No. 602 Squadron RAF

602 (City of Glasgow) Squadron RAuxAF
Active	12 September 1925 – 15 July 1945 10 May 1946 – 10 March 1957 1 July 2006 – present
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	Royal Auxiliary Air Force
Role	ISTAR Support to ATM Force
Part of	No. 1 Group RAF
Headquarters	Kings Park, Glasgow (present)
Nickname(s)	"Glasgow's Own"
Motto(s)	Latin: Cave leonem cruciatum (Translation: "Beware the crossed lion")[1][2]
Colours	Grey Douglas tartan
Battle honours	Home Defence, 1940–1945 Battle of Britain, 1940 Fortress Europe, 1940–1944 Channel and North Sea, 1940–1943 Dieppe France and Germany, 1944–1945 Normandy,1944 These honours are those emblazoned on the squadron standard.
Commanders
Current commander	Sqn Ldr A McCallum RAuxAF
Honorary Air Commodore (HAC)	Iain McMillan CBE
Notable commanders	Sandy Johnstone, Al Deere, Paddy Finucane
Insignia
Squadron Badge	In front of a saltire, a lion rampant[3]The lion was adopted in view of the squadron's association with Scotland and the saltire to represent the cross of St Andrew, being fimbriated to show it as a white saltire on a blue background.[1][2][4]
Squadron Codes	ZT (May 1939 – Sep 1939)[5] LO (Jan 1939 – May 1939[6] Sep 1939 – May 1945,[7] 1949 – 1953)[8] RAI (May 1946 – 1949)[9]

602 (City of Glasgow) Squadron is a Royal Auxiliary Air Force squadron.^[10] Originally formed in 1925 as a light bomber squadron, its role changed in 1938 to army co-operation and in 1939 to that of a fighter squadron.

During the Second World War, the squadron flew Spitfires and took part in the Battle of Britain. After the war, the squadron was reinstated as a fighter squadron within the Royal Auxiliary Air Force, until all these units disbanded in March 1957.

Reformed on 1 July 2006, the squadron presently assumes the ISTAR mission support role formerly held by the Mission Support Element (MSE) of 603 (City of Edinburgh) Squadron. The role provides flight operations and intelligence support to the RAF at home and overseas.

Formation and early years

The squadron was formed at RAF Renfrew on 15 September 1925 as a light bomber squadron in the Auxiliary Air Force, and initially equipped with Airco DH.9As. These were replaced by Fairey Fawns in 1927, Westland Wapitis in 1929, Hawker Harts in 1934 and finally Hawker Hinds in 1936.

The squadron continued in the light bomber role until 1 November 1938 when it was redesignated as an Army Co-operation unit. This did not last long, and on 14 January 1939 the squadron became a fighter squadron. It received Hawker Hectors in November, but was re-equipped with Gloster Gauntlets on conversion to a fighter role. These were short-lived, as Spitfires arrived in May 1939.^[11]

Second World War

Like 603 (City of Edinburgh) Squadron, 602 Squadron spent the early part of the war and Battle of Britain on defensive duties in Scotland. In August 1940, it moved south to join the battle, returning to Scotland in December. It moved south again in July 1941, remaining for a year before returning north. Another move came in January 1943, this time to the southwest, where in April it joined the newly forming 2nd Tactical Air Force. It briefly returned to Scotland from January to March 1944, when it returned south prior to taking part in the invasion of Europe.

From the end of June 1944, it operated from advance airfields in Normandy following the Army's advance into Belgium until September, when it returned from Antwerp to the UK. From RAF Coltishall flying Spitfire XVI's it carried out operations against V2 sites in the Netherlands over an area ranging from The Hook to Den Helder, until disbanding on 15 May 1945 at Coltishall.

Among No. 602's pilots was Raymond Baxter, later to become well known on television as a presenter of the BBC TV series Tomorrow's World.

Post-war

With the reactivation of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force, No 602 was reformed on 10 May 1946 at RAF Abbotsinch as a day fighter squadron. It was initially equipped with Spitfire F.14s and later with F.21s and F.22s, until January 1951 when Vampire FB.5s were received. It also acquired some F.3s in August 1953, which it flew alongside the FB.5s until February 1954. FB.9s arrived in November 1954 and the squadron continued to fly both types (FB.5 and FB.9s) until, along with all the flying units of the RAuxAF, it was disbanded on 10 March 1957.

Present role

As part of the new Royal Air Force Reserves umbrella organisation encompassing both the RAuxAF and RAFR, No 602 Squadron was reformed on 1 July 2006 when the mission support element of 603 (City of Edinburgh) Sqn was separated to form a new unit. Its current role is to provide operational support to the RAF Air Traffic Management Force, in the UK as well as to other deployed locations as needed (individual deployments to date have included National Air Traffic Control Centre Swanwick, Cyprus, Iraq and Oman). It does this by specialising in the following operational support roles: Flight Operations Officers, Flight Operations Managers, Flight Operations Assistants, Intelligence Officers and Intelligence Analysts. The Squadron trains Flight Operations and Intelligence Officers, Flight Operations Managers, Flight Operations Assistants and Intelligence Analysts to supplement regular RAF personnel in this task.^[12]

Aircraft operated

Aircraft operated by No 602 Squadron RAF, data from^{[13][14][15][16]}-

From To Aircraft Version October 1925 January 1928 Airco DH.9 DH.9A September 1927 September 1929 Fairey Fawn July 1929 April 1934 Westland Wapiti Mk.IIa February 1934 June 1936 Hawker Hart June 1936 January 1939 Hawker Hind November 1938 January 1939 Hawker Hector Mk.I January 1939 May 1939 Gloster Gauntlet Mk.II May 1939 June 1941 Supermarine Spitfire Mk.I May 1941 August 1941 Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IIa August 1941 September 1943 Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Vb September 1942 October 1942 Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Va September 1942 October 1942 Supermarine Spitfire Mk.VI October 1942 April 1943 Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Vc

From To Aircraft Version September 1943 January 1944 Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IXb January 1944 March 1944 Supermarine Spitfire LF.Vb March 1944 August 1944 Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IXb August 1944 September 1944 Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IXe September 1944 November 1944 Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IXb November 1944 May 1945 Supermarine Spitfire Mk. XVI August 1946 August 1947 Supermarine Spitfire F.14 April 1947 May 1951 Supermarine Spitfire F.21 June 1948 January 1951 Supermarine Spitfire F.22 January 1951 March 1957 de Havilland Vampire FB.5 August 1953 February 1954 de Havilland Vampire F.3 November 1954 March 1957 de Havilland Vampire FB.9

Commanding officers

Officers Commanding No 602 Squadron RAF, data from^[17]

From To Name September 1925 February 1926 Sqn Ldr C.N. Lowe, MC, DFC February 1926 May 1928 Sqn Ldr J.D. Latta, MC May 1928[18] June 1931 Sqn Ldr J. Fullerton June 1931 June 1936 Sqn Ldr Lord Clydesdale, AFC June 1936[19] October 1937 Sqn Ldr D.F. McIntyre, AFC October 1937[20] March 1940 Sqn Ldr A.D. Farquhar, DFC March 1940 July 1940 Sqn Ldr G. Pinkerton, DFC July 1940 June 1941 Sqn Ldr A.V.R. Johnstone, DFC June 1941 August 1941 Sqn Ldr P.E. Meagher August 1941 January 1942 Sqn Ldr A.C. Deere, DFC & Bar January 1942 June 1942 Sqn Ldr B.E. Finucane, DSO, DFC & Bar

From To Name June 1942 October 1942 Sqn Ldr P.M. Brothers, DFC October 1942 October 1943 Sqn Ldr M.F. Beytagh, DFC October 1943 July 1944 Sqn Ldr R.A. Sutherland July 1944 August 1944 Sqn Ldr J.J. Le Roux, DFC & 2 Bars August 1944 September 1944 Sqn Ldr A.R. Stewart September 1944 May 1945 Sqn Ldr R.A. Sutherland, DFC May 1946 1950 Sqn Ldr M. Robinson, AFC 1950 1952 Sqn Ldr H.M. Stephen, DSO, DFC 1952 December 1953 Sqn Ldr J.A. Forrest December 1953 1956 Sqn Ldr R.B. Davidson, DFC 1956 March 1957 Sqn Ldr C.D. Bartman 2006 2012 Sqn Ldr G. Lyall AE 2012 Present Sqn Ldr A McCallum

Squadron airfields

Airfields used by No 602 Squadron RAF, data from^{[13][15][16][21]}

From To Station 12 September 1925 20 January 1933 RAF Renfrew, Renfrewshire, Scotland 20 January 1933 7 October 1939 RAF Abbotsinch, Renfrewshire, Scotland 7 October 1939 13 October 1939 RAF Grangemouth, Stirlingshire, Scotland 13 October 1939 14 April 1940 RAF Drem, East Lothian, Scotland 14 April 1940 28 May 1940 RAF Dyce, Aberdeenshire, Scotland 28 May 1940 13 August 1940 RAF Drem, East Lothian, Scotland 13 August 1940 17 December 1940 RAF Westhampnett, West Sussex 17 December 1940 15 April 1941 RAF Prestwick, Ayrshire, Scotland 15 April 1941 10 July 1941 RAF Ayr, Ayrshire, Scotland 10 July 1941 14 January 1942 RAF Kenley, Surrey 14 January 1942 4 March 1942 RAF Redhill, Surrey 4 March 1942 13 May 1942 RAF Kenley, Surrey 13 May 1942 17 July 1942 RAF Redhill, Surrey 17 July 1942 16 August 1942 RAF Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, Scotland 16 August 1942 20 August 1942 RAF Biggin Hill, Kent 20 August 1942 10 September 1942 RAF Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, Scotland 10 September 1942 20 January 1943 RAF Skaebrae, Orkney Islands, Scotland 20 January 1943 14 April 1943 RAF Perranporth, Cornwall 14 April 1943 29 April 1943 RAF Lasham, Hampshire 29 April 1943 1 June 1943 RAF Fairlop, Essex 1 June 1943 1 July 1943 RAF Bognor, West Sussex 1 July 1943 13 August 1943 RAF Kingsnorth, Kent 13 August 1943 12 October 1943 RAF Newchurch, Kent 12 October 1943 18 January 1944 RAF Detling, Kent 18 January 1944 12 March 1944 RAF Skeabrae, Orkney Islands, Scotland

From To Base 12 March 1944 13 March 1944 RAF Detling, Kent 13 March 1944 20 March 1944 RAF Llanbedr, Gwynedd, Wales 20 March 1944 18 April 1944 RAF Detling, Kent 18 April 1944 25 June 1944 RAF Ford, West Sussex 25 June 1944 13 August 1944 B.11/Longues-sur-Mer, France 13 August 1944 2 September 1944 B.19/Lingèvres, France 2 September 1944 5 September 1944 B.40/Nivillers, France 5 September 1944 17 September 1944 B.52/Douai, France 17 September 1944 29 September 1944 B.70/Deurne, Belgium 29 September 1944 18 October 1944 RAF Coltishall, Norfolk 18 October 1944 20 November 1944 RAF Matlaske, Norfolk 20 November 1944 19 February 1945 RAF Swannington, Norfolk 19 February 1945 23 February 1945 RAF Coltishall, Norfolk 23 February 1945 5 April 1945 RAF Ludham, Norfolk 5 April 1945 15 May 1945 RAF Coltishall, Norfolk 10 May 1946 30 July 1949 RAF Abbotsinch, Renfrewshire, Scotland 30 July 1949 15 April 1951 RAF Renfrew, Renfrewshire, Scotland 15 April 1951 14 July 1951 RAF Leuchars, Fife, Scotland 14 July 1951 15 April 1952 RAF Abbotsinch, Renfrewshire, Scotland 15 April 1952 18 June 1954 RAF Renfrew, Renfrewshire, Scotland 18 June 1954 10 March 1957 RAF Abbotsinch, Renfrewshire, Scotland 1 July 2006 27 October 2007 Combined HQ with 603 Sqn, Edinburgh, Scotland 27 October 2007 November 2014 Avenuepark Street, Maryhill, Glasgow, Scotland November 2014 Present Kings Park, Glasgow, Scotland

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References

Notes

1. Moyes 1976, p. 273.
2. Rawlings 1978, p. 477.
3. Halley 1988, p. 418.
4. "602 Squadron". Royal Air Force. 2015. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
5. Bowyer and Rawlings 1979, p. 14.
6. Flintham and Thomas 2003, p. 50.
7. Bowyer and Rawlings 1979, p. 68.
8. Flintham and Thomas 2003, p. 153.
9. Bowyer and Rawlings 1979, p. 138.
10. Barrass, M. B. (2015). "No. 600–604 Squadron Histories". Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
11. Nancarrow 1942, p. 11.
12. "602 (City of Glasgow) Reserves". Royal Air Force. 2015. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
13. Moyes 1976, p. 274.
14. Rawlings 1978, pp. 479–480.
15. Halley 1988, p. 419.
16. Jefford 2001, p. 99.
17. Rawlings 1978, p. 480.
18. McRoberts 1985, p. 24.
19. Hunt 1972, pp. 20–21.
20. McRoberts 1985, pp. 44–45.
21. Rawlings 1978, p. 479.

Bibliography

• Bowyer, Michael J.F. and John D.R. Rawlings. Squadron Codes, 1937–56. Cambridge, UK: Patrick Stephens Ltd., 1979. ISBN 0-85059-364-6.
• Cameron, Dugald. Glasgow's own: History of 602 (City of Glasgow) Squadron. Glasgow, Scotland: Squadron Prints, 1987.
• Deere, Al. Nine Lives. London: Hodder, 1959 (republished in 1969 by Coronet, 1991 by Wingham Press and last in 2004 by Crécy Publishing). (Autobiographical 1941–43)
• Flintham, Vic and Andrew Thomas. Combat Codes: A full explanation and listing of British, Commonwealth and Allied air force unit codes since 1938. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing Ltd., 2003. ISBN 1-84037-281-8.
• 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.
• 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.
• Johnstone, Air Vice Marshal A.V.R. "Sandy". Enemy in the Sky. London: William Kimber, 1976 (republished in 1979 by Presidio press, ISBN 0-89141-086-4).
• McRoberts, Douglas. Lions Rampant: the Story of 602 Spitfire squadron. London: William Kimber, 1985. ISBN 0-7183-0572-8.
• Nancarrow, F.G. Glasgow's fighter squadron: 602 Squadron RAF. London and Glasgow: Collins, 1942.
• Rawlings, John D.R. Coastal, Support and Special Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Jane's Publishing Company Ltd., 1982. ISBN 0-7106-0187-5.
• Rawlings, John D.R. Fighter Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Macdonald and Jane's (Publishers) Ltd., 1978. ISBN 0-354-01028-X.
• Robinson, Anthony. RAF Squadrons in the Battle of Britain. London: Arms and Armour Press Ltd., 1987 (republished 1999 by Brockhampton Press, ISBN 1-86019-907-0.).
• Rowland, David. Spitfires over Sussex: The Exploits of 602 Squadron. Finsbury Publishing, 2000. ISBN 0-9539392-0-0.
• Smith, Richard C. Al Deere: Wartime Fighter Pilot, Peacetime Commander: The Authorised Biography. London: Grub Street, 2003. ISBN 1-904010-48-2.
• Stokes, Doug. Paddy Finucane, Fighter Ace: A Biography of Wing Commander Brendan E. Finucane, D.S.O., D.F.C. and Two Bars. London: William Kimber & Co. Ltd., 1983. ISBN 0-7183-0279-6. (republished Somerton, Somerset: Crécy Publishing, 1992, ISBN 0-947554-22-X).

External links

• 602 Squadron Museum Association
• 602 (City of Glasgow) Squadron Museum
• History of 602 Squadron on RAF website
• Present 602 Squadron on RAF website
• History of No.'s 600–604 Squadrons at RAF Web
• Aircraft and markings of No. 602 Squadron on Rafweb
• 602 Squadron in the Battle of Britain