No. 682 Squadron RAF
Encyclopedia
No. 682 Squadron RAF was a photo reconnaissance
squadron of the Royal Air Force
during the Second World War.
, Algeria
from No. 4 Photographic Reconnaissance
Unit (PRU) RAF. It was at first equipped with Spitfire PR.IV
s and -shortly- Mosquito PR.IVs and PR.VI
s, and later flew the Spitfire PR.XI in support of the campaign in Tunisia
, Sicily
, and then Italy
.
The squadron supported the invasion of Italy and carried out sorties over Yugoslavia
including special reconnaissance for army and commando operations. In 1944 the squadron began to target southern France and it moved detachments to France in September 1944, receiving the superlative photographic reconnaissance version of the Spitfire, the PR.XIX.
It returned to cover the Italian campaign and also operated over Greece. With the war over the squadron carried survey flights until it was disbanded on 14 September 1945 at Peretola, Italy
.
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
The squadron was formed on 1 February 1943 at Maison BlancheHouari Boumedienne Airport
Houari Boumediene Airport , also known as Algiers Airport, is an international airport serving Algiers, the capital of Algeria. It is located east southeast of the city.The airport is named after Houari Boumediene, a former president of Algeria...
, Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
from No. 4 Photographic Reconnaissance
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...
Unit (PRU) RAF. It was at first equipped with Spitfire PR.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...
s and -shortly- Mosquito PR.IVs and PR.VI
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, and later flew the Spitfire PR.XI in support of the campaign in Tunisia
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
, Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
, and then Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
.
The squadron supported the invasion of Italy and carried out sorties over Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
including special reconnaissance for army and commando operations. In 1944 the squadron began to target southern France and it moved detachments to France in September 1944, receiving the superlative photographic reconnaissance version of the Spitfire, the PR.XIX.
It returned to cover the Italian campaign and also operated over Greece. With the war over the squadron carried survey flights until it was disbanded on 14 September 1945 at Peretola, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
.
Aircraft operated
| From | To | Aircraft | Variant |
|---|---|---|---|
| February 1943 | May 1943 | 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.IV |
| April 1943 | July 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"... |
PRs.IV & VI |
| April 1943 | September 1945 | Supermarine Spitfire | PR.XI |
| September 1944 | September 1945 | Supermarine Spitfire | PR.XIX |
Squadron bases
| From | To | Base | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 February 1943 | 6 June 1943 | RAF Maison Blanche Houari Boumedienne Airport Houari Boumediene Airport , also known as Algiers Airport, is an international airport serving Algiers, the capital of Algeria. It is located east southeast of the city.The airport is named after Houari Boumediene, a former president of Algeria... , Algeria Algeria Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab... |
|
| 6 June 1943 | 8 December 1943 | La Marsa La Marsa La Marsa is a coastal town in far north eastern Tunisia near the capital Tunis. It is located at around . The population is estimated as 65,742, as of 2006. The old summer capital of pre-colonial Tunisia, it is today a popular vacation spot for many middle class Tunisians.It is connected to Tunis... , Tunisia Tunisia Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area... |
Detachment at Foggia Foggia Airfield Complex The Foggia Airfield Complex was a series of World War II military airfields located within a radius of Foggia, in the Province of Foggia, Italy... , Italy Italy Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and... |
| 8 December 1943 | September 1944 | San Severo Foggia Airfield Complex The Foggia Airfield Complex was a series of World War II military airfields located within a radius of Foggia, in the Province of Foggia, Italy... , Italy |
Detachments at Pomigliano, Italy; Alghero Fertilia Airport Alghero Airport is an international airport situated north-northwest of the city of Alghero, in northern Sardinia, Italy. It is also known as Fertilia Airport or Alghero-Fertilia Airport, named for the nearby village of Fertilia... , Italy; Nettuno Nettuno Airfield Nettuno Airfield is an abandoned World War II military airfield in Italy, which is located approximately 4 km east of Nettuno; about 50 km south-southeast of Rome.... , Italy; Voltone, Italy; Follonica Follonica Airfield Follonica Airfield is an abandoned World War II military airfield in Italy, located in the vicinity of Follonica in Tuscany; about 180 km northwest of Rome.... , Italy; Borgo, Italy; Le Luc, 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... ; Y.23/Valence Valence-Chabeuil Airport Valence-Chabeuil Airport . is an airport in France, located about 5 miles east-southeast of Bourg-lès-Valence ; approximately 300 miles south-southeast of Paris.... , France; Lyons/Bron Lyon-Bron Airport Lyon-Bron Airport is an airport located in Bron, east of Lyon, both communes of the Rhône department in the Rhône-Alpes region of eastern France.-History:... , France; Malignano Siena-Ampugnano Airport Siena-Ampugnano Airport is a small military airfield near Siena, in Tuscany, Italy.The site has recently been proposed for a new international airport capable of handling 4 million passengers a year by 2020. Since 2003 the project has met wide local opposition.-History:During World War II, the... , Italy |
| September 1944 | 14 September 1945 | Peretola Peretola Airport Peretola Airport, Florence Airport or Amerigo Vespucci Airport is an airport located close to Florence, Italy, but administratively located within the territory of Sesto Fiorentino... , Italy |
Detachments at Dijon, France; Y.42/Nancy Nancy-Essey Airport Nancy-Essey Airport is a regional airport in France, located about 3km east of Nancy ; about 320km east of Paris... , France and RAF Hal Far RAF Hal Far The RAF Hal Far airfield in Malta, titled HMS Falcon during the Royal Navy base, was constructed and opened on 1 April 1929, and was used by Royal Navy air crews. It was the first permanent airfield to be built in Malta. It was transferred to the Maltese Government and redeveloped as from January... , Malta Malta Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in... |
Commanding officers
| From | To | Name |
|---|---|---|
| February 1943 | July 1943 | 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.H.W. Ball Alfred Ball Air Marshal Sir Alfred Henry Wynne Ball KCB DSO DFC is a former Royal Air Force officer who became Deputy Commander of RAF Strike Command.-RAF career:... , 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... |
| July 1943 | July 1944 | S/Ldr. J.T. Morgan, DSO |
| July 1944 | March 1945 | S/Ldr. R.C. Buchanan, DFC |
| March 1945 | August 1945 | S/Ldr. H.B. Oldfield |
| August 1945 | September 1945 | S/Ldr. B.R. Kenwright, DFC |