419 Squadron

General Information:

Role(s):

Based:

• Mildenhall, Suffolk 21 Dec 41 – 12 Aug 42.
• Leeming, Yorks. 13 Aug 42 – 17 Aug 42.
• Topcliffe, Yorks. 18 Aug 42 – 30 Sep 42.
• Croft, Yorks. 1 Oct 42 – 9 Nov 42.
• Middleton St. George, Durham. 10 Nov 42 – 31 May 45.
• En route to Canada 1 Jun 45 – 4 Jun 45.
• RCAF Station Yarmouth, N.S. 5 Jun 45 – 5 Sep 45.
• RCAF Station North Bay, Ont. 15 Mar 54 – 4 Aug 57.
• En route overseas (Operation “Nimble Bat IV”) 5 Aug 57.
• Baden-Soellingen, Ger. 6 Aug 57 – 31 Dec 62.
• Zweibrucken, Ger. 15 Jun – 9 Oct 59,
• CFB Cold Lake, Alberta
  • May 1975 – June 1995
  • July 2000 – March 2024

Years Active:

Aircraft Used:

• Vickers Wellington
  • Mk.IC (Jan – Nov 42)
  • Mk.II] (Feb – Nov 42)
• Handley Page Halifax B.Mk.I (Nov 42 – Apr 44)
• Avro Lancaster B.Mk.X (Mar 44 – Sep 45)
• Avro CF-100 Canuck
  • Mk.4A (Mar 54 – May 55)
  • Mk.4B (May 55 – Dec 62)
• Canadair CF-5 (CF-116) Freedom Fighter – May 1975 – June 1995
• BAE Systems CT-155 Hawk – July 2000 – March 2024

Commanding Officer:

Wing Commander J. Fulton (Can/RAF), DSO, DFC, AFC Killed in action	21 Dec 41 – 28 Jul 42
Wing Commander A.P. Walsh (Can/RAF), DFC, AFC Killed in action	5 Aug 42 – 2 Sep 42
Wing Commander M.M. Fleming (Can/RAF), DSO, DFC	8 Sep 42 – 8 October 1943
Wing Commander G.A. McMurdy Killed in action	11 Oct 43 – 22 Oct 43
Wing Commander WP. Pleasance, DFC and Bar	25 Oct 43 – 21 Aug 44
Wing Commander D.C. Hagerman, DFC and Bar	22 Aug 44 – 25 Jan 45
Wing Commander M.E. Ferguson	26 Jan 45 – 6 Aug 45
Wing Commander H.R.F. Dyer, DFC	7 Aug 45 – 5 Sep 45
Wing Commander E.G. Ireland, DFC	8 Jan 55 – 1 Aug 56
Wing Commander R.E. MacBride, DFC, CD .	20 Sep 56 – 2 Dec 58. 62
Wing Commander O.C. Brown, CD	15 Jun 59 – 20 Jun 60
Wing Commander P.E. Etienne, DFC, CD	27 Jun 60 – 31 Dec 1962

Battle Honors:

ENGLISH CHANNEL AND NORTH SEA	1942-1944
BALTIC	1942-1944
FORTRESS EUROPE	1942-1944
FRANCE AND GERMANY	1944-1945
Biscay Ports	1942-1944
Ruhr	1942-1945
Berlin	1943-1944
German Ports	1942-1945
Normandy	1944
Rhine
BISCAY	1942,1944

Daily Diary / Historical Reports / ORB Links:

Key Dates / Notes:

• 15 December 1941 – Authorized as ‘419 (Bomber) Squadron’
• 5 September 1945 – Disbanded
• 15 March 1954 – Reformed as ‘419 All Weather (Fighter) Squadron’
• 31 December 1962 – Disbanded
• 10 September 1977 – Reformed as ‘419 Tactical Fighter Training Squadron’, from ‘1 Canadian Forces Flying Training School’ (authorized 31 August 1964).
• 24 June 1995 – Disbanded
• 28 July 2000 – Reformed as ‘419 Tactical Fighter Training Squadron’
• 8 March 2024 – Squadron Inactivated pending replacement of the BAE Systems CT-155 Hawk in the early 2030’s.

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