400 Squadron

General Information:

The Squadron was initially formed as No. 110 “City of Toronto” (AC) Sqn (Aux), Toronto, Ont. 5 Oct 32

*Note* – My plan it to create a page for 110 Squadron and the other 100 series units once I have completed the 400 series squadrons. The history of the squadron as 110 Squadron will be documented on that page.

Role(s):

• Army Cooperation Squadron – 1932-1943
• Fighter Reconnaissance Squadron – 1953-1945
• Fighter-Bomber Squadron (Auxiliary) – 1946 – 1947
• Fighter Squadron (Auxilary)

Based:

• Odiham, Hants. 1 Mar 41 – 3 Dec 42.
• “A” Flight, Middle Wallop, Hants. (training and operations in fighter tactics) 27 Oct – 28 Dec 42.’
• Dunsfold, Surrey 4 Dec 42 – 27 Dec 42.
• 6 aircraft (fighter escort over the Bay of Biscay) Portreath, Cornwall 3-23 Dec 42.
• Trebelzue, Cornwall 24 Dec 42 – 14 Jan 43.
• Middle Wallop, Hants. 28 Dec 42 – 13 Jan 43.
• Dunsfold, Surrey 14 Jan 43 – 27 Jul 43.
• Woodchurch, Kent 28 Jul 43 – 14 Oct 43.
• Redhill, Surrey 15 Oct 43 – 17 Feb 44.
• Kenley, Surrey (Redhill runways under repair) 2-30 Dec 43.
• Odiham Hants. 18 Feb 44 – 30 Jun 44.
• B(Base) 8 Sommervieu, Fr. 1 Jul 44 – 14 Aug 44.
• “B” Flight remained at Odiham until 10 Aug 44.
• B(Base) 21 Ste-Honorine-de-Ducy, Fr. 15 Aug 44 – 31 Aug 44.
• B(Base) 34 Avrilly, Fr. 1 Sep 44 – 19 Sep 44.
• B(Base) 66 Blakenburg, Bel. 20 Sep 44 – 2 Oct 44.
• B(Base) 78 Eindhoven, Neth. 3 Oct 44 – 6 Mar 45.
• B(Base) 90 Petit-Brogel, Bel. 7 Mar 45 – 9 Apr 45.
• B(Base) 108 Rheine, Ger. 10 Apr 45 – 15 Apr 45.
• B(Base) 116 Wunstorf, Ger. 16 Apr 45 – 27 Apr 45,
• B(Base) 154 Soltau, Ger. 28 Apr 45 – 6 May 45.
• B(Base) 156 Luneburg, Ger. 7 May 45 – 17 Jul 45.
• B(Base) 160 Copenhagen, Den. 18 Jul 45 – 1 Aug 45.
• B(Base) 156 Luneburg, Ger. 2 Aug 45 – 7 Aug 45.
• RCAF Station Malton, Ont. 15 Apr 46 – 17 Oct 47.
• RCAF Station Downsview,(1) Ont. 19 Oct 46 – approximately 1994.
• CFB Borden, Ontario (Approximately 1994 – Present)

(1) Known as De Havilland Aerodrome until February 1947.

Years Active:

Aircraft Used:

• Westland Lysander Mk.III (Mar – Apr 41)
• Curtiss Tomahawk Mk.I, IIA & IIB (Apr 41 – Jul 42)
• North American Mustang Mk.I (Jun 42 – Feb 44)?
• de Havilland Mosquito P.R. Mk.XVI (Dec 43 – May 44, 6 aircraft)(3)
• Supermarine Spitfire P.R.Mk.XI (Dec 43 – Aug 45)
• North American Harvard Mk.II (Jul 46 – Sep 58)
• de Havilland Vampire Mk.II (Mar 48 – May 55)
• Canadair Silver Star Mk.3 (Apr 55 – Oct 58)
• Canadair Sabre Mk.5 (Oct 56 – Oct 58)
• Beechcraft Expeditor Mk.3 (Oct 58 – Oct 66)
• de Havilland Otter (Oct 60 – Jan 68)
• Bell CH-136 Kiowa (1980 –
• Bell CH-146 Griffon

Commanding Officer:

Wing Commander R.M. McKay .	1 Mar 41 – 11 Aug 41
Wing Commander H.W. Kerby repat.	12 Aug 41 – 9 May 42
Squadron Leader R.C.A. Waddell, DSO, DFC, .	10 May 42 – 14 Jul 43
Squadron Leader W.B. Woods, DFC repat.	15 Jul 43 – 11 Sep 43
Wing Commander R.A. Ellis, DFC repat.	12 Sep 43 – 13 Nov 44
Squadron Leader M.G. Brown, DFC and Bar repat.	14 Nov 44 – 1 Jul 45
Squadron Leader J.A. Morton, DFC .	2 Jul 45 – 7 Aug 45
Wing Commander G.W. Gooderham, AFC ret.	8 Feb 47 – 31 Oct 48
Wing Commander C.A. James, AFC .	1 Nov 48 – 7 May 51
Wing Commander A.E. Fleming KIFA.	8 May 51 – 8 Mar 52
Wing Commander R.H. Rohmer, DFC .	9 Mar 52 – 5 Sep 52
Wing Commander W.N. Stowe, DFC ret.	6 Sep 52 – 6 May 54
Squadron Leader C.LM. Ettles .	7 May 54 – 30 Jun 55
Squadron Leader W.A. Curtis, Jr. ret.	1 Jul 55 – 2 May 57
Wing Commander H.B. Davis .	3 May 57 – 31 Dec 59
Wing Commander B.A. Howard, CD .	1 Jan 60 – 2 Oct 63
Wing Commander G.E. Gilroy, CD .	3 Oct 63 – 31 Dec 66
Wing Commander G.M. Georgas, CD .	1 Jan 67 – 31 Jan 68

Battle Honors:

FORTRESS EUROPE	1941-1944
Dieppe
FRANCE AND GERMANY	1944-1945
Normandy	1944
Arnhem
Rhine
BISCAY	1942-1943

Daily Diary / Historical Reports / ORB Links:

Key Dates / Notes:

• Formed as No. 110 “City of Toronto” (AC) Sqn (Aux), Toronto, Ont. 5 Oct 32.
• Renumbered No. 400 (AC) Sqn, Odiham, Hants., Eng. 1 Mar 41.
• Redesignated No. 400 (FR) Sqn, Dunsfold, Surrey 28 Jun 43.
• Disbanded at Luneburg, Ger. 7 Aug 45.
• Reformed as ‘400 (Fighter-Bomber) Squadron (Auxiliary)’ 15 April 1946.
• Redesignated ‘400 (Fighter) Squadron (Auxiliary)’ 1 February 1947.
• Redesignated ‘400 “City of Toronto” (Fighter) Squadron’ 6 November 1952.
• Redesignated ‘400 Squadron’ 1 October 1958.
• Redesignated ‘400 Squadron (Auxiliary)’ 22 February 1964.
• Redesignated ‘400 Air Reserve Squadron’ 1 January 1969.
• Redesignated ‘400 Helicopter Operational Training Squadron’ 22 October 1991.
• Redesignated ‘400 Tactical Helicopter Squadron’ 1 January 1998.

Ephemera:

External Links:

• Government of Canada
  • Official lineage webpage
• Wikipedia
• CASPIR – Canadian Aircraft Serials Personnel Information Resource

Sources:

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