No. 322 Squadron RAF
Encyclopedia
No. 322 Squadron of the Royal Air Force
was a Fighter Squadron during the Second World War
was formed from the Dutch personnel 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 1944 or early 1945, when it was changed to 3W. It served at RAF West Malling
and other stations during the Second World War.
From the 20th of June to the 21st of July 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.. Flying Officer Brugwal was the most outstanding pilot on these 'anti-diver' patrols, claiming five of the missiles in one day (the 8th of July). Total for the squadron was 108.5 destroyed.
On 7 October 1945 the squadron disbanded at Wunstorf
in Germany as part of the RAF, but the Squadron number was afterwards revived for a unit of the Royal Netherlands Air Force
(KLu) in recognition of the squadron's wartime record.
! style="text-align: left; background: #B0C4DE;"|To
! style="text-align: left; background: #B0C4DE;"|Aircraft
! style="text-align: left; background: #B0C4DE;"|Version
|-
| June 1943
| March 1944
| Supermarine Spitfire
| Vb, Vc
|-
| March 1944
| August 1944
| Supermarine Spitfire
| XIV
|-
| August 1944
| November 1944
| Supermarine Spitfire
| IXb
|-
| November 1944
| October 1945
| Supermarine Spitfire
| XVIe
! style="text-align: left; background: #B0C4DE;"|To
! style="text-align: left; background: #B0C4DE;"|Name
|-
| June 1943
| August 1943
| S/Ldr. A.C. Stewart
|-
| September 1943
| September 1944
| Maj. K.C. Kuhlmann, DFC
|-
| September 1944
| November 1944
| S/Ldr. L.C.M. van Eendenburg
|-
| November 1944
| March 1945
| S/Ldr. H.F. O'Neill, DFC
|-
| March 1945
| October 1945
| S/Ldr. Bram "Bob" van der Stok
! style="text-align: left; background: #B0C4DE;"|To
! style="text-align: left; background: #B0C4DE;"|Base
|-
| 12 June 1943
| 15 November 1943
| RAF Woodvale
|-
| 15 November 1943
| 30 November 1943
| RAF Llanbedr
|-
| 30 November 1943
| 31 December 1943
| RAF Woodvale
|-
| 31 December 1943
| 25 February 1944
| RAF Hawkinge
|-
| 25 February 1944
| 1 March 1944
| RAF Ayr
|-
| 1 March 1944
| 9 March 1944
| RAF Hawkinge
|-
| 9 March 1944
| 23 April 1944
| RAF Acklington
|-
| 23 April 1944
| 20 June 1944
| RAF Hartford Bridge
|-
| 20 June 1944
| 21 July 1944
| RAF West Malling
|-
| 21 July 1944
| 10 October 1944
| RAF Deanland
|-
| 10 October 1944
| 1 November 1944
| RAF Fairwood Common
|-
| 1 November 1944
| 3 January 1945
| RAF Biggin Hill
|-
| 3 January 1945
| 21 February 1945
| RAF Woensdrecht
(B.79)
|-
| 21 February 1945
| 18 April 1945
| RAF Schijndel
(B.85)
|-
| 18 April 1945
| 30 April 1945
| RAF Twente
(B.106)
|-
| 30 April 1945
| 2 July 1945
| RAF Varrelbusch (B.113)
|-
| 2 July 1945
| 7 October 1945
| RAF Wunstorf
(B.116)
In Dutch
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
was a Fighter Squadron during the Second World War
History
No. 322 Squadron of the Royal Air ForceRoyal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
was formed from the Dutch personnel of No. 167 Squadron RAF
No. 167 Squadron RAF
No. 167 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force squadron that formed just after the end of World War I. It was one of only three to be equipped with the Handley Page V/1500 heavy bomber....
on 12 June 1943 at RAF Woodvale
RAF Woodvale
RAF Woodvale is a Royal Air Force Station located south of Southport, Merseyside in a small town called Formby. Although constructed as an all-weather night fighter airfield for the defence of Liverpool, it did not open until 7 December 1941...
. The squadron retained the code-letter combination VL which had been used previously by No. 167 Squadron until late 1944 or early 1945, when it was changed to 3W. It served at RAF West Malling
RAF West Malling
RAF West Malling was a Royal Air Force station near West Malling in Kent, England.Originally used as a landing area during the first World War, the site opened as a private landing ground and in 1930, then known as Kingshill, home to the Maidstone School of Flying, before being renamed West Malling...
and other stations during the Second World War.
From the 20th of June to the 21st of July 1944, and equipped with Spitfire Mk XIVs, the squadron was tasked with intercepting the V-1 Flying Bomb
V-1 flying bomb
The V-1 flying bomb, also known as the Buzz Bomb or Doodlebug, was an early pulse-jet-powered predecessor of the cruise missile....
"doodlebug" missiles launched from the Dutch and French coasts towards London.. Flying Officer Brugwal was the most outstanding pilot on these 'anti-diver' patrols, claiming five of the missiles in one day (the 8th of July). Total for the squadron was 108.5 destroyed.
On 7 October 1945 the squadron disbanded at Wunstorf
Wunstorf
Wunstorf is a town in the district of Hanover, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated approx. 22 km west of Hanover. The following localities belong to the city of Wunstorf: Blumenau , Bokeloh, Grossenheidorn, Idensen , Klein Heidorn, Kolenfeld, Luthe, Mesmerode, Steinhude, Wunstorf....
in Germany as part of the RAF, but the Squadron number was afterwards revived for a unit of the Royal Netherlands Air Force
Royal Netherlands Air Force
The Royal Netherlands Air Force , Dutch Koninklijke Luchtmacht , is the military aviation branch of the Netherlands Armed Forces. Its ancestor, the Luchtvaartafdeling of the Dutch Army was founded on 1 July 1913, with four pilots...
(KLu) in recognition of the squadron's wartime record.
Aircraft operated
! style="text-align: left; background: #B0C4DE;"|From! style="text-align: left; background: #B0C4DE;"|To
! style="text-align: left; background: #B0C4DE;"|Aircraft
! style="text-align: left; background: #B0C4DE;"|Version
|-
| June 1943
| March 1944
| Supermarine Spitfire
Supermarine Spitfire
The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s...
| Vb, Vc
|-
| March 1944
| August 1944
| Supermarine Spitfire
Supermarine Spitfire
The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s...
| XIV
|-
| August 1944
| November 1944
| Supermarine Spitfire
Supermarine Spitfire
The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s...
| IXb
|-
| November 1944
| October 1945
| Supermarine Spitfire
Supermarine Spitfire
The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s...
| XVIe
Commanding officers
! style="text-align: left; background: #B0C4DE;"|From! style="text-align: left; background: #B0C4DE;"|To
! style="text-align: left; background: #B0C4DE;"|Name
|-
| June 1943
| August 1943
| S/Ldr. A.C. Stewart
|-
| September 1943
| September 1944
| Maj. K.C. Kuhlmann, DFC
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
|-
| September 1944
| November 1944
| S/Ldr. L.C.M. van Eendenburg
|-
| November 1944
| March 1945
| S/Ldr. H.F. O'Neill, DFC
|-
| March 1945
| October 1945
| S/Ldr. Bram "Bob" van der Stok
Bram van der Stok
Bram van der Stok, MBE , also referred to as Bob van der Stok, was the most decorated aviator in Dutch history, as well as one of the three men to escape to freedom in "the Great Escape" from German POW camp Stalag Luft III....
Squadron bases
! style="text-align: left; background: #B0C4DE;"|From! style="text-align: left; background: #B0C4DE;"|To
! style="text-align: left; background: #B0C4DE;"|Base
|-
| 12 June 1943
| 15 November 1943
| RAF Woodvale
RAF Woodvale
RAF Woodvale is a Royal Air Force Station located south of Southport, Merseyside in a small town called Formby. Although constructed as an all-weather night fighter airfield for the defence of Liverpool, it did not open until 7 December 1941...
|-
| 15 November 1943
| 30 November 1943
| RAF Llanbedr
|-
| 30 November 1943
| 31 December 1943
| RAF Woodvale
RAF Woodvale
RAF Woodvale is a Royal Air Force Station located south of Southport, Merseyside in a small town called Formby. Although constructed as an all-weather night fighter airfield for the defence of Liverpool, it did not open until 7 December 1941...
|-
| 31 December 1943
| 25 February 1944
| RAF Hawkinge
RAF Hawkinge
RAF Hawkinge was an airfield in Kent, near to the south coast and the closest airfield to the French coast.It took part in the Battle of Britain and it was home to No. 79 Squadron RAF. After the war, the station hosted the Home Command Gliding Centre, and is fondly remembered by many Air Cadets as...
|-
| 25 February 1944
| 1 March 1944
| RAF Ayr
RAF Heathfield
RAF Heathfield, sometimes known as RAF Ayr/Heathfield due to its proximity to Glasgow Prestwick Airport, which was also used by military flights, was a Royal Air Force Second World War airfield....
|-
| 1 March 1944
| 9 March 1944
| RAF Hawkinge
RAF Hawkinge
RAF Hawkinge was an airfield in Kent, near to the south coast and the closest airfield to the French coast.It took part in the Battle of Britain and it was home to No. 79 Squadron RAF. After the war, the station hosted the Home Command Gliding Centre, and is fondly remembered by many Air Cadets as...
|-
| 9 March 1944
| 23 April 1944
| RAF Acklington
RAF Acklington
The former Royal Air Force Station Acklington, commonly known as RAF Acklington, was a Royal Air Force airfield airbase situated near Acklington, in Northumberland, England....
|-
| 23 April 1944
| 20 June 1944
| RAF Hartford Bridge
RAF Blackbushe
RAF Blackbushe was a Royal Air Force station in Hampshire, England, during World War II. It is now known as Blackbushe Airport.-History:The station was opened on 1 November 1942 as RAF Hartford Bridge and it was used throughout the remainder of Second World War for reconnaissance, defence and...
|-
| 20 June 1944
| 21 July 1944
| RAF West Malling
RAF West Malling
RAF West Malling was a Royal Air Force station near West Malling in Kent, England.Originally used as a landing area during the first World War, the site opened as a private landing ground and in 1930, then known as Kingshill, home to the Maidstone School of Flying, before being renamed West Malling...
|-
| 21 July 1944
| 10 October 1944
| RAF Deanland
|-
| 10 October 1944
| 1 November 1944
| RAF Fairwood Common
RAF Fairwood Common
RAF Fairwood Common was a World War II aerodrome located at Fairwood Common on the Gower Peninsula to the west of Swansea. It is now the location of Swansea Airport.-History:...
|-
| 1 November 1944
| 3 January 1945
| RAF Biggin Hill
|-
| 3 January 1945
| 21 February 1945
| RAF Woensdrecht
Woensdrecht Air Base
Woensdrecht Air Base is a military airport near the town of Woensdrecht, about 10 km south of the city of Bergen op Zoom in the Netherlands. It is located near highway A58 and the border with Belgium....
(B.79)
|-
| 21 February 1945
| 18 April 1945
| RAF Schijndel
Schijndel
Schijndel is a municipalityin the southern Netherlands, in the province of North Brabant. Schijndel is located approximately fourteen kilometers southeast of 's-Hertogenbosch. Schijndel was founded on the 6th of December in the year 1309...
(B.85)
|-
| 18 April 1945
| 30 April 1945
| RAF Twente
Enschede Airport Twente
Enschede Airport Twente is located north from Enschede, a municipality in the Twente region and the Overijssel province of the Netherlands. It has one runway , though one of the current taxiways has been used as a runway...
(B.106)
|-
| 30 April 1945
| 2 July 1945
| RAF Varrelbusch (B.113)
|-
| 2 July 1945
| 7 October 1945
| RAF Wunstorf
Wunstorf
Wunstorf is a town in the district of Hanover, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated approx. 22 km west of Hanover. The following localities belong to the city of Wunstorf: Blumenau , Bokeloh, Grossenheidorn, Idensen , Klein Heidorn, Kolenfeld, Luthe, Mesmerode, Steinhude, Wunstorf....
(B.116)
External links
In Dutch
- unofficial 322nd squadron website (in Dutch)
- Dutch Airforce page about 322 Squadron
- Another Dutch Airforce page about 322 Squadron
- Aviation Group Leeuwarden