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No. 189 Squadron was aRoyal Air Force squadron.
The squadron was formed atRoyal Flying Corps Ripon (RFC Ripon) on 20 December 1917 as a night-flying training unit, moving shortly afterwards toSutton's Farm.[1] This work continued until the end ofWorld War I. On 1 March 1919, the squadron was disbanded.
The squadron was re-formed as part ofNo. 5 Group RAF on 15 October 1944 atRAF Bardney near the village ofBardney inLincolnshire. However, Jefford inRAF Squadrons lists the reformation date as November 1944.[2]
The squadron flewAvro Lancaster bombers in raids overoccupied Europe in 1944 and 1945.
The commanding officer wasWing Commander J. S. Shorthouse. Shorthouse had been born inPortsmouth in England in April 1920; joined theRoyal New Zealand Air Force in April 1939; and transferred to the RAF in January 1940.[3] He commanded the squadron in 1944-1945. He was awarded theDistinguished Flying Cross for an operation that predated his command of the squadron: he gained his DFC on 2 November 1943 for a bombing raid in September 1943.[4]
After RAF Bardney, the squadron was based atRAF Fulbeck near the village ofFulbeck, returning to Bardney in April 1945 and then on toRAF Metheringham nearMetheringham.
The unit was mixed, with many personnel from other parts of theCommonwealth includingAustralians,New Zealanders andCanadians.
No. 189 Squadron was among the 107 Lancasters and 12Mosquitos of No 5 Group which attacked the oil refinery inTonsberg in SouthernNorway on 25 April 1945 in the last raid of the war flown by heavy bombers ofRAF Bomber Command.
In July 1945 the Commanding Officer, Wing Commander Shorthouse, transferred back from the RAF to the RNZAF.[3]
After the war the unit was involved in dropping food to theDutch and repatriatingPOWs until it was disbanded on 20 November 1945.
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The followingsortie details are taken from the operations record book for 189 sqdn.
| DATE | AIRCRAFT TYPE & NUMBER | CREW | DUTY | TIME UP | TIME DOWN | DETAILS OF SORTIE OR FLIGHT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 March 1945 | LANC.1 ME.374 | F/O WALTON.J.H.(AUS.417607) | LADBERGEN | 1835 | 0035 | LADBERGEN. 22051⁄2 hrs. 8,800 ft. Target attacked on 3rd run, on 1st run attacked by fighter. R.T.I clearly seen in break in cloud. Flares seen well, N of A/P. Met. good. Red and green T.I.'s seen on 3rd run. Mod. amount offlak over target but not heavy. Considered successful sortie. |
| 7/8 March 1945 | LANC.1 PB.879 | F/O RICCIUTI.G.A(CAN.J90848) | HARBURG | 1808 | 0101 | HARBURG. 22071⁄2 hrs. 11,000 ft. Numerous explosions Orange, black smoke rising 4,500 ft. Concentrated large fires over the whole area 2209 hrs. Target was identified visually and marking very good. A large number of fires were burning right on the target and it was a very good effort. Considered successful sortie. |
| 23 April 1945 | LANC.1 PB.732 | F/O WALTON.J.H.(Aus.417607) | FLENSBURG | 15121⁄2 | 2033 | FLENSBURG. 10/10ths S/Cu, tops 6-8000'. A/C jettisoning from coast toWash on way home. Sortie completed. |
| 25 April 1945 | LANC.1 PB.732 | F/O WALTON.J.H.(AUS.417607) | TONSBERG | 20341⁄2 | 0321 | TONSBERG. 2347 hrs, 9,500'. Bombing appeared well concentrated, two large explosions seen before bombing and one very large one at 23471⁄2 with quantities of smoke. Marking thought to be good. Sortie completed. |
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