No. 681 Squadron RAF
Encyclopedia
No. 681 Squadron RAF was a photo-reconnaissance
squadron of the Royal Air Force
during the Second World War.
in India
on 2 January 1943, as part of RAF Far East Air Force. Initially it was mostly equipped with Hurricane PR.Mk.II
and Spitfire PR.Mk.IV
fighters, but there was also a Dutch element in 'C' flight that operated North American Mitchells
, which belonged to the former Royal Netherlands East Indies Army Air Force
. The squadron re-equipped with Mosquito PR.IX
s in August 1943, and Spitfire PR.XIs in October. In November 1943 the twin-engined elements were used to form No. 684 Squadron RAF
. 681 Squadron, which was now entirely equipped with the Spitfire PR.XI, moved to RAF Alipore
, Bengal
in May 1944, and RAF Mingaladon
, Burma in June 1945, receiving Spitfire PR.XIX photo-reconnaissance aircraft in August of that year. The squadron moved to RAF Kai Tak
, Hong Kong
, in September 1945, when the war formally ended. Detachments from the squadron however were still based and kept busy at a wide range of bases across the South-East Asian theatre of operations
. The squadron was disbanded by renumbering it to No. 34 Squadron RAF
on 1 August 1946 at RAF Palam
, Punjab
, (then) British India.
Aerial reconnaissance
Aerial reconnaissance is reconnaissance that is conducted using unmanned aerial vehicles or reconnaissance aircraft. Their roles are to collect imagery intelligence, signals intelligence and measurement and signature intelligence...
squadron of the Royal Air Force
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...
during the Second World War.
History
It was first formed out of No. 3 PRU, at Dum DumDum Dum
Dum Dum is a city and a municipality in North 24 Parganas district in the state of West Bengal, India. It is a neighbourhood in North-west Kolkata and the location of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport, formerly Dum Dum Airport.Dum Dum is a well known place in greater Kolkata...
in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
on 2 January 1943, as part of RAF Far East Air Force. Initially it was mostly equipped with Hurricane PR.Mk.II
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...
and Spitfire PR.Mk.IV
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...
fighters, but there was also a Dutch element in 'C' flight that operated North American Mitchells
B-25 Mitchell
The North American B-25 Mitchell was an American twin-engined medium bomber manufactured by North American Aviation. It was used by many Allied air forces, in every theater of World War II, as well as many other air forces after the war ended, and saw service across four decades.The B-25 was named...
, which belonged to the former Royal Netherlands East Indies Army Air Force
Royal Netherlands East Indies Army Air Force
The Royal Netherlands East Indies Army Air Force was the air arm of the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army in the Dutch East Indies from 1939 until 1950...
. The squadron re-equipped with Mosquito PR.IX
De Havilland Mosquito
The de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito was a British multi-role combat aircraft that served during the Second World War and the postwar era. It was known affectionately as the "Mossie" to its crews and was also nicknamed "The Wooden Wonder"...
s in August 1943, and Spitfire PR.XIs in October. In November 1943 the twin-engined elements were used to form No. 684 Squadron RAF
No. 684 Squadron RAF
No. 684 Squadron RAF was a photo-reconnaissance squadron of the Royal Air Force from 1943 to 1946.-History:The squadron was formed on 29 September 1943 at RAF Dum Dum near Calcutta, British India from the twin-engined elements of No. 681 Squadron RAF...
. 681 Squadron, which was now entirely equipped with the Spitfire PR.XI, moved to 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
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...
in May 1944, and RAF Mingaladon
Yangon International Airport
Yangon International Airport , located in Mingaladon, at north of downtown Yangon, is the primary international airport of Myanmar and the second largest airport in the country....
, Burma in June 1945, receiving Spitfire PR.XIX photo-reconnaissance aircraft in August of that year. The squadron moved to RAF Kai Tak
RAF Kai Tak
RAF Kai Tak was a Royal Air Force station in Hong Kong. It was opened in 1927 and used for seaplanes. The RAF flight operated a few land based aircraft as well as having spare aircraft for naval units.-History:...
, Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, in September 1945, when the war formally ended. Detachments from the squadron however were still based and kept busy at a wide range of bases across the South-East Asian theatre of operations
South-East Asian theatre of World War II
The South-East Asian Theatre of World War II was the name given to the campaigns of the Pacific War in Burma , Ceylon, India, Thailand, Indochina, Malaya and Singapore. Conflict in the theatre began when the Empire of Japan invaded Thailand and Malaya from bases located in Indochina on December 8,...
. The squadron was disbanded by renumbering it to No. 34 Squadron RAF
No. 34 Squadron RAF
No. 34 Squadron RAF was a squadron of the Royal Air Force. During the First World War it operated as a reconnaissance and bomber squadron, and in the 1930s operated light bombers...
on 1 August 1946 at RAF Palam
Indira Gandhi International Airport
Indira Gandhi International Airport is the primary international airport of the National Capital Region of Delhi, India, situated in West Delhi, 16 km southwest of New Delhi city centre. Named after Indira Gandhi, the former Prime Minister of India, it is the busiest airport in India in...
, Punjab
Punjab region
The Punjab , also spelled Panjab |water]]s"), is a geographical region straddling the border between Pakistan and India which includes Punjab province in Pakistan and the states of the Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh and some northern parts of the National Capital Territory of Delhi...
, (then) British India.
Aircraft operated
| From | To | Aircraft | Variant |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 1943 | November 1943 | North American Mitchell B-25 Mitchell The North American B-25 Mitchell was an American twin-engined medium bomber manufactured by North American Aviation. It was used by many Allied air forces, in every theater of World War II, as well as many other air forces after the war ended, and saw service across four decades.The B-25 was named... |
Mk.II (B-25C) |
| January 1943 | November 1943 | 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.IIc |
| January 1943 | December 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... |
PR.Mk.IV |
| August 1943 | November 1943 | de Havilland Mosquito De Havilland Mosquito The de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito was a British multi-role combat aircraft that served during the Second World War and the postwar era. It was known affectionately as the "Mossie" to its crews and was also nicknamed "The Wooden Wonder"... |
Mks.II, IV & IX |
| October 1943 | August 1946 | Supermarine Spitfire | PR.XI |
| August 1945 | August 1946 | Supermarine Spitfire | PR.XIX |
Squadron bases
| From | To | Name | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25 January 1943 | 9 December 1943 | RAF Dum Dum Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport is an airport located in Kolkata, West Bengal, India, serving the greater Kolkata metro area. The airport was originally known as Dum Dum Airport before being renamed in the honour of Subhas Chandra Bose... , 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... , British India |
Detachments at RAF Alipore Behala Airport Behala Airport is located at Behala in the city of Kolkata, India. It is more commonly referred as Behala Flying Training Institute or Behala Flying Club... , Bengal, British India and RAF Agartala Agartala Airport -World War II:During World War II, the airport was used by the United States Army Air Force Tenth Air Force 4th Combat Cargo Group, which flew C-46 Commando transport aircraft over Burma... , Tripura Tripura Tripura is a state in North-East India, with an area of . It is the third smallest state of India, according to area. Tripura is surrounded by Bangladesh on the north, south, and west. The Indian states of Assam and Mizoram lie to the east. The capital is Agartala and the main languages spoken are... , British India |
| 9 December 1943 | 30 January 1944 | RAF Chandina Chandina Upazila Chandina is an Upazila of Comilla District in the Division of Chittagong, Bangladesh.-Geography:Chandina is located at . It has 46856 units of house hold and total area 201.92 km². Chandina township is a class B municipality, which is located at the extreme north of the upazilla by the... , Bengal, British India |
|
| 31 January 1944 | 5 May 1944 | RAF Dum Dum, Bengal, British India | |
| 5 May 1944 | 25 May 1945 | RAF Alipore, Bengal, British India | Detachments at RAF Comilla Comilla Comilla is a city in south-eastern Bangladesh, located along the Dhaka-Chittagong Highway. It is the administrative center of the Comilla District, part of the Chittagong Division. The Eastern Wing of Bangladesh Highway Police is located in Comilla.... , Bengal, British India; RAF Imphal Imphal Imphal is the capital of the Indian state of Manipur.In the heart of the town and surrounded by a moat, are ruins of the old Palace of Kangla. Kangla Fort used to be the home of the Assam Rifles, a paramilitary force and on November 2004 it was handed over to state of Manipur by Prime minister Dr.... , 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... , British India; RAF Kalemyo Kalaymyo Airport Kalaymyo Airport is an airport serving Kalaymyo , a town in the Sagaing Division of Burma.-Airlines and destinations:... , Burma; RAF Meiktila Meiktila Meiktila is a city in central Myanmar, located on the banks of Lake Meiktila in Mandalay Division, at the junctions of the Bagan-Taunggyi, Yangon-Mandalay and Meiktila-Myingyan highways. Because of its strategic position, Meiktila is home to Myanmar Air Force's central command and Meiktila Air... , Burma; RAF Monywa Monywa Monywa is a city in Sagaing Division, Myanmar, located 136 km northwest of Mandalay on the eastern bank of the River Chindwin.-Transport:... , Burma; and RAF Mingaladon Yangon International Airport Yangon International Airport , located in Mingaladon, at north of downtown Yangon, is the primary international airport of Myanmar and the second largest airport in the country.... , Burma |
| 25 May 1945 | 27 September 1945 | RAF Mingaladon, Burma | Detachment at RAF Alipore, Bengal, British India |
| 27 September 1945 | 23 December 1945 | RAF Kai Tak RAF Kai Tak RAF Kai Tak was a Royal Air Force station in Hong Kong. It was opened in 1927 and used for seaplanes. The RAF flight operated a few land based aircraft as well as having spare aircraft for naval units.-History:... , Hong Kong Hong Kong Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour... |
|
| 23 December 1945 | 9 January 1946 | RAF Kuala Lumpur RAF Kuala Lumpur RAF Kuala Lumpur was an RAF station in the Federation of Malaya and saw extensive use during the Malayan Emergency.-Military:The airfield was home to:* No 155 Squadron operating Whirlwind Mk4 helicopters.... , Malaya British Malaya British Malaya loosely described a set of states on the Malay Peninsula and the Island of Singapore that were brought under British control between the 18th and the 20th centuries... |
Detachments at Kemayoran Airport Kemayoran Airport Kemayoran Airport, also spelled Kemajoran Airport, was the principal airport for Jakarta, Indonesia, from 8 July 1940 until March 31, 1985, when it was replaced by Soekarno-Hatta International Airport... Batavia Jakarta Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre... , Dutch East Indies Dutch East Indies The Dutch East Indies was a Dutch colony that became modern Indonesia following World War II. It was formed from the nationalised colonies of the Dutch East India Company, which came under the administration of the Netherlands government in 1800.... and Tân Sơn Nhất Airfield Tan Son Nhat International Airport Tan Son Nhat International Airport is Vietnam's largest international airport in terms of area . It has a handling capacity of 15-17 million passengers per year, compared with the capacity of Hanoi - Noi Bai airport of 8 million passengers and Da Nang's 2 million passengers... , Saigon, Vietnam Vietnam Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –... |
| 10 January 1946 | 28 May 1946 | RAF Seletar, Singapore Singapore Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the... |
Detachments at Kemayoran Airport, Dutch East Indies; Don Muang Air Base Don Muang Royal Thai Air Force Base Don Muang Royal Thai Air Force Base is located approximately 25 miles north of Downtown Bangkok.It is the main operating and command base for the Royal Thai Air Force... , Thailand Thailand Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the... and RAF Mingaladon, Burma |
| 28 May 1946 | 1 August 1946 | RAF Palam Indira Gandhi International Airport Indira Gandhi International Airport is the primary international airport of the National Capital Region of Delhi, India, situated in West Delhi, 16 km southwest of New Delhi city centre. Named after Indira Gandhi, the former Prime Minister of India, it is the busiest airport in India in... , Punjab Punjab region The Punjab , also spelled Panjab |water]]s"), is a geographical region straddling the border between Pakistan and India which includes Punjab province in Pakistan and the states of the Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh and some northern parts of the National Capital Territory of Delhi... , British India |
Detachment at RAF Kohat, Punjab, British India |
Commanding officers
| From | To | Name |
|---|---|---|
| January 1943 | December 1943 | 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... S.G. Wise, 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... and Bar |
| December 1943 | April 1945 | W/Cdr. F.D. Proctor, DFC |
| April 1945 | May 1946 | W/Cdr. D.B. Pearson |
| May 1946 | August 1946 | 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... H. Roberts |