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- No. 54 Squadron Royal Air Force during the Second World War -


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World War 2 Two II WW2 WWII 1939 1945

No. 54 Squadron Royal Air Force



   No 54 Squadron was formed at Castle Bromwich on 15th May 1916. Initially tasked with Home Defence duties, at the end of the year it was sent to the Western Front, the first RFC Squadron to be equipped with the Sopwith Pup fighter, escorting reconnaissance and bombing missions. The final months of the Great War were spent flying Camels in ground attack as well as fighter sorties. The Squadron was disbanded in 1919.

The squadron reformed on 15 January 1930 at Hornchurch, once again in the fighter role. It was equipped with Spitfires in March 1939.

 

28th October 1939 Defence

28th April 1940 Change of Duty

23rd May 1940 Rescue

24th May 1940 In Action

25th May 1940 In Action

25th May 1940 Aircraft Lost

25th May 1940 Rescue

26th May 1940 Protection Duty

27th May 1940 Aircraft Lost

28th May 1940 Aircraft Lost

28th May 1940 Aircraft Lost but pilot returned from Dunkirk

24th Jul 1940 In Action

24th July 1940 Battle of the Thames Estuary

25th July 1940 Channel Convoy attacked

28th July 1940 Move

11th August 1940  Ports and ships attacked

12th August 1940 Battle of Britain

15th Aug 1940 Eagle Day

16th August 1940 Aftermath of Eagle Day

18th August 1940 Airfields attacked

22nd August 1940 Battle of Britain

24th August 1940  Airfields bombed

28th August 1940 ` Battle of Britain

1st Sept 1940 Air battle over Kent

3rd September 1940 Battle of Britain

3rd September 1940 Airfields bombed

23rd February 1941 Move

30th June 1941 Circus 27

17th Nov 1941 On the Move

2nd June 1942 Prepared for move to Australia

January 1943 RAF in Australia

February 1943 Recce

October 1945   No.54 Squadron, having done pretty much every mission a fighter pilot could imagine, came out of World War II as the top scoring RAF fighter unit - with an impressive haul of 131 confirmed kills. Ninety-seven of these kills were Messerschmitt Bf109s, a formidable opponent. They added to their tally in Australia until the war moved too far out of range as the Japanese retreated.

Airfields No. 54 Squadron flew from.

  • RAF Hornchurch, Essex
  • RAF Rochford, Essex from 28th October 1939
  • RAF Hornchurch from 3rd November 1939
  • RAF Rochford from 17th November 1939
  • RAF Hornchurch from 2nd December 1939
  • RAF Rochford from 16th December 1939
  • RAF Hornchurch from 29th December 1939
  • RAF Rochford from 16th January 1940
  • RAF Hornchurch from 14th February 1940
  • RAF Rochford from 23rd March 1940
  • RAF Catterick, Yorkshire from 28th April 1940
  • RAF Hornchurch from 4th May 1940
  • RAF Rochford from 25th June 1940
  • RAF Hornchurch from 24th July 1940
  • RAF Catterick from 28th July 1940
  • RAF Hornchurch from 8th August 1940
  • RAF Catterick from 3rd September 1940
  • RAF Hornchurch from 23rd February 1941
  • RAF Rochford from 31st March 1941
  • RAF Hornchurch from 20th May 1941
  • NRF Debden, Essex from 11th June 1941
  • RAF Hornchurch from 13th June 1941
  • RAF Martlesham Heath, Suffolk from 4th August 1941
  • RAF Hornchurch from 25th August 1941
  • RAF Castletown, Caithness from 17th November 1941
  • RAF Willingore, Lincolnshire from 2nd June 1942 to 19th June 1942
  • RAAF Ascot Vale, Melbourne, Victoria from 13th August 1942 (without aircraft)
  • RAAF Richmond, Syndney, NSW from 24th August 1942
  • RAAF Sydney from 13th January 1943
  • RAAF Parap, Darwin, NT from 25th January 1943 (resumed operations)
  • RAAF Potshot, Exmouth Gulf Western Australia from 9th May 1944
  • RAF Livingstone, NT from 19th May 1944
  • RAAF Parap from 23rd October 1945
  • RAAF Melbourne from 30 October 1945 (disbanded)
 More info.

October 1945 


If you can provide any additional information, please add it here.



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Those known to have served with

No. 54 Squadron Royal Air Force

during the Second World War 1939-1945.

  • Rae Nicol David. Cpl.

The names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed, please Add a Name to this List

Records of No. 54 Squadron Royal Air Force from other sources.



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Want to know more about No. 54 Squadron Royal Air Force?


There are:2032 items tagged No. 54 Squadron Royal Air Force available in our Library

  These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Second World War.


Cpl. Nicol David Rae 54 Squadron

David Rae served with 54 and 95 Squadron.

Sara Brown







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