No. 178 Squadron R.A.F.

Description of the Squadron's Badge
A demi-lion erased, holding a flash of lightning
  No 178 Squadron RAF Crest
Squadron's Motto: Irae emissarii (Emissaries of wrath)
Formation date: 15 January 1943
   
Brief History:  

Formed at from a detachment of No 160 Squadron Shandur on 15 January 1943, it was equipped with Liberators and began bombing operations immediately. Moving to Libya in March the squadron carried out missions against targets in North Africa, Italy and the Balkans as well as carrying out supply dropping mission to Northern Italy and Poland.

The squadron moved to Italy in March 1944 and continued to operate from there until the end of the war. Some Halifaxes were used between May and September 1943 but it was November 1945 before the Liberators were replaced by Lancasters, by which time the squadron was back in Egypt at Fayid, where it was disbanded by being renumbered No 70 Squadron 15 April 1946.
 
Squadron Bases & Airfields   Equipment Used and Dates
Shandur 15/1/1943   Liberator II 1/1943-12/1943
Hose Raui (Ghemines) 4//1943   Halifax II 5/1943-9/1943
Detachment Shandur.   Liberator III 9/194-7/1944
Terria 1/10/1943   Liberator VI 1/1944-1/1946
Detachment El Adem   Lancaster III 11/1945-4/1946
El Adem 1/1/1944    
Celeone 1/3/1944    
Amendola 4/7/1944    
Detachment Ein Shemar    
Eon Shemar 25/8/1945    
Fayid 5/11/1945 - 15/4/1946    
     
Related Squadron Documents & Articles
A History of 178 Squadron RAF.
B-24 Liberators of No. 178 Squadron RAF
Squadron Personnel (Membership will be Required to access this area)
Operations Records of 178 Squadron (Membership will be Required to access this area)

 

 

1945
1944

 
 
 

Squadron Photos
 

Aircraft Photos

Old Camera
 

Personnel Photos

Old Camera
 

Target Photos

Old Camera
     

 

Squadron Colours

 

Halifax II

May 1943 - Sep 1943
HalifaxII

 

 

Liberator II

Jan 1943 - Dec 1943
LiberatorII_ME-R

 

 

Liberator III

Sep 1943 - Jul 1944
LiberatorIII_ME

 

 

Liberator VI

Jan 1944 - Jan 1946
LiberatorVI_ME-R

 

 

Lancaster III

Nov 1945 - Apr 1946
LancasterI-III

 

 
 
Details
Written by: Gary Fowkes
Category: Liberator Squadrons
Hits: 3684
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Gerard McEwan
Flight Lieut. Noel Lindsay Morrison, KIA 10/11 October 1944
I am the secretary of the ELBPHS updating our WWII War Memorial. Fl/Lt Noel Lindsay Morrison was the pilot of a 178 Squadron Consolidated Liberator VI, EW-106 (U) on the night of 10/11 October 1944 on a mission to bomb marshalling yards in Verona, Italy. The aircraft was probably shot down by enemy fighters as the Sqn. ORB records that 'an aircraft was seen to burst into flames and crash 10 miles east of the target, A large fire was seen. I have a lot more detail of the subsequent body recovery if you want or need it.
I am hoping you have an image of the crew, N L Morrison, Pilot, F/Sgt S A Hamilton, 2nd Pilot, Sgt. R A Steel, F/Eng., F/Offr. L C Newman, Nav., Sgt. S Ashmore, WO/AG, Sgt R W Ames, AG., Sgt G I Rees, BA., T a Lawless, AG. Or indeed, an image of a Liberator aircraft of that time.
Thank you for any assistance you can offer.
Best wishes,
Gerard
Gerard McEwan
Secretary
ELBPHS
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Geoff Crane
My Dad's flying record
My Dad was Tom Crane. He flew as a Navigator with 178 Squadron. I have established some details of his service which I would be happy to share with you. I also have a photo of his crew taken in Foggia, Italy.
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