Bombing raids were flown both by day and by night. The Squadron mounted numerous bombing raids against the Burma-Siam railway and rail marshalling yards, as well as other important targets such as bridges, airfields, port facilities, supply dumps and gun positions. In addition to its RAF personnel, a significant number of Australian and New Zealand aircrew flew with the squadron. 355 Squadron was formed at Salbani in the autumn of 1943 and carried out its first bombing operation in November that year.

355 Squadron was one of five strategic bomber squadrons in the Far East in addition, 358 Squadron operated the Liberator in the Special Duties role. The RAF Liberators were generally flown by a crew of eight to ten men, with two pilots – captain and co-pilot – for these long missions. The bombing campaign targeted the transport network in Burma and Indochina, including enemy shipping. A B-24 Liberator at Salbani, India, before the standard RAF roundels were replaced with the SEAC pale-blue and dark-blue roundels.įrom January 1944 the four-engine Consolidated B-24 Liberators became the principal RAF strategic bombers in the Far East, with their long range enabling attacks against Japanese targets across the region. When he arrived at Salbani airfield in West Bengal, India, where 355 Squadron was based, he got his first glimpse of the Liberator bombers lined up and Helen says that “he recalls being reminded of elephants by the curved shape of these large grey aircraft”. No 5 Operational Training Unit at Abbotsford, British Columbia, was one of the units that initiated pilots to tricycle landing gear, with which the B-24 was equipped, with 25 hours of flying on twin-engine North American B-25 Mitchells, before graduating to the mighty Liberators.Įric travelled back to the UK by sea and, learning that he was posted to join 355 Squadron in India, he then sailed onwards via the Bay of Biscay, the Mediterranean, through the Suez Canal, via Aden and on to India. On receiving his pilot’s ‘wings’, he learned that he was posted to fly the four-engine Consolidated B-24 Liberator bomber. He completed his flying training as a pilot in Canada, graduating to the twin-engine Airspeed Oxford. Maybe due to the passing (and healing) of time.”Įric enlisted with the RAF in September 1943 at Lords Cricket Ground, London. Helen says that her father “is not one to talk much about his days fighting in the war, but more recently I have been able to coax a little more from him.

Best of all, Eric is still with us and he celebrated his 100th birthday on 20th September.

One of the first to respond was Club member Helen Lansdown, who has provided us with the story of her father, Warrant Officer Eric Lansdowne. In the Club’s September newsletter we offered members the opportunity to tell the brief stories of any of their relatives who served with the RAF during the Second World War, so that they are remembered. 356 Sqn was a sister unit to 355 Sqn which Warrant Officer Eric Lansdown (inset) flew with as a Liberator co-pilot from 1944. Header Image: A Consolidated B-24 Liberator B Mk VI of 356 Sqn, South East Asia Command, based at Salbani, India.

B 24 bomber crew positions