156 Squadron Royal Air Force was first formed on 12 October 1918 at RAF Wyton[2][5] and equipped with DH 9 aircraft, but was disbanded on 9 December 1918 without becoming operational.

8 Group RAF it became one of the original pathfinder squadrons, converting to Lancasters in January 1943.

[2][5] The Jamaican airman Billy Strachan, who would go onto become a pioneer of Black civil rights in Britain, once served as an air gunner with the squadron.

It was on a mission to Cologne when it was shot down by anti-aircraft fire.

In the Netherlands is a memorial for the Avro Lancaster ND559 crew.