Death by Night

No.630 Squadron RAF was a Lancaster heavy night bomber squadron serving within No. 5 Group, RAF Bomber Command.  It was formed at a vital phase in the wartime service of Bomber Command as the offensive against Berlin was due to begin and the preparations for the liberation of Europe were gaining momentum.

‘Six-thirty’ was based at RAF East Kirkby in Lincolnshire, which is now the Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre.  Its Lancasters took off on 2,515 sorties to attack enemy targets and the stark figures show that of the 162 crews who flew operationally on its strength, 64 were lost serving with the squadron and 10 were lost later flying with other squadrons. The loss of 40% of the squadron’s 162 crews this was why 630 Squadron veterans spoke of their squadron having a ‘heavy chop rate’.

A total of 1,199 airmen, mostly aged 18 to 24, flew operationally on the strength of 630 Squadron. 99 earned awards for bravery and distinguished service during their time with the squadron. Of these operational aircrew, 436 were killed or are missing, 69 became prisoners of war, 29 evaded capture in occupied Europe. Two of the pilots who evaded capture and later returned to ops to complete their tours whilst six aircrew were interned in neutral Sweden. A further 15 airmen were killed in flying accidents before commencing operations. These young lads came from Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, Zimbabwe, the USA and one man was of Basque origin. 

Due to the losses sustained by 630 Squadron none of their assigned Lancasters flew 100 ops, the closest being ME739 which took off for 90 before being lost.

This book is a tribute to the brave aircrew of ‘Six-thirty’ who flew the Lancasters, the hard working ground crews who kept their bombers serviceable and to the staff of RAF East Kirkby who ran the station at which Nos 57 and 630 Squadrons were based.

Peter Sharpe’s narrative history of No. 630 Squadron is the most comprehensive history of the unit and the men who flew with it in the defence of our freedom.

Publisher - Aviation Books Ltd.

Language - English

Hardback

Author(s) - Peter Sharpe

Published Date - January 09 2025

ISBN - 9781915335500

Dimensions - 27.9 x 21.6 x 2.6 cm

Page Count - 403