No. 624 Squadron RAF
No. 624 Squadron RAF | |
---|---|
Active | 22 Sep 1943 – 5 Sep 1944 28 Dec 1944 – 30 Nov 1945 |
Country | ![]() |
Branch | ![]() |
Role | Special duties Mine spotting |
Insignia | |
Squadron Badge heraldry | No official badge authorised[1] |
Squadron Codes | As far as known no markings were carried by 624 sqn during either period of service[1] |
No. 624 Squadron RAF was at first a special duties squadron of the Royal Air Force during World War II. It was later in the war tasked with mine-spotting, until disbanded at the end of the war.
History[]
Special duties[]
No. 624 Squadron was formed by raising to squadron status at Blida in Algeria, North Africa at the end of September 1943. The squadron continued to carry out special duties operations formerly done by 1575 flight into Italy, Southern France, Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia. These operations included supply dropping and the insertion of agents to the resistance. For these duties the squadron operated at first with Lockheed Venturas and Handley Page Halifaxes, and later Short Stirling Mk.IVs. As a result of the allied advances in France and Italy, the need for 624 squadron in this role had declined and it was therefore disbanded on 5 September 1944.[2]
Mine spotting[]
No. 624 Squadron was reformed on 28 December 1944 at Grottaglie in Italy. Equipped with Walrus amphibians, it was now tasked with the role of mine-spotting along the Italian and Greek coasts. It had detachments and bases at Foggia, Hassani, Falconara, Rosignano, Treviso, Hal Far, Sedes[citation needed] and Littorio, until the squadron finally disbanded on 30 November 1945.[3]
Aircraft operated[]
From | To | Aircraft | Variant |
---|---|---|---|
September 1943 | October 1943 | Lockheed Ventura | Mk.II |
September 1943 | September 1944 | Handley Page Halifax | Mk.II |
September 1943 | February 1944 | Handley Page Halifax | Mk.V |
June 1944 | September 1944 | Short Stirling | Mk.IV |
January 1945 | November 1945 | Supermarine Walrus | Mk.I |
March 1945 | November 1945 | Hurricane[1] | Mk.IIb |
April 1945 | November 1945 | Avro Anson | Mk.I |
Commanding officers[]
From | To | Name |
---|---|---|
September 1943 | November 1943 | S/Ldr. J.B. Austin DFC,Acting Squadron Commander until arrival of WC Stanbury, DSO, DFC |
November 1943 | September 1944 | W/Cdr. C.S.G. Stanbury, DSO, DFC |
December 1944 | November 1945 | S/Ldr. G.M. Gallagher ( became a mine hunter squadron ) |
References[]
Notes[]
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d e Rawlings 1982, p. 243.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Halley 1988, p. 439.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Jefford 2001, p. 102.
Bibliography[]
- Halley, James J. (1988). The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth, 1918–1988. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. ISBN 0-85130-164-9.
- Jefford, C.G. (2001). RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912 (2nd ed.). Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing Ltd. ISBN 1-85310-053-6.
- Rawlings, John D.R. (1982). Coastal, Support and Special Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Jane's Publishing Company Ltd. ISBN 0-7106-0187-5.
External links[]
![]() |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to No. 624 Squadron RAF. |
- Aircraft squadrons of the Royal Air Force in World War II
- Royal Air Force aircraft squadrons
- Military units and formations established in 1943
- Military units and formations disestablished in 1945