flown