No. 189 Squadron was formed at Ripon on 20 December 1917 as a night-flying training unit, moving shortly afterwards to Sutton's Farm to continue this task until the end of World War I. On March 1 1919, the squadron was disbanded.

The squadron was re-formed as part of No. 5 Group RAF on October 15 1944 at RAF Bardney near the village of Bardney in Lincolnshire. They flew Lancaster bombers in raids over occupied Europe towards the end of World War II in 1944 and 1945.

The commanding officer was Wing Commander J. S. Shorthouse DFC.

After RAF Bardney the squadron was based at RAF Fulbeck near the village of Fulbeck, returning to Bardney in April 1945 and then on to RAF Metheringham near Metheringham.

The unit was mixed, with many personnel from other parts of the Commonwealth including Australians, New Zealanders and Canadians.

189 sqdn was among the 107 Lancasters and 12 Mosquitos of No 5 Group which attacked the oil refinery in Tonsberg in Southern Norway on April 25 1945 in the last raid of the war flown by heavy bombers of Bomber Command.

After the war the unit was involved in dropping food to the Dutch and repatriating POWs until it was disbanded on November 20 1945.

Aircraft Operated

1917 - Avro 504K; 1917 - Royal Aircraft Factory BE2e; 1917 - Sopwith Pup; 1918 - Sopwith Camel; 1944 - Avro Lancaster I and III;

Operations

The following sortie details are taken from the operations record book for 189 sqdn.