No. 603 Squadron RAF

603 (City of Edinburgh) Squadron RAuxAF
603 (City of Edinburgh) Squadron Royal Auxiliary Air Force Crest
Active 14 October 1925 - 26 December 1944
10 January - 15 August 1945
10 May 1946 - 10 March 1957
1 October 1999 - to present day.
Country United Kingdom United Kingdom
Branch Royal Auxiliary Air Force
Role Force Protection/RAF Police and RAF Regiment
Part of No. 5 Force Protection Wing
Headquarters Learmonth Terrace, Edinburgh
Motto(s) Scots: Gin ye daur
("If you dare")[1][2]
Battle honours Home Defence, 1940-42*
Battle of Britain, 1940*
Channel & North Sea, 1941*
Fortress Europe, 1941*
Malta, 1942*
Mediterranean, 1943*
Sicily, 1943*
South-East Europe, 1943-44*
France & Germany 1945
Honours marked with an asterix* are those emblazoned on the Squadron Standard
Commanders
Current
commander		 Sqn Ldr Andrew Liggat RAuxAF
Notable
commanders		 George Douglas-Hamilton, 10th Earl of Selkirk, Lord David Douglas-Hamilton, Christopher Foxley-Norris
Insignia
Squadron Badge heraldry On a rock a triple-towered castle, flying therefrom to the sinister a pennon
The castle in the badge is similar to that in the Arms of the City of Edinburgh[1][2]
Squadron Codes RL (Apr 1939 - Sep 1939)[3]
XT (Sep 1939 - Apr 1942, Jan 1945 - Aug 1945, 1949 - Apr 1951)[4]
RAJ (May 1946–1949)[5]

No. 603 (City of Edinburgh) Squadron is a squadron of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force, based in Edinburgh, Scotland. The primary role of 603 Squadron, since reforming on 1 October 1999, was as a Survive to Operate squadron, as well as providing Force Protection.

603 Sqn re-roled to become a reserve RAF Police unit from 1 April 2013. The Squadron retains a squadron's complement of RAF Regiment as part of its overall contribution to Force Protection and it still operates from a magnificent Victorian Town Mansion close to Edinburgh's city centre, as it has since the Town Headquarters was bought for the squadron in 1925.

Her Majesty Queen Elizabath II is the Honorary Air Commodore to the Squadron, with those duties routinely carried out by Air Marshal Sir David Walker.[6]

History

Formation and early years

No. 603 Squadron was formed on 14 October 1925 at RAF Turnhouse as a day bomber unit of the Auxiliary Air Force. Originally equipped with DH.9As and using Avro 504Ks for flying training, the squadron re-equipped with Wapitis in March 1930, these being replaced by Harts in February 1934. On 24 October 1938, No. 603 was redesignated a fighter unit and flew Hinds until the arrival of Gladiators at the end of March 1939.

Second World War

In August 1939, the squadron began to transition to Spitfires.[7] As war approached the squadron was put on a full-time footing, and within two weeks of the outbreak of the Second World War, Carbury was permanently attached and the squadron began to receive Spitfires, passing on its Gladiators to other squadrons during October.

On Spitfires

603 Sqn Spitfires and U.S. Navy Wildcats on USS Wasp (CV-7), 19 April 1942.

Scotland was in range of Nazi Germany's long-range bombers and reconnaissance aircraft. The Luftwaffe's main operations being mainly against the Royal Naval Home Fleet anchored in Scapa Flow. The squadron was operational with Spitfires in time to intercept the first German air raid on the British Isles on 16 October, when it shot down a Junkers Ju-88 bomber into the Firth of Forth north of Port Seton - the first enemy aircraft to be shot down over Great Britain since 1918, and the first RAF victory in the Second World War. It remained on defensive duties in Scotland until 27 August 1940, when it moved on rotation to Southern England, based with No 11 Group at RAF Hornchurch, where it was operational from 27 August 1940 for the remaining months of the Battle of Britain.

Two days after the squadron became operational in southern England, Carbury claimed the first of his 15½ victories, becoming the fifth highest scoring fighter ace of the battle. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and Bar with 603 Squadron during the battle. P/O R. 'Rasp' Berry claimed some 9 (of an eventual total of 17) victories during this time, while P/O 'Sheep' Gilroy claimed over 6 victories. Plt Off Richard Hillary (5 victories) was shot down on 3 September in combat with Bf 109's of Jagdgeschwader 26 off Margate at 10:04hrs - rescued by the Margate lifeboat, he was severely burned and spent the next three years in hospital, during which time he wrote a book, The Last Enemy.[8] By the end of the Battle of Britain, according to more recent academic research including the scrutiny of German records, 603 Squadron were identified as the highest-scoring Battle of Britain fighter squadron.

Returning to Scotland at the end of December, Carbury damaged a Ju 88 on Christmas Day over St Abb's Head, before leaving squadron in January 1941 as an instructor at the Central Flying School. In May 1941, the squadron moved south again to take part in sweeps over France (termed "Rhubarb's"), until the end of the year.

After a further spell in Scotland, No. 603 left in April 1942 for the Middle East where its ground echelon arrived early in June. Concurrently, Flt Sgt Joe Dalley moved from the squadron to PRU duties and flew a Spitfire PR direct from RAF Benson to Malta, joining 69 Squadron to become one of four pilots known as the "Eyes and Ears" on the Island. The squadron's aircraft were embarked on the US carrier Wasp and flown off to Malta on 20 April to reinforce the fighter defences of the beleaguered island. After nearly four months defending Malta, the remaining pilots and aircraft were absorbed by 229 Squadron on 3 August 1942.

On Beaufighters

At the end of June 1942, No. 603's ground echelon had moved to Cyprus, where it spent six months as a servicing unit before returning to Egypt. In February 1943, Bristol Beaufighters and crews arrived to begin convoy patrols and escort missions along the North African coast and in August sweeps over German held islands in the Aegean and off Greece began. Attacks on enemy shipping continued until the lack of targets enabled the squadron to be returned to the UK in December 1944.

Spitfires again

On 10 January 1945, No. 603 reassembled at RAF Coltishall and by curious coincidence, took over the Spitfires of No. 229 Squadron RAF and some of its personnel, the same squadron which had absorbed No. 603 at Ta' Qali in 1942. Fighter-bomber sweeps began in February over the Netherlands and continued until April, when the squadron returned to its home base at Turnhouse for the last days of the war. On 15 August 1945, the squadron was disbanded.

Post war

603 Sqn reformed as a unit of the Auxiliary Air Force on 10 May 1946 and began recruiting personnel to man a Spitfire squadron during June at RAF Turnhouse. Receiving its first Spitfire in October, it flew this type until conversion to De Havilland Vampire FB.5s in May 1951. By July it was completely equipped and the type was flown until disbandment on 10 March 1957.

Present role

The new 603 Squadron was formed from No. 2 (City of Edinburgh) Maritime Headquarter Unit (MHU) in October 1999. It was used to provide the basis for the new No. 602 (City of Glasgow) Squadron RAuxAF in 2006 while 603 remained in Edinburgh. To commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the formation of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight in 2007, for the next 2 seasons the Flight's Supermarine Spitfire IIa, P7350, which fought in 603 Sqn during the Battle of Britain carried the 603 Squadron letters XT-L, those of Gerald 'Stapme' Stapleton's personal aircraft.

For a number of years up until 2013 the primary trade available at 603 Sqn was RAF Regiment although the Squadron also supported small numbers in the Mission Support and Flight Operations trades, However, in late 2012 it was announced that during 2013 the squadron would begin recruiting for RAF Police and the Squadron is now primarily a RAF Police unit, with an embedded Flight of RAF Regiment.[9]

Aircraft operated

Aircraft operated by no. 603 Squadron RAuxAF, data from[10][11][12][13]
From To Aircraft Version
October 1925March 1930Airco DH.9DH.9A
October 1925March 1930Avro 504504.K (used for flying training)[14]
March 1930March 1934Westland WapitiMk.I
February 1934February 1938Hawker Hart
February 1938March 1939Hawker Hind
October 1938August 1939Gloster GladiatorMk.II
August 1939November 1940Supermarine SpitfireMk.I
October 1940May 1941Supermarine SpitfireMk.IIa
May 1941December 1941Supermarine SpitfireMk.Va
August 1941March 1942Supermarine SpitfireMk.Vb
April 1942August 1942Supermarine SpitfireMk.Vc
February 1943November 1943Bristol BeaufighterMks.Ic and If
February 1943October 1943Bristol BeaufighterMk.VIc
August 1943October 1943Bristol BeaufighterMk.XI
October 1943December 1944Bristol BeaufighterMk.TFX
January 1945August 1945Supermarine SpitfireLF.16e
19451945Taylorcraft AusterMk.I (Communications flight)[15]
June 19461953North American HarvardT.2B[15]
October 1946June 1948Supermarine SpitfireLF.16e
February 1948July 1951Supermarine SpitfireF.22
1951November 1955De Havilland VampireFB.3[15]
May 1951March 1957De Havilland VampireFB.5
May 1951March 1957Gloster MeteorT.7 (used for flying training)[15]
1956March 1957De Havilland VampireT.11 (used for flying training)[15]
June 1956January 1957De Havilland VampireFB.9 (2 aircraft, WL518 and WG841)[15]}

Commanding officers

Officers commanding no. 603 Squadron RAF, data from[16][17]
From To Name
1 August 192514 April 1931Sqn Ldr J.A. McKelvie, AFC
14 April 19311 April 1934Sqn Ldr H. Murray-Philipson, MP
1 April 19341 April 1938Sqn Ldr Lord G.N. Douglas-Hamilton, AFC
1 April 19384 June 1940Sqn Ldr E.H. Stevens
4 June 19401 April 1941Sqn Ldr G.L. Denholm, DFC
1 April 194125 July 1941Sqn Ldr F.M. Smith
25 July 194117 October 1941Sqn Ldr M.J. Loudon
17 October 194118 December 1941Sqn Ldr R.G. Forshaw
18 December 194120 July 1942Sqn Ldr Lord D. Douglas-Hamilton
20 July 19423 August 1942Sqn Ldr W.A. Douglas
10 April 19424 June 1942Sqn Ldr P. Illingworth (Officer commanding Ground Party)
3 August 194228 January 1943Sqn Ldr F.W. Marshall
28 January 19431 December 1943Wg Cdr H.A. Charter
1 December 194315 June 1944Wg Cdr J.R.H. Lewis, DFC
15 June 19442 August 1944Wg Cdr J.T.D. Revell
2 August 194423 September 1944Sqn Ldr C.D. Paine (acting)
23 September 194426 December 1944Wg Cdr C.N. Foxley-Norris
10 January 194526 January 1945Sqn Ldr E.H.M. Patterson, DFC
26 January 19451 April 1945Sqn Ldr T.C. Rigler, DFC, DFM
1 April 194515 August 1945Sqn Ldr H.R.P. Pertwee, DFC
11 June 194623 September 1949Sqn Ldr G.K. Gilroy, DSO, DFC
23 September 19491 December 1950Sqn Ldr J.W.E. Holmes, DFC, AFC
1 December 195022 March 1953Sqn Ldr P.J. Anson, DFC
23 March 195325 August 1953Sqn Ldr R.L.R. Davies, DFC
25 August 19539 May 1956Sqn Ldr R. Schofield
9 May 195610 March 1957Sqn Ldr M.E. Hobson, AFC
1 October 19992006Wg Cdr A.J. Beaton
20061 March 2010Sqn Ldr D Morrison QVRM AE
1 March 201029 February 2012Sqn Ldr J D Rodgers
1 March 201214 October 2018Sqn Ldr J J Riley
15 October 2018PresentSqn Ldr A Liggat

Notable personnel

Freedom of the City of Edinburgh

After a vote by the council in February 2018, Lord_Provost_of_Edinburgh , The Right Honorable Frank Ross presented The Freedom of the City of Edinburgh to the Squadron at the City Chambers on Tuesday 3 July 2018.[18]

See also

References

Notes

  1. 1 2 Moyes 1976, p. 274.
  2. 1 2 Rawlings 1978, p. 480.
  3. ↑ Bowyer and Rawlings 1979, p. 14.
  4. ↑ Bowyer and Rawlings 1979, p. 115.
  5. ↑ Bowyer and Rawlings 1979, p. 138.
  6. ↑ David Walker (RAF administrative officer)
  7. ↑ Bio - Brian Carbury Archived 14 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine. New Zealand Fighter Pilots Museum
  8. ↑ Bio of Richard Hillary the-battle-of-britain.co.uk
  9. ↑ https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-33394944
  10. ↑ Moyes 1976, p. 275.
  11. ↑ Rawlings 1978, p. 482.
  12. ↑ Halley 1988, p. 421.
  13. ↑ Jefford 2001, p. 99.
  14. ↑ Halley 1980, p. 325.
  15. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Ross, Blanche and Simpson 2003, p. 400 of vol. II.
  16. ↑ Ross, Blanche and Simpson 2003, p. 385 of vol. II.
  17. ↑ Ross, Blanche and Simpson 2003, p. 321 of vol. I.
  18. ↑ Freedom of Edinburgh for RAF squadron which shot down first Luftwaffe bomber of Second World War

Bibliography

  • Halley, James J. The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air Britain (Historians) Ltd., 1980. ISBN 0-85130-083-9.
  • Halley, James J. The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth, 1981–1988. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air Britain (Historians) Ltd., 1988. ISBN 0-85130-164-9.
  • Hunt, Leslie. Twenty-one Squadrons: History of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force, 1925-57. London: Garnstone Press, 1972. ISBN 0-85511-110-0. (New edition in 1992 by Crécy Publishing, ISBN 0-947554-26-2.)
  • Jefford, C.G., Wing Commander MBE, BA, RAF (Retd). RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive Record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury, UK: Airlife Publishing Ltd., 1998 (second edition 2001). ISBN 1-84037-141-2.
  • Moyes, Philip J.R. Bomber Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Macdonald and Jane's (Publishers) Ltd., 1964 (Second edition 1976). ISBN 0-354-01027-1.
  • Rawlings, John D.R. Fighter Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Macdonald and Jane's (Publishers) Ltd., 1969 (Second edition 1976). ISBN 0-354-01028-X.
  • Ross, David M.S.; Blanche, Bruce J. Sqn Ldr and Simpson, William. The Greatest Squadron of Them All: The Definitive History of 603 (City of Edinburgh) Squadron, RAuxAF Vol.1: Formation to 1941. London, Grub Street Publishing, 2003. ISBN 1-904010-49-0.
  • Ross, David M.S.; Blanche, Bruce J. Sqn Ldr and Simpson, William. The Greatest Squadron of Them All: The Definitive History of 603 (City of Edinburgh) Squadron, RAuxAF Vol.2: 1941 to Date. London, Grub Street Publishing, 2003. ISBN 1-904010-51-2.
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