354 Squadron RAF
General Reconnaissance
Squadron
Formed May 10, 1943 at
Drigh Road
Moved to Cuttrack on August 17, 1943
Moved to Minneriya on October 12, 1944
Moved to Cuttack on January 5, 1945
Disbanded May 18, 1945
Aircraft were not received
until August 28, 1943
Equipped with:
Individual Aircraft:
|
Liberator IIIA |
Liberator V |
Liberator VI |
|
FK227 (T) |
BZ805 (V) |
KG822 (P) EV833 (X) |
Note EV833 (X)is shown in a
photograph in Halley's book "Squadrons of the Royal Air Force"
Liberators listed as serving
with 354 Squadron
(Includes the "fates" of the aircraft.)
A more detailed list is included in the Form 540/541 file listed below.
Draft
Transcripts of Squadron Records
Form 540 Operation
Record Book and Form 541 Details of Operations carried out
A copy combining both forms, plus details of the Aircraft, and Honour
Roll
Photos of 354 personnel
and aircraft.
These
photos were in an album produced by Jim Bagdley using photos provided by
ex-members of the Squadron. The album was donated to the RCAF Museum at Trenton
to serve as a record of 354 Squadron. The museum cannot find the book in its
collection.
Luckily, "Bernie" Jackson had the album photocopied before it was
sent to the museum. He kindly had his copy recopied; this copy of a copy was
what was scanned to produce the document on this site.
One word of warning: this is a 12meg pdf file, so it will take some time to
download.
On May 14th, 1945, "L" set out on a "Parallel Track Sweep" -- it did not return
Flights were carried out on the 16th searching for it -- with no positive results.
On the 18th of May, the Squadron was disbanded, and all records end.
In 1946, the RCAF obtained an affidavit from former F/O. G. Sourisseau, (who had been the co-pilot on the aircraft). This document gives graphic details of what happened and also illustrates the fate which awaited crews in SEAC who had the misfortune of falling in to Japanese hands.
F/O. Sourisseau's Affidavit.
Updated October 13, 2009