No. 322 (Dutch) Squadron RAF

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No. 322 (Dutch) Squadron RAF
Burgwal bij de propellor.JPG
Members of No. 322 Squadron with a Spitfire. Part of the 3W squadron code can be seen, as well as the Royal Netherlands Air Force insignia by the cockpit.
Active12 June 1943 – 7 October 1945
CountryFlag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom
Allegiance Flag of the Netherlands.svg Dutch government in exile
Branch Ensign of the Royal Air Force.svg Royal Air Force
TypeInactive
RoleFighter squadron
Motto(s) Dutch: Niet praten maar doen
("Actions, not words" or "Don't prattle, act")
Mascot(s)Polly Grey, [1] the parrot
Equipment Spitfire
Commanders
Notable
commanders		 Bram van der Stok
Insignia
Squadron badgePerched on a Branch, a Parrot
Squadron codesVL Jun 1943 – Jul 1944
(Code taken over from No. 167 Squadron)
3W (Jul 1944 – Oct 1945)

No. 322 (Dutch) Squadron of the Royal Air Force was a fighter squadron during the Second World War.

Contents

Formed with Dutch personnel already flying with the RAF, during the war it formed part of the Air Defence of Great Britain and formed part of the defences against V-1 flying bombs. In the last year of the war, it moved to the continent. After the war, it was disbanded as an RAF unit, but the 322e Jachtvliegtuig Afdeling of the Netherlands armed forces was formed from the squadron.

History

No. 322 Squadron of the Royal Air Force was formed from the Dutch personnel [2] of No. 167 Squadron RAF on 12 June 1943 at RAF Woodvale. The squadron retained the code-letter combination VL which had been used previously by No. 167 Squadron until late June 1944, when it was changed to 3W. It served at RAF West Malling and other stations during the Second World War.

From 20 June to 9 August 1944, and equipped with Spitfire Mk XIVs, the squadron was tasked with intercepting the V-1 Flying Bomb "doodlebug" missiles launched from the Dutch and French coasts towards London. [3] Flying Officer Rudy Burgwal  [ nl ] was the most outstanding pilot on these 'anti-diver' patrols, claiming five of the missiles in one 90 minute flight on 8 July 1944. [4] The total for the squadron was 108.5 destroyed.

On 7 October 1945, the squadron disbanded at Wunstorf in Germany as part of the RAF. In recognition of the squadron's wartime record, the squadron was reestablished at Twente Airbase on 27 September 1946 as the 322e Jachtvliegtuig Afdeling (Fighter Division) of the Royal Netherlands Army.

The Dutch No. 322 Squadron RNLAF is officially considered as the continuation of No. 322 (Dutch) Squadron, keeping its motto and mascot "Polly Grey", the parrot.

Aircraft operated

FromToAircraftVersion
June 1943March 1944 Supermarine Spitfire Vb, Vc
March 1944August 1944 Supermarine Spitfire XIV
August 1944November 1944 Supermarine Spitfire IXb
November 1944October 1945 Supermarine Spitfire XVIe

Commanding officers

FromToName
June 1943August 1943S/Ldr. Archibald Cathcart Stewart, DFC
September 1943September 1944Maj. K.C. Kuhlmann, DFC
September 1944November 1944S/Ldr. L.C.M. van Eendenburg
November 1944March 1945S/Ldr. H.F. O'Neill, DFC
March 1945October 1945S/Ldr. Bram "Bob" van der Stok

Squadron bases

Ground crew service a Spitfire Mark VB of No. 322 (Dutch) Squadron at RAF Hawkinge, February 1944. Royal Air Force 1939-1945- Fighter Command CH12171.jpg
Ground crew service a Spitfire Mark VB of No. 322 (Dutch) Squadron at RAF Hawkinge, February 1944.
FromToBase
12 June 194315 November 1943 RAF Woodvale
15 November 194330 November 1943 RAF Llanbedr
30 November 194331 December 1943 RAF Woodvale
31 December 194325 February 1944 RAF Hawkinge
25 February 19441 March 1944 RAF Ayr
1 March 19449 March 1944 RAF Hawkinge
9 March 194423 April 1944 RAF Acklington
23 April 194420 June 1944 RAF Hartford Bridge
20 June 194421 July 1944 RAF West Malling
21 July 194410 October 1944 RAF Deanland
10 October 19441 November 1944 RAF Fairwood Common
1 November 19443 January 1945 RAF Biggin Hill
3 January 194521 February 1945 RAF Woensdrecht (B.79)
21 February 194518 April 1945 RAF Schijndel (B.85)
18 April 194530 April 1945 RAF Twente (B.106)
30 April 19452 July 1945 RAF Varrelbusch (B.113)
2 July 19457 October 1945 RAF Wunstorf (B.116) [5]

See also

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The No. 322 Squadron, being the oldest operational squadron of the Royal Netherlands Air Force, was founded at RAF Woodvale on 12 June 1943 as No. 322 (Dutch) Squadron with Dutch personnel under Royal Air Force control. At the end of the war 322e Jachtvliegtuig Afdeling of the Royal Netherlands Army was formed from the RAF squadron.

References

Notes

  1. ↑ Archived Archived 19 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ↑ Rawlings 1976, p. 405.
  3. ↑ Rafweb Retrieved 10 July 2007
  4. ↑ Rawlings 1976, p. 404.
  5. ↑ "Wunstorf Air Base - Wikimapia". wikimapia.org.

Bibliography

  • Appeldorn, Filip. 40 Jaar 322 Squadron, 1943–1983 (in Dutch). Klu 322, 1983.
  • Halley, James J. The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd., 1980. ISBN   0-85130-083-9.
  • Halley, James J. The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth 1918–1988. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air Britain (Historians) Ltd., 1988. ISBN   0-85130-164-9.
  • Jefford, C.G. RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive Record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing, 2001. ISBN   1-84037-141-2.
  • Kock, W.J.E. 25 Jaar 322 (in Dutch). Klu 322, 1968.
  • Oxspring, Group Captain R.W. DFC. Spitfire Command. London: William Kimber, 1984 (republished by Cerberus Publishing in 2000 and 2005, ISBN   1-84145-033-2).
  • Rawlings, John. Fighter Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Macdonald and Jane's Publishers Ltd., 1969 (second edition 1976). ISBN   0-354-01028-X.
  • Sorgedrager, Bart and W.H. Lutgert. 322 Squadron, Sporen van zijn Verleden, Lijnen in zijn Geschiedenis (in Dutch). Ministerie van Defensie, 1993.
  • Van der Stok, Bob. Oorlogsvlieger van Oranje (in Dutch). Bussum, the Netherlands: Uitgeverij De Haan, 1980 (reprinted 1983). ISBN   90-228-3652-5.
    • Translated as War Pilot of Orange. Missoula, Montana: Pictorial Histories Pub Co, 1987. ISBN   0-933126-89-1.

In Dutch

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