No. 611 Squadron RAF
Encyclopedia
No. 611 Squadron was a British
Auxiliary Air Force later Royal Auxiliary Air Force
squadron first formed in 1936 and lastly disbanded in 1957.
on the 10 February 1936 as a day bomber unit. The squadron set up its permanent base at RAF Speke (now Liverpool John Lennon Airport
) on 6 May and began recruiting personnel from Liverpool
and the surrounding area. Its first Hawker Hart
light bombers arrived in June, being replaced by Hawker Hind
s from April 1938.
On 1 January 1939, the unit became a fighter squadron, receiving its first Supermarine Spitfire
Mk.I's in May. The squadron left for RAF Duxford on 13 August. After a period of defensive duties on the east coast, No. 611 became fully operational from its RAF Digby
base in Lincolnshire in May 1940, firstly over Dunkirk and then taking part in the Battle of Britain
campaign.
The squadron commenced offensive sweeps over occupied northern France in January 1941, based at RAF Hornchurch
, moving to RAF Drem
in Scotland for recuperation in November 1941. The unit moved south again in June 1942 to RAF Kenley
for deployment on shipping reconnaissance, escort and defensive missions. No. 611 provided covering patrols for the invasion of Normandy in June 1944 from its RAF Deanland, Sussex base. The squadron then moved to south-west England for a short period.
Long-range escort missions began to be flown from RAF Bradwell Bay
, Essex, from late August 1944, until No. 611 moved to RAF Skeabrae in Orkney on 3 October. After converting to Merlin powered Mustang
Mk.IV's the squadron again moved south, this time to RAF Hawkinge
in Kent and resumed escort duties for the rest of the war. The squadron disbanded as an RAF squadron on 15 August 1945 at RAF Peterhead
.
The squadron reformed again at Liverpool's Speke airport on 10 May 1946 as a fighter squadron within the Royal Auxiliary Air Force. Because of growing airliner movements at Speke, the unit moved to RAF Woodvale
near Southport
on 22 July 1946 equipped with Spitfire F.14's and from June 1948 with the higher performance Spitfire F.22. Gloster Meteor
F.4 jet fighters were received in May 1951, these requiring a move to the longer runways at RAF Hooton Park
on the Wirral
on 9 July. Re-equipment with updated Meteor F.8's came in December 1951 and these were flown from Hooton Park until the squadron disbanded on 10 March 1957, together with all other RAuxAF flying units.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Auxiliary Air Force later Royal Auxiliary Air Force
Royal Auxiliary Air Force
The Royal Auxiliary Air Force , originally the Auxiliary Air Force , is the voluntary active duty reserve element of the Royal Air Force, providing a primary reinforcement capability for the regular service...
squadron first formed in 1936 and lastly disbanded in 1957.
Early years
The squadron was formed at RAF Hendon, MiddlesexMiddlesex
Middlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time...
on the 10 February 1936 as a day bomber unit. The squadron set up its permanent base at RAF Speke (now Liverpool John Lennon Airport
Liverpool John Lennon Airport
Liverpool John Lennon Airport is an international airport serving the city of Liverpool and the North West of England. Formerly known as Speke Airport, RAF Speke, and Liverpool Airport the airport is located within the City of Liverpool adjacent to the estuary of the River Mersey some southeast...
) on 6 May and began recruiting personnel from Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
and the surrounding area. Its first Hawker Hart
Hawker Hart
The Hawker Hart was a British two-seater biplane light bomber of the Royal Air Force , which had a prominent role during the RAF's inter-war period. The Hart was designed during the 1920s by Sydney Camm and built by Hawker Aircraft...
light bombers arrived in June, being replaced by Hawker Hind
Hawker Hind
-See also:-Bibliography:* Crawford, Alex. Hawker Hart Family. Redbourn, Hertfordshire, UK: Mushroom Model Publications Ltd., 2008. ISBN 83-89450-62-3....
s from April 1938.
Wartime operations
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...
Mk.I's in May. The squadron left for RAF Duxford on 13 August. After a period of defensive duties on the east coast, No. 611 became fully operational from its RAF Digby
RAF Digby
RAF Digby is a Royal Air Force station which, since March 2005, has been operated by the Ministry of Defence's Joint Service Signals Organisation, part of the Intelligence Collection Group. Formerly a training and fighter airfield, it is currently a tri-service military signals installation located...
base in Lincolnshire in May 1940, firstly over Dunkirk and then taking part in the Battle of Britain
Battle of Britain
The Battle of Britain is the name given to the World War II air campaign waged by the German Air Force against the United Kingdom during the summer and autumn of 1940...
campaign.
The squadron commenced offensive sweeps over occupied northern France in January 1941, based at RAF Hornchurch
RAF Hornchurch
RAF Hornchurch was an airfield in the south of Hornchurch in what is now the London Borough of Havering. Known as Sutton's Farm during the First World War, it occupied of the farm of the same name and was situated east north-east of Charing Cross...
, moving to RAF Drem
RAF Drem
RAF Drem is a former RAF station, just north of the village of Drem in East Lothian, Scotland. The motto of the station was Exiit Hinc Lumen which means "Ascend from this Light"....
in Scotland for recuperation in November 1941. The unit moved south again in June 1942 to RAF Kenley
RAF Kenley
The former Royal Air Force Station Kenley, more commonly known as RAF Kenley was a station of the Royal Flying Corps in World War I and the RAF in World War II. It is located near Kenley, London, England.-History:...
for deployment on shipping reconnaissance, escort and defensive missions. No. 611 provided covering patrols for the invasion of Normandy in June 1944 from its RAF Deanland, Sussex base. The squadron then moved to south-west England for a short period.
Long-range escort missions began to be flown from RAF Bradwell Bay
Bradwell-on-Sea
Bradwell-on-Sea is a village in Essex, England. The village is on the Dengie peninsula. It is located about north-northeast of Southminster and is east from the county town of Chelmsford. The village is in the District of Maldon in the parliamentary constituency of Maldon whose boundaries were...
, Essex, from late August 1944, until No. 611 moved to RAF Skeabrae in Orkney on 3 October. After converting to Merlin powered Mustang
P-51 Mustang
The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang was an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II, the Korean War and in several other conflicts...
Mk.IV's the squadron again moved south, this time to 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...
in Kent and resumed escort duties for the rest of the war. The squadron disbanded as an RAF squadron on 15 August 1945 at RAF Peterhead
Peterhead
Peterhead is a town in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It is Aberdeenshire's biggest settlement , with a population of 17,947 at the 2001 Census and estimated to have fallen to 17,330 by 2006....
.
Postwar operations
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...
near Southport
Southport
Southport is a seaside town in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton in Merseyside, England. During the 2001 census Southport was recorded as having a population of 90,336, making it the eleventh most populous settlement in North West England...
on 22 July 1946 equipped with Spitfire F.14's and from June 1948 with the higher performance Spitfire F.22. Gloster Meteor
Gloster Meteor
The Gloster Meteor was the first British jet fighter and the Allies' first operational jet. It first flew in 1943 and commenced operations on 27 July 1944 with 616 Squadron of the Royal Air Force...
F.4 jet fighters were received in May 1951, these requiring a move to the longer runways at RAF Hooton Park
Hooton Park
RAF Hooton Park, on the Wirral Peninsula, Cheshire, was a Royal Air Force station originally built for the Royal Flying Corps in 1917 as a training aerodrome for pilots in World War I. During the early/mid 1930s, it was one of the two airfields handling scheduled services for the Merseyside...
on the Wirral
Wirral Peninsula
Wirral or the Wirral is a peninsula in North West England. It is bounded by three bodies of water: to the west by the River Dee, forming a boundary with Wales, to the east by the River Mersey and to the north by the Irish Sea. Both terms "Wirral" and "the Wirral" are used locally , although the...
on 9 July. Re-equipment with updated Meteor F.8's came in December 1951 and these were flown from Hooton Park until the squadron disbanded on 10 March 1957, together with all other RAuxAF flying units.
Notable Pilots
- Barrie HeathBarrie Heath- Bibliography :*Saunders, Andy. . No 43 Squadron Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84176-439-9- External links :* Retrieved: February 16, 2010.* Retrieved: February 16, 2010.* Retrieved: February 16, 2010....
. Heath shot down four German aircraft between 1940 and 1941. After the war he went on to become the chairman of the engineering giant GKNGKNGKN plc is a multinational automotive and aerospace components company headquartered in Redditch, United Kingdom. The company was formerly known as Guest, Keen and Nettlefolds and can trace its origins back to 1759 and the birth of the Industrial Revolution.GKN is listed on the London Stock...
. - Roland "Bee" BeamontRoland BeamontWing Commander Roland Prosper "Bee" Beamont CBE, DSO & Bar, DFC & Bar was a British fighter pilot and test pilot for the Royal Air Force during the Second World War, and the years that followed...
. Famous test pilot.
Aircraft operated
| From | To | Aircraft | Version |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 1936 | April 1938 | Hawker Hart Hawker Hart The Hawker Hart was a British two-seater biplane light bomber of the Royal Air Force , which had a prominent role during the RAF's inter-war period. The Hart was designed during the 1920s by Sydney Camm and built by Hawker Aircraft... |
|
| April 1938 | June 1939 | Hawker Hind Hawker Hind -See also:-Bibliography:* Crawford, Alex. Hawker Hart Family. Redbourn, Hertfordshire, UK: Mushroom Model Publications Ltd., 2008. ISBN 83-89450-62-3.... |
|
| May 1939 | September 1940 | 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... |
Mk.I |
| Aug 1940 | October 1940 | Supermarine Spitfire | Mk.IIa |
| October 1940 | March 1941 | Supermarine Spitfire | Mk.I |
| February 1941 | May 1941 | Supermarine Spitfire | Mk.IIa |
| May 1941 | July 1941 | Supermarine Spitfire | Mk.Va |
| June 1941 | November 1941 | Supermarine Spitfire | Mk.Vb |
| November 1941 | February 1942 | Supermarine Spitfire | Mks.IIa, IIb |
| January 1942 | July 1942 | Supermarine Spitfire | Mk.Vb |
| July 1942 | July 1943 | Supermarine Spitfire | Mk.IX |
| July 1943 | July 1944 | Supermarine Spitfire | LF.Mk.Vb |
| July 1944 | March 1945 | Supermarine Spitfire | Mk.IX |
| December 1944 | December 1944 | Supermarine Spitfire | Mk.VII |
| March 1945 | August 1945 | North American Mustang P-51 Mustang The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang was an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II, the Korean War and in several other conflicts... |
Mk.IV (P-51D) |
| November 1946 | August 1949 | Supermarine Spitfire | FR.14 |
| February 1949 | November 1951 | Supermarine Spitfire | F.22 |
| May 1951 | April 1952 | Gloster Meteor Gloster Meteor The Gloster Meteor was the first British jet fighter and the Allies' first operational jet. It first flew in 1943 and commenced operations on 27 July 1944 with 616 Squadron of the Royal Air Force... |
F.4 |
| March 1952 | February 1957 | Gloster Meteor | F.8 |
Squadron bases
| From | To | Base |
|---|---|---|
| 10 February 1936 | 6 May 1936 | RAF Hendon Hendon Aerodrome Hendon Aerodrome was an aerodrome in Hendon, north London, England that, between 1908 and 1968, was an important centre for aviation.It was situated in Colindale, seven miles north west of Charing Cross. It nearly became "the Charing Cross of the UK's international air routes", but for the... , Middlesex Middlesex Middlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time... |
| 6 May 1936 | 13 August 1936 | RAF Speke, Lancashire Lancashire Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston... |
| 13 August 1936 | 10 October 1939 | RAF Duxford Duxford Aerodrome Duxford Aerodrome is located south of Cambridge, within the Parish of Duxford, Cambridgeshire, England and nearly west of the village.The airfield is owned jointly by the Imperial War Museum and Cambridgeshire County Council and it is the site of the Imperial War Museum Duxford and the American... , Cambridgeshire Cambridgeshire Cambridgeshire is a county in England, bordering Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the northeast, Suffolk to the east, Essex and Hertfordshire to the south, and Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire to the west... |
| 10 October 1939 | 14 December 1940 | RAF Digby RAF Digby RAF Digby is a Royal Air Force station which, since March 2005, has been operated by the Ministry of Defence's Joint Service Signals Organisation, part of the Intelligence Collection Group. Formerly a training and fighter airfield, it is currently a tri-service military signals installation located... , Lincolnshire Lincolnshire Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders... |
| 14 December 1940 | 27 January 1941 | RAF Rochford Rochford Rochford is a small town in the Rochford district of Essex in the East of England. It is sited about 43 miles from Central London and approximately 21 miles from the Essex county town, Chelmsford... , Essex Essex Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west... |
| 27 January 1941 | 20 May 1941 | RAF Hornchurch RAF Hornchurch RAF Hornchurch was an airfield in the south of Hornchurch in what is now the London Borough of Havering. Known as Sutton's Farm during the First World War, it occupied of the farm of the same name and was situated east north-east of Charing Cross... , Essex |
| 20 May 1941 | 16 June 1941 | RAF Rochford, Essex |
| 16 June 1941 | 13 November 1941 | RAF Hornchurch, Essex |
| 13 November 1941 | 3 June 1942 | RAF Drem RAF Drem RAF Drem is a former RAF station, just north of the village of Drem in East Lothian, Scotland. The motto of the station was Exiit Hinc Lumen which means "Ascend from this Light".... , East Lothian East Lothian East Lothian is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, and a lieutenancy Area. It borders the City of Edinburgh, Scottish Borders and Midlothian. Its administrative centre is Haddington, although its largest town is Musselburgh.... , Scotland Scotland Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the... |
| 3 June 1942 | 13 July 1942 | RAF Kenley RAF Kenley The former Royal Air Force Station Kenley, more commonly known as RAF Kenley was a station of the Royal Flying Corps in World War I and the RAF in World War II. It is located near Kenley, London, England.-History:... , Surrey Surrey Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of... |
| 13 July 1942 | 20 July 1942 | RAF Martlesham Heath RAF Martlesham Heath RAF Martlesham Heath is a former Royal Air Force airfield in England. The field is located 1½ miles SW of Woodbridge, Suffolk.- RFC/RAF prewar use:Martlesham Heath was first used as a Royal Flying Corps airfield during World War I... , Suffolk Suffolk Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east... |
| 20 July 1942 | 27 July 1942 | RAF Redhill Redhill Aerodrome Redhill Aerodrome is located southeast of Redhill, Surrey, England, in green belt land.Redhill Aerodrome has a CAA Ordinary Licence that allows flights for the public transport of passengers or for flying instruction as authorised by the licensee .-Early history:The airfield came into use in the... , Surrey |
| 27 July 1942 | 1 August 1942 | RAF Ipswich Ipswich Airport Ipswich Airport is a former airfield on the outskirts of Ipswich, Suffolk England.-History:The site of Ravens Wood was purchased by the Ipswich Corporation in 1929 with the intention of creating a municipal airport for Ipswich, with construction starting in the following year. The airport was... , Suffolk |
| 1 August 1942 | 23 September 1942 | RAF Redhill, Surrey |
| 23 September 1942 | 1 July 1943 | RAF Biggin Hill London Biggin Hill Airport London Biggin Hill Airport is an airport at Biggin Hill in the London Borough of Bromley, located south southeast of Central London, United Kingdom... , Kent Kent Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of... |
| 1 July 1943 | 31 July 1943 | RAF Matlaske RAF Matlaske RAF Matlaske was a satellite air station to RAF Coltishall of the Royal Air Force, situated near Matlaske in Norfolk, England. RAF Matlaske opened in 1940 and closed in 1945.-History:... , Norfolk Norfolk Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county... |
| 31 July 1943 | 4 August 1943 | RAF Ludham Ludham Ludham is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk, in The Broads, at the end of a dyke leading to Womack Water and flowing into the River Thurne... , Norfolk |
| 4 August 1943 | 6 September 1943 | RAF Coltishall RAF Coltishall The former Royal Air Force Station Coltishall, more commonly known as RAF Coltishall , was a Royal Air Force station, a military airbase, North-North-East of Norwich, in the English county of Norfolk, East Anglia, from 1938 to 2006.... , Norfolk |
| 6 September 1943 | 13 September 1943 | RAF Southend Southend-on-Sea Southend-on-Sea is a unitary authority area, town, and seaside resort in Essex, England. The district has Borough status, and comprises the towns of Chalkwell, Eastwood, Leigh-on-Sea, North Shoebury, Prittlewell, Shoeburyness, Southchurch, Thorpe Bay, and Westcliff-on-Sea. The district is situated... , Essex |
| 13 September 1943 | 8 February 1944 | RAF Coltishall, Norfolk |
| 8 February 1944 | 19 February 1944 | RAF Ayr RAF Prestwick RAF Prestwick is the home of the "Scottish Air Traffic Control Centre ", and is located within the NATS air traffic control facility at Prestwick, in Ayrshire, Scotland.... , Ayrshire Ayrshire Ayrshire is a registration county, and former administrative county in south-west Scotland, United Kingdom, located on the shores of the Firth of Clyde. Its principal towns include Ayr, Kilmarnock and Irvine. The town of Troon on the coast has hosted the British Open Golf Championship twice in the... , Scotland |
| 19 February 1944 | 29 February 1944 | RAF Coltishall, Norfolk |
| 29 February 1944 | 23 June 1944 | RAF Deanland, Sussex |
| 23 June 1944 | 3 July 1944 | RAF Harrowbeer RAF Harrowbeer RAF Harrowbeer was a World War II Royal Air Force airfield situated in the parish of Buckland Monachorum, Devon in the UK.-Location:RAF Harrowbeer was located approximately nine miles NNE of the city of Plymouth and approximately six miles south of Tavistock, and also sits within the boundary of... , Devon Devon Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with... |
| 3 July 1944 | 17 July 1944 | RAF Predannack Predannack Airfield Predannack Airfield is situated near Mullion on Cornwall's Lizard Peninsula in the United Kingdom. The runways are operated by the Royal Navy and today it is used as a satellite airfield and relief landing ground for nearby RNAS Culdrose.-World War II:... , Cornwall Cornwall Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of... |
| 17 July 1944 | 30 August 1944 | RAF Bolt Head RAF Bolt Head RAF Bolt Head was a Royal Air Force grass airfield 1 mile south west of Salcombe on the south Devon coast, England from 1941 to 1945. During World War II it was used as a satellite for RAF Exeter.The Ground Control Interceptor Station, RAF Hope Cove... , Devon |
| 30 August 1944 | 3 October 1944 | RAF Bradwell Bay Bradwell-on-Sea Bradwell-on-Sea is a village in Essex, England. The village is on the Dengie peninsula. It is located about north-northeast of Southminster and is east from the county town of Chelmsford. The village is in the District of Maldon in the parliamentary constituency of Maldon whose boundaries were... , Essex |
| 3 October 1944 | 31 December 1944 | RAF Skeabrae, Orkney, Scotland |
| 31 December 1944 | 3 May 1945 | 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... , Kent |
| 3 May 1945 | 7 May 1945 | RAF Hunsdon Hunsdon Airfield Hunsdon Airfield is a largely defunct airfield near Hunsdon, Hertfordshire , England. The airfield was operational between 1941 and 1945.- History :... , Hertfordshire Hertfordshire Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and... |
| 7 May 1945 | 15 August 1945 | RAF Peterhead Peterhead Peterhead is a town in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It is Aberdeenshire's biggest settlement , with a population of 17,947 at the 2001 Census and estimated to have fallen to 17,330 by 2006.... , Aberdeenshire Aberdeenshire Aberdeenshire is one of the 32 unitary council areas in Scotland and a lieutenancy area.The present day Aberdeenshire council area does not include the City of Aberdeen, now a separate council area, from which its name derives. Together, the modern council area and the city formed historic... , Scotland |
| 10 May 1946 | 26 June 1946 | RAF Speke, Lancashire |
| 26 June 1946 | 22 July 1946 | RAF Hooton Park Hooton Park RAF Hooton Park, on the Wirral Peninsula, Cheshire, was a Royal Air Force station originally built for the Royal Flying Corps in 1917 as a training aerodrome for pilots in World War I. During the early/mid 1930s, it was one of the two airfields handling scheduled services for the Merseyside... , Cheshire Cheshire Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow... |
| 22 July 1946 | 9 July 1951 | 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... , Lancashire |
| 9 July 1951 | 10 March 1957 | RAF Hooton Park, Cheshire |
Commanding officers
| From | To | Name |
|---|---|---|
| 8 February 1939 | 4 September 1939 | S/Ldr. Squadron Leader Squadron Leader is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure. In these... G.L. Pilkington |
| 4 September 1939 | 19 October 1940 | S/Ldr. J.E. McComb, 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... |
| 19 October 1940 | 18 May 1941 | S/Ldr. E.R. Bitmead, DFC |
| 18 May 1941 | 28 June 1941 | S/Ldr. F.S. Stapleton, DFC |
| 28 June 1941 | 17 November 1941 | S/Ldr. E.H. Thomas, DFC |
| 17 November 1941 | 12 September 1942 | S/Ldr. D.H. Watkins, DFC |
| 12 September 1942 | 17 February 1943 | S/Ldr. H.T. Armstrong, DFC |
| 17 February 1943 | 22 April 1943 | S/Ldr. C.'Wag'Haw, DFM Distinguished Flying Medal The Distinguished Flying Medal was a military decoration awarded to personnel of the Royal Air Force and the other services, and formerly also to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active... , Order of Lenin Order of Lenin The Order of Lenin , named after the leader of the Russian October Revolution, was the highest decoration bestowed by the Soviet Union... |
| 22 April 1943 | 26 August 1943 | S/Ldr. E.F.J. Chorley, DFC |
| 26 August 1943 | 26 August 1944 | S/Ldr. W.A. Douglas, DFC |
| 26 August 1944 | 17 January 1945 | S/Ldr. P.R. McGregor, CdG Croix de guerre The Croix de guerre is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was awarded during World War I, again in World War II, and in other conflicts... |
| 17 January 1945 | 13 July 1945 | S/Ldr. D.H. Seaton, DFC |
| 13 July 1945 | 15 August 1945 | S/Ldr. P.C.P. Farnes, DFM |
| 10 May 1946 | 31 August 1948 | S/Ldr. W.J. Leather, DFC |
| 31 August 1948 | 6 November 1951 | S/Ldr. R.P. Beamont Roland Beamont Wing Commander Roland Prosper "Bee" Beamont CBE, DSO & Bar, DFC & Bar was a British fighter pilot and test pilot for the Royal Air Force during the Second World War, and the years that followed... , DSO Distinguished Service Order The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September... , DFC |
| 6 November 1951 | May 1952 | S/Ldr. H.R.P. Pertwee, DFC |
| May 1952 | May 1952 | S/Ldr. D.P. Sampson, DFC |
| May 1952 | 15 January 1954 | S/Ldr. S.G. Nunn, DFC |
| 15 January 1954 | 1 June 1956 | S/Ldr. S. Kirtley |
| 1 June 1956 | 10 March 1957 | S.Ldr. S. Walker |