No. 609 Squadron
Aircraft: Hurricane Mk.I
Motto: Tally Ho
Badge: In front of two hunting horns in saltire, a rose. The white rose was adopted to show the connection with Yorkshire, whilst the horns are indicative of the squadron’s role.
Stations:
- Northolt – 19 May 1940
- Middle Wallop – 5 July 1940
History:
No. 609 Squadron was formed on 10 February 1936 at Yeadon as a day bomber unit of the Auxiliary Air Force. It began to receive Harts in June and these were replaced by Hinds before the squadron was redesignated a fighter unit on 8 December 1938. No fighters were received until the arrival of Spitfires at the end of August 1939, with war only days away. After defensive duties in the north, No. 609 moved to south-east England in May 1940 and flew patrols over Dunkirk to cover the evacuation of the BEF. It remained in the south throughout the Battle of Britain.
No. 610 Squadron
Aircraft: Spitfire Mk.I
Motto: Alifero tollitur axe ceres – ‘Ceres rising in a winged car’
Badge: A garb. A wheatsheaf was chosen as such charges appear in the armorial bearings of the City of Chester; No 610 Squadron was the County of Chester Squadron.
Stations:
- Gravesend – 26 May 1940
- Biggin Hill – 2 July 1940
- Acklington – 31 August 1940
History:
No. 610 Squadron was formed at Hooton Park on 10 February 1936 as a day bomber unit of the Auxiliary Air Force. Initially equipped with Harts, it began flying training in May 1936 and in May 1938 re-equipped with Hinds. On 1 January 1939, the squadron was redesignated a fighter unit but retained its Hinds in anticipation of the arrival of Defiants. On the outbreak of war it received Hurricanes, but by the end of September 1939 had exchanged these for Spitfires, becoming operational on 21 October. When the German offensive opened in May 1940, No. 610 moved to Biggin Hill and helped to provide fighter cover for the Dunkirk evacuation beaches and shipping, then taking part in the Battle of Britain.
No. 611 Squadron
Aircraft: Spitfire Mk.I; Spitfire Mk.IIa
Motto: Beware! Beware!
Badge: In front of a trident, a rose. The trident is drawn from the armorial bearings of Liverpool from where most of the squadron’s original personnel were recruited and the rose is the red rose of Lancashire, No. 611 being the West Lancashire Squadron.
Stations:
- Digby – 10 October 1939
History:
No. 611 Squadron was formed on 10 February 1936 at Hendon as a day bomber unit of the Auxiliary Air Force and moved to Speke on 6 May to begin recruiting personnel from Merseyside. Its first Harts arrived in June and were replaced by Hinds in April 1938. On 1 January 1939, the squadron became a fighter unit, receiving Spitfires in May. After a period of defensive duties on the east coast, it became active in May 1940 over Dunkirk and was based in Lincolnshire during the Battle of Britain.
No. 615 Squadron
Aircraft: Hurricane Mk.I
Motto: Conjunctis viribus – ‘By our united force’
Badge: On a star of six points, an oak sprig fructed.
Stations:
- Kenley – 20 May 1940
- Prestwick – 29 August 1940
- Northolt – 10 October 1940
History:
No. 615 Squadron was formed on 1 June 1937 at Kenley as an army co-operation unit of the Auxiliary Air Force. After flying Audaxes and Hectors, it became a fighter squadron on 7 November 1938 and received Gauntlets. These were replaced by Gladiators in May 1939, which the squadron took to France in November 1939 as part of the Air Component of the BEF. In April 1940 conversion to Hurricanes began, but ten days after the German offensive in France opened, the squadron returned to the UK to re-equip, giving up its last Gladiators. After taking part in the opening stages of the Battle of Britain, No. 615 moved to Scotland at the end of August to rest and re-equip, returning south in October.
No. 616 Squadron
Aircraft: Spitfire Mk.I
Motto: Nulla rosa sine spina – ‘No rose without a thorn’
Badge: A Yorkshire rose. The badge commemorates the squadron’s association with Yorkshire as the South Yorkshire Auxiliary Squadron.
Stations:
- Leconfield – 6 June 1940
- Kenley – 19 August 1940
- Coltishall – 3 September 1940
- Kirton-in-Lindsey – 9 September 1940
History:
No. 616 Squadron was formed on 1 November 1938 at Doncaster and was designated a fighter unit on 15 November. It gave up its Hinds for Gauntlets in January 1939 and from May 1939 had four Battles for training duties in preparation for the arrival of Spitfires. It was not until October that the latter arrived, conversion being completed in November. As the end of May 1940, the squadron began operating over Dunkirk and during the first part of the Battle of Britain it was based in Yorkshire, moving south in mid-August.
