No. 607 Squadron RAF

Last updated

No. 607 (County of Durham) Squadron RAuxAF
Active17 March 1930 – 31 July 1945
10 May 1946 – 10 March 1957
5 January 2015 -
Country Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom
Branch Ensign of the Royal Air Force.svg Royal Air Force
Part of Royal Auxiliary Air Force
Nickname(s)County of Durham
post 1951 aircraft insignia RAF 607 sqn.svg
Battle honours France & Low Countries, 1939–40
Battle of Britain, 1940
Fortress Europe, 1941–42
Channel & North Sea, 1942
Arakan, 1942–44
Manipur, 1944
Burma, 1944–45
These seven honours are emblazoned on the squadron standard
Commanders
Honorary Air Commodore The Marquess of Londonderry (1932–1939)
The Viscount Runciman of Doxford (1939–1957)
Lady Charlotte Peel, The Countess Peel (2015-present)
Insignia
Squadron Badge heraldryA winged lion salient, the hind legs also winged [1]
Squadron CodesLW (Mar 1939 – Sep 1939) [2]
AF (Sep 1939 – May 1945) [3]
RAN (Jun 1946 – 1949) [4]
LA (1949 – Apr 1951) [5]

No. 607 (County of Durham) Squadron is an auxiliary squadron of the Royal Air Force. It was formed in 1930 as a bomber unit in the Auxiliary Air Force and changed in 1936 to the fighter role. It fought in that role during the Second World War in Europe and Asia. After the war, in 1946, the squadron reformed as a fighter unit. Awarded the title Royal Auxiliary Air Force by King George in 1947, 607 Sqn was disbanded with all the other flying units of the RAuxAF on 10 March 1957. It reformed on 5 January 2015, as a General Service Support Squadron (GSS).

Contents

History

Formation and early years

No. 607 Squadron was formed on 17 March 1930 at the then new airfield of RAF Usworth, County Durham [6] as a day bomber unit of the Auxiliary Air Force (AuxAF). [1] They became operational in the summer of 1933, having received their first aircraft in December 1932, flying Westland Wapitis. First commanding officer was Walter Leslie Runciman (later the 2nd Viscount Runciman of Doxford). In September 1936 the squadron was told that it was to re-role to a fighter squadron and was re-equipped with Hawker Demons. In the run up to WW2, 607 received Gloster Gladiators, which arrived in December 1938.

Second World War

Hawker Hurricane I operated by 607 Squadron in 1940 and preserved postwar in period marks including the unit's AF code letters. Hawker Hurricane I P2617 ABIN 15.06.68 edited-1.jpg
Hawker Hurricane I operated by 607 Squadron in 1940 and preserved postwar in period marks including the unit's AF code letters.

Having achieved their first success downing a DO 18 flying boat in the North Sea and still equipped with Gladiators, the squadron was deployed to France as part of the Air Component of the British Expeditionary Force in November 1939. During the Battle of France, the squadron operated from various locations, including Saint-Inglevert. In March 1940, the squadron was re-equipped with Hawker Hurricanes, just in time to effectively operate against the modern Luftwaffe aircraft during the Blitzkrieg. Following the British withdrawal, the squadron returned to the United Kingdom and served throughout the Battle of Britain, firstly in the air defence of the North East of England then on the South coast with 11Gp. In October 1941, the Squadron moved to RAF Manston and remained there undertaking anti shipping operations and cross channel fighter sweeps until 1942. During this period, 607 became the first unit to operate the Hurricane in the fighter bomber role and using their "Hurri-bombers" destroyed or damaged several enemy support vessels during the German capital ships "Channel dash!" on 12 February 1942.

During 1942, the Squadron was transported to India. There, it joined No. 166 Wing RAF on 25 May 1942. In September 1943, the Squadron's Hurricanes were replaced with Supermarine Spitfires. This change in machine, made the squadron the first unit in South East Asia Command to operate such aircraft. It re-equipped with the Spitfire Mk.VIII in March 1944, and flew these in support of XIV Army, including the Imphal and Kohima actions, until disbanding on 19 August 1945 at Mingaladon in Burma.

607 were one of the last units to finish operations in this theatre.

Post-war

On 10 May 1946, No. 607 Squadron reformed at RAF Ouston as a day fighter squadron of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force. After flying Spitfire F.14 and F.22s for five years, it converted to De Havilland Vampires. These were flown until February 1957 when, along with all the other flying units of the RAuxAF, it was disbanded on 10 March 1957. [7]

Reformation

Re-formed 5 January 2015, the squadron is now a General Service Support Squadron (GSS) [8] [9] and operates from RAF Leeming in North Yorkshire. [10] The squadron has an established strength of almost 120 staff and has won awards for its recruitment and retention abilities. [11]

Aircraft operated

A Spitfire F.22 from No. 607 Squadron with the squadron badge on the cowling and racing number "4" for the Cooper Trophy race of 1948 Spitfire 22.jpg
A Spitfire F.22 from No. 607 Squadron with the squadron badge on the cowling and racing number "4" for the Cooper Trophy race of 1948
Aircraft operated by no. 607 Squadron RAF, data from [7] [13] [14]
FromToAircraftVersion
December 1932January 1937 Westland Wapiti Mk.IIa
September 1936August 1939 Hawker Demon
December 1938May 1940 Gloster Gladiator Mks.I, II
March 1940September 1941 Hawker Hurricane Mk.I
June 1941November 1941Hawker HurricaneMk.IIa
July 1941March 1942Hawker HurricaneMk.IIb
June 1942February 1943Hawker HurricaneMk.IIc
February 1943September 1943Hawker HurricaneMk.IIb
September 1943March 1944 Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Vc
March 1944July 1945Supermarine SpitfireMk.VIII
November 1946March 1949Supermarine SpitfireF.14
January 1949June 1951Supermarine SpitfireF.22
March 1951March 1957 De Havilland Vampire FB.5
April 1956February 1957De Havilland VampireFB.9

Squadron locations

Airfields used by no. 607 Squadron RAF, data from [7] [12] [14] [15]
FromToAirfield
17 March 193012 August 1939 RAF Usworth, County Durham
12 August 193924 August 1939 RAF Abbotsinch, Renfrewshire, Scotland Annual Summer Camp only.
24 August 19399 October 1939RAF Usworth, County Durham
9 October 193914 November 1939 RAF Acklington, Northumberland (Det. at RAF Drem, East Lothian, Scotland)
14 November 193915 November 1939 RAF Croydon, Surrey
15 November 193913 December 1939 Merville, France
13 December 193912 April 1940 Vitry-en-Artois, France (Dets. at Abbeville and Saint-Inglevert)
12 April 194026 April 1940Abbeville, France
26 April 194018 May 1940Vitry-en-Artois, France
18 May 194022 May 1940 Norrent-Fontes, France
22 May 19404 June 1940RAF Croydon, Surrey
4 June 19401 September 1940RAF Usworth, County Durham
1 September 194010 October 1940 RAF Tangmere, West Sussex
10 October 19408 November 1940 RAF Turnhouse, Fife, Scotland
8 November 194012 December 1940RAF Drem, East Lothian, Scotland
12 December 194016 January 1941RAF Usworth, County Durham
16 January 19412 March 1941 RAF Macmerry, East Lothian, Scotland
2 March 194116 April 1941RAF Drem, East Lothian, Scotland
16 April 194127 July 1941RAF Skitten, Caithness, Scotland
27 July 194120 August 1941 RAF Castletown, Caithness, Scotland
20 August 194110 October 1941 RAF Martlesham Heath, Suffolk
10 October 194121 March 1942 RAF Manston, Kent
21 March 194225 May 1942en route to British India
25 May 194223 August 1942 RAF Alipore, Bengal
23 August 194216 December 1942 RAF Jessore, Bengal
16 December 194223 January 1943 RAF Feni, Bengal
23 January 19432 April 1943 RAF Chittagong, Bengal
2 April 19431 October 1943RAF Alipore, Bengal
1 October 194315 October 1943 RAF Amarda Road, Bengal
15 October 194329 November 1943RAF Alipore, Bengal
29 November 194325 February 1944RAF Ramu, Bengal
25 February 194421 March 1944RAF Nidania, Bengal
21 March 194417 April 1944RAF Rumkhapalong ('Rumkha'), Bengal
17 April 194427 April 1944 RAF Wangjing, Manipur
27 April 19446 July 1944 RAF Imphal, Manipur
6 July 194424 November 1944RAF Baigachi, Bengal
24 November 194411 December 1944RAF Sapam, Manipur
11 December 194416 January 1945RAF Tulihal, Manipur
16 January 19455 April 1945RAF Tabingaung, Burma
5 April 194519 April 1945RAF Dwehla, Burma
19 April 194528 April 1945RAF Kwetnge, Burma
28 April 19458 May 1945RAF Kalaywa, Burma
8 May 194514 May 1945RAF Thedaw, Burma (Det. at 'Tennant' airfield, Burma)
14 May 194519 August 1945 RAF Mingaladon, Burma
10 May 194610 March 1957 RAF Ouston, County Durham
16 July 195120 August 1951 RAF Thornaby, North Yorkshire (detachment)
20 August 195110 September 1951 RAF Linton-on-Ouse, North Yorkshire (detachment)
10 September 195110 October 1951 RAF Acklington, Northumberland (detachment)
10 October 195110 March 1957RAF Ouston, Northumberland
January 2015present RAF Leeming, North Yorkshire

Commanding officers

Officers commanding no. 607 Squadron RAF, data from [16] [17]
FromToName
March 1930January 1939 S/Ldr. W.L. Runciman
January 1939May 1940S/Ldr. L.E. Smith
May 1940May 1940S/Ldr G.M.Fidler Sqd OB May 1940
18 May 1940October 1940S/Ldr J.A. Vick Sqd OB May 1940
October 1940March 1941S/Ldr. A.W. Vincent
March 1941November 1941S/Ldr. G.D. Craig
November 1941December 1941S/Ldr. H.C. Dawson
December 1941October 1942S/Ldr. N.J. Mowatt, DSO
October 1942March 1943S/Ldr. R.H. Holland, DFC
March 1943April 1943S/Ldr. N.J. Mowatt, DSO
April 1943March 1944S/Ldr. P.J.T. Stephenson, DFC
March 1944May 1945S/Ldr. G.G.A. Davies
May 1945June 1945S/Ldr. C.M. Humphreys
June 1945August 1945S/Ldr. C.O.J. Pegge, DFC
May 19461949S/Ldr. J.R. Kyall, DSO, OBE, DFC
19491951S/Ldr. J.M. Bazin, DSO, DFC
1951September 1953S/Ldr. A.B. Dunford, DFC
September 1953June 1956S/Ldr. J.A. Stephen
June 1956March 1957S/Ldr. G. Gray
January 2015January 2015Sqn Ldr A Hall
January 2015June 2018 Wing commander A Dobson [10]
February 2019Wg Cdr M Shuttleworth

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No. 610 Squadron RAF</span> Military unit

No. 610 Squadron of the Royal Air Force was a Squadron of the Auxiliary Air Force. Comprising very high quality pilots, often ex-RAF officers and occasionally locally based company Test pilots from companies such as de Havilland and Airwork, its pilots were initially part timers who would spend their weekends and spare time flying and practising combat manoeuvres. The squadron was named the "County of Chester" and adopted the motto "Alifero tollitur axe ceres"; which translates as "Ceres rising in a winged chariot", Ceres being the Roman Goddess of Wheat, a reference to Chester's Agricultural sector. Its badge contained the image of a garb.

No. 213 Squadron was a squadron of the Royal Air Force. The squadron was formed on 1 April 1918 from No. 13 (Naval) Squadron of the Royal Naval Air Service. This RNAS squadron was itself formed on 15 January 1918 from the Seaplane Defence Flight which, since its creation in June 1917, had had the task of defending the seaplanes which flew out of Dunkirk.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No. 603 Squadron RAF</span> Force Protection squadron of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force

No. 603 Squadron is a squadron of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force, based in Edinburgh, Scotland. On reforming on 1 October 1999, the primary role of 603 Squadron, was as a Survive to Operate squadron, as well as providing Force Protection.

No. 622 Squadron RAF is a reserve aircrew squadron of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force. During World War II, it operated as a bomber squadron of the Royal Air Force. Post-war it served shortly as a transport squadron in the RAuxAF.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No. 609 Squadron RAF</span> Military unit

No. 609 Squadron of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force, originally formed as a bomber squadron and in the Second World War active as fighter squadron, nowadays provides personnel to augment and support the operations of the Royal Air Force. The squadron is no longer a flying squadron, but instead has the role of Force Protection. It is currently based at RAF Leeming, North Yorkshire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No. 504 Squadron RAF</span> Military unit

No. 504 Squadron was one of the Special Reserve Squadrons of the Auxiliary Air Force, and today is a reserve force of the RAF Regiment. It was integrated into the AAF proper in 1936. Based at RAF Cottesmore, Rutland, 504 Squadron used a variety of light bombers before being re-tasked to fighters with the Hawker Hurricane in 1939. It subsequently became a Fighter Squadron. Currently No. 504 Squadron no longer has a flying role, but as part of No 85 Expeditionary Logistics Wing of the RAF A4 Force.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No. 613 Squadron RAF</span> Military unit

No. 613 Squadron was an Auxiliary Air Force later Royal Auxiliary Air Force squadron formed on 1 February 1939 at the then new municipal airport at Ringway, nine miles south of Manchester. The squadron served at first in the army cooperation role, and later during the Second World War became a tactical bomber unit. After the war the squadron reformed as a fighter unit and as such flew until its last disbandment in March 1957.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No. 611 Squadron RAF</span> Military unit

No. 611 Squadron is a British Royal Air Force squadron. It was first formed in 1936 and was disbanded in 1957 after seeing combat as a fighter unit during the Second World War. It was reformed as a reserve squadron in 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No. 616 Squadron RAF</span> Military unit

No. 616 Squadron is an active Reserve unit of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force (RAuxAF) assigned to the RAF ISTAR Force at RAF Waddington. It was originally formed as a unit of the British Auxiliary Air Force in 1938, active throughout World War 2 as a fighter unit, becoming the 1st operational RAF unit to fly jets and disbanded in 1957. The unit reformed in its current guise in April 2019 as 616 Squadron Royal Auxiliary Air Force.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No. 549 Squadron RAF</span> 1943–1945 British fighter squadron

No. 549 Squadron RAF was a fighter squadron of the Royal Air Force (RAF) operating in Australia from 1943 to 1945.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No. 605 Squadron RAF</span> Military unit

No 605 Squadron was formed as an Auxiliary Air Force Squadron. Initially formed as a bomber unit, it was one of the most successful participants of the Battle of Britain. It also had the distinction of being active during the Second World War at two fronts at a time, when the squadron was split up between Malta and the Dutch East Indies. In its last incarnation as an active flying unit, the squadron served as the first jet fighter unit in the post-war Royal Auxiliary Air Force; 616 having already flown Gloster Meteors during the war. No. 605 Squadron was reformed as a RAuxAF Logistic Support Squadron (LSS) on 1 Nov 2014 within No. 85 Expeditionary Logistics Wing of the RAF A4 Force. On the 1 January 2019, the Reserve Logistic Support Wing (RLSW) was established with 501, 504 and 605 LSS Squadron's moving from No. 85 Wing RAF to form RLSW.

No. 502 (Ulster) Squadron was a Royal Auxiliary Air Force squadron that saw service in World War II. It was reformed in September 2013, and is the oldest of all the reserve squadrons, being formed in 1925.

No. 608 Squadron was an Auxiliary Air Force squadron of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. It flew during its existence as a bomber, fighter and reconnaissance unit and was the only RAF squadron to be equipped with the unsuccessful Blackburn Botha torpedo bomber.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No. 604 Squadron RAF</span> Military unit

No. 604 Squadron RAF was a squadron of the Royal Air Force noted for its pioneering role the development of radar-controlled night-fighter operations. The squadron was established in March 1930 at RAF Hendon as a day-bomber squadron of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force. In July 1934, the squadron transitioned to two-seat fighters. Shortly after the commencement of World War II in 1939, the squadron was reassigned to a night-fighter role.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No. 601 Squadron RAF</span> Military unit

Number 601 Squadron is a squadron of the RAF Reserves, based in London. The squadron took part in the Battle of Britain, during which the first Americans to fly in World War II were members of the squadron.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No. 600 Squadron RAF</span> Military unit

No. 600 Squadron Royal Auxiliary Air Force is a squadron of the RAF Reserves. It was formed in 1925 and operated as a night fighter squadron during the Second World War with great distinction. After the war, 600 Squadron went on to operate jet fighters until 1957. Reactivated in 1999, 600 Squadron is the only RAF Reserve unit within the M25. It is a Headquarters Support Squadron and provides trained part-time reservists to support RAF operations around the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No. 602 Squadron RAF</span> Squadron of the Royal Air Force

602 Squadron is a Royal Auxiliary Air Force squadron. Originally formed in 1925 as a light bomber squadron, its role changed in 1938 to army co-operation and in 1939 to that of a fighter squadron.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No. 615 Squadron RAF</span> Military unit

No. 615 Squadron was a unit of the British Auxiliary Air Force and later the Royal Auxiliary Air Force between 1937 and 1957.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No. 614 Squadron RAF</span> Military unit

No. 614 Squadron was originally formed on 1 June 1937 as an army co-operation squadron unit of the Auxiliary Air Force. It served during the Second World War first in this role and later as a bomber squadron. Upon reformation it served as a fighter squadron until the disbandment of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force on 10 March 1957.

No. 612 Squadron RAF was originally formed in 1937 as an Army Co-operation unit, and flew during the Second World War in the General Reconnaissance role. After the war the squadron was reformed and flew in the Day Fighter role until disbanded in 1957. At present the squadron has a non-flying role as a RAF Medical Reserves unit.

References

Notes

  1. 1 2 Halley 1988, p. 423.
  2. ↑ Bowyer & Rawlings 1979, p. 14.
  3. ↑ Bowyer & Rawlings 1979, p. 16.
  4. ↑ Bowyer & Rawlings 1979, p. 138.
  5. ↑ Bowyer & Rawlings 1979, p. 66.
  6. ↑ Moyes 1976 , p. 277.
  7. 1 2 3 Halley 1988 , p. 424.
  8. ↑ "RAF - 607 (Country of Durham)Reserves". Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 18 December 2015.
  9. ↑ "RAF Reservist Squadron welcomes first recruits" . Retrieved 18 December 2015.
  10. 1 2 "Newly Reformed Sqn Remembers Its Past". raf.mod.uk. Retrieved 12 December 2017.
  11. ↑ Copeland, Alexa (21 July 2017). "Honour for Durham squadron following successful recruitment". The Northern Echo. ProQuest   1966200867.
  12. 1 2 Rawlings 1978 , p. 490.
  13. ↑ Rawlings 1978 , pp. 490–491.
  14. 1 2 Jefford 2001 , p. 100.
  15. ↑ Jefford 2001 , pp. 270–271.
  16. ↑ Rawlings 1978 , p. 491.
  17. ↑ Hunt 1972 , pp. 163–181.

Bibliography

  • Bowyer, Michael J.F.; Rawlings, John D.R. (1979). Squadron Codes, 1937–56. Cambridge, UK: Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN   0-85059-364-6.
  • Dixon, Robert (2004). A Gathering of Eagles. London: PublishAmerica. ISBN   1-4137-3498-7.
  • Dixon, Robert (2008). 607 Squadron: A Shade of Blue. Stroud, Gloucestershire: The History Press. ISBN   978-0-7524-4531-1.
  • Dixon, Robert (2011). Men of the North A Few of the Few. Wolf's Nick Publishing. ISBN   978-1-4664-4683-0.
  • Flintham, Vic; Thomas, Andrew (2003). Combat Codes: A Full Explanation and Listing of British, Commonwealth and Allied Air Force Unit Codes since 1938. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing Ltd. ISBN   1-84037-281-8.
  • Halley, James J. (1980). The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. ISBN   0-85130-083-9.
  • Halley, James J. (1988). The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth, 1918–1988. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. ISBN   0-85130-164-9.
  • Hunt, Leslie (1972). Twenty-One Squadrons: The History of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force, 1925–1957. London: Garnstone Press. ISBN   0-85511-110-0.
  • Jefford, C.G. (2001). RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912 (2nd ed.). Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing Ltd. ISBN   1-85310-053-6.
  • Moyes, Philip J.R. (1976). Bomber Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Macdonald and Jane's (Publishers) Ltd. ISBN   0-354-01027-1.
  • Rawlings, John (1978) [1969]. Fighter Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft (Revised ed.). London: Macdonald and Jane's Publishers Ltd. ISBN   0-354-01028-X.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.