83 Squadron Profile

This is a new and expanded edition of Chris Ward’s authoritative operational history of 83 Squadron.

The squadron began the Second World War as one of six front-line

units representing 5 Group and, together with 49 Squadron,

occupied the well-established station at Scampton, four miles north

of Lincoln. P/O Guy Gibson, the future leader of 617 Squadron, had

joined 83 Squadron in 1937 in the rank of pilot officer and, at the outbreak

of war, had not progressed a single step up the commission totem pole. The

squadron operated on the first day of the War and, when Gibson was posted

out in September 1940 with almost forty operations behind him, he was the

last of the originals, most of his closest friends and mentors having sacrificed

their lives or, at the very least, their freedom.

After Gibson and his contemporaries departed, a new squadron arose with

a spirit of its own. Equipped with the trusty twin-engine Hampden medium

bomber, the squadron continued to play a magnificent part during the dark

days of 1940 and 1941, roaming deep into Germany to attack economic

and industrial targets, albeit, to little effect. With 1942 came the passing of

the Hampden and the brief interlude with the ill-fated Manchester, but then

came the Lancaster, and from May to August of that year, 83 Squadron was at

the tip of the 5 Group spear.

When the Pathfinder Force was formed in August 1942, 83 Squadron was

selected as a founder member. It continued proudly to serve the Command

in that role through the campaigns against Italy, the Ruhr, Hamburg and Berlin.

Its commanding officers were renowned for leading from the front; three

lost their lives on operations, two of them during the Berlin offensive. In April

1944, advances in bombing tactics led to the effective independence of 5

Group, and 83 Squadron returned to its former family to perform a marking

and illuminating role on permanent loan from 8 Group until war’s end.

There was never a time when the influence of 83 Squadron was not

felt within the ranks of Bomber Command. It distinguished itself with

outstanding performances and below average losses from the first day of

the war to the last. Its achievements will live forever in the annals of RAF

Bomber Command in WWII.

Publisher - Aviation Books Limited

Language - English

Perfect Bound

Contributors

By author

Chris Ward

Published Date - 2025-12-18

ISBN - 9781915335746

Dimensions - 27.9 x 21.6 x 2.3 cm

Page Count - 407