No. 615 Squadron RAF
Encyclopedia
No. 615 Squadron was a unit of the British Auxiliary Air Force and later the Royal Auxiliary Air Force
between 1937 and 1957.
as part of the Auxiliary Air Force on 1 June 1937 and was initially equipped with the Hawker Audax in the army-cooperation role. By the end of the year it had received Hawker Hector
s which it flew until November 1938, when it received Gloster Gauntlet
s and became a fighter squadron at the same time.
in November 1939, having re-equipped with Gloster Gladiator
s in May. Conversion to Hawker Hurricane
s took place just prior to the German invasion of France
, but by 20 May 1940 the squadron was back at Kenley. "B" Flight were based at Saint Inglevert
during the early part of 1940.
615 squadron took part in the early actions of the Battle of Britain
, but then moved to Scotland to rest. It later took part in offensive sweeps over Europe and defence duties in Wales, before moving to India in April 1942. It moved to Burma in December 1942, but returned to India to re-equip in May 1943, receiving Supermarine Spitfire
s in October. It returned to operations on the Burma front in November but was recalled to India again, for defensive duties in August 1944, before returning to Burma in February 1945, disbanding there on 10 June at RAF Cuttack
, Orissa
.
It was a very short interruption of existence as No. 135 Squadron RAF
, equipped with Republic Thunderbolt
s was renumbered to no. 615 squadron on that same day and began training for the invasion of Malaya. The Japanese surrender ended these plans however and the squadron disbanded on 25 September 1945 at RAF Vizagapatam
, Andhra Pradesh
.
s. Spitfire F.21s were received in 1947 and F.22s in 1948, both marks being flown until 1950, when the squadron re-equipped with Gloster Meteor F.4
jet fighters. Meteor F.8s were received in September 1951, but along with all other flying units of the RAuxAF, No. 615 was disbanded on 10 March 1957.
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...
between 1937 and 1957.
Formation and early years
No. 615 squadron was formed at RAF KenleyRAF 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:...
as part of the Auxiliary Air Force on 1 June 1937 and was initially equipped with the Hawker Audax in the army-cooperation role. By the end of the year it had received 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....
s which it flew until November 1938, when it received Gloster Gauntlet
Gloster Gauntlet
-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Crawford, Alex. Bristol Bulldog, Gloster Gauntlet. Redbourn, UK: Mushroom Model Publications, 2005. ISBN 83-89450-04-6....
s and became a fighter squadron at the same time.
In World war II
The squadron went to France as part of the Air Component of the BEFBritish Expeditionary Force (World War II)
The British Expeditionary Force was the British force in Europe from 1939–1940 during the Second World War. Commanded by General Lord Gort, the BEF constituted one-tenth of the defending Allied force....
in November 1939, having re-equipped with Gloster Gladiator
Gloster Gladiator
The Gloster Gladiator was a British-built biplane fighter. It was used by the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy and was exported to a number of other air forces during the late 1930s. It was the RAF's last biplane fighter aircraft and was rendered obsolete by newer monoplane designs even as it...
s in May. Conversion to Hawker Hurricane
Hawker Hurricane
The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force...
s took place just prior to the German invasion of France
Battle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
, but by 20 May 1940 the squadron was back at Kenley. "B" Flight were based at Saint Inglevert
Saint-Inglevert Airfield
Saint-Inglevert Airfield is a general aviation airfield at Saint-Inglevert, Pas-de-Calais, France. In the First World War an airfield was established near Saint-Inglevert by the Royal Flying Corps, later passing to the Royal Air Force on formation and thus becoming RAF Saint Inglevert...
during the early part of 1940.
615 squadron took part in the early actions of 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...
, but then moved to Scotland to rest. It later took part in offensive sweeps over Europe and defence duties in Wales, before moving to India in April 1942. It moved to Burma in December 1942, but returned to India to re-equip in May 1943, receiving 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...
s in October. It returned to operations on the Burma front in November but was recalled to India again, for defensive duties in August 1944, before returning to Burma in February 1945, disbanding there on 10 June at RAF Cuttack
Cuttack
Cuttack is the former capital of the state of Orissa, India. It is the headquarters of Cuttack district and is located about 20 km to the north east of Bhubaneswar, the capital of Orissa. The name of the city is an anglicised form of Kataka that literally means The Fort, a reference to the...
, Orissa
Orissa
Orissa , officially Odisha since Nov 2011, is a state of India, located on the east coast of India, by the Bay of Bengal. It is the modern name of the ancient nation of Kalinga, which was invaded by the Maurya Emperor Ashoka in 261 BC. The modern state of Orissa was established on 1 April...
.
It was a very short interruption of existence as No. 135 Squadron RAF
No. 135 Squadron RAF
No. 135 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force Squadron formed to be a bomber unit in World War I and reformed as a fighter unit in World War II.-Formation and World War I:No...
, equipped with Republic Thunderbolt
P-47 Thunderbolt
Republic Aviation's P-47 Thunderbolt, also known as the "Jug", was the largest, heaviest, and most expensive fighter aircraft in history to be powered by a single reciprocating engine. It was heavily armed with eight .50-caliber machine guns, four per wing. When fully loaded, the P-47 weighed up to...
s was renumbered to no. 615 squadron on that same day and began training for the invasion of Malaya. The Japanese surrender ended these plans however and the squadron disbanded on 25 September 1945 at RAF Vizagapatam
Visakhapatnam
Visakhapatnam is a major sea port on the south east coast of India. With a population of approximately 1.7 million, it is the second largest city in the state of Andhra Pradesh and the third largest city on the east coast of India after Kolkata and Chennai. According to the history, the city was...
, Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
.
Post-war
With the reactivation of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force, No. 615 was reformed on 10 May 1946 at RAF Biggin Hill as a day fighter squadron equipped with Spitfire F.14Supermarine Spitfire (Griffon powered variants)
The Rolls-Royce Griffon engine was designed in answer to Royal Naval specifications which required an engine capable of generating good power at low altitudes...
s. Spitfire F.21s were received in 1947 and F.22s in 1948, both marks being flown until 1950, when the squadron re-equipped with Gloster Meteor F.4
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...
jet fighters. Meteor F.8s were received in September 1951, but along with all other flying units of the RAuxAF, No. 615 was disbanded on 10 March 1957.
Notable Squadron Members
- Neville DukeNeville DukeSquadron Leader Neville Frederick Duke DSO, OBE, DFC & Two Bars, AFC, FRAeS,Czech War Cross was a British Second World War fighter pilot. He was the top Allied flying ace in the Mediterranean Theatre, having shot down at least 27 enemy aircraft, and was acknowledged as one of the world's foremost...
, famous test pilot - Hedley FowlerHedley FowlerHedley Nevile 'Bill' Fowler MC was a Royal Air Force pilot who became a prisoner of war and successfully escaped from Oflag IV-C at Colditz during the Second World War.-Early life:Fowler was born in London on 8 June 1916...
, achieved the squadron's first kill; became a PoW and later escaped from Colditz - Arthur Vere Harvey, squadron commander; a Conservative Member of Parliament post-war
- Joseph KayllJoseph KayllJoseph Robert Kayll DSO, OBE, DFC, AE, DL was a British flying ace who served in the Royal Air Force in the Second World War....
, commander during Battle of France then Battle of Britain Ace - Ronald Gustave Kellett, World War II ace and post-war commander of the squadron
Aircraft operated
| From | To | Aircraft | Version |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 1937 | March 1938 | Hawker Audax | |
| December 1937 | November 1938 | 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 |
| November 1938 | September 1939 | Gloster Gauntlet Gloster Gauntlet -See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Crawford, Alex. Bristol Bulldog, Gloster Gauntlet. Redbourn, UK: Mushroom Model Publications, 2005. ISBN 83-89450-04-6.... |
Mk.II |
| June 1939 | October 1939 | Gloster Gladiator Gloster Gladiator The Gloster Gladiator was a British-built biplane fighter. It was used by the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy and was exported to a number of other air forces during the late 1930s. It was the RAF's last biplane fighter aircraft and was rendered obsolete by newer monoplane designs even as it... |
Mk.I |
| October 1939 | May 1940 | Gloster Gladiator | Mk.II |
| April 1940 | February 1941 | Hawker Hurricane Hawker Hurricane The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force... |
Mk.I |
| February 1941 | April 1941 | Hawker Hurricane | Mk.IIa |
| April 1941 | July 1941 | Hawker Hurricane | Mk.I |
| July 1941 | March 1942 | Hawker Hurricane | Mk.IIb |
| September 1941 | October 1943 | Hawker Hurricane | Mk.IIc |
| October 1943 | 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... |
Mk.Vc |
| June 1944 | June 1945 | Supermarine Spitfire | Mk.VIII |
| June 1945 | September 1945 | Republic Thunderbolt P-47 Thunderbolt Republic Aviation's P-47 Thunderbolt, also known as the "Jug", was the largest, heaviest, and most expensive fighter aircraft in history to be powered by a single reciprocating engine. It was heavily armed with eight .50-caliber machine guns, four per wing. When fully loaded, the P-47 weighed up to... |
Mk.II |
| October 1946 | January 1949 | Supermarine Spitfire | F.14 |
| January 1947 | June 1950 | Supermarine Spitfire | F.21 |
| July 1948 | September 1950 | Supermarine Spitfire | F.22 |
| September 1950 | September 1951 | 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 |
| September 1951 | March 1957 | Gloster Meteor | F.8 |
Squadron bases
| From | To | Base |
|---|---|---|
| 1 June 1937 | 29 August 1938 | 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... |
| 29 August 1938 | 4 September 1938 | RAF Old Sarum Old Sarum Airfield Old Sarum Airfield is located north northeast of Salisbury, Wiltshire, England.The aerodrome has a CAA Ordinary Licence that allows flights for the public transport of passengers or for flying instruction as authorised by the licensee . The aerodrome is not licensed for night use.The site is a... , Wiltshire Wiltshire Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers... |
| 4 September 1938 | 2 September 1939 | RAF Kenley, Surrey |
| 2 September 1939 | 15 November 1939 | RAF Croydon Croydon Airport Croydon Airport was an airport in South London which straddled the boundary between what are now the London boroughs of Croydon and Sutton. It was the main airport for London before it was replaced by Northolt Aerodrome, London Heathrow Airport and London Gatwick Airport... , Surrey |
| 15 November 1939 | 13 December 1939 | Merville Merville, Nord -References:*... , France France The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France... |
| 13 December 1939 | 12 April 1940 | Vitry-en-Artois Vitry-En-Artois Airport Vitry-En-Artois Airportt is a regional airport in France, located northeast of Vitry-en-Artois; north-northeast of Paris. It supports general aviation with no commercial airline service scheduled.It was an established airport built prior to World War II... , France |
| 12 April 1940 | 27 April 1940 | Poix Poix-du-Nord -References:*... , France |
| 27 April 1940 | 16 May 1940 | Abbeville Abbeville Abbeville is a commune in the Somme department in Picardie in northern France.-Location:Abbeville is located on the Somme River, from its modern mouth in the English Channel, and northwest of Amiens... , France |
| 16 May 1940 | 20 May 1940 | Morsele Moorsele Airport Moorsele Airfield is a military and recreative airfield located in Moorsele, a village in the municipality of Wevelgem in Belgium. It is operated by the Belgian Air Component, although no military aircraft are based at the field, and military activity is rare... , Belgium Belgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many... |
| 20 May 1940 | 29 August 1940 | RAF Kenley, Surrey |
| 29 August 1940 | 10 October 1940 | RAF Prestwick 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 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... |
| 10 October 1940 | 17 December 1940 | RAF Northolt RAF Northolt RAF Northolt is a Royal Air Force station situated in South Ruislip, east by northeast of Uxbridge in the London Borough of Hillingdon, West London. Approximately north of London Heathrow Airport, the station also handles a large number of private civil flights... , 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... |
| 17 December 1940 | 21 April 1941 | RAF Kenley, Surrey |
| 21 April 1941 | 11 September 1941 | RAF Valley RAF Valley RAF Valley is a Royal Air Force station on the island of Anglesey, Wales, and which is also used as Anglesey Airport. It provides fast-jet training using the BAE Hawk and provides training for aircrew working with Search and Rescue. Unofficially the motto for RAF Valley is 'One Valley, Training... , Anglesey, Wales Wales Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²... |
| 11 September 1941 | 27 November 1941 | RAF Manston RAF Manston RAF Manston was an RAF station in the north-east of Kent, at on the Isle of Thanet from 1916 until 1996. The site is now split between a commercial airport Kent International Airport and a continuing military use by the Defence Fire Training and Development Centre , following on from a long... , 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... |
| 27 November 1941 | 24 January 1942 | RAF Angle RAF Angle RAF Angle was a World War II RAF station in South West Wales, near the village of Angle, Pembrokeshire. It was opened in December 1941 and closed in early 1945.... , Pembrokeshire Pembrokeshire Pembrokeshire is a county in the south west of Wales. It borders Carmarthenshire to the east and Ceredigion to the north east. The county town is Haverfordwest where Pembrokeshire County Council is headquartered.... , Wales |
| 24 January 1942 | 17 March 1942 | 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:... , Swansea Swansea Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands... , Wales |
| 17 March 194 | 17 June 1942 | en route to British India |
| 17 June 1942 | 5 December 1942 | RAF Jessore Jessore Airport -Airlines and destinations:-External links:*... , Bengal Bengal Bengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous... |
| 5 December 1942 | 6 May 1943 | RAF Feni Feni Feni may refer to:*Feni District, in Bangladesh**Feni Girls Cadet College*Feni Islands, in Papua New Guinea*Feni liquor, is a local alcoholic brew made in Goa, India*Feni River, in Bangladesh and India*Feni Rose, Indonesia TV presenter... , Bengal |
| 6 May 1943 | 1 November 1943 | RAF Alipore Alipore Alipore is headquarters of South 24 Parganas district and a neighbourhood in South Kolkata in the Indian state of West Bengal.Alipore, Kolkata, not to be confused with Alipore, Gujarat, is one of the poshest and costliest localities in Kolkata, along with the area Ballygunge... , Bengal |
| 1 November 1943 | 13 December 1943 | RAF Chittagong Shah Amanat International Airport Shah Amanat International Airport , named after an Islamic saint, is an international airport serving Bangladesh's south-eastern port city of Chittagong and the Bangladesh Air Force. It is Bangladesh's second largest airport... , Bengal |
| 13 December 1943 | 25 February 1944 | RAF Dohazari Dohazari Airfield Dohazari Airfield is a former wartime United States Army Air Forces airfield in Bangladesh used during the Burma Campaign 1944-1945. It is now abandoned.-History:... , Bengal |
| 25 February 1944 | 19 March 1944 | RAF Nazir |
| 19 March 1944 | 5 May 1944 | RAF Silchar West Silchar Airport Silchar Airport is located in Silchar in the state of Assam, India. It was constructed by the British during the World War. The airport is situated on the foothills of the Barail range. It is the fourth busiest airport of the north-eastern India next to Guwahati, Agartala and Imphal... , Assam Assam Assam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country... |
| 5 May 1944 | 23 May 1944 | RAF Dergaon Dergaon Dergaon is a town and a town area committee in Golaghat district in the state of Assam, India.Hemchandra Baruah, the compiler of Hemkosh was from Dergaon.-Geography:... , Assam |
| 23 May 1944 | 10 August 1944 | RAF Palel Palel -Location:National Highway 39 passes through Pallel. It passes through a village called Bijoypur village.... , Manipur Manipur Manipur is a state in northeastern India, with the city of Imphal as its capital. Manipur is bounded by the Indian states of Nagaland to the north, Mizoram to the south and Assam to the west; it also borders Burma to the east. It covers an area of... |
| 10 August 1944 | 23 February 1945 | RAF Baigachi |
| 23 February 1945 | 15 April 1945 | RAF Nidania |
| 15 April 1945 | 22 May 1945 | RAF Chharra Chharra Rafatpur Chharra Rafatpur is a town and a nagar panchayat in Aligarh district in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India.-Demographics: India census, Chharra Rafatpur had a population of 40,826. Males constitute 53% of the population and females 47%. Chharra Rafatpur has an average literacy rate of 56%, lower... , United Province United Province The United Provinces, was a province of British India and later of Independent India, which came into existence on 1 April 1937 in result of the shortening of United Provinces of British India... |
| 22 May 1945 | 29 May 1945 | RAF Chakulia Chakulia Airport Chakulia Airport is an airport in India. It is located southwest of the city of Chakulia, a city and a notified area in Purbi Singhbhum district in the state of Jharkhand.... , Bihar Bihar Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India.... |
| 29 May 1945 | 10 June 1945 | RAF Cuttack Cuttack Cuttack is the former capital of the state of Orissa, India. It is the headquarters of Cuttack district and is located about 20 km to the north east of Bhubaneswar, the capital of Orissa. The name of the city is an anglicised form of Kataka that literally means The Fort, a reference to the... , Orissa Orissa Orissa , officially Odisha since Nov 2011, is a state of India, located on the east coast of India, by the Bay of Bengal. It is the modern name of the ancient nation of Kalinga, which was invaded by the Maurya Emperor Ashoka in 261 BC. The modern state of Orissa was established on 1 April... |
| 10 June 1945 | 8 July 1945 | RAF Akyab Sittwe -Economy:In February 2007, India announced a plan to develop the port, which would enable ocean access from Indian Northeastern states, so called "Seven sisters", like Mizoram, via the Kaladan River.... , Burma |
| 8 July 1945 | 25 September 1945 | RAF Vizagapatam Visakhapatnam Visakhapatnam is a major sea port on the south east coast of India. With a population of approximately 1.7 million, it is the second largest city in the state of Andhra Pradesh and the third largest city on the east coast of India after Kolkata and Chennai. According to the history, the city was... , Andhra Pradesh Andhra Pradesh Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third... |
| 10 May 1946 | 10 March 1957 | RAF Biggin Hill, 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... |
Commanding officers
| From | To | Name |
|---|---|---|
| June 1937 | March 1940 | 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... A.V. Harvey |
| March 1940 | December 1940 | S/Ldr. J.R. Kyall Joseph Kayll Joseph Robert Kayll DSO, OBE, DFC, AE, DL was a British flying ace who served in the Royal Air Force in the Second World War.... , 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 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... |
| December 1940 | February 1941 | S/Ldr. Holmwood |
| February 1941 | April 1941 | S/Ldr. Anthony Eyre DFC |
| April 1941 | July 1941 | S/Ldr. G.F. Powell-Shedden |
| July 1941 | February 1942 | S/Ldr. D.E. Gillam, DSO, DFC & Bar Medal bar A medal bar or medal clasp is a thin metal bar attached to the ribbon of a military decoration, civil decoration, or other medal. It is most commonly used to indicate the campaign or operation the recipient received the award for, and multiple bars on the same medal are used to indicate that the... , AFC Air Force Cross (United Kingdom) The Air Force Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom Armed Forces, and formerly also to officers of the other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying, though not in active operations against the enemy"... |
| February 1942 | December 1942 | S/Ldr. B.L. Buckenfield, DFC |
| January 1943 | March 1943 | S/Ldr. W.D. Williams, DFC |
| March 1943 | January 1944 | S/Ldr. R.H. Holland, DFC |
| January 1944 | August 1944 | S/Ldr. D.W. McCormick, DFC & Bar |
| August 1944 | September 1944 | 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"... K.F. Gannon |
| September 1944 | June 1945 | S/Ldr. T.H. Meyer |
| June 1945 | September 1945 | S/Ldr. P.J. Anson |
| July 1946 | 1949 | S/Ldr. R.G. Kellett, DSO, DFC |
| 1949 | 1950 | S/Ldr. P.K. Devitt |
| 1950 | 1951 | S/Ldr. N.F. Duke Neville Duke Squadron Leader Neville Frederick Duke DSO, OBE, DFC & Two Bars, AFC, FRAeS,Czech War Cross was a British Second World War fighter pilot. He was the top Allied flying ace in the Mediterranean Theatre, having shot down at least 27 enemy aircraft, and was acknowledged as one of the world's foremost... , DSO, OBE 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... , DFC & Two Bars, AFC |
| 1951 | January 1954 | S/Ldr. F.B Sowrey, AFC |
| January 1954 | March 1957 | S/Ldr. R.A. Eeles |