207 Squadron RAF Association

Formation of the Association
On June 30th 1984, 207 Squadron disbanded. In October that year the Squadron Association was formed with the late AVM David Dick as Chairman and President. The Squadron Standard, which was presented to the Squadron by Her Majesty The Queen at Marham in 1956, was laid up in Leicester Cathedral on Sunday 14th October 1984. A Memorial Book was added in 1989.

Every year we have a well attended Reunion and Dinner - in recent years it has been held in Derby, England at the Midland Hotel.

At present there are over 440 members worldwide, of which about two-thirds are served on the Squadron - the other third are Friend members. There are some Honorary members, in recognition of service they have given to the Association.

We took on a new lease of life with the re-forming of the Squadron in July 2002.

These were some of the principal guests of those who met at RAF Northolt in September 1983 to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the BBC recording made of EM-F's trip to Berlin on 3 Sep 1943. George Mitchell, of 207 Sqn at Northolt, can be seen on the left. It was on this occasion that the idea of forming an Association took firm root. [source: Ron Winton]

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L-R: Charles Stewart (F/E), Ken Letford (Pilot), Wynford Vaughan-Thomas (BBC Correspondent), Bill Bray (B/A).

We Will Remember Them
207 Squadron suffered 977 killed, both aircrew and groundcrew; 200 have no known grave. 171 others were Prisoners of War and 39 evaded capture.

1997 saw the completion of our program to dedicate Memorials to those who gave their lives and freedom for others whilst serving with No.207 Squadron RAF, placed at the bases from which the Squadron mainly suffered casualties. There are also some splendid local memorials which we have been associated with, arising from local initiatives. The station memorials were as follows:-

1992 - a Memorial Tablet and Book of Remembrance were dedicated in All Saints Church, Great Steeping, to those lost from former RAF Spilsby, from where most of 207 Squadron's WWII casualties occurred. See also 2001.

1994 - as a result of a marvellous local initiative, a Memorial was placed at the entrance of the former RAF Langar airfield, which is still used for recreational flying. The BBMF Lancaster again participated.

1995 - a Book of Remembrance and a Memorial Tablet were dedicated in St. Mary the Virgin, Bottesford, to those lost from the former RAF Bottesford.

1996 - a Book of Remembrance and a Memorial Tablet were dedicated in the Chapel at RAF Waddington.

Memorials in Britain and Europe
Memorials large and small have been dedicated to 207 Squadron crews: in France at Barembach, Haudricourt, Holtzwihr, Margny, Neaufles-St.-Martin, Sérifontaine and St Brisson; in Denmark at Låstrup and in Switzerland at Le Bouveret. In 2005 we attended the dedication of a memorial at the crash site of a crew at Meeuwen, in Belgium. Individual graves are respected by many individuals and communities in former Occupied Europe. In each and every case we are grateful for all that is done.

In 1998 three members of the crew of Lancaster DV361, EM-V were commemorated on a memorial erected by a local initiative at Brigstock, near Oundle.

In September 2005, at the National Memorial Arboretum, Alrewas, we dedicated a tree and plaque to all who served on 207 Squadron.

207 Squadron remembered at the former 55 Base HQ and the site of RAF Spilsby
East Kirkby near Spilsby, Lincolnshire, was 55 Base HQ for RAF Spilsby - now it is the Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre. A Memorial to 44, 57, 207, 630 & 619 Squadrons was dedicated in 1995 and is situated beside the restored Control Tower. Some trees have been planted there in memory of 207 Squadron crews.

2001: Spilsby Airfield Memorial for all who served at RAF Spilsby - the result of an initiative by local people and members of the Association - this excellent memorial was dedicated on the site of former RAF Spilsby on 25th August 2001.

Links to other Associations
207 Squadron RAF Association has over the years had useful links via members with the:

Bomber Command Association,
Royal Air Force Association,
Air Gunners Association,
Aircrew Association,
Caterpillar Club,
Goldfish Club,

... and many other Squadron Associations, as well as 207 (Cranfield) Squadron Air Training Corps and the former 2266 (Spilsby) Squadron Air Training Corps.

We actively support kindred associations through the editorship of the Royal Air Forces Register of Associations, which is an Internet listing of RAF related associations, adopted and supported by the Aircrew Association and Bomber Command Association.

We also host and edit websites for 207 (Reserve) Squadron RAF, the WAAF Association, RAF Ex-POW Association, and the Royal Air Forces Escaping Society 1945-95 (& linked to that site the Air Forces Escaping Society as well as the US Air Forces Escape and Evasion Society) which can be visited via www.rafinfo.org.uk (see left). We also host the update site for Honorary Member Bill Chorley's series of books RAF Bomber Command Losses of the Second World War.

Joining us
Please click the CONTACT US link on the left of your screen. You are welcome to join us if you served on 207 Squadron RAF, which includes 207(R) Sqn, or you have a strong personal or family connection with 207 or its WWI forerunner, No.7 Sqn RNAS.