This is a new and expanded edition of Chris Ward's authoritative operational history of 83 Squadron. The squadron began the Second World War as one of six front-lineunits representing 5 Group and, together with 49 Squadron, occupied the well-established station at Scampton, four miles northof Lincoln. P/O Guy Gibson, the future leader of 617 Squadron, hadjoined 83 Squadron in 1937 in the rank of pilot officer and, at the outbreakof war, had not progressed a single step up the commission totem pole. Thesquadron operated on the first day of the War and, when Gibson was postedout in September 1940 with almost forty operations behind him, he was thelast of the originals, most of his closest friends and mentors having sacrificedtheir lives or, at the very least, their freedom. After Gibson and his contemporaries departed, a new squadron arose witha spirit of its own. Equipped with the trusty twin-engine Hampden mediumbomber, the squadron continued to play a magnificent part during the darkdays of 1940 and 1941, roaming deep into Germany to attack economicand industrial targets, albeit, to little effect. With 1942 came the passing ofthe Hampden and the brief interlude with the ill-fated Manchester, but thencame the Lancaster, and from May to August of that year, 83 Squadron was atthe tip of the 5 Group spear. When the Pathfinder Force was formed in August 1942, 83 Squadron wasselected as a founder member. It continued proudly to serve the Commandin that role through the campaigns against Italy, the Ruhr, Hamburg and Berlin.Its commanding officers were renowned for leading from the front; threelost their lives on operations, two of them during the Berlin offensive. In April1944, advances in bombing tactics led to the effective independence of 5Group, and 83 Squadron returned to its former family to perform a markingand illuminating role on permanent loan from 8 Group until war's end.There was never a time when the influence of 83 Squadron was notfelt within the ranks of Bomber Command. It distinguished itself withoutstanding performances and below average losses from the first day ofthe war to the last. Its achievements will live forever in the annals of RAFBomber Command in WWII.
