463 Squadron RAAF
The squadron formed at Waddington, out of C Flight of 467 Squadron, in November 1943 under the command of Wing Commander ‘Rollo’ Kingsford-Smith, and it remained at this base for the rest of the war. From that time until the cessation of hostilities, it was a Main Force Lancaster unit within 5 Group. Its first operation was to the ‘Big City’, Berlin, the day after it formed, 26/27 November, but, of course, it had inherited experienced crews from its sister unit. Sadly, it also experienced its first casualty on this night when Flight Sergeant J Fowler and his crew were killed.
Like its sister squadrons, 463 was a fully engaged part of Main Force, flying night operations against a range of targets in Occupied Europe and Germany,…