Traces of World War 2 
RAF - No. 98 Squadron
10/05/1940 - 30/06/1940

      home - latest update 20 April 2008


98 SQUADRON - Bomber, Fairey Battle

History | Operations and losses | Sources | Links | Books | Questions and/or remarks



For the first nine months or so of the Second World War No. 98 served as a reserve squadron and during the period April/June 1940, was based in France. Its homecoming was a tragic one, for on 17th June 1940, the SS Lancastrian, which was carrying most of No. 98's personnel, was bombed and sunk in St. Nazaire.. Seventy-five airmen of the squadron were officially reported lost and fifteen others are believed to have perished (the Lancastria's Victim List names ninety-six No. 98 Sqdn.'s members). Survivors reached England in various vessels, in some cases weeks after the disaster.

[See also: Bill Taws Story: Childhood Memories of South Shields. BBC WW2 - People's War]

After re-forming at Gatwick in July 1940, the squadron, still equipped with Battles, saw almost a year's-worth of service in Iceland with Coastal Command. It was disbanded in July 1941, but in September 1942, re-formed at West Raynham as a bomber squadron flying Mitchell aircraft.


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Operations and losses 10/05/1940 - 30/06/1940
Not all operations listed; those with losses are.

17/06/1940: Sinking of the Lancastria
. 13 KIA, 84 MIA
25/06/1940: ? 1 MIA

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Losses 01/01/1940 - 09/05/1940 (incomplete)

Aircraftman 2nd Class William Mahon, RAF 624822, 98 Sqdn., age 18, 26/02/1940, Moston (St. Joseph's) Roman Catholic Cemetery, UK
Sergeant (Pilot) Thomas Owens, RAF 565435, 98 Sqdn., age unknown, 26/02/1940, Merthyr Tydfil (Aberfan Bryntaf) Cemetery, UK

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17/06/1940: Sinking of the Lancastria

The RMS Lancastria had embarked an unknown number (estimates range from 4,000 up to 9,000) of civilian refugees and RAF personnel. The ship's official capacity was 2,200. She was sunk off the French port of St. Nazaire while taking part in Operation Ariel, the evacuation of British nationals and troops from France, two weeks after the Dunkirk evacuation.

The sheer size of the Lancastria disaster and the fact that the troopship sank in the estuary of the River Loire, trapping many people inside the hull, means that a great many of the bodies were never recovered.

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Buried in France:

Flight Sergeant Hugh D. Alston, RAF 370706, 98 Sqdn, age unknown, 17/06/1940, Pornic War Cemetery, F
Sergeant Leslie G. Baker, RAF 581492, 98 Sqdn, age 19, 17/06/1940, La Bernerie-en-Retz Communal Cemetery, F
Sergeant (W.Op./Air Gnr.) Ronald J. Boniface, RAFVR 751838, 98 Sqdn., age unknown, 17/06/1940, Ste. Marie Communal Cemetery, F
Aircraftman 2nd Class Thomas H. Childs, RAFVR 906929, 98 Sqdn., age 20, 17/06/1940, Prefailles Communal Cemetery, F
Aircraftman 2nd Class (W. Op./Air Gnr.) Daniel M. Griffiths, RAF 627989, 98 Sqdn., age 24, 17/06/1940, L'Aiguillon-sur-Mer Comunal Cemetery, F
Leading Aircraftman Hugh P.F. Guymer, RAF 624110, 98 Sqdn., age 33, 17/06/1940, St.Trojan-les-Bains Comunal Cemetery, Ile d'Oleron, F
Sergeant Ernest D.C. Hoskins, RAFVR 759330, 98 Sqdn., age 19, 17/06/1940, Le Clion-sur-Mer Communal Cemetery, F
Corporal Robert Kevan, RAF 545496, 98 Sqdn., age 26, 17/06/1940, Pornic War Cemetery, F
Sergeant John McKelvie, RAFVR 761198, 98 Sqdn., age 27, 17/06/1940, Prefailles Communal Cemetery, F
Aircraftman 2nd Class Eric C. Reeves, RAF 642662, age 23, 17/06/1940, L'Ile-d'Yeu (Port Joinville) Communal Cemetery, F
Sergeant James T. Smith, RAF 563390, 98 Sqdn., age 27, 17/06/1940, Pornic War Cemetery, F
Sergeant Lawrence J. Stokes, RAFVR 740503, 98 Sqdn., age 27, 17/06/1940, Pornic War Cemetery, F
Leading Aircraftman Francis W. Watkin, RAF 625205, 98 Sqdn., age 19, 17/06/1940, Prefailles Communal Cemetery, F

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Missing (commemorated on Runnymede Memorial):

Aircraftman 2nd Class Edward C.S. Applin, RAFVR 906916, 98 Sqdn, age 20, 17/06/1940, missing
Sergeant Walter Ardern, RAF 581488, 98 Sqdn, age unknown, 17/06/1940, missing
Aircraftman 2nd Class Ernest F. Ashard, RAF 907022, 98 Sqdn, age 19, 17/06/1940, missing
Barrie George Wellesley (22) LAC RAF 98 Squadron 547360
Bateman George ( ? ) LAC RAF 98 Squadron 535546
Bellamy Charles Victor (20) AC 2 RAF (VR) 98 Squadron 947377
Blackett George (24) AC 1 RAF (VR) 98 Squadron 954766
Blackwell Frank James (34) LAC RAF (VR) 98 Squadron 935698
Bott Kenneth Victor (25) AC 2 RAF (VR) 98 Squadron 913271
Brown Douglas ( ? ) AC 2 RAF 98 Squadron 627081
Brown George Oswald ( ? ) AC 2 RAF (VR) 98 Squadron 943513
Brunton John (23) AC 2 RAF (VR) 98 Squadron 946579
Burdett Geoffrey George (25) Cpl RAF dra 25.6.40 520421
Burrows Harry (18) AC 2 RAF (VR) 98 Squadron 973456
Cartwright James (32) Cpl RAF 98 Squadron 510279
Clarke Donald Basil ( ? ) AC 1 RAF 98 Squadron 640028
Clarke Sydney (25) LAC RAF 98 Squadron 518910
Cook Albert Charles (24) Cpl RAF 98 Squadron 532979
Cooper James William ( ? ) AC 1 RAF 98 Squadron 633627
Cross Reginald Alfred Richard (39)LAC RAF (VR) 98 Squadron 900352
Daniel Henry (21) Cpl RAF 98 Squadron 568835
Denton Thomas Frederick (34) Sgt RAF 98 Squadron 509566
Dignan George Alfred (19) AC 2 RAF 98 Squadron 619976
Dowding John Henry ( ? ) LAC RAF (VR) 98 Squadron 751081
Fisher Harry (20) LAC RAF 98 Squadron 551310
Fitzpatrick Thomas (20) AC 1 RAF 98 Squadron 629004
Garside Cyril (23) AC 2 RAF 98 Squadron 978500
Gavin Patrick (19) AC 1 RAF 98 Squadron 637128
Gordon Francis Lowson (31) Cpl RAF 98 Squadron 511338
Greenman Wilfred James (20) AC 2 RAF (VR) 98 Squadron 977406
Griffin Kenneth Willoughby (19) AC 2 RAF 98 Squadron 63611
Groves George Edward (20) AC 1 RAF 98 Squadron 569713
Harpham Wilfred ( ? ) AC 1 RAF 98 Squadron 623494
Harris Stanley Louis (20) Sgt RAF (VR) 98 Squadron 751759
Hill Albert Dennis (20) AC 2 RAF (VR) 98 Squadron 908668
Hills George Gresham Stanley (24) Sgt RAF 98 Squadron 631209
Hodgetts Albert Henry James (23) AC 2 RAF (VR) 98 Squadron 908944
How Victor Hugh (19) AC 1 RAF 98 Squadron 653766
Ingraham Ian ( ? ) LAC RAF 98 Squadron 521686
Jarvis Patrick Joseph (served as Kirk W.H.) (20) AC 2 RAF (VR) 98 Sqdn 974666
Jones Charles Phillips ( ? ) Sgt RAF 98 Squadron 536553
Jones Douglas Walter ( ? ) LAC RAF 98 Squadron 533484
Jones Tegwyn Davies ( ? ) Cpl RAF 98 Squadron 528052
King George Roland (26) Cpl RAF 98 Squadron 564874
Kirk William Henry (see Jarvis P.J.)
Latter Gordon Albert (20) LAC RAF 98 Squadron 571314
Lunt Harold ( ? ) AC 2 RAF (VR) 98 Squadron 909562
Macpherson William (19) LAC RAF 98 Squadron 642192
Martin William Walter (38) AC 2 RAF (VR) 98 Squadron 913127
McFarlane James (23) AC 2 RAF (VR) 98 Squadron 975628
McLeod Henry George (21) AC 1 RAF 98 Squadron 613055
McNaughton Norman ( ? ) LAC RAF (VR) 98 Squadron 749340
Park Albert ( ? ) Cpl RAF 98 Squadron 526717
Pearson Harry Vincent (27) AC 2 RAF (VR) 98 Squadron 947539
Peters John Edward (20) AC 2 RAF (VR) 98 Squadron 900985
Plumb Eric George ( ? ) AC 1 RAF 98 Squadron 615972
Pugh William (20) AC 1 RAF 98 Squadron 542863
Aircraftman 1st Class William E. Radford, RAF 618627, 98 Sqdn., age unknown, 17/06/1940, missing
Ranson Morrison Wilfred Joseph ( ? ) AC 2 RAF 98 Squadron 621890
Reading George (23) AC 2 RAF (VR) 98 Squadron 908528
Redfern Leslie (21) AC 2 RAF 98 Squadron 644120
Richardson Douglas Henry (20) AC 1 RAF 98 Sqdn dra 25.6.40 550743
Riddell Robert (19) LAC RAF 98 Squadron 615860
Rigby Geoffrey Arthur (23) Cpl RAF 98 Squadron 532880
Robinson Herbert ( ? ) AC 1 RAF 98 Squadron 625691
Rogers John (18) AC 1 RAF 98 Squadron 591650
Roxborough James Henry ( ? ) Cpl RAF (VR) 98 Squadron 937857
Ruck Gordon (22) AC 2 RAF (VR) 98 Squadron 907056
Scott-Kiddie Andrew John (24) AC 2 RAF 98 Squadron 628742
Sibborn Joseph Alan (21) AC 2 RAF (VR) 98 Squadron 702682
Slater Clarence Frederick (19) AC 1 RAF 98 Squadron 631548
Small Walter Lochrie (22) AC 1 RAF 98 Squadron 612896
Smith Frederick Horatio (19) AC 2 RAF 98 Squadron 626102
Stocker Frank (20) LAC RAF (VR) 98 Squadron 935588
Stones Dennis ( ? ) AC 1 RAF 98 Squadron 628640
Symmonds Albert Leslie (21) AC 1 RAF 98 Squadron 628702
Taws Stanley ( ? ) LAC RAF 98 Squadron 614845
Timms Cyril (19) AC 2 RAF 98 Squadron 573560
Waite James Albert ( ? ) LAC RAF 98 Squadron 524140
Watson Albert (23) AC 1 RAF 98 Squadron 620691
Whitmarsh Kenneth Ronald (32) LAC RAF (VR) 98 Squadron 742095
Williamson William John (23) LAC RAF 98 Squadron 532511
Wilson Frederick James (19) AC 1 RAF 98 Squadron 636044
Wright John Noble ( ? ) AC 2 RAF (VR) 98 Squadron 908737
Wyatt Kenneth Leslie ( ? ) AC 2 RAF 98 Squadron 640245


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25/06/1940: ?

Aircraftman 1st Class Douglas H. Richardson, RAF 550743, 98 Sqdn., age 20, 25/06/1940, missing

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Sources

Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Icelandic Aviation Museum - Fairey Battle
Lancastria Association Scotland
Lost Bombers
Royal Air Force - 98 Squadron
RAF History - Bomber Command
RAF Museum: British Military Aviation in 1940
RAF Order of Battle, France, 10th May 1940
Royal Air Force History Section
The Royal Air Force, 1939-1945
The Second World War - a day by day account

War over Holland

Books

W Lambert & R Brown 'Short history of 98 Squadron RAF 1917-67' (Private 1967)

Links

Air Aces
Airwar over Denmark
Allied World War II Casualties in the Netherlands
Australian Wargraves
Battle-of-Britain.com
De Belgen in Engeland 1940-1945 (in Dutch)
Belgian Aviation History Association Archaeological Team
British Aviation Archaeological Council - Books and research links
CWGC Cemeteries Netherlands
Czechoslovak airmen in the RAF 1940-1945
Håkans aviation page (from Sweden, in English)
'High flight', poem by John Gillespie Magee
An Irish Airman Foresees His Death, poem by W.B. Yeats
Jagdgeschwader 27 (in German)
Luchtoorlog ('Arial War', in Dutch, with many photos)
The National Ex-Prisoners of War Association
Naval History.net
Nordic Aviation during WW2
Pilotfriend.com: aircraft of WW2
Polish Air Force 1940-1947 Operations Record Books
RAF Battle of Britain
De Slag om de Grebbeberg
(Dutch)
Warbird Alley
World War II Aircraft wrecksites in Norway
www.bomber-command.de

The Aerodrome - Aces and Aircraft of World War 1


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This page is dedicated to the men of 98 Squadron.

© Bart FM Droog / Rottend Staal Online 2008. Permission granted for use of the data gathered here for non commercial purposes, if this source is mentioned with a link to http://www.epibreren.com/ww2/raf/index.html