625 Squadron RAF Bomber Command was operational from 18th October 1943 to May 26th May 1945, during which time it carried out 209 operations made up of about 3,500 individual sorties.
74 aircraft were lost. 389 members of the aircrew lost their lives. The Squadron operated Avro Lancaster heavy bombers — Marks I and III. From 18th October 1943 to 4th April 1945 the Squadron operated from RAF Kelstern and from 5th April 1945 to October 1945 from RAF Scampton.
It was officially disbanded in October 1945. The Squadron coat of arms incorporated a Lancaster rose encircled by a seven link gold chain — symbolic of the majestic aircraft that carried them into battle and the critical teamwork and camaraderie that was essential for the seven crew member's survival during a tour of operations.
The Squadron's motto was: We Avenge.
At the end of the war, the squadron dropped food to the starving Dutch people (Operation Manna), and flew Prisoner of War repatriation flights from Belgium (Operation Exodus) and repatriated British troops from Italy, before it was disbanded on 7 October 1945.
A Memorial was erected on the boundary of the former base at RAF Kelstern in 1964. You can see this in the Archive Report for ND637
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15/16.03.1944 No. 625 Squadron Lancaster III ND637 CF-L P/O John Bulger
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16/17.03.1945 625 Squadron Lancaster I NG169 CF-B2 F/O. Ernest Frank Seear
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16/17.03.1945 625 Squadron Lancaster I RF145 CF-Z F/O. Patrick Morley Rolls
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20/21.2.45 625 Squadron Lancaster I NG267 CF-Y F/O William Patrick Maloney DFC
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28/29.07.1944 625 Squadron Lancaster I LL962 CF-U F/O. Harry Humphrey Tuck DFC
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10/11.04.1945 No. 625 Squadron Lancaster I PD204 CF-P2 F/O Joseph Fred Mooney DSO
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625 Squadron - The Unsung Heroes
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625 Sqd Baker Crew
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Memento Mori: When Lancaster ND641 CF-T of No. 625 Squadron was shot down over the Netherlands in March 1944 all of the crew apart from Canadian Air Bomber, Frank Magee, perished in the crash.
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15/16.03.1944 No. 625 Squadron Lancaster III DV194 CF-F F/Sgt. Hodgkins
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03.04.1945 625 Squadron Lancaster I NG237 F/Sgt T.P. Collier, RAF Kelstern, Lincolnshire, Visbedden, Belgium
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23 October 1944 625 Squadron Lancaster III PB531 F/O. Morshead. Lost over Essen
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23.2.45 625 Squadron Lancaster I PB815 F/O D.R. Paige, RAF Kelstern, Lincolnshire, Littenheim, France
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27/28.01.1944 625 Squadron Lancaster III ND461 CF-W F/O. Roy James Cook DFM
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15/16.3.1944 No. 625 Squadron Lancaster I W4833 CF-J F/Sgt. Derrick John Gigger. Gripping story of valour
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19/20th February 1944 625 Squadron Lancaster I ME588 P/O. Aspin
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02/03rd November 1943 625 Squadron Lancaster I ED321 Fl/Sgt. Blackwood
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625 Squadron Lancaster III PB154 F/O. Edward Phipps Twynam
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625 Squadron References
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Special Duties Flight Lancaster III ND975 M2 P/O. Knowles. RAF Binbrook, La Ferte-St.-Cyr, France
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15/16th December 1944 625 Squadron Lancaster I NG294 P/O. Fletcher
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10/11.6.1944 No. 625 Squad. Lancaster III ND742 CF-F P/O Dudman
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09/10.04.1944 No. 625 Squad. Lanc III ND407 CF-S P/O Winder
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8/09th November 1944 625 Sqdn Lancaster III PB556 P/O Harris
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Kids of the Yokum Special
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625 Squadron Lancaster I ME684 CF-V Fl/Lt. Clark, RAF Kelstern, near Varsseveld
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625 Squadron Lancaster I ED317 CF-W Fl/Sgt. Jamieson, RAF Kelstern, Lincolnshire, Oblt. Günther Rogge, 2./NJG3, Langensalza, Germany
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625 Squadron Lancaster III LM515 CF-W P/O. McGaw, RAF Kelstern, Trouan-le-Petit, France
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625 Squadron Lancaster I NG169 CF-B2 F/O. Seear, RAF Kelstern, South of Bastenau, Germany
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625 Squadron Lancaster III ND641 CF-T W/O. Owen, RAF Kelstern, Albergen area, Netherlands
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625 Squadron Lancaster I W4833 CF-J Fl/Sgt. Price, RAF Kelstern, Düsseldorf
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No. 625 Squadron Lancaster III PB126 CF-T Fl/Lt. Elmhirst-Baxter, RAF Kelstern, Lutz-en-Dunois, France
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625 Squadron Lancaster I ND995 Fl/Lt. Elmhirst-Baxter, RAF Kelstern, Lincolnshire, Aircraft malfunction
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625 Squadron Lancaster I NG412 CF-M F/O. Cooper, RAF Kelstern, only crew casualty
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625 Squadron Lancaster III LM546 CF-O F/O. Collett, RAF Kelstern, Esslingen, Germany
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625 Squadron Lancaster I LL956 CF-Q F/O. Hannah, RAF Kelsterrn, Between Fotherby and Little Grimsby
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625 Squadron Lancaster I NF996 CF-J2 Fl/Lt. Cunliffe
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625 Squadron Lancaster III LM513 CF:Y 1st.Lt. Dowden, RAF Kelstern, night fighter, Antwerp
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12/13.09.1944 625 Squadron Lancaster III LM512 Fg Off. Cornish, RAF Kelstern, Lincolnshire, Near Sessenheim, France
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28/29.01.1944 625 Squadron Lancaster I DV364 CF:D Flt Lt. Spark DFC, RAF Kelstern, Lost Without a Trace
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625 Squadron Lancaster III W5009 CF-Z Sqn.Ldr. Nicholls, RAF Kelstern, Udenbreth
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30/31.01.1944 No. 625 Squadron Lancaster III JB122 CF-H P/O. Roy Gallop
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19/20.02.1944 625 Squadron Lancaster III LM384 CF-X Fl/Sgt. Charles Ernest Pearson
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16.11.1944 625 Squadron Lancaster I NG238 CF-E2 F/O James Ross Copland
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31.05/01.06/1944 625 Squadron Lancaster III LM427 CF-G P/O. Charles Evan Raymond Tanner
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03/04.05.1944 NO. 625 Squadron Lancaster I ME697 CF-A Sqn Ldr. Robert William Hyne Gray DFC
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19/20.02.1944 625 Squadron Lancaster III JA862 CF-T Sqn/Ldr. Barry Nicholas Douetil
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14/15.01.1945 625 Squadron Lancaster I PD388 CF-Z F/O. Herbert William Hazell DFC
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5/6.03.1945 625 Squadron Lancaster I NG240 CF-F2 F/O James W. Alexander
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18/19.04.1944 625 Squadron Lancaster I ME734 CF-J P/O Joseph Patrick Cosgrove