416 Squadron

General Information:

Role(s):

• Fighter Squadron
  • November 1941 – March 1946
  • January 1951 – February 1957
• All Weather Fighter Squadron
  • February 1957 – September 1961
  • December 1961 – March 1985.
• Tactical Fighter Squadron – June 1988 – December 2007.

Based:

• Peterhead, Aber., Scot 22 Nov 41 – 13 Mar 42.
• Dyce, Aber., Scot. 14 Mar 42 – 2 Apr 42.
• “B” Flight Montrose, Scot. 14-27 Mar 42.
• Peterhead 28 Mar – 2 Apr 42.
• Peterhead, Aber., Scot. 3 Apr 42 – 16 Jul 42.
• “A” Flight remained at Dyce until 25 Jun.
• Martlesham Heath, Suffolk 17 Jul 42 – 22 Sep 42.
• Canadian Kenley Wing,
• Redhill, Surrey 23 Sep 42 – 31 Jan 43.
• Kenley, Surrey 1 Feb 43 – 28 May 43.
• Wellingore, Lincs. 29 May 43 – 6 Jun 43.
• Digby, Lincs. 7 Jun 43 – 8 Aug 43.
• Merston, Sussex 9 Aug 43 – 18 Sep 43.
• Wellingore, Lincs. 19 Sep 43 – 1 Oct 43.
• Digby, Lines. 2 Oct 43 – 11 Feb 44.
• Kenley, Surrey 12 Feb 44 – 16 Apr 44.
• Tangmere, Sussex 17 Apr 44 – 15 Jun 44.
• B.(Base) 2 Bazenville, Fr. 16 Jun 44 – 27 Aug 44.
• B.26 Illiers I’Evéque. Fr. 28 Aug 44 – 21 Sep 44.
• B.68 Le Culot, Bel. 22 Sep 44 – 29 Sep 44.
• B.82 Grave, Neth. 30 Sep 44 – 21 Oct 44.
• B.$8 Melsbroek, Bel. 22 Oct 44 – 3 Nov 44.
• B.56 Evére, Bel. 4 Nov 44 – 2 Mar 45.
• B.90 Petit-Brogel, Bel. 3 Mar 45 – 30 Mar 45.
• B.78 Eindhoven, Neth. 31 Mar 45 – 11 Apr 45.
• B.100 Goch, Ger. 12 Apr 45 – 13 Apr 45.
• B.114 Diepholz, Ger. 14 Apr 45 – 25 Apr 45.
• B.154 Soltau, Ger. 26 Apr 45 – 1 Jul 45
• British Air Forces of Occupation (Germany):
• No. 83 (Composite) Group,
• No. 126 (RCAF) Wing,
• B.152 Fassberg, Ger. 2 Jul 45 – 4 Jul 45.
• B.174 Utersen. Ger. 5 Jul 45 – 21 Mar 46.
• Uplands, Ont. 8 Jan 51 – 27 Sep 52.
• En route overseas (Operation “Leapfrog II”) 28 Sep 52 – 10 Oct 52.
• Grostenquin, Fr. 11 Oct 52 – 31 Jan 57.
• St Hubert, Que. 1 Feb 57 – 1 Sep 61.
• Squadron inactive
• Bagotville, Que. 1 Jan. 62 – 4 Feb 62.
• Namao, Alta. (conversion to CF-101 under No. 425 AW(F) Sqn) 2-31 Jan 62.
• Uplands, Ont. 5 Feb 62 – 3 Jul 62.
• Bagotville, Que. 4 Jul 62 – 15 Nov 62.
• Chatham, N.B. 16 Nov 62 – 31 Jan 68.

Years Active:

Aircraft Used:

• Supermarine Spitfire
  • Mk.IIA & IIB (Nov 41 – Mar 42)
  • Mk.VB (Mar 42 – Mar 43)
  • Mk.IX (Mar – May 43)
  • Mk.VB & VC (May 43 – Feb 44)
  • Mk.IXB (Jan – Dec 44)
  • Mk.XVI (Dec 44 – Sep 45)
  • Mk.XIVE (Sep 45 – Mar 46))
• North American Mustang Mk.IV (Jan 51 – Mar 52)
• Canadair Sabre
  • Mk.2 (Mar 52 – Mar 54)
  • Mk.5 (Mar 54 – May 55)
  • Mk.6 (Apr 55 – Jan 57)
• Avro CF-100 Canuck Mk.5 (Feb 57 – Aug 61)
• McDonnell CF-101B Voodoo (Feb 62 – Jan 68)

Commanding Officer:

Squadron Leader P.C. Webb	22 Nov 41 – 8 Mar 42
Squadron Leader L.V. Chadburn, DFC	9 Mar 42 – 7 Jan 43
Squadron Leader F.H. Boulton, DFC Prisoner of War	8 Jan 43 – 13 May 43
Squadron Leader R.W. McNair, DFC	17 May 43 – 18 Jun 43
Squadron Leader F.E. Grant	19 Jun 43 – 27 Aug 43
Squadron Leader R.H. Walker	29 Aug 43 – 19 Oct 43
Squadron Leader F.E. Green, DFC	20 Oct 43 – 29 Jun 44
Squadron Leader J.F. McElroy, DFC	30 Jun 44 – 31 Oct 44
Squadron Leader J.D. Mitchner, DFC and Bar	1 Nov 44 – 15 Jan 46
Flight Lieutenant S.H. Straub	16 Jan 46 – 21 Mar 46
Squadron Leader D.C. Laubman, DFC and Bar	8 Jan 51 – 17 Mar 52
Squadron Leader J. MacKay, DFC and Bar	18 Mar 52 – 25 Aug 54
Squadron Leader K.C. Lett	22 Oct 54 – 25 Mar 56
Squadron Leader J.L.A. Roussell, DFC	26 Mar 56 -31 Jan 57
Squadron inactive.
Wing Commander W.L. Drake, CD	7 Mar 57 – 19 Aug 59
Wing Commander R.B. West, DFC, AFC, CD	20 Aug 59 – 30 Nov 59
Wing Commander W.]. Buzza, CD	17 Feb 60 – 12 Dec 60
Squadron Leader D.J. Gagnon	13 Dec 60 – 1 Sep 61
Squadron inactive
Wing Commander E.D. Kelly, CD	1 Jan 62 – 9 Oct 64
Wing Commander J.C. Henry, CD	13 Oct 64 – 29 Dec 67
Wing Commander S.A. Miller, CD	30 Dec 67 – 31 Jan 68

Battle Honors:

Defence of Britain	1942-1944
English Channel and North Sea	1943
Fortress Europe	1942-1944
Dieppe
France and Germany	1944-1945
Normandy	1944
Arnhem
Rhine

Daily Diary / Historical Reports / ORB Links:

Key Dates / Notes:

• Authorized as ‘416 (Fighter) Squadron’ 22 November 1941.
• Disbanded 15 March 1946.
• Reformed 8 January 1951.
• Redesignated ‘416 All Weather Fighter Squadron’ 1 February 1957.
• Disbanded 1 September 1961.
• Reformed 31 December 1961.
• Designated in French « 416e Escadron de chasseurs tous temps » 1 December 1978.
• Disbanded 31 March 1985.
• Reformed as ‘416 Tactical Fighter Squadron’ 1 June 1988.
• Disbanded 12 December 2007.

Ephemera:

External Links:

• Government of Canada
  • Official Webpage – Currently inactive, no official webpage.
  • Official lineage webpage
• Wikipedia
• CASPIR – Canadian Aircraft Serials Personnel Information Resource

Sources:

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