About this website
This website is designed to provide additional archive material to Oliver Clutton-Brock’s recent history of RAF 148 Squadron, and other existing information about the squadron.
See below for some examples of this material. We would be happy to post pictures of crew, aircraft and other items if you wish.
See below for some examples of this material. We would be happy to post pictures of crew, aircraft and other items if you wish.
RAF 148 Squadron: Motto, 'Trusty' To all those who served on 148 Squadron at one time or another, and their families |
Trusty to THE End: Oliver Clutton-Brock's BookAvailable at Amazon: www.amazon.co.uk/Trusty-End-History-Squadron-1918-1945/dp/1911255185 |
The Crew of 'Black Magic'Back row (left to right): F/Sgt Clarke; F/Sgt Scott; W/O Gee; Front Row (left to right): F/Sgt Dixon (navigator); P/O Harding (pilot); F/Sgt Jones.
This crew flew in Halifaxes on secret missions to dangerous locations, including Greece, Yugoslavia and Poland. Some well-deserved recognition came with this letter from the GOC Secret Army in Poland in April 1944 |
Formed in February 1918, the RFC’s 148th Squadron was disbanded in 1919 but eventually reformed as 148 Squadron RAF in 1937. It began the Second World War in a training role before being disbanded again in May 1940. A loose flight of Wellington bombers on the island of Malta formed the next incarnation of 148 Squadron in December 1940. Forced to withdraw to Egypt in March 1941, its Wellingtons flew bombing operations against Axis forces in the Western Desert. In early 1942 the Squadron achieved the dubious, and possibly unique, distinction of having all its NCO aircrew flying operationally whilst on charges of insubordination, with five of them ultimately being court-martialed. In December 1942, with the Axis forces in North Africa in full retreat, the Squadron was disbanded yet again. However Prime Minister Winston Churchill was keen to increase resistance in the Balkans, and a small RAF Flight of long-range Liberator aircraft in North Africa had been dropping a modest amount of supplies to the Partisans in 1942. On Churchill’s direct orders six Handley Page Halifax bombers joined the Liberators. In March 1943 the Flight became 148 (Special Duties) Squadron. In January 1944 the squadron moved to Brindisi in the south of Italy and, until the cessation of hostilities in May 1945, flew hundreds of tons of supplies and dropped many Allied agents to support resistance movements in Eastern Europe and the Balkan countries. The Squadron suffered numerous casualties, but its worst moments saw it come close to being wiped-out as it attempted to drop supplies in July and August 1944 in Poland, including the ill-fated Warsaw Uprising. The stories of courage and sacrifice of bomber crews in the Mediterranean and on Special Duties in the Balkans have received less attention than those in Bomber Command’s more mainstream operations. Oliver Clutton-Brock’s comprehensive history of 148 Squadron in its various guises goes some way towards putting that right.
OUR GOALThe aim of this website is to gather more archive material to support Oliver Clutton-Brock's excellent history of the squadron. If you would like to get in touch please contact us below. The website is curated by Tim Dixon (youngest son of F/Sgt Jack Dixon)
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Further InformationDiscover more about 148 Squadron
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For further information about RAF 148 Squadron there is an excellent discussion group called Operation Dark of the Moon at the following website: www.operationdarkofthemoon.org.uk