440 Squadron

General Information:

The Squadron was initially formed as 111 (Fighter) Squadron, in 1941.

*Note* – My plan it to create a page for 111 (Fighter) Squadron and the other 100 series units once I have completed the 400 series squadrons. The history of the squadron as 111 Squadron will be documented on that page.

Role(s):

• Fighter Bomber Squadron – 1944 – 1945
• All Weather Fighter Squadron – 1953 – 1962
• Communications and Rescue Squadron – 1968
• Transport and Rescue Squadron – 1968 – 1995
• Transport Squadron – 1995 – Present

Based:

• RAF Ayr, Scot. 14 Feb 44 – 17 Mar 44.
• RAF Hurn, Hants. 18 Mar 44 – 2 Apr 44.
• RAF Funtington, Sussex 3 Apr 44 – 19 Apr 44.
• RAF Hurn, Hants. 20 Apr 44 – 27 Jun 44.
• B.(Base) 9 Lantheuil, France 28 Jun 44 – 30 Aug 44.
• B.(Base)24 St Andre, France 31 Aug 44 – 2 Sep 44.
• B.(Base)48 Glisy, France 3 Sep 44 – 5 Sep 44.
• B.(Base)58 Melsbroek, Belgium. 6 Sep 44 – 25 Sep 44.
• B.(Base)78 Eindhoven, Belgium. 26 Sep 44 – 29 Mar 45.
• B.(Base)100 Goch, Germany 30 Mar 45 – 10 Apr 45.
• B.(Base)110 Osnabruck, Germany 11 Apr 45 – 19 Apr 45.
• B.(Base)150 Hustedt, Germany – 20 Apr 45 – 28 May 45.
• No. 17 Armament Practice Camp, Warmwoell, Dorset., England 23 Apr – 7 May 45.
• B.(Base)166 Flensburg, Germany 29 May 45 – 26 Aug 45.
• RCAF Station Bagotville, Quebec. 1 Oct 53 – 10 May 57.
• En route overseas (Operation “Nimble Bat III”) 11 May 57.
• Zweibrucken, Germany – 12 May 57 – 15 Jun 62.
• Baden-Soellingen, Germany (for withdrawal of CF-100 aircraft) – 16 Jun 62 – 31 Dec 62.
• CFB Winnipeg, Manitoba
• CFB Namao, Alberta
• Yellowknife, Northwest Territories

Years Active:

• 1932-1937 (as 11 (AC) Squadron (Auxilary))
• 1937-1940 (as 111 (CAC) Squadron
• 1940 – 1944 (as 111 (F) Squadron)
• 1944 – 1945
• 1953 – 1962
• 1968 – Present

Aircraft Used:

• Hawker Hurricane Mk.IV (Feb – Mar 44, not on operations)
• Hawker Typhoon Mk.IB (Mar 44 – Aug 45)
• Avro CF-100 Canuck Mk.3B (Oct 53 – Sep 55)
• Avro CF-100 Canuck Mk.4B (Feb 55 – Dec 62)
• Douglas Dakota
• Vertol H-21 Helicopter
• de Havilland CC-115 – Buffalo
• de Havilland CC-138 – Twin Otter

Commanding Officer:

Squadron Leader William Henry Pentland, DFC Killed in Action	8 Feb 44 – 7 Oct 44
Squadron Leader A.E. Monson, DFC OTE.	8 Oct 44 – 15 Dec 44
Squadron Leader H.O. Gooding, DFC OTE.	16 Dec 44 – 10 Mar 45
Squadron Leader Robert Ellsworth Coffey, DFC died in a traffic accident (1)	11 Mar 45 – 30 Jul 45
Squadron Leader A.E. Monson, DFC	4 Aug 45 – 26 Aug 45.
Wing Commander A.G. Lawrence, DFC, AFC	1 Oct 53 – 17 Oct 54.
Wing Commander C.V.B. Carson, CD	18 Oct 54 – 11 Jan 56.
Wing Commander J.M. Sutherland, CD	9 Feb 56 – 28 Mar 57
Wing Commander Wallace Angus Grayton McLeish, DFC, AFC, CD Killed in Flying Accident	29 Mar 57 – 20 Jun 57
Wing Commander S.F. Cowan, CD	27 May 58 – 2 Aug 59.
Wing Commander J.F. Corrigan, DFC, CD	3 Aug 59 – 24 Jul 61.
Wing Commander R.F. Herbert, CD	31 July 61 – 31 Dec 62.

(1) Severely injured in an auto accident on 30 July 1945 and died 1 August.

Battle Honors:

Fortress Europe	1944
France and Germany	1944-1945
Normandy	1944
Amhem
Rhine.
Aleutians (2)	1942-1943

(2) Earned as No. 111 (F) Squadron

Daily Diary / Historical Reports / ORB Links:

Key Dates / Notes:

• Formed as No 11 (Army Cooperation) Squadron (Auxiliary) at Vancouver, British Columbia, 5 October 1932.
• Redesignated No 111 (Coastal Artillery Cooperation) Squadron, 15 November 1937.
• Re-formed as No. 111 (F) Sqn, Rockcliffe, Ont. 1 Nov 41.
• Redesignated No. 440 (FB) Sqn, Ayr, Scotland. 8 Feb 44.
• Disbanded at Flensburg, Germany. 26 Aug 45.
• Re-formed at Bagotville, Quebec – 1 Oct 53.
• Disbanded at Zweibrucken, Germany – 31 Dec 62.
• Reformed as ‘440 Communications and Rescue Squadron’ 8 July 1968, from ‘111 Composite Unit’ (authorized 1 January 1959).
• Redesignated ‘440 Transport and Rescue Squadron’ 1 October 1968.
• Redesignated ‘440 Transport Squadron’ 1 May 1995.

Ephemera:

External Links:

• Government of Canada
  • Official lineage webpage
• Wikipedia

Sources:

• RCAF Squadrons and Aircraft, John Griffin and S. Kostenuk, 1977