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Fighter squadrons dispatched or created
overseas by the Royal Canadian Air Force
(RCAF) had to respond to changing priorities
and needs, as defined by Royal Air force
(RAF) military planners. In the preparatory
phase preceding the war, the British military
doctrine viewed fighter squadrons as a defensive
weapon, to be used in case Great Britain
were to be attacked, while bombers were
to serve the offensive. It is only after
the successes of the Battle of Britain that
the RAF used fighters in offensive operations.
For the Army, fighters had a support role
to play in both defensive and offensive
ground actions. It was in that capacity
that RAF and RCAF fighter squadrons were
to take part in the invasion of North-Western
Europe in 1944 and 1945.
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Typhoons
from a RCAF fighter squadron getting
ready to take off, Netherlands,
April 2nd, 1945. |
| National
Defence Image Library, PL 42816. |
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The Canadian government took all possible
measures to ensure that RCAF units stationed
overseas remain truly Canadian. Towards
that purpose, a majority of officers, pilots
and non-flying personnel had to be Canadian
and under Canadian command. Great Britain
respected Canadian concerns as much as possible
despite staff and material shortage issues;
this difficult situation was compounded
by cultural differences between British
and Canadian airmen and officers. The RCAF
managed to remain a truly national force
but achieved this only through constant
efforts and negotiations between the government
and military authorities of both countries.
Army Co-operation Command
While putting together the 1st Infantry
Division for service overseas, the Canadian
government also prepared a support squadron,
No. 110 (Army Co-operation) under Squadron
Leader W.D. Van Vliet. The squadron was
dispatched to Great Britain in February
1940 with its 12 Westland Lysanders. Pilots
and gunners immediately started specialized
training at the School of Army Co-operation,
near Salisbury, then operational training
in Oldham, Hampshire.
On account of their being assigned to the
Army Co-operation Command, No 110 airmen
did not take part in the Battle of Britain
which was happening under their very eyes
from July to October 1940; certainly a frustrating
experience for young men eager to fly and
fight. It may have been a good thing, though,
as the Luftwaffe Messerschmitts 109 would
have ripped through their outdated Lysanders.
The squadron, on the other hand, was getting
ready to support VII Army Corps under Lt
Gen McNaughton.
Which would be facing the German invasion
that seemed then to be imminent. But the
Battle of Britain proved the Luftwaffe unable
to take control of the sky, and Hitler cancelled
the invasion, which had been planned for
October 12th, 1940. Once again, No 110 Squadron
was to remain untested. Later on, in March
1941, it became No 400 (Army Co-operation)
Squadron and was equipped with the better
Curtiss Tomahawks.
When dispatched overseas,
RCAF squadrons received new designations
to avoid any possible confusion with RAF
units. Numbers 400 to 449 were reserved
for the Canadians, while numbers 450 to
499 were for squadrons from other Commonwealth
countries. The RCAF’s No 1 Squadron
thus became No 401, No 110 became No 400,
and so on.
No 112 (Army Co-operation) Squadron left
for Great Britain in June 1940; it did not
take part in defence operations either,
except for a few members of its flying personnel
who were transferred to No 1 (Fighter) Squadron.
No 112 became a fighter squadron in December
1940 under the designation of No 2 Squadron
(402) and was equipped with Hawker Hurricanes.
No 414 and 430 squadrons were assigned
to Army Co-operation Command in 1941 and
in early 1943 respectively. Equipped with
Curtiss Tomahawks, and later with North
American Mustangs, all three RCAF Army Co-operation
squadrons took part in the air defence of
Great Britain between 1941 and 1943. That
year, they were assigned to the 2nd Tactical
Air Force.
Fighter Command
Fighter Command’s role was to protect
Great Britain by intercepting enemy intruders.
The Chain Home, a series of radar stations
built along the coast, and an extensive
network of observers and ground controllers
provided early warning of approaching aircraft.
This allowed the RAF to detect enemy bombers
and fighters and direct fighter squadrons
to intercept them. This detection and interception-based
system demonstrated its efficiency during
the Battle of Britain (July-October 1940).
During the Battle of Britain, Fighter Command
pilots flew Hawker Hurricanes and Supermarine
Spitfires. Those aircraft performed in an
outstanding manner against Luftwaffe bombers
(Heinkels 111, Dorniers 17, Messerschmitts
110 and Junkers 88). The Hurricane, however
was no match for the Messerschmitt 109 fighter
that was faster, more flexible and, able
to reach higher altitudes. The Me 109 was
also a formidable foe for the Spitfire Mark
II that the RAF used as of July 1940. Allied
fighter pilots had to be extremely skilful
to make the best possible use of their manoeuvrability
during those merciless encounters with the
Luftwaffe.
Royal Air Force (RAF) and
Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) squadrons
normally had 12 aircraft each; when the
squadron attacked, the planes split up
into groups of three or four.
Fighter formations
The RCAF’s No 1 (Fighter) Squadron
is the only Canadian squadron that took
part in the Battle of Britain. Transferred
overseas in June 1940, the pilots went through
intensive training to be up to the level
of their RAF counterparts before being sent
to the front. In their Hurricanes, the pilots
of No 1 Squadron had their first encounter
with the enemy on August 23rd, 1940, and
took part in the action until October 8th.
Three pilots were awarded the Distinguished
Flying Cross (DFC): Squadron Leader E.A.
McNab, Flight Lieutenant G.R. McGregor and
Flight Officer B.D. Russel.
In the fall of 1940, Luftwaffe bombers,
unable to escape Allied fighters by day,
started flying night missions, where they
would encounter much less opposition. Immediately,
the Allies prepared their response: the
improvement of interception radars used
in ground controls, the use of twin-engine
Bristol Beaufighters as night-fighter aircraft,
and the development of the Mark IV airborne
interception radar. Faster than a Junker
88, the Beaufighter displayed impressive
firepower. Three RCAF squadrons were involved
in night fighter operations, Nos 406, 409
and 410, created in the spring and summer
of 1941.
At approximately 2209 hrs,
at about 9,000 ft. and about 45 miles
East of Tynemouth Beaufighter attacked
from level and dead astern. Pilot saw
flashes in enemy aircraft fuselage. One
flash very brilliant.
—
Wing Commander D.G. Morris, 406 Squadron,
Combat Report, 30 September 1941
The success of fighter operations during
the Battle of Britain encouraged Fighter
Command to initiate offensive operations
over enemy territories that were within
the range of its aircraft, i.e., all of
North-Western Europe. This was a reversal
from what had happened during the Battle
of Britain: Allied fighter pilots found
themselves at a disadvantage against German
interception aircraft warned of their arrival
through their own radar network. The Luftwaffe
could also count on better aircraft, especially
the Focke-Wulf 190, that outperformed the
RAF’s Spitfire Mark V. Several RCAF
squadrons – Nos 401, 402, 403, 411,
412 – participated in what were called
“Rodeo” operations (fighter
raids over enemy territory), “Circus”
operations (medium bomber escort), and “Ramrod”
operations (heavy bomber protection). Those
were dangerous missions and both RAF and
RCAF squadrons suffered heavy casualties.
I was yellow 4, 403 (Canadian)
Squadron, on Circus 81. When at 26,000
ft. North of St. Omer I sighted 15/20
enemy aircraft heading Northwest below
at 15,000 ft. and Squadron Commander ordered
us to attack.
—
Pilot Officer N.R.D. Dick, 403 Squadron,
Combat Report, 19 August 1941
On August 19th, 1942, the RAF was called
upon to provide air support to the most
important offensive of the year, Operation
Jubilee, the Allied raid on Dieppe. Fighter
Command provided 48 Spitfire squadrons (including
several RCAF squadrons: Nos 401, 402, 403,
411, 412 and 416), eight Hurricane squadrons,
and three Hawker Typhoon squadrons. Army
Co-operation Command contributed four Mustang
squadrons (including the RCAF’s Nos
400 and 414) and two squadrons of Blenheim
light bombers. Bomber Command, for its part,
supplied three light bomber squadrons. The
order of battle was completed by a few Boston
fighter-bombers, among which two from the
RCAF’s No 600 Squadron, and by two
USAAF B-17 heavy bomber squadrons. The nine
RCAF squadrons that took part in the raid
lost 14 aircraft and 9 pilots; in addition,
10 planes were damaged and 3 pilots wounded.
Enemy losses amounted to 10 aircraft downed,
14 damaged and 2 presumed downed. Although
the raid’s air component was not such
a catastrophe as the ground operation, it
evidenced similar weaknesses in planning
and communications.
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An Italian farmhouse used
as No 417 Squadron HQ near Lentini,
Sicily, August 26th, 1943.
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| National
Defence Image Library, PL 18285. |
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The Mediterranean Theatre
The RCAF’s No 417 Squadron saw action
on a completely different theatre, the Mediterranean.
The squadron was transferred from Fighter
Command to the Desert Air Force and sent
to the Middle East in June 1942. In February
1943, after a few months of drudgery work
and uneventful patrols over the Nile, No
417 was moved to Tripoli and incorporated
into No 244 Wing. That unit was later stationed
in Malta, some 96 km off the coast of Sicily,
from where it provide air support to the
British 8th Army – which included
the 1st Canadian Corps – during Operation
Husky, the invasion of Sicily by the Allies
on July 10th, 1943. No 417 Squadron later
took part in the fighting for the liberation
of Italy.
The 2nd Tactical Air Force
As D-Day was approaching, Fighter Command
and Army Co-operation Command squadrons
were integrated into the 2nd Tactical Air
Force (TAF) and both were dissolved as such,
the latter being replaced by the British
Air Defence. In preparation for Operation
Overlord, the Allies put together an immense
air force by combining the British 2nd TAF
and the U.S. 9th TAF, as well as many squadrons
from Coastal Command, Bomber Command and
the U.S. 8th Army Air Force.
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Stan Rivers and Ken Allenby,
No. 411 Squadron, painting D-Day
colours on a Spitfire. Special
white markings were painted
on the fuselage and wings of
all Allied aircraft in preparation
for D-Day.
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| National
Defence Image Library, PL 30827. |
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All RCAF fighter and fighter-bomber squadrons,
including the six territorial defence squadrons
that were sent overseas in 1943 and 1944,
were assigned to the 2nd TAF, except for
No 402, which served with the British Air
Defence. Each squadron prepared for the
very specific role it was to play. Those
that were to ensure air superiority by attacking
enemy aircraft used Spitfires IX or XXI.
Fighter-bomber squadrons specialized in
ground attacks flew Typhoons. Night fighters
were equipped with Mosquitos or sometimes
Beaufighters, obsolete by then. Reconnaissance
and photography units were supplied with
Mosquitos, Mustangs and non-armed versions
of the Spitfire, their role being to provide
the army with data on the terrain and on
enemy positions.
On D-Day, June 6th, 1944, when the Allies
set foot on the beaches of Normandy, the
Luftwaffe put up almost no resistance to
the massive invasion. Fighter squadrons
escorted invading troops and attacked enemy
ground positions; air superiority was easily
established over the bridgehead. Later,
as ground forces forged ahead, that superiority
was easily maintained over an area that
now reached some 100 km behind enemy lines.
Allied ground forces could then move freely
while German troops, whether they used roads
or railways, or moved across fields could
not do so without being targeted by RAF
and RCAF fighters.
No. 438 Squadron was assigned
the task of dive bombing two concrete
block houses overlooking the beach on
which the 50th British Division was to
land tanks. This operation had to be performed
just as the tanks landing craft lowered
their ramps.
438
Squadron Operations Record Book, June
1944
Two days after D-Day, maintenance and construction
commando squadrons arrived in Normandy to
build airstrips. Ground crews of No 144
Wing (including Nos 441, 442 and 443 Squadrons)
were deployed near Banville as early as
June 9th, 1944. Both air and ground crews
had to get used to the dust and lack of
comfort of their temporary facilities. The
bases and support personnel of the other
Spitfire and Typhoon squadrons were also
transferred to Normandy, as the bridgehead
became more solid.
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No
412 Squadron Spitfires at Field
Base B4 near Bény-sur-Mer,
shortly after D-Day. |
| National
Defence Image Library, PL 30268. |
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As the campaign unfolded, encounters between
RCAF fighters and the Luftwaffe became less
and less frequent. Fighter attacks were
mostly directed at ground targets: trucks,
tanks, and artillery positions. When German
troops in the Falaise Pocket were surrounded,
on August 18th, 1944, fighters of all types
were thrown into the battle. On that single
day, No 127 Wing (Nos 403, 416 and 421 Squadrons)
destroyed or put out of commission over
500 military vehicles, totalling some 290
hours of flight and firing 30,000 20-mm
rounds.
This job turned out to
be the Christmas package of the day. The
enemy were reported to have dug in at
Jean Blanc, and created what promised
to be a very troublesome foremost defended
locality. Our squadron, led by F/L Scharff,
took-off at 19:15 hours carrying 500 lb.
bombs to blast this foremost defended
locality into submission.
439
Squadron Operations Record Book, August
9, 1944
Weather clear and warm,
visibility very good. Squadron took part
in front line patrols again today without
incident. This airfield was subjected
to an attack by enemy anti-personnel bombs
at approximately 1100 hrs.
443
Squadron Operations Record Book, October
1944
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Life goes on… A Canadian
pilot giving a hand to a French
farmer for the wheat harvest;
in the field, No 404 Squadron
Typhoons.
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| National
Defence Image Library, PL 31378. |
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When the Campaign of Normandy was over,
fighter units moved up their bases to remain
close to the front. Their role did not change
much as the Allies moved ahead slowly through
North-Western Europe: support to the ground
forces, bomber escort missions, attacking
bridges, canals and enemy vehicles, road
and rail convoys. The Luftwaffe, as weakened
as it was, put up a bitter resistance as
the Allies came closer to Germany. It still
had a secret weapon, the Me 262, the first
jet-propelled fighter plane. Much faster
than the British Spitfire, it came in too
late, the Third Reich was doomed.
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Canada in WWII
