History of 460 Squadron RAAF

460 Squadron was originally a Wellington Squadron when it was formed around a nucleus of one flight from No. 458 Squadron on 15 November 1941 at Molesworth, Huntingdonshire as part of No. 8 Bomber group.

On 4 January 1942 No. 460 Squadron moved to Breighton in East Riding under 1 Group. The Commanding Officer for the new Squadron was Wing Commander A.L.G. Hubbard, DSO, DFC, 40050 RAF, 267508.

The Squadron started operations on the night of 12-13 March when five Wellingtons were despatched against Emden. The first loss occurred the next flight when Z1251 failed to return from a raid on Dunkirk.

No 460 Squadron continued to operate with Wellingtons IVs until August 1942 when they began to be replaced by Halifax BIIs. The Halifaxes were never flown on operations, however, as a change of policy saw the squadron re-equipped with Lancaster BIs and BIIIs from October onwards. No 460 Squadron carried out some 5,700 sorties with Lancasters, attacking major targets in Europe.

On 14 May 1943 the Squadron moved to Binbrook, Lincolnshire by air, using its own Lancasters and some Horsa gliders. The last operation was a day raid on Berchtesgaden on 25 April; twenty aircraft were despatched but NX585 failed to return.

Can anyone help me with the names of the "Bastards From the Bush" in the above photograph? - Peter Dunn

UPDATE ON "THE BASTARDS FROM THE BUSH"

The "460 Squadron Veterans & Friends Group" Bulletin January - March 2010 provided a part answer to the above question as follows:-

Our readers have only identified one of the Ground Crew plus advised a clue to another from the “Bastards from the Bush” photo in our last bulletin.

Frank Walker recognized “Billie Brown, the chap on the right, by the remark about Petts Wood - he was a Fitter 2E on AR - K2. He was also the squadron Dance Band drummer and very good at it. He was married and his wife still lived with her parents in a part of S.E London known as Petts Wood. Whenever Billie went on leave his father-in-law was always complaining that Bomber Command wasn't really trying. He would have had them bombing 24 hrs a day, 7 days a week, so Billie had this picture taken for his benefit.”

The ʻ033ʼ chalked on the cookie provided Victorian 460 Squadron Association Secretary John Hodson with a clue – they are the last 3 digits of the Serial Number (19033) of RAAF Ground Crew Electrician Maurie Davis, a personalised message written on many a bomb. John advises that Maurie was a long term member of 460 Squadron Association (Victoria) and always known as ʻ033ʼ.

Can anyone spot Maurie in the photo?

Can anyone else help with the others?

In July 1945 No. 460 Squadron moved to East Kirby, Lincolnshire, to become part of "Tiger Force", but was disbanded there on 2 October 1945. The Squadron is still connected with Bomber Command (now part of Strike Command) as in 1955 the Squadron Association presented the RAF with Medium Bomber Efficiency Trophy.

I would be very interested to receive any stories or recollections by former Air Crew of their time with 460 Squadron. I am also interested in borrowing any photographs of 460 Squadron that I can scan to place on this Home Page.

I need your help

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