No. 616 Squadron RAF

No. 616 (South Yorkshire) Squadron is an active Reserve unit of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force (RAuxAF) assigned to the RAF ISTAR Force at RAF Waddington. It was originally formed as a unit of the British Auxiliary Air Force in 1938, active throughout World War 2 as a fighter unit, becoming the 1st operational RAF unit to fly jets and disbanded in 1957. The unit reformed in its current guise in April 2019 as 616 (South Yorkshire) Squadron Royal Auxiliary Air Force.

No. 616 (South Yorkshire) Squadron RAuxAF
Squadron badge
Active	1 November 1938 – 29 August 1945 10 May 1946 – 10 March 1957 1 April 2019 -
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	Royal Air Force
Type	Reserve Sqn
Role	ISTAR
Part of	Royal Auxiliary Air Force
Garrison/HQ	RAF Waddington
Nickname(s)	South Yorkshire
Motto(s)	Latin: Nulla Rosa Sine Spina (Translation: "No rose without a thorn")[1][2]
post 1951 aircraft insignia
Commanders
Honorary Air Commodore	The Duke of Portland[3]
Notable commanders	Colin Falkland Gray, Percy "Laddy" Lucas
Insignia
Squadron Badge heraldry	A white Yorkshire rose, superimposed on an arrow[2] The badge commemorates the squadron's association with Yorkshire as the South Yorkshire Auxiliary Squadron[1]
Squadron Codes	QJ (Apr 1939 – Jul 1941)[4] YQ (Jul 1941 – Aug 1945, 1949 – Apr 1951)[5] RAW (Jul 1946 – 1949)[6]

History and Operations

Formation

No. 616 Squadron was formed on 1 November 1938 at RAF Doncaster^[7] and was at first allotted the bomber role, receiving Hawker Hinds for that role.^[1] The role soon changed however and the squadron's first operational fighter aircraft were Gloster Gauntlet biplane fighters received in January 1939. Fairey Battle monoplane light bombers were delivered in May 1939 for training duties to assist the squadron in preparing for re-equipment with Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Is in October 1939. During that month No. 616 moved to RAF Leconfield and by the end of November conversion to the modern fighter was complete.

The squadron's first operational sorties were over the Dunkirk withdrawal in late May 1940. During the first phase of the Battle of Britain No. 616 was based at Leconfield, moving south to RAF Kenley on 19 August to be nearer the front line. The improved Spitfire Mk.II was received in February 1941 and was used from April on sweeps over occupied France from RAF Tangmere, continuing until October.^[8] Further periodic updating with Spitfire Mks.V, VI and VII continued through the mid-war years. From March 1943 onwards, No. 616 was stationed in southwest England.

First on Meteors

616 Squadron Meteor F Mark III takes off from B58/Melsbroek, Belgium, 1945

On 12 July 1944 the unit became the first RAF squadron to receive jet equipment in the form of Gloster Meteor Mk.I fighters, testing them at RAF Culmhead.^[9] The first Meteor operational sortie was on 27 July from RAF Manston when it intercepted V-1 flying bombs launched against southern England. The first victories came on 4 August when one V1 was tipped over after a pilot's cannon jammed and another was shot down. The loss rate of the still unproven Meteor Mk.I was high, with three being written off in non-combat incidents between 15 and 29 August. Re-equipment with improved Meteor Mk.IIIs began in January 1945 and in February a detachment was deployed to Melsbroek near Brussels in Belgium. It was intended as a defence against Me 262s but in the event they did not ever face them. In early April the complete squadron moved to Gilze-Rijen in the Netherlands, commencing ground attack sorties on 16 April. The squadron was disbanded at Lübeck, Germany on 29 August 1945 by being renumbered to No. 263 Squadron RAF.^[7][10][11]

Post-war

No. 616 squadron was officially reformed at RAF Finningley as the South Yorkshire Squadron on 10 May 1946,^[7] with volunteers being recruited over the following few months till embodied on 11 July 1946.^[7] It was allocated the night fighter role within Reserve Command and the first Mosquito T.3 trainers were received in October, but it was not until January 1948 that the operational Mosquito NF.30s were delivered to Finningley.

Gloster Meteor F.8 of 616 Squadron in 1955 wearing the distinctive unit markings.

At the end of 1948 No. 616 was redesignated as a day fighter squadron and began to receive Meteor F.3s in January 1949. Conversion to the updated Meteor F.8 took place in December 1951, which wore the distinctive Green and Gold Diamond markings of 616 Sqn on the rear fuselage. The squadron moved base to RAF Worksop on 23 May 1955, where it either disbanded on 10 March 1957 (per Halley and Jefford or Pitchfork), together with all RAuxAF flying units, or disbanded on 15 January 1957 according to Rawlings in Fighter Squadrons of the Royal Air Force, at RAF Finningley.^[12]

Re-Activation & Current Role

In April 2019, the unit reformed as 616 (South Yorkshire) Squadron Royal Auxiliary Air Force (RAuxAF) at RAF Waddington to augment the RAF’s Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) Force and delivering a Combat Air capability.^[13] Personnel assigned to 616 Sqn are former Regular RAF specialists, providing expertise, experience and mentoring to augment the RAF's Front Line ISTAR Squadrons.^[14]

Aircraft operated

Aircraft operated by no. 616 Squadron RAF, data from^{[7][15][16][17]}

From	To	Aircraft	Version	Remarks
Nov 1938	Jan 1939	Hawker Hind		Used for training
Jan 1939	Dec 1939	Gloster Gauntlet	Mk.II
May 1939	Nov 1939	Fairey Battle		Used for training
Oct 1939	Feb 1941	Supermarine Spitfire	Mk.I
Feb 1941	Jul 1941	Supermarine Spitfire	Mk.IIa
Jul 1941	Jun 1942	Supermarine Spitfire	Mk.Vb
Oct 1941	Nov 1941	Supermarine Spitfire	Mk.IIb
Apr 1942	Nov 1943	Supermarine Spitfire	Mk.VI
Sep 1943	Aug 1944	Supermarine Spitfire	Mk.VII
Jul 1944	Jan 1945	Gloster Meteor	Mk.I
Jan 1945	Aug 1945	Gloster Meteor	Mk.III
Sep 1947	May 1949	de Havilland Mosquito	NF.30
Jan 1949	May 1957	Gloster Meteor	F.3
Apr 1951	Dec 1951	Gloster Meteor	F.4
Dec 1951	Feb 1957	Gloster Meteor	F.8
Apr 2019	Oct 2021	Sentry	AEW.1
Apr 2019	Mar 2021	Sentinel	R.1
Apr 2019	Date	MQ-9A Reaper
Apr 2019	Date	Shadow	R.1 & R.2

Squadron bases

Bases and airfields used by no. 616 Squadron RAF, data from^{[2][7][12][18]}

From	To	Base	Remark
1 November 1938	23 October 1939	RAF Doncaster	Formed here
23 October 1939	23 February 1940	RAF Leconfield
23 February 1940	9 March 1940	RAF Catfoss	Detached due to thaw at Leconfield[19]
9 March 1940	27 May 1940	RAF Leconfield
27 May 1940	6 June 1940	RAF Rochford	Detached for air cover during Dunkirk evacuation[20]
6 June 1940	19 August 1940	RAF Leconfield
19 August 1940	3 September 1940	RAF Kenley
3 September 1940	9 September 1940	RAF Coltishall
9 September 1940	26 February 1941	RAF Kirton-in-Lindsey
26 February 1941	9 May 1941	RAF Tangmere
9 May 1941	6 October 1941	RAF Westhampnett
6 October 1941	30 January 1942	RAF Kirton-in-Lindsey
30 January 1942	3 July 1942	RAF Kings Cliffe
3 July 1942	8 July 1942	RAF West Malling
8 July 1942	29 July 1942	RAF Kenley
29 July 1942	14 August 1942	RAF Great Sampford
14 August 1942	20 August 1942	RAF Hawkinge	Detached for Dieppe Raid[21]
20 August 1942	1 September 1942	RAF Great Sampford
1 September 1942	7 September 1942	RAF Ipswich	Det.
7 September 1942	23 September 1942	RAF Great Sampford
23 September 1942	29 October 1942	RAF Tangmere
29 October 1942	2 January 1943	RAF Westhampnett
2 January 1943	15 March 1943	RAF Ibsley
15 March 1943	18 March 1943	RAF Harrowbeer	Det.
18 March 1943	17 September 1943	RAF Ibsley
17 September 1943	16 November 1943	RAF Exeter
16 November 1943	1 December 1943	RAF Fairwood Common	Detached for armament practice camp[22]
1 December 1943	18 March 1944	RAF Exeter
18 March 1944	24 April 1944	RAF West Malling
24 April 1944	16 May 1944	RAF Fairwood Common
16 May 1944	21 July 1944	RAF Culmhead
21 July 1944	17 January 1945	RAF Manston
17 January 1945	28 February 1945	RAF Colerne
4 February 1945	26 March 1945	B.58 Melsbroek, Belgium	Detachment flying all-white Meteors[23]
28 February 1945	1 April 1945	RAF Andrews Field
1 April 1945	13 April 1945	B.77/Gilze-Rijen, Netherlands
13 April 1945	20 April 1945	B.91/Nijmegen, Netherlands
20 April 1945	26 April 1945	B.109/Quakenbrück, Germany
26 April 1945	3 May 1945	B.152/Fassberg, Germany
3 May 1945	7 May 1945	B.156/Luneberg, Germany
7 May 1945	29 August 1945	B.158/Lübeck, Germany	Disbanded here
10 May 1946	15 June 1951	RAF Finningley	Reformed here
15 June 1951	11 July 1951	RAF Church Fenton	Call-up training during Korean crisis[24]
11 July 1951	23 May 1955	RAF Finningley
23 May 1955	10 March 1957	RAF Worksop	Disbanded here
1 April 2019	Present	RAF Waddington	Reformed here

Commanding officers

Officers commanding no. 616 Squadron RAF, data from^[25][26]

From	To	Name
November 1938	September 1939	S/Ldr the Earl of Lincoln
September 1939	May 1940	S/Ldr W.K. Beisiegel
May 1940	September 1940	S/Ldr M. Robinson
September 1940	September 1941	S/Ldr H.F. Burton, DFC
September 1941	February 1942	S/Ldr C.F. Gray, DFC & Bar
February 1942	January 1943	S/Ldr H.L.I. Brown DFC
January 1943	April 1943	S/Ldr G.S.K. Haywood
April 1943	April 1943	S/Ldr P.W. Lefevre DFC
April 1943	July 1943	S/Ldr P.B. Lucas DFC
July 1943	July 1944	S/Ldr L.W. Watts DFC
July 1944	May 1945	W/Cdr A. McDowall DFM & Bar
May 1945	August 1945	W/Cdr W.E. Schrader DFC
July 1946	December 1950	S/Ldr K. Holden DFC
December 1950	November 1954	S/Ldr L.H. Casson DFC
November 1954	March 1957	S/Ldr W.G. Abel
April 2019	Present	Sqn Ldr Stephen (Bertie) Lewis Beddoes

Notable Members of 616 Squadron

• Air Vice Marshal James Edgar 'Johnnie' Johnson CB CBE DSO & Two Bars DFC & Bar
• Group Captain Sir Hugh Dundas CBE DSO & Bar DFC
• Group Captain Denys Gillam DSO & Two Bars DFC & Bar AFC
• Group Captain Sir Douglas Bader CBE DSO & Bar DFC & Bar DL FRAeS

See also

• List of Royal Air Force aircraft squadrons

References

Notes

1. Rawlings 1978, p. 509.
2. Halley 1988, p. 434.
3. Pitchfork 2009, pp. 124–125.
4. Bowyer & Rawlings 1979, p. 14.
5. Bowyer & Rawlings 1979, p. 117.
6. Bowyer & Rawlings 1979, p. 138.
7. Jefford 2001, p. 101.
8. Sarkar 2011, p. 43.
9. Berryman 2006, pp. 50–86.
10. Halley 1988, p. 329.
11. Pitchfork 2009, p. 109.
12. Rawlings 1978, p. 510.
13. "616 (South Yorkshire) Squadron Reformation at RAF Waddington". RAF Waddington News. RAF Waddington. 1 April 2019. Retrieved 24 April 2019.
14. "Royal Air Force".
15. Hunt 1972, p. 413.
16. Rawlings 1978, pp. 510–511.
17. Halley 1988, p. 435.
18. Pitchfork 2009, p. 151.
19. Pitchfork 2009, p. 17.
20. Pitchfork 2009, p. 19.
21. Hunt 1972, p. 407.
22. Pitchfork 2009, p. 86.
23. Pitchfork 2009, pp. 102–103.
24. Pitchfork 2009, p. 117.
25. Pitchfork 2009, p. 150.
26. Rawlings 1978, p. 511.

Bibliography

• Berryman, David (2006). Somerset airfields in the Second World War. Newbury, UK: Countryside Books. ISBN 1-85306-864-0.
• Bowyer, Michael J.F.; Rawlings, John D.R. (1979). Squadron Codes, 1937–56. Cambridge, UK: Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN 0-85059-364-6.
• Delve, Ken; Pitchfork, Graham (1990). South Yorkshire's Own: 616 Squadron RAF. Doncaster Books.
• 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, 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.
• Pitchfork, Graham (2009). The RAF's first jet squadron: 616 (South Yorkshire) History 1938–57. The Mill, Brimscombe Port, Stroud, Gloucestershire: The History Press Ltd. ISBN 978-0-7524-4914-2.
• Rawlings, John (1978) [1969]. Fighter Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft (Revised 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.
• Sarkar, Dilip (2011). Spitfire Ace of Aces: The True Wartime Story of Johnnie Johnson. Amberley Publishing. ISBN 978-1-4456-0475-6.

External links

• Squadron histories for Nos. 611–620 Squadrons
• Squadron History 616 Sqn