No. 624 Squadron RAF

No. 624 Squadron RAF
Active 22 Sep 1943 – 5 Sep 1944
28 Dec 1944 – 30 Nov 1945
Country United Kingdom United Kingdom
Branch Royal Air Force
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 No. 1575 Flight RAF 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 and Littorio, until the squadron finally disbanded on 30 November 1945.[3]

Aircraft operated

Aircraft operated by no. 624 Squadron RAF, data from[1][2][3]
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

Officers commanding No. 624 Squadron RAF, data from[1]
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

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Rawlings 1982, p. 243.
  2. 1 2 Halley 1988, p. 439.
  3. 1 2 Jefford 2001, p. 102.

Bibliography

  • Halley, James J. The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth, 1918–1988. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians), 1988 ISBN 0-85130-164-9.
  • Jefford, Wing Commander C.G., MBE, BA, RAF(Retd). RAF Squadrons: A Comprehensive Record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing, 2001. ISBN 1-84037-141-2.
  • Rawlings, John D.R. Coastal, Support and Special Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Jane's Publishing Company, 1982. ISBN 0-7106-0187-5.
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