Order of Battle, 38 and 46 Groups RAF and RASC Air Despatch Units

38 Group

  • 190 Squadron Based at Fairford.

    Flew 98 Stirling sorties - 6 parachute dropping, 42 glider towing, 50 resupply. Lost 12 aircraft (more than any other squadron); 38 men killed, IS prisoners, 25 returned safely from crashes.

  • 196 Squadron Based at Keevil.

    Flew 112 Stirling sorties (with 299 Squadron, more sorties than any other squadron) - 56 glider towing, 56 resupply. Lost 10 aircraft; 26 men killed, 2 prisoners, 33 returned.

  • 295 Squadron Based at Harwell.

    Flew 106 Stirling sorties - 28 glider towing (including Airborne Corps HQlift), 78 resupply. Lost 3 aircraft; 7 men killed, 7 prisoners, 4 returned.

  • 296 and 297 Squadrons Normally based at Brize Norton but flying to Arnhem from Manston.

    Both squadrons flew 50 Albemarle sorties, all glider towing, without loss.

  • 298 Squadron Based at Tarrant Rushton.

    Flew 46 glider-towing Halifax sorties without loss.

  • 299 Squadron Based at Keevil.

    Flew 112 Stirling sorties (with 196 Squadron, more sorties than any other squadron) - 54 glider towing, 58 resupply. Lost 5 aircraft; 4 men killed, 10 prisoners, 18 returned.

  • 570 Squadron Based at Harwell.

    Flew 103 Stirling sorties - 30 glider towing (including Airborne Corps HQlift), 73 resupply. Lost 9 aircraft; 22 men killed, 16 prisoners, 18 returned.

  • 620 Squadron Based at Fairford.

    Flew 104 Stirling sorties - 6 parachute dropping, 42 glider towing, 56 resupply. Lost 5 aircraft; 8 inen killed, 7 prisoners, 15 returned.

  • 644 Squadron Based at Tarrant Rushton.

    Flew 46 glider-towing Halifax sorties without loss.

    46 Group

  • 48 Squadron Based at Down Ampney.

    Flew 111 Dakota sorties (more than any other Dakota squadron) - 52 glider towing, 59 resupply. Lost 7 aircraft; 14 men killed, 4 prisoners, 10 returned.

  • 233 Squadron Based at Blakehill Farm.

    Flew 73 Dakota sorties - 42 glider towing, 31 resupply. Lost 3 aircraft; 6 men killed, 4 prisoners, 2 returned.

  • 271 Squadron Based at Down Ampney.

    Flew 98 Dakota sorties - 47 glider towing, 51 resupply. Lost 5 aircraft; 8 men killed, 4 prisoners, 12 returned.

  • 437 (RCAF) Squadron Based at Blakehill Farm.

    Flew 45 Dakota sorties - 16 glider towing, 29 resupply. Lost 5 aircraft; 12 men killed, 4 prisoners, 4 returned.

  • 512 Squadron Based at Broadwell.

    Flew 77 Dakota sorties - 48 glider towing, 29 resupply. Lost 3 aircraft; 2 men killed, 6 prisoners, 4 returned.

  • 575 Squadron Based at Broadwell.

    Flew 108 Dakota sorties - 48 glider towing, 60 resupply (28 from Brussels). Lost I aircraft; 5 men killed.

    RASC Air Despatch Units

  • 48 Air Despatch Group HQ at Poulton, near Cirencester.

    The group's air-despatch companies were 223, 799 and 800, all based on or near the Dakota squadron airfields of 46 Group. Most of these units' despatchers flew with those squadrons, but some may have also flown in 38 Group Stirlings in later stages of the Arnhem resupply operation.

  • 49 Air Despatch Group HQ location not known.

    This was probably a looser organization which used as despatchers men drawn from 253 and 63 Light Composite Companies, which were Ist and 6th Airborne Divisional companies; all or most of these despatchers flew in 38 Group Stirlings on the Arnhem operation.

  • Casualties

    The RASC despatcher casualties in shot-down aircraft are believed to be: died: 79; prisoners: 44; returned safely: 58. Fatal casualties were: 253 Company: 27; 223 Company: 18; 63 Company: 17; 799 Company: 8; 800 Company: 6; unknown units: 3.

    52nd Troop Carrier Wing

  • 61st Troop Carrier Group Based at Barkston Heath.

    Flew 71 C-47 missions carrying 1,166 British troops on first lift without loss. The group later flew 158 missions for the US airborne divisions with the loss of 4 aircraft.

  • 314th Troop Carrier Group Based at Saltby.

    Flew 198 C-47 and 6 C-53 missions carrying 2,330 British and 604 Polish troops on 17, 18 and 21 September, losing 4 aircraft with 15 men killed, one prisoner of war and 4 men returning safely. The group also flew 29 missions for a US division without loss.

  • 315th Troop Carrier Group Based at Spanhoe.

    Flew 149 C-47 missions carrying 902 British and 964 Polish troops on 18, 20 and 21 September, losing 7 aircraft, with 12 men killed, 2 prisoners and 19 returning safely. The group also flew 162 missions for US divisions with the loss of one aircraft.

  • The 313th and 316th Troop Carrier Groups at Folkingham and Cottesmore.

    Flew 303 and 333 missions respectively for US divisions, losing 4 and 8 aircraft.

  • The 50th and 53rd Troop Carrier Wings, based mostly in Nottinghamshire and Berkshire.

    flew entirely in support of the two US airborne divisions.