No. 612 Squadron RAF
Encyclopedia
No. 612 Squadron RAF was originally formed in 1937 as an Army Co-operation unit, and flew during World War II
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 Field Surgical Support unit.
as an army co-operation unit of the Auxiliary Air Force and was initially equipped with two-seat Avro Tutor training aircraft. In December 1937 it had received two-seat Hawker Hector
Army co-operation aircraft, which were retained when the squadron converted from the Army Co-operation to the General Reconnaissance role. In July 1939 the squadron received Avro Anson
s which had room for four crew members and had a much better range, making them better suited for the reconnaissance role.
as a General Reconnaissance unit within RAF Coastal Command
, flying with the Avro Ansons. These were replaced from November 1940 with Armstrong Whitworth Whitley
s, and from November 1942 on these made again gradually (April 1943 saw the last Whitley leave the squadron) way for various marks of specially adapted General Reconnaissance (GR) versions of the Vickers Wellington
, which the squadron continued to fly until the end of the war. The squadron disbanded on 9 July 1945 at RAF Langham
.
. Initially the squadron was equipped with Griffon-engined Spitfire F.14
s and in November 1948 it got additional Merlin-engined Spitfire LF.16e fighters. It converted to de Havilland Vampire
FB.5s in June 1951, flying these first from RAF Leuchars
and later from RAF Edzell
and, when the runway was extended, again from RAF Dyce until disbandment on 10 March 1957, on the same day as all other flying units of the RAuxAF.
from The Air Transportable Surgical Squadron, and maintained that units role of field surgical support. In 2001 the squadron had its first operational role in support of Operation Saif Sareea II
, an exercise in Oman. Over a hundred military personnel were treated, mainly for heat-related injuries. In 2003 the squadron was first mobilised for support in a combat zone, in support of Operation Telic
. Squadron members were deployed to Kuwait
and Cyprus
and finally worked at field hospitals in Basra
and Al Ahmara in Iraq
. In 2006 no. 612 squadron was again mobilised to support operations in Iraq and was deployed to the field hospital at Shaibah
Logistic Base (SLB).
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
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 Field Surgical Support unit.
Formation and early years
No. 612 Squadron RAF was formed on 1 June 1937 at RAF DyceAberdeen Airport
Aberdeen Airport is an international airport, located at Dyce, a suburb of Aberdeen, Scotland, approximately northwest of Aberdeen city centre. 2.76 million passengers used Aberdeen Airport in 2010, a reduction of 7.4% compared with 2009, making it the 15th busiest airport in the UK...
as an army co-operation unit of the Auxiliary Air Force and was initially equipped with two-seat Avro Tutor training aircraft. In December 1937 it had received two-seat Hawker Hector
Hawker Hector
-See also:-Bibliography:* Air Transport Auxiliary Ferry Pilots Notes . Elvington, York, UK: Yorkshire Air Museum, 1996. ISBN 0-9512379-8-5....
Army co-operation aircraft, which were retained when the squadron converted from the Army Co-operation to the General Reconnaissance role. In July 1939 the squadron received Avro Anson
Avro Anson
The Avro Anson is a British twin-engine, multi-role aircraft that served with the Royal Air Force, Fleet Air Arm and numerous other air forces prior to, during, and after the Second World War. Named for British Admiral George Anson, it was originally designed for maritime reconnaissance, but was...
s which had room for four crew members and had a much better range, making them better suited for the reconnaissance role.
World War II: on Whitleys and Wellingtons
No. 612 squadron so entered World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
as a General Reconnaissance unit within RAF Coastal Command
RAF Coastal Command
RAF Coastal Command was a formation within the Royal Air Force . Founded in 1936, it was the RAF's premier maritime arm, after the Royal Navy's secondment of the Fleet Air Arm in 1937. Naval aviation was neglected in the inter-war period, 1919–1939, and as a consequence the service did not receive...
, flying with the Avro Ansons. These were replaced from November 1940 with Armstrong Whitworth Whitley
Armstrong Whitworth Whitley
The Armstrong Whitworth A.W.38 Whitley was one of three British twin-engine, front line medium bomber types in service with the Royal Air Force at the outbreak of the Second World War...
s, and from November 1942 on these made again gradually (April 1943 saw the last Whitley leave the squadron) way for various marks of specially adapted General Reconnaissance (GR) versions of the Vickers Wellington
Vickers Wellington
The Vickers Wellington was a British twin-engine, long range medium bomber designed in the mid-1930s at Brooklands in Weybridge, Surrey, by Vickers-Armstrongs' Chief Designer, R. K. Pierson. It was widely used as a night bomber in the early years of the Second World War, before being displaced as a...
, which the squadron continued to fly until the end of the war. The squadron disbanded on 9 July 1945 at RAF Langham
RAF Langham
The former Royal Air Force Station Langham, more commonly known as RAF Langham was a Royal Air Force station, a military airbase, 15 miles North-West of Norwich, in the English county of Norfolk, East Anglia, from 1940 to 1961.-History:...
.
Post-war: on Spitfires and Vampires
No. 612 squadron was reformed on 10 May 1946 at RAF Dyce as a fighter squadron of the Royal Auxiliary Air ForceRoyal 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...
. Initially the squadron was equipped with Griffon-engined Spitfire F.14
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...
s and in November 1948 it got additional Merlin-engined Spitfire LF.16e fighters. It converted to de Havilland Vampire
De Havilland Vampire
The de Havilland DH.100 Vampire was a British jet-engine fighter commissioned by the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. Following the Gloster Meteor, it was the second jet fighter to enter service with the RAF. Although it arrived too late to see combat during the war, the Vampire served...
FB.5s in June 1951, flying these first from RAF Leuchars
RAF Leuchars
RAF Leuchars is the most northerly air defence station in the United Kingdom. It is located in Leuchars, Fife, on the east coast of Scotland, near to the university town of St Andrews.-Operations:...
and later from RAF Edzell
Edzell
Edzell is a village in Angus, Scotland. It is located 5 miles north of Brechin, by the River North Esk. Edzell is a Georgian-era planned town, with a broad main street and a grid system of side streets. Originally called Slateford, Edzell was renamed in 1818 after an earlier hamlet, located 1.5...
and, when the runway was extended, again from RAF Dyce until disbandment on 10 March 1957, on the same day as all other flying units of the RAuxAF.
Present: field surgical support
The squadron was reformed in 1997 at RAF LeucharsRAF Leuchars
RAF Leuchars is the most northerly air defence station in the United Kingdom. It is located in Leuchars, Fife, on the east coast of Scotland, near to the university town of St Andrews.-Operations:...
from The Air Transportable Surgical Squadron, and maintained that units role of field surgical support. In 2001 the squadron had its first operational role in support of Operation Saif Sareea II
Saif Sareea II
Exercise Saif Sareea II, also known as "Operation Swift Sword II", was a major military exercise in September and October 2001 involving the military of the United Kingdom and Oman. It was the largest single deployment of UK forces since the Gulf War...
, an exercise in Oman. Over a hundred military personnel were treated, mainly for heat-related injuries. In 2003 the squadron was first mobilised for support in a combat zone, in support of Operation Telic
Operation Telic
Operation TELIC was the codename under which all British military operations in Iraq were conducted between the start of the Invasion of Iraq on 19 March 2003 and the withdrawal of the last remaining British forces on 22 May 2011...
. Squadron members were deployed to Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
and Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
and finally worked at field hospitals in Basra
Basra
Basra is the capital of Basra Governorate, in southern Iraq near Kuwait and Iran. It had an estimated population of two million as of 2009...
and Al Ahmara in Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
. In 2006 no. 612 squadron was again mobilised to support operations in Iraq and was deployed to the field hospital at Shaibah
Shaibah
Shaibah is the name of small village and a site of a military airfield near Az Zubayr, south west of Basrah in Iraq.It was the site of RAF Shaibah from 1920 until 1956 when it was then handed over to the Iraqi Air Force....
Logistic Base (SLB).
Aircraft operated
| From | To | Aircraft | Version |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 1937 | December 1937 | Avro Tutor | |
| December 1937 | November 1939 | Hawker Hector Hawker Hector -See also:-Bibliography:* Air Transport Auxiliary Ferry Pilots Notes . Elvington, York, UK: Yorkshire Air Museum, 1996. ISBN 0-9512379-8-5.... |
Mk.I |
| July 1939 | November 1941 | Avro Anson Avro Anson The Avro Anson is a British twin-engine, multi-role aircraft that served with the Royal Air Force, Fleet Air Arm and numerous other air forces prior to, during, and after the Second World War. Named for British Admiral George Anson, it was originally designed for maritime reconnaissance, but was... |
Mk.I |
| November 1940 | December 1941 | Armstrong Whitworth Whitley Armstrong Whitworth Whitley The Armstrong Whitworth A.W.38 Whitley was one of three British twin-engine, front line medium bomber types in service with the Royal Air Force at the outbreak of the Second World War... |
Mk.V |
| May 1941 | June 1943 | Armstrong Whitworth Whitley | GR.Mk.VII |
| November 1942 | February 1943 | Vickers Wellington Vickers Wellington The Vickers Wellington was a British twin-engine, long range medium bomber designed in the mid-1930s at Brooklands in Weybridge, Surrey, by Vickers-Armstrongs' Chief Designer, R. K. Pierson. It was widely used as a night bomber in the early years of the Second World War, before being displaced as a... |
GR.Mk.VIII |
| May 1943 | June 1943 | Vickers Wellington | GR.Mk.XII |
| June 1943 | July 1945 | Vickers Wellington | GR.Mk.XIV |
| November 1946 | October 1949 | 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... |
F.14 |
| November 1948 | July 1951 | Supermarine Spitfire | LF.16e |
| June 1951 | March 1957 | de Havilland Vampire De Havilland Vampire The de Havilland DH.100 Vampire was a British jet-engine fighter commissioned by the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. Following the Gloster Meteor, it was the second jet fighter to enter service with the RAF. Although it arrived too late to see combat during the war, the Vampire served... |
FB.5 |
Squadron bases
| From | To | Base | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 June 1937 | 1 April 1941 | RAF Dyce Aberdeen Airport Aberdeen Airport is an international airport, located at Dyce, a suburb of Aberdeen, Scotland, approximately northwest of Aberdeen city centre. 2.76 million passengers used Aberdeen Airport in 2010, a reduction of 7.4% compared with 2009, making it the 15th busiest airport in the UK... , 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 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... |
(Dets. at RAF Bircham Newton, RAF Stornoway, RAF Wick) |
| 1 April 1941 | 15 December 1941 | RAF Wick Wick Airport Wick Airport is located north of the town of Wick in Caithness at the north-eastern extremity of the mainland of Scotland. It is owned and maintained by Highlands and Islands Airports Limited.... , Caithness Caithness Caithness is a registration county, lieutenancy area and historic local government area of Scotland. The name was used also for the earldom of Caithness and the Caithness constituency of the Parliament of the United Kingdom . Boundaries are not identical in all contexts, but the Caithness area is... , Scotland |
(Dets. at RAF Limavady, RAF St Eval, RAF Reykjavik) |
| 15 December 1941 | 18 August 1942 | RAF Reykjavik Reykjavík Airport Reykjavík Airport Reykjavík Airport Reykjavík Airport (Icelandic: Reykjavíkurflugvöllur, is the chiefly domestic airport serving Reykjavík, Iceland. The airport lies two kilometres from Reykjavík's city centre. Possessing rather short runways, it normally only serves flights within Iceland and to... , Iceland Iceland Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population... |
(Det. at RAF St Eval) |
| 18 August 1942 | 23 September 1942 | RAF Thorney Island, West Sussex West Sussex West Sussex is a county in the south of England, bordering onto East Sussex , Hampshire and Surrey. The county of Sussex has been divided into East and West since the 12th century, and obtained separate county councils in 1888, but it remained a single ceremonial county until 1974 and the coming... |
(Dets. at RAF Wick, RAf St Eval) |
| 23 September 1942 | 18 April 1943 | RAF Wick, Caithness, Scotland | (Dets. at RAF St Eval, RAF Skitten) |
| 18 April 1943 | 25 May 1943 | RAF Davidstow Moor RAF Davidstow Moor RAF Davidstow Moor was an airbase at Davidstow near Camelford in Cornwall, United Kingdom from late 1942 until 1945. Despite a few periods of intense activity it was one of Coastal Command's less-used airfields.-History:... , 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... |
|
| 25 May 1943 | 1 November 1943 | RAF Chivenor Royal Marines Base Chivenor Royal Marines Base Chivenor is a British military base used primarily by the Royal Marines. It is situated on the northern shore of the Taw estuary, adjacent to the South West Coast Path, on the north coast of Devon, England.... , 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... |
(Det. at RAF Davidstow Moor) |
| 1 November 1943 | 3 December 1943 | RAF St Eval RAF St Eval RAF St Eval was a strategic airbase for the RAF Coastal Command in the Second World War . St Eval's primary role was to provided anti-submarine and anti-shipping patrols off the south west coast of England... , Cornwall |
|
| 3 December 1943 | 26 January 1944 | RAF Chivenor, Devon | |
| 26 January 1944 | 1 March 1944 | RAF Limavady Limavady Limavady is a market town in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland, with Binevenagh as a backdrop. It lies east of Derry and south west of Coleraine. It had a population of 12,135 people in the 2001 Census, an increase of some 17% compared to 1991... , County Londonderry County Londonderry The place name Derry is an anglicisation of the old Irish Daire meaning oak-grove or oak-wood. As with the city, its name is subject to the Derry/Londonderry name dispute, with the form Derry preferred by nationalists and Londonderry preferred by unionists... , Northern Ireland Northern Ireland Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west... |
|
| 1 March 1944 | 9 September 1944 | RAF Chivenor, Devon | (Det. at RAF Limavady) |
| 9 September 1944 | 19 December 1944 | RAF Limavady, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland | |
| 19 December 1944 | 9 July 1945 | RAF Langham RAF Langham The former Royal Air Force Station Langham, more commonly known as RAF Langham was a Royal Air Force station, a military airbase, 15 miles North-West of Norwich, in the English county of Norfolk, East Anglia, from 1940 to 1961.-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... |
|
| 10 MAy 1946 | 14 July 1951 | RAF Dyce, Aberdeenshire, Scotland | |
| 14 July 1951 | 14 October 1951 | RAF Leuchars RAF Leuchars RAF Leuchars is the most northerly air defence station in the United Kingdom. It is located in Leuchars, Fife, on the east coast of Scotland, near to the university town of St Andrews.-Operations:... , Fife Fife Fife is a council area and former county of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire... , Scotland |
|
| 14 October 1951 | 12 November 1952 | RAF Edzell Edzell Edzell is a village in Angus, Scotland. It is located 5 miles north of Brechin, by the River North Esk. Edzell is a Georgian-era planned town, with a broad main street and a grid system of side streets. Originally called Slateford, Edzell was renamed in 1818 after an earlier hamlet, located 1.5... , Angus Angus Angus is one of the 32 local government council areas of Scotland, a registration county and a lieutenancy area. The council area borders Aberdeenshire, Perth and Kinross and Dundee City... , Scotland |
|
| 12 November 1952 | 10 March 1957 | RAF Dyce, Aberdeenshire, Scotland |
Commanding officers
| From | To | Name |
|---|---|---|
| June 1937 | June 1940 | W/Cdr. Wing Commander (rank) Wing commander is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries... F. Crerar Finlay Crerar Air Commodore Finlay Crerar CBE RAF, was a senior Royal Air Force officer during the Second World War who served as the fourth Commandant of the Royal Observer Corps and led the ROC through the final two years of the war and the difficult period of the V-1 flying bomb raids on Southern... |
| June 1940 | July 1941 | W/Cdr. J.B.M. Wallis |
| July 1941 | January 1942 | W/cdr. D.R. Shore |
| January 1942 | July 1942 | W/Cdr. R.T. Corry |
| July 1942 | April 1943 | W/Cdr. R.M. Longmore, CBE Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions... |
| April 1943 | June 1943 | W/Cdr. J.S. Kendrick |
| June 1943 | January 1944 | W/Cdr. J.B. Russell, 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... |
| January 1944 | February 1945 | W/Cdr. D./M. Brass, DSO |
| February 1945 | May 1945 | W/Cdr. A.M. Taylor |
| May 1945 | July 1945 | W/Cdr. G. Henderson |
| November 1946 | August 1948 | 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... R.R. Russell |
| August 1948 | September 1948 | S/Ldr. Child |
| October 1948 | S/Ldr. Webb | |
| 1955 | S/Ldr. T.E. Johnston, 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... |
|
| February 1957 | March 1957 | F/Lt. Flight Lieutenant Flight lieutenant is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many Commonwealth countries. It ranks above flying officer and immediately below squadron leader. The name of the rank is the complete phrase; it is never shortened to "lieutenant"... Robertson |