| No. 455 Squadron RAAF | |
|---|---|
.jpg) A No. 455 Squadron Beaufighter in 1944 | |
| Active | 23 May 1941 – 26 May 1945 |
| Country | Australia |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Branch | Royal Australian Air Force |
| Role | Bomber Torpedo bomber |
| Part of | No. 5 Group, Bomber Command (Jun 1941 – Apr 1942) |
| Motto(s) | Strike and strike again[1][2][3] |
| Battle honours[4] | English Channel and North Sea, 1939–1945 Baltic, 1939–1945 Fortress Europe, 1940–1944 France and Germany, 1944–1945 Ruhr, 1940–1945 Berlin, 1940–1945 German Ports, 1940–1945 Normandy, 1944 Arctic, 1940–1945 Russia, 1941–1945 |
| Insignia | |
| Squadron badge heraldry | In front of two battle axes in saltire a winged helmet[1][2][3] |
| Squadron codes | UB (Jun 1941 – Aug 1943, Jul 1944 – May 1945)[5][6] 2 (Aug 1943 – Jul 1944)[7] |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Attack | Bristol Beaufighter |
| Bomber | Handley Page Hampden |
No. 455 Squadron was a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) torpedo bomber squadron during World War II and became famous as part of the "ANZAC Strike Wing" that was formed from Australian and New Zealand squadrons. Raised in early 1941, mainly from Australian personnel, the squadron served over Europe during the war, operating from various bases in the United Kingdom; it also briefly sent a detachment to the Soviet Union in 1942. Operating Handley Page Hampdens and Bristol Beaufighters, the squadron mainly undertook anti-shipping and anti-submarine operations during the war. It was disbanded in May 1945 following the cessation of hostilities against Germany.
- ^ a b Moyes 1976, p. 252.
- ^ a b Rawlings 1982, p. 213.
- ^ a b Halley 1988, p. 477.
- ^ "No. 455 Squadron RAAF". Second World War, 1939–1945 units. Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
- ^ Bowyer & Rawlings 1979, p. 100.
- ^ Flintham & Thomas 2003, p. 109.
- ^ Flintham & Thomas 2003, p. 128.