No 166 Squadron history
Title
No 166 Squadron history
Description
A three-page potted account of the squadron's history.
Page one begins with the reformation of the squadron in 1936 and gives details of the aircraft operated, the stations flown from and the roles the squadron played in training and operations.
Page two describes three miscellaneous incidents that occurred on the squadron, including one where the mid-upper gunner accidentally shot and killed the rear gunner.
Page three contains details about three notable Lancasters.
Page one begins with the reformation of the squadron in 1936 and gives details of the aircraft operated, the stations flown from and the roles the squadron played in training and operations.
Page two describes three miscellaneous incidents that occurred on the squadron, including one where the mid-upper gunner accidentally shot and killed the rear gunner.
Page three contains details about three notable Lancasters.
Temporal Coverage
Spatial Coverage
Language
Format
Three-page printed document
Is Part Of
Publisher
Rights
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Contributor
Identifier
SRoyallGL1801494v10003, SRoyallGL1801494v10004, SRoyallGL1801494v10005
Transcription
Page 1.
No. 166 Squadron was re-formed in November 1936 as a Heavy Bomber Squadron equipped with Handley Page HEYFORDS.
It became part of an Air Observers School in June 1938, then a Group Pool Squadron about May 1939 &, by the outbreak of the Second World War, was flying WHITLEYS.
Soon after the outbreak of the war it became No. 6 Group Training Squadron. It remained as such until April 1940 & then merged with No. 97 Squadron & Station Headquarters, Abingdon, to form No. 10 Operational Training Unit.
No. 166 was again re-formed on the 27th January 1943 from the home echelons of Nos. 142 & 150 (B) Squadrons. Based at Kirmington, Lincolnshire, it was equipped with Vickers WELLINGTON X's.
On the 20th September 1943, the first LANCASTERS were received when 'C' Flight broke away from No. 103 Squadron (based at Elsham Wolds) & joined 166. Two days later these aircraft were taken on operations. As a 3-flight squadron, No. 166 operated as many as 29 aircraft on the night of June 26/27 1944.
On the 7th October 1944, 27 crews from No. 166 re-formed as No. 153 Squadron (coded P4) at Kirmington & a week later they to Scampton. No. 153 disbanded on the 28th September 1945.
No. 166 remained based at Kirmington throughout the remainder of the war & participated in many major raids. They also played an active part in "Gardening" (minelaying) operations. In all, between 27 / 28-1-1943 & 25-4-1945, No. 166 dropped 27,287.38 tons of bombs (of which 23, 857-84 tons were H.E. & the rest incendiaries) & laid 333.74 tons of mines.
According to a statement issued by Bomber Command Headquarters shortly after the war, the Squadron "won (at least) 2 D.S.O.s, 2 C.G.M.s, 117 D.F.C.s & 108 D.F.M.s during World War II".
No. 166 disbanded where they had been formed, at Kirmington, on the 18th November 1945.
[underlined] FIRST OPERATIONAL MISSION [/underlined] 27/28-1-1943. 7 WELLINGTONS laid mines in enemy waters.
[underlined] FIRST BOMBING ATTACK. [/underlined] 29/30-1-1943. 12 WELLINGTONS sent to bomb Lorient. 6 a/c bombed primary, 5 aborted & 1 failed to return.
[underlined] LAST OPERATIONAL MISSION. [/underlined] 24-4-1945. 24 LANCASTERS bombed the S.S. Barracks at Berchtesgaden & 1 aborted.
[underlined] LAST MISSION BEFORE VE DAY. [/underlined] 7-5-1945. 31 LANCASTERS dropped food supplies to the Dutch.
[page break]
Page 2.
[underlined] Miscellaneous Incidents Concerning No. 166 Squadron. [/underlined]
[underlined] 2-ENGINE LANDING. [/underlined]
On the 18th October 1943 during a raid on Hanover, Lancaster EE 137 was hit just as Warrant Officer J.E. THOMAS steadied up for the run-in, with the bomb doors already open. For minutes there was a fusillade of flak & mid-upper gunner, Sgt. A.D. COLLINS was wounded. Then a lull portended the presence of night-fighters & a Me 210 closed in. Firing shorts bursts, the port inner engine was set on fire & a fire was also started in the fuselage. COLLINS, with flak shrapnel embedded in his back, stamped out the flames in the fuselage although this meant leaving his oxygen-supply post.
However, the night-fighter had been eluded in the evasive turns the pilot had made. Over the French coast & at a lower height, EE 137 became the target for light flak & was hit again. Over the English coast the port outer engine stopped, yet THOMAS brought the Lancaster down safely to his base at Kirmington on 2 engines.
[underlined] ACCIDENTAL KILLING. [/underlined]
During a raid on Kassel on the 22nd November 1943, the mid-upper gunner of Lancaster DV220 traversing his turret as he followed the course of an enemy fighter, shot into the rear turret of his aircraft & killed the rear gunner. In theory this was impossible due to an interrupter gear, but for some reason, possibly through enemy action, it did not function.
[underlined] GROUND EXPLOSION. [/underlined]
At Kirmington in the late evening of the 10th April 1944, 22 Lancasters were lined up for take-off to bomb the railway yards at Aulnoye. As the fifth aircraft, EE 200, roared along the runway, a wing dipped & it careered to the side & lurched off the runway. Strained by the momentum of the heavy bomb-load, the undercarriage collapsed & the fuselage ploughed along the ground for several yards before coming to rest.
The crew, uninjured, jumped out only just in time before it burst into flames. With all four tanks blazing the fire crew, who had raced up in their tender, realised that it was hopeless. Since the crew were safe, they withdrew to await the inevitable explosion which, when it occurred, so damaged the runway that it became unserviceable & the remaining 17 aircraft could not take off.
[page break]
Page 3.
[underlined] "MOST OPERATIONS" Lancaster [/underlined]
ME 746 was the highest-scoring aircraft of No. 166 Squadron & was 14th in Bomber Command's "Aircraft completing more than 100 operations list.
It was ordered from Metro-Vickers in May 1942 & delivered to No. 166 in April 1944. By the end of the war it had completed 116 operations & in November 1945 was taken over by No. 103 Squadron. It was finally struck off charge on 20-2-1946 & broken up for scrap.
Another Lancaster which completed [deleted word] 100 operations & served with No. 166 Squadron for part of its life was ED 905.
This aircraft, named "Press on Regardless", was delivered to No. 103 Squadron at Elsham Wolds, Lincolnshire, in May 1943 & was coded PM-X. After completing 28 operations the a/c was transferred to Kirmington when C Flight of No. 103 moved there to form the nucleus of No. 166. Now coded AS-X, she flew a further 19 operations. After repairs & a major service, ED 905 was then sent to No. 550 Squadron at North Killingholme on 10th June 1944 & given the code BQ-F. After completing a further 53 operations - bringing her total to 100 - it was retired from operational flying & moved to 1656 CU on the 10th November 1944. On 20th August 1945, after 628 flying hours, a pilot allowed the a/c to swing on landing: the undercarriage collapsed & a crash followed. Written off as of that date & ED 905 passed into history.
[underlined] HIGHEST SCORING LANCASTER [/underlined]
The most distinguished Lancaster of all the Squadrons was ED 888 PM-M2 (Mike Squared) belonging to No. 103 Squadron at Elsham Wolds. It made its first operational sortie to Dortmund on the 4/5th May 1943 & on retirement in December 1944 had logged 140 trips (the first 66 with No. 103, then 65 with No. 576 Squadron & finally 9 more back with No. 103), totalling 974 operational hours. This was a Bomber Command record.
Sadly "Mike Squared" was not selected for preservation after the war. After languishing at a maintenance unit for several months, "M2" was struck off charge on 8th January 1947 & reduced to scrap.
No. 166 Squadron was re-formed in November 1936 as a Heavy Bomber Squadron equipped with Handley Page HEYFORDS.
It became part of an Air Observers School in June 1938, then a Group Pool Squadron about May 1939 &, by the outbreak of the Second World War, was flying WHITLEYS.
Soon after the outbreak of the war it became No. 6 Group Training Squadron. It remained as such until April 1940 & then merged with No. 97 Squadron & Station Headquarters, Abingdon, to form No. 10 Operational Training Unit.
No. 166 was again re-formed on the 27th January 1943 from the home echelons of Nos. 142 & 150 (B) Squadrons. Based at Kirmington, Lincolnshire, it was equipped with Vickers WELLINGTON X's.
On the 20th September 1943, the first LANCASTERS were received when 'C' Flight broke away from No. 103 Squadron (based at Elsham Wolds) & joined 166. Two days later these aircraft were taken on operations. As a 3-flight squadron, No. 166 operated as many as 29 aircraft on the night of June 26/27 1944.
On the 7th October 1944, 27 crews from No. 166 re-formed as No. 153 Squadron (coded P4) at Kirmington & a week later they to Scampton. No. 153 disbanded on the 28th September 1945.
No. 166 remained based at Kirmington throughout the remainder of the war & participated in many major raids. They also played an active part in "Gardening" (minelaying) operations. In all, between 27 / 28-1-1943 & 25-4-1945, No. 166 dropped 27,287.38 tons of bombs (of which 23, 857-84 tons were H.E. & the rest incendiaries) & laid 333.74 tons of mines.
According to a statement issued by Bomber Command Headquarters shortly after the war, the Squadron "won (at least) 2 D.S.O.s, 2 C.G.M.s, 117 D.F.C.s & 108 D.F.M.s during World War II".
No. 166 disbanded where they had been formed, at Kirmington, on the 18th November 1945.
[underlined] FIRST OPERATIONAL MISSION [/underlined] 27/28-1-1943. 7 WELLINGTONS laid mines in enemy waters.
[underlined] FIRST BOMBING ATTACK. [/underlined] 29/30-1-1943. 12 WELLINGTONS sent to bomb Lorient. 6 a/c bombed primary, 5 aborted & 1 failed to return.
[underlined] LAST OPERATIONAL MISSION. [/underlined] 24-4-1945. 24 LANCASTERS bombed the S.S. Barracks at Berchtesgaden & 1 aborted.
[underlined] LAST MISSION BEFORE VE DAY. [/underlined] 7-5-1945. 31 LANCASTERS dropped food supplies to the Dutch.
[page break]
Page 2.
[underlined] Miscellaneous Incidents Concerning No. 166 Squadron. [/underlined]
[underlined] 2-ENGINE LANDING. [/underlined]
On the 18th October 1943 during a raid on Hanover, Lancaster EE 137 was hit just as Warrant Officer J.E. THOMAS steadied up for the run-in, with the bomb doors already open. For minutes there was a fusillade of flak & mid-upper gunner, Sgt. A.D. COLLINS was wounded. Then a lull portended the presence of night-fighters & a Me 210 closed in. Firing shorts bursts, the port inner engine was set on fire & a fire was also started in the fuselage. COLLINS, with flak shrapnel embedded in his back, stamped out the flames in the fuselage although this meant leaving his oxygen-supply post.
However, the night-fighter had been eluded in the evasive turns the pilot had made. Over the French coast & at a lower height, EE 137 became the target for light flak & was hit again. Over the English coast the port outer engine stopped, yet THOMAS brought the Lancaster down safely to his base at Kirmington on 2 engines.
[underlined] ACCIDENTAL KILLING. [/underlined]
During a raid on Kassel on the 22nd November 1943, the mid-upper gunner of Lancaster DV220 traversing his turret as he followed the course of an enemy fighter, shot into the rear turret of his aircraft & killed the rear gunner. In theory this was impossible due to an interrupter gear, but for some reason, possibly through enemy action, it did not function.
[underlined] GROUND EXPLOSION. [/underlined]
At Kirmington in the late evening of the 10th April 1944, 22 Lancasters were lined up for take-off to bomb the railway yards at Aulnoye. As the fifth aircraft, EE 200, roared along the runway, a wing dipped & it careered to the side & lurched off the runway. Strained by the momentum of the heavy bomb-load, the undercarriage collapsed & the fuselage ploughed along the ground for several yards before coming to rest.
The crew, uninjured, jumped out only just in time before it burst into flames. With all four tanks blazing the fire crew, who had raced up in their tender, realised that it was hopeless. Since the crew were safe, they withdrew to await the inevitable explosion which, when it occurred, so damaged the runway that it became unserviceable & the remaining 17 aircraft could not take off.
[page break]
Page 3.
[underlined] "MOST OPERATIONS" Lancaster [/underlined]
ME 746 was the highest-scoring aircraft of No. 166 Squadron & was 14th in Bomber Command's "Aircraft completing more than 100 operations list.
It was ordered from Metro-Vickers in May 1942 & delivered to No. 166 in April 1944. By the end of the war it had completed 116 operations & in November 1945 was taken over by No. 103 Squadron. It was finally struck off charge on 20-2-1946 & broken up for scrap.
Another Lancaster which completed [deleted word] 100 operations & served with No. 166 Squadron for part of its life was ED 905.
This aircraft, named "Press on Regardless", was delivered to No. 103 Squadron at Elsham Wolds, Lincolnshire, in May 1943 & was coded PM-X. After completing 28 operations the a/c was transferred to Kirmington when C Flight of No. 103 moved there to form the nucleus of No. 166. Now coded AS-X, she flew a further 19 operations. After repairs & a major service, ED 905 was then sent to No. 550 Squadron at North Killingholme on 10th June 1944 & given the code BQ-F. After completing a further 53 operations - bringing her total to 100 - it was retired from operational flying & moved to 1656 CU on the 10th November 1944. On 20th August 1945, after 628 flying hours, a pilot allowed the a/c to swing on landing: the undercarriage collapsed & a crash followed. Written off as of that date & ED 905 passed into history.
[underlined] HIGHEST SCORING LANCASTER [/underlined]
The most distinguished Lancaster of all the Squadrons was ED 888 PM-M2 (Mike Squared) belonging to No. 103 Squadron at Elsham Wolds. It made its first operational sortie to Dortmund on the 4/5th May 1943 & on retirement in December 1944 had logged 140 trips (the first 66 with No. 103, then 65 with No. 576 Squadron & finally 9 more back with No. 103), totalling 974 operational hours. This was a Bomber Command record.
Sadly "Mike Squared" was not selected for preservation after the war. After languishing at a maintenance unit for several months, "M2" was struck off charge on 8th January 1947 & reduced to scrap.
Collection
Citation
“No 166 Squadron history,” IBCC Digital Archive, accessed May 22, 2025, https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collections/document/40412.
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