No. 605 Squadron RAF

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No. 605 (County of Warwick) Squadron RAuxAF
Badge of No. 605 Squadron RAF.png
No. 605 Squadron badge
Active5 October 1926 – March 1942
7 June 1942 – 31 August 1945
10 May 1946 – 10 March 1957
1 November 2014 –
Country Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom
Branch Ensign of the Royal Air Force.svg Royal Auxiliary Air Force
RoleLogistics
Part of No 85 Expeditionary Logistics Wing , RAF A4 Force
Nickname(s)County of Warwick
Motto(s) Latin: Nunquam Dormio
(Translation: "I Never Sleep") [1] [2] [3]
Battle honours Dunkirk*
Battle of Britain, 1940*
Malta, 1941*
Eastern Waters, 1942*
Fortress Europe, 1942–1943*
Home Defence, 1944*
France and Germany, 1944–1945*
Honours marked with an asterisk* are those emblazoned on the Squadron Standard [4]
Commanders
Honorary Air Commodore Viscount Bearsted (1928–1937) [5]
William Lindsay Everard (1937–1947) [6]
J.A.C. Wright (1947–1957)
Notable
commanders		 Archie McKellar, Eric William Wright, Peter Townsend, Bertie R. O'Bryen "Sammy" Hoare
Insignia
Squadron Badge heraldryOn a mount, a bear supporting a ragged staff [1] [2] [3]
Squadron CodesHE (Apr 1939 – Sep 1939) [7]
UP (Jan 1942 – Aug 1945) [8]
RAL (May 1946 – 1949) [9]
NR (1949 – Apr 1951) [10]

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 (Expeditionary Logistics) Wing RAF to form RLSW.

Contents

History

Formation and early years

No. 605 Squadron was formed on 5 October 1926 at RAF Castle Bromwich as a day bomber unit of the Auxiliary Air Force, recruiting in the Birmingham area. Initially equipped with DH.9As, it received Westland Wapitis in April 1930 and Hawker Harts in October 1934. The latter were replaced by Hawker Hinds in August 1936. On 1 January 1939 No. 605 squadron was re-designated as a fighter squadron and re-equipped with Gloster Gladiators. [11] [12]

Second World War

A 605 squadron Hurricane Mk.I, RAF serial R4118, squadron code UP-W Hurricane mk1 r4118 fairford arp.jpg
A 605 squadron Hurricane Mk.I, RAF serial R4118, squadron code UP-W

Hawker Hurricanes began to arrive a few weeks before the outbreak of the Second World War, and the squadron took up its war station at RAF Tangmere with a mixture of six Hurricanes and ten Gladiators, completing re-equipment during October 1939. In February 1940 the squadron moved to Scotland, but returned south in May to fly patrols over northern France for a week before moving back to Scotland at RAF Drem. It again moved south again in September for the closing stages of the Battle of Britain. It then continued to operate from bases in the south, carrying out escort duties and fighter sweeps until posted overseas.

To the middle and far east

In November 1941, the squadron flew off the carrier HMS Argus to Malta, where it was retained as part of the island's defences, prior to continuing its journey to the Far East. Arriving in Singapore too late to prevent its capture, it moved to Sumatra and then to Java, in the event caught up in the Japanese invasion. [13] It operated any aircraft it could fly until it ceased to exist with its personnel either escaping in small groups or being captured. In the meantime, a small detachment of the squadron had been left on Malta during the transit journey to the Far East and a unit there which began operations on 10 January 1942 [14] used the squadron number in its reports, which ended the following month, on being absorbed into No. 185 Squadron RAF. [11] [12]

Reformation as night intruders

A new No. 605 squadron was formed at RAF Ford on 7 June 1942, equipped with Douglas Boston and Havocs in the intruder role. These were replaced with de Havilland Mosquitoes from February 1943 and it continued to operate this type until the end of the war. During this period, Peter Middleton, the grandfather of the Duchess of Cambridge, was a pilot on the squadron. At this time, the Mosquito pilots used their wing-tips to divert V1 flying bombs off course whilst en route to London. [15] The squadron moved to Belgium in March 1945 and then the Netherlands in April. The squadron disbanded by being re-numbered to No. 4 Squadron RAF on 31 August 1945 at Volkel Air Base. [11] [12]

De Havilland Mosquito NF.30 of 605 Squadron in 1948 DH.98 Mosquito NF.30 RAL-F 605 Sqn Ringway 24.04.48 edited-2.jpg
De Havilland Mosquito NF.30 of 605 Squadron in 1948

One of the Squadrons Mosquitos FB.VI TA122 is now on permanent display at the de Havilland Aircraft Museum located in the South of England on the original factory site in Hertfordshire.

After the war

With the reactivation of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force, No. 605 squadron was reformed on 10 May 1946 at RAF Honiley as a night fighter squadron, though its initial equipment of Mosquito NF.30s did not arrive until April 1947. In July 1948 the squadron's role was changed to that of a day fighter squadron, for which it received de Havilland Vampire F.1s, replacing them with Vampire FB.5s in May 1951. A little short of six years later the squadron was disbanded, along with all the flying units of the RAuxAF, on 10 March 1957. [11] [12]

Present day

No. 605 (County of Warwick) Squadron was reformed as a RAF Reserve Logistics Support Squadron on 1 Nov 2014 within No. 85 Expeditionary Logistics Wing of the RAF A4 Force. Based at RAF Cosford, near Wolverhampton. The first reservist recruiting event was 30 May 2015, recruiting drivers, chefs, suppliers and police, which will be broken down as 112 part-time and 14 full-time posts.

605 Squadron Present Day 605 Squadron 2022.jpg
605 Squadron Present Day

605 Squadron currently deploys personnel onto RAF exercises and RAF operations across the world including recent deployments in 2022 and 2023 to The Falklands, Cyprus, The USA and The Middle East.

They were fully operational by May 2018 and as of 2023 are still recruiting Logisticians including Drivers, Suppliers, Police and Chefs. [16]

Aircraft operated

Aircraft operated by no. 605 Squadron RAF, data from [11] [12] [17] [18]
FromToAircraftVersion
October 1926June 1930 Airco DH.9A
April 1930December 1934 Westland Wapiti Mk.IIa
February 1934August 1936 Hawker Hart
August 1936February 1939 Hawker Hind
February 1939October 1939 Gloster Gladiator Mks.I, II
August 1939December 1940 Hawker Hurricane Mk.I
December 1940August 1941Hawker HurricaneMk.IIa
August 1941March 1942Hawker HurricaneMk.IIb
July 1942October 1942 Douglas Havoc Mks.I, II
July 1942March 1943 Douglas Boston Mk.III
February 1943July 1943 de Havilland Mosquito Mk.II
July 1943August 1945de Havilland MosquitoMk.VI
April 1947January 1949de Havilland MosquitoNF.30
July 1948May 1951 de Havilland Vampire F.1
April 1951March 1957de Havilland VampireFB.5

Squadron bases

Bases and airfields used by no. 605 Squadron RAF, data from [11] [12] [19] [20] [21] [22] [23]
FromToBaseRemark
5 October 192627 August 1939 RAF Castle Bromwich, Warwickshire, England First formation
27 August 193911 February 1940 RAF Tangmere, Sussex, England
11 February 194027 February 1940 RAF Leuchars, Fife, Scotland
27 February 194021 May 1940 RAF Wick, Caithness, Scotland
21 May 194028 May 1940 RAF Hawkinge, Kent, England
28 May 19407 September 1940 RAF Drem, Lothian, Scotland
7 September 194026 February 1941 RAF Croydon, Surrey, England
26 February 194131 March 1941 RAF Martlesham Heath, Suffolk, England
31 March 19411 July 1941 RAF Ternhill, Shropshire, England
1 July 19414 September 1941 RAF Baginton, Warwickshire, England
4 September 194131 October 1941 RAF Honiley, Warwickshire, England Left to Far East from here on HMS Argus
5 November 194112 November 1941 RAF Gibraltar to Malta via HMS Argus and HMS Ark Royal
12 November 194118 March 1942 RAF Hal Far, Malta Dets. at RAF Luqa and RAF Ta Qali, 605 personnel joining No. 185 Squadron on 18 March
3 February 194210 February 1942 Batavia, Java, Netherlands East Indies
10 February 194214 February 1942 Palembang, Sumatra, Netherlands East Indies 605 personnel joined forces with Nos. 238 and 242 Squadron RAF on 14 Feb.
14 February 1942February 1942 Tjililitan, Java, Netherlands East Indies
February 1942March 1942 Tasik Malaya, Java, Netherlands East Indies Dispersed from here
7 June 194215 March 1943 RAF Ford, Sussex, England Second formation
15 March 19436 October 1943 RAF Castle Camps, Cambridgeshire, England
6 October 19437 April 1944 RAF Bradwell Bay, Essex, England
7 April 194421 November 1944 RAF Manston, Kent, England
21 November 194415 March 1945 RAF Hartford Bridge, Hampshire, England Airfield name changed to RAF Blackbushe, December 1944
15 March 194528 April 1945 B.71/Koksijde, Belgium
28 April 194531 August 1945 B.80/Volkel, the Netherlands
10 May 194611 March 1957RAF Honiley, Warwickshire, England Third formation and last disbandment
1 November 201431 December 2020 RAF Cosford, Shropshire, England Originally reformed as a General Support Squadron. Became a Logistic Support Squadron and part of No 38 Group on 1 Nov 14.
1 January 2021Present RAF Cosford, Shropshire, England 605 Squadron moved with A4(Force Elements) under the newly established Support Force as a part of No 2 Group.

Commanding Officers

Commanding Officers of 605 Squadron include: [24] [25] [26]

FromToName
October 1926March 1936S/Ldr. J.A.C. Wright, AFC, TD
March 1936December 1939S/Ldr. Lord Willoughby de Broke, MC, AFC
December 1939May 1940S/Ldr G.V. Perry
May 1940June 1940 F/Lt. R.G. Grant-Ferris, MP (acting)
June 1940September 1940S/Ldr. W.M. Churchill, DSO, DFC
September 1940November 1940S/Ldr. A.A. McKellar, DSO, DFC
November 1940November 1940F/Lt. C.F. Currant, DFC (acting)
February 1942March 1942S/Ldr. E.W. Wright, DFM (Batavia)
June 1942August 1942 W/Cdr. P.W. Townsend, DSO, DFC
August 1942May 1943W/Cdr. G.L. Denholm, DFC
May 1943September 1943W/Cdr. C.D Tomalin, AFC
September 1943April 1944W/Cdr. B.R.O'B Hoare, DSO, DFC and Bar
April 1944September 1944W/Cdr. N.J. Star, DFC
September 1944March 1945W/Cdr. R.A.Mitchell, DFC and Bar
March 1945April 1945S/Ldr. A.G.Woods, DFC (acting)
April 1945July 1945W/Cdr. A.W. Horne, DFC, AFC
July 1945May 1946S/Ldr. I.F.McCall, DFC (acting)
May 1946December 1947S/Ldr. R.J. Walker, DSO
December 1947July 1949S/Ldr. R.C.T. Goodwin,
July 1949August 1951S/Ldr. J.A. Timmis,
August 1951May 1956S/Ldr. P.M.R. Walton,
May 1956March 1957S/Ldr. R.E. Tickner,
March 1957All RAuxAF units disbanded
August 2014Reformed as a Logistics Support and RAF Police Sqn
August 2014November 2015Wg Cdr. M. Sherburn,
November 2015January 2016Sqn Ldr. T. Newton, (acting)
January 2016May 2019Wg Cdr. P.N. Bell,
May 2019July 2019Wg Cdr. A.G. Kime, (acting)
July 2019October 2021Sqn Ldr. C.J. Krolikowski,
October 2021June 2022Flt Lt. M. Salt, (acting)
June 2022PresentSqn Ldr J. A. Roylance,

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References

Notes

  1. 1 2 Halley 1988, p. 422.
  2. 1 2 Rawlings 1976, p. 486.
  3. 1 2 Moyes 1976, p. 276.
  4. ↑ Piper 1996, p. 223.
  5. ↑ Piper 1996, p. 17.
  6. ↑ Piper 1996, p. 33.
  7. ↑ Bowyer & Rawlings 1979, p. 14.
  8. ↑ Bowyer & Rawlings 1979, p. 102.
  9. ↑ Bowyer & Rawlings 1979, p. 138.
  10. ↑ Bowyer & Rawlings 1979, p. 77.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Halley 1988 , p. 423.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Jefford 2001 , p. 100.
  13. ↑ Thomas 2003 , pp. 68–69 and 46.
  14. ↑ Thomas 2003 , pp. 29 and 46.
  15. ↑ "New lease of life for historic squadron at its RAF Cosford home". The Shropshire Star. 2 June 2015. Retrieved 30 July 2017.
  16. ↑ "Disbanded squadron at RAF Cosford in Shropshire to re-form". BBC News. 30 May 2015. Retrieved 30 July 2017.
  17. ↑ Moyes 1976 , p. 277.
  18. ↑ Piper 2003 , pp. 95–96.
  19. ↑ Rawlings 1976 , p. 487.
  20. ↑ Moyes 1976 , pp. 276–277.
  21. ↑ Piper 1996 , pp. 241–242.
  22. ↑ "Base overview on 605 website". Archived from the original on 23 December 2010. Retrieved 11 August 2009.
  23. ↑ Base overview on RAFcommands website
  24. ↑ Piper 1996 , pp. 239–240.
  25. ↑ Rawlings 1976 , p. 488.
  26. ↑ Piper 2003 , p. 94.

Bibliography

  • Bowyer, Michael J.F.; Rawlings, John D.R. (1979). Squadron Codes, 1937–56. Cambridge, UK: Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN   0-85059-364-6.
  • Ford-Jones, Martyn R. (2004). Desert Flyer: The Log and Journal of Flying Officer William Marsh. Atglen, Pennsylvania: Schiffer Publishing Ltd. ISBN   0-7643-0347-3.
  • 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, Wing Commander 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.
  • Piper, Ian (2003). 605 (County of Warwick) Squadron. Shipston on Stour, Warwickshire, UK: 605 Squadron Association. ISBN   0-9529516-1-4.
  • Piper, Ian (1996). We Never Slept: the Story of 605 County of Warwick, Squadron, Royal Auxiliary Air Force, 1926–1957. Kingsbury, Tamworth, Staffordshire, UK: Ian Piper. ISBN   0-9529516-0-6. (reprinted in 1997)
  • Rawlings, John (1976) [1969]. Fighter Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft (2nd ed.). London: Macdonald and Jane's Publishers Ltd. ISBN   0-354-01028-X.
  • Thomas, Andrew (2003). Hurricanes Aces: 1941–45. Botley, Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing Ltd. ISBN   1-84176-610-0.
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