No._601_Squadron_RAF

No. 601 Squadron RAF

No. 601 Squadron RAF

Military unit

Number 601 (County of London) Squadron is a squadron of the RAF Reserves, based in London. The squadron took part in the Battle of Britain, during which the first Americans to fly in World War II were members of the squadron.

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Reactivated in 2017, it is a specialist squadron "tapping into the talents of leaders from industry, academia and research to advise and shape and inspire [the RAF]".[10]

History

Formation

No. 601 Squadron was formed at RAF Northolt on 14 October 1925 when a group of wealthy aristocratic young men, all of whom were amateur aviators, decided to form themselves into a Reserve Squadron of the RAF after a meeting in White's Club, London.[11] The original officers were picked by the first commanding officer, Lord Edward Grosvenor, youngest son of Hugh Grosvenor, 1st Duke of Westminster. Grosvenor tested potential recruits by plying them with alcohol to see if they would behave inappropriately. Grosvenor wanted officers "of sufficient presence not to be overawed by him and of sufficient means not to be excluded from his favourite pastimes, eating, drinking and White's".[12] The Squadron was initially known as "the millionaires squadron", a nametag gained because of a reputation for filling their ranks with the very 'well-heeled'. Most of these affluent young pilots had little regard for the rigid discipline of the regular service; they lined their uniform tunics with bright red silk and wore blue ties rather than the regulation black. They played polo on brand-new Brough Superior motor cycles, drove fast sports cars (the squadron car park was said to resemble a Concours d'Elegance) and most of the pilots owned their own private aircraft.

Second World War

The Squadron became a day fighter unit in 1940 and operated both the Hawker Hurricane and the Supermarine Spitfire. Aircrew attrition and transfers to other units, war quickly took its toll on the pre-war personnel and as replacements were drafted in from all walks of life and all parts of the Commonwealth to cover casualties and promotions, the Squadron became as cosmopolitan as any other.[13]

Postwar operations

The unit reformed in 1946 as a fighter squadron within the Royal Auxiliary Air Force (RAuxAF), initially equipped with the Spitfire, followed by the jet powered De Havilland Vampire and the Gloster Meteor twin-jet. The squadron disbanded along with all other RAuxAF units during the defence cuts of early 1957.

Present

Reforming on 20 April 2017 at RAF Northolt, 601 Squadron is now a Specialist Support Squadron of the RAuxAF. The 3 principal roles of the Squadron are to provide advice to the Chief of the Air Staff and the RAF to help address important issues; to provide access to new networks that the RAF has not traditionally been connected with; and to develop advocates for the RAF.

Aircraft operated

Two 601 Sqn Spitfire Vb over Djerba Island in early 1943, led by W/Cdr. I.R. Gleed in his personal Spitfire marked IR-G.
De Havilland Vampire F.3 wearing the unit markings of No. 601 Squadron
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Squadron bases

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Notable pilots

Memorial to 601 Squadron at RAF Museum Hendon

For more pilots who flew with the Squadron during the Battle of Britain, see List of RAF aircrew in the Battle of Britain.

Commanding officers

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Note: Sir Philip Sassoon was Member of Parliament during his Squadron Leadership of 601 Squadron.

See also

References

Notes

  1. [1]
    Moyes 1976, p. 272.
  2. [2]
    Hunt 1972, p. 67.
  3. [3]
    Moulson 1964
  4. [4]
    Rawlings 1976, p. 472.
  5. [5]
    Halley 1988, p. 417.
  6. [6]
    Bowyer & Rawlings 1979, p. 14.
  7. [7]
    Bowyer & Rawlings 1979, pp. 100–101.
  8. [8]
    Bowyer & Rawlings 1979, p. 138.
  9. [9]
    Bowyer & Rawlings 1979, p. 53.
  10. [10]
    "Defence Secretary celebrates UK's partnerships at Airpower 2017". UK Ministry of Defence. 13 July 2017. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  11. [11]
    "Battle of Britain history of No. 601 Squadron". Royal Air Force. 2004. Archived from the original on 5 October 2009. Retrieved 16 March 2011.
  12. [12]
    "601 Squadron: Millionaire flying aces of World War II". BBC News. 14 December 2010.
  13. [13]
    "Battle of Britain Memorial Flight - Royal Air Force". www.bbmf.co.uk. Archived from the original on 6 February 2009.
  14. [14]
    Rawlings 1976, pp. 475–476.
  15. [15]
    Halley 1988, p. 418.
  16. [16]
    Jefford 2001, p. 99.
  17. [17]
    Rawlings 1976, pp. 474–475.
  18. [18]
    Halley 1988, pp. 417–418.
  19. [19]
    Jefford 2001, pp. 230–249.
  20. [20]
    Christopher Shore; Clive Williams (15 July 2008). Aces High: A Tribute to the Most Notable Fighter Pilots of the ..., Volume 2. Grub Street Publishing. p. 335.
  21. [21]
    "P/O B. P. Legge". Battle of Britain London Monument. Archived from the original on 6 January 2009. Retrieved 10 October 2015.
  22. [22]
    "F/O H. C. Mayers". Battle of Britain London Monument. Archived from the original on 27 September 2011. Retrieved 10 October 2015.
  23. [23]
    Rawlings 1976, p. 477.
  24. [24]
    "From All Quarters". Flight. 75 (2610): 148. 30 January 1959. Retrieved 10 October 2015.
  25. [25]
    Moulson 1964, pp. 172–177.
  26. [26]
    Moulson 1964, p. 176.
  27. [27]
    "Deaths Announcements: Edelston". The Daily Telegraph. October 2009. Archived from the original on 27 March 2012. Retrieved 10 October 2015.

Bibliography

  • Bowyer, Michael J.F.; Rawlings, John D.R. (1979). Squadron Codes, 1937–56. Cambridge, UK: Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN 0-85059-364-6.
  • Halley, James J. (1980). The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. ISBN 0-85130-083-9.
  • 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.
  • Hunt, Leslie (1972). Twenty-One Squadrons: The History of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force, 1925–1957. London: Garnstone Press. ISBN 0-85511-110-0.
  • Jefford, Wing Commander 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.
  • Moulson, Tom (1964). The Flying Sword: The Story of 601 Squadron. London: Macdonald & Co. (Publishers) Ltd.
  • Moyes, Philip J.R. (1976). Bomber Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Macdonald and Jane's (Publishers) Ltd. ISBN 0-354-01027-1.
  • 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.
  • Rawlings, John (1976) [1969]. Fighter Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft (2nd ed.). London: Macdonald and Jane's Publishers Ltd. ISBN 0-354-01028-X.
  • Robinson, Anthony (1999) [1987]. RAF Squadrons in the Battle of Britain. London: Brockhampton Press. ISBN 1-86019-907-0.
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