By August No.61 Squadron was ready for normal night bombing operations and in the following month were joined by No.106 Squadron similarly equipped with Lancasters and commanded by Guy Gibson. Regular bombing operations were thereafter performed two or three times a week, weather permitting. On one particular night in October a fully loaded Lancaster crash landed on the airfield and started to burn. The Station Commander was Gus Walker, who dashed into the blaze to try and rescue the crew but a bomb exploded and severed his arm. He lived to become an Air Chief Marshal in the 1960s, his disability never being allowed to interfere with his ability to pilot an aircraft one handed.
In early 1943, No.61 Squadron operated a flight of radial engined Lancaster Mk2s. It was a 61 Sqn pilot, Flt Lt Bill Reid, who was awarded the Victoria Cross for pressing on with his mission after his aircraft was severely damaged by enemy fighters, which caused injuries to himself and the loss of life of his navigator.
On the 17th of November 1943 the operational squadrons departed when the role of the station changed to bomber crew training. Initially No.1668 Heavy Conversion Unit was present engaged in training new bomber crews on Halifax and Lancasters, but due to the shortage of Lancasters it was retitled No.5 Lancaster Finishing School in January 1944. This was a stop gap measure where crews were trained on Stirlings or Halifaxes at other H.C.Us then came to Syerston for their final week to get used to operating with Lancasters .
From November to July 1944 there was also a Bombing and Gunnery Defence Training Flight in attendance with several Wellingtons , Spitfires, Hurricanes, plus a few Martinet tug aircraft, all employed in brushing up the skills of No.5 Groups air gunners on air to air exercises.