401 Squadron

General Information:

The Squadron was initially formed as 1 (Fighter) Squadron, Trenton, Ontario in May 1937.

*Note* – My plan it to create a page for 1 Squadron and the other Pre 100 series units once I have completed the 400 and 100 series squadrons. The history of the squadron as Squadron 1 will be documented on those pages.

Role(s):

Based:

• Digby, Lincs. 1 Mar 41 – 19 Oct 41.
• Biggin Hill, Kent 20 Oct 41 – 18 Mar 42.
• Gravesend, Kent 19 Mar 42 ~ 2 Jul 42.
• Eastchurch, Kent 3 Jul 42 – 2 Aug 42.
• No. 15 Armament Practice Camp, Martlesham Heath, Suffolk 28 Jul – 2 Aug 42.
• Biggin Hill, Kent 3 Aug 42 – 13 Aug 42.
• Lympne, Kent 14 Aug 42 – 20 Aug 42.
• Biggin Hill, Kent 21 Aug 42 – 23 Sep 42.
• Kenley, Surrey 24 Sep 42 – 22 Jan 43.
• Catterick, Yorks. 23 Jan 43 – 28 May 43.
• 4 aircraft, Thornaby, Yorks, 25 Jan – 27 May 43.
• Redhill, Surrey 29 May 43 – 6 August 43.
• No. 15 Armament Practice Camp, Martlesham Heath, Suffolk 20-30 Jul 43.
• Staplehurst, Kent 7 Aug 43 – 12 Oct 43.
• Biggin Hill, Kent 13 Oct 43 – 7 Apr 44.
• No. 11 Armament Practice Camp, Fairwood Common, S. Wales 8 Apr 44 – 17 Apr 44.
• Tangmere, Sussex 18 Apr 44 – 17 Jun 44.
• B. (Base) 4 Beny-sur-Mer, Fr. 18 Jun 44 – 7 Aug 44.
• B. (Base) 18 Cristot, Fr. 8 Aug 44 – 31 Aug 44.
• B. (Base) 28 Evreux, Fr. 1 Sep 44.
• B. (Base) 24 St André, Fr. 2 Sep 44.
• B. (Base) 44 Poix, Fr. 3 Sep 44 – 6 Sep 44.
• B. (Base) 56 Evére, Bel. 7 Sep 44 – 20 Sep 44.
• B. (Base) 68 Le Culot, Bel. 21 Sep 44 – 2 Oct 44.
• B. (Base) 84 Rips, Neth. 3 Oct 44 – 13 Oct 44,
• B. (Base) 80 Volkel, Neth. 14 Oct 44 – 5 Dec 44.
• No. 17 Armament Practice Camp, Warmwoell, Dorset, Eng. 24 Oct – 4 Nov 44.
• B. (Base) 88 Heesch, Neth. 6 Dec 44 – 11 Apr 45.
• B. (Base) 108 Rheine, Ger. 12 Apr 45 – 14 Apr 45.
• B. (Base) 116 Wunstorf, Ger. 15 Apr 45 – 12 May 45.
• B. (Base) 152 Fassberg, Ger. 13 May 45 – 1 Jul 45.
• B. (Base) 152 Fassberg, Ger. 2 Jul 45 – 10 Jul 45.
• St Hubert, Que. 15 Apr 46 – January 1998
• Cold Lake, Alberta – 30 June 2015 – Present

Years Active:

Aircraft Used:

• Hawker Hurricane Mk.I (Mar – May 41)
• Hawker Hurricane Mk.II (May – Sep 41)
• Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IIA (Sep – Oct 41)
• Supermarine Spitfire Mk. VB (Oct 41 – Aug 42)
• Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IX (Jul – Dec 42)
• Supermarine Spitfire Mk. VB (Dec 42 – Oct 43)
• Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IXB (Oct 43 – Apr 45)
• Supermarine Spitfire Mk.XIVE (May – Jun 45; not on operations)
• Supermarine Spitfire Mk.XVI (Jun – Jul 45)
• North American Harvard Mk.II (Sep 46 – Sep 58)
• de Havilland Vampire Mk.III (Mar 48 – Feb 56)
• Canadair Silver Star Mk.3 (Dec 54 – Oct 58)
• Canadair Sabre Mk.5 (Oct 56 – Oct 58)
• Beechcraft Expeditor Mk.3 (Sep 58 – Oct 66)
• de Havilland Otter (Oct 60-Jan 68)
• Unknown Helecopter
• McDonnell Douglas CF-188 Hornet (2015 – Present)

Commanding Officer:

Squadron Leader P.B. Pitcher	1 Mar 41 – 11 Mar 41.
Squadron Leader A.D. Nesbitt	12 Mar 41 – 28 Aug 41.
Squadron Leader N.R. Johnstone	29 Aug 41 – 24 Jan 42.
Squadron Leader A.G. Douglas (RAF), DFC	25 Jan 42 – 2 Jun 42.
Squadron Leader K.L.B. Hodson, DFC	3 Jun 42 – 21 Jan 43.
Squadron Leader A.G. Douglas (RAF), DFC .	25 Jan 42 – 2 Jun 42
Squadron Leader K.L.B. Hodson, DFC	3 Jun 42 – 21 Jan 43
Squadron Leader E.L. Neal, DFC repat.	22 Jan 43 – 17 Dec 43
Squadron Leader L.M. Cameron, DFC POW.	18 Dec 43 – 2 Jul 44
Squadron Leader E.L. Neal, DFC repat	22 Jan 43 – 17 Dec 43
Squadron Leader L.M. Cameron, DFC POW.	18 Dec 43 – 2 Jul 44
Squadron Leader LF. Kennedy, DFC and Bar MIA.?	3 Jul 44 – 26 Jul 44
Squadron Leader H.C. Trainor, DFC POW.	26 Jul 44 – 19 Sep 44
Squadron Leader R.L.A. Smith, DFC and Bar 2OTE.	28 Sep 44 – 30 Nov 44
Squadron Leader H.J. Everard, DFC POW.	3 Dec 44 – 25 Dec 44
Squadron Leader W.T. Klersy, DFC and Bar KIFA.	4 Jan 45 – 22 May 45
Squadron Leader E.A. Ker, DFC .	23 May 45 – 10 Jul 45
Wing Commander F.G. Grant, DSO, DFC ret.	10 Oct 47 – 23 Aug 48
Wing Commander J.W. Reid, DFC .	24 Aug 48 – 14 Dec 51
Wing Commander H.J. Everard, DFC, CD .	15 Dec 51 – 13 Jan 55
W/C J.M. Grisdale	15 Sep 55 – 15 Sep 57
Wing Commander A.J. Edwards, CD ret.	1 Apr 58 – 31 Mar 61
Group Captain H.J. Everard, DFC, CD .	1 Apr 61 – 31 Sep 61
Wing Commander T. Bowie, CD ret.	1 Nov 61 – 31 Sep 65
Wing Commander G.D. Adkins, CD	1 Oct 65 – 31 Jan 68.

Battle Honors:

Battle of Britain	1940
Defence of Britain	1940-1944
English Channel and North Sea	1942
Fortress Europe	1941-1944
Dieppe
France and Germany	1944-1945
Normandy	1944
Arnhem
Rhine

Daily Diary / Historical Reports / ORB Links:

Key Dates / Notes:

• Formed as No. 1 (F) Sqn, Trenton, Ont. 17 May 37.
• Absorbed No. 115 (F) Sqn (Aux), Halifax, N.S. 28 May 40.
• Renumbered No. 401 (F) Sqn, Digby, Lincs., Eng. 1 Mar 41.
• Disbanded at Fassberg, Ger. 10 Jul 45.
• Formed as No. 401 (F) Sqn (Aux), Montreal, Que. 15 Apr 46.
• Titled No. 401 “City of Westmount” (F) Sqn (Aux) 4 Sep 52.
• Redesignated No. 401 “City of Westmount” Sqn (Aux) 1 Nov 58.
• Integrated into CAF as No. 401 “City of Westmount” Air Res Sqn 1 Feb 68.
• Redesignated ‘401 Air Reserve Squadron’ 1 January 1969.
• Redesignated ‘401 Helicopter Operational Training Squadron’ 22 October 1991.
• Disbanded 1 January 1998.
• 401 Tactical Fighter Squadron (Tac F Sqn) was stood up on 30 June 2015 at 4 Wing Cold Lake, Alberta

Ephemera:

External Links:

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

Sources:

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