421 Squadron

General Information:

Role(s):

Based:

• Digby, Lincs. 9 Apr 42 – 2 May 42.
• Fairwood Common, S. Wales 3 May 42 – 14 Oct 42.
• No. 17 Armament Practice Camp, Warmwell, Dorset 14-28 jun 42.
• 14 aircraft, Exeter and Bolt Head, Devon. 30 Jun – & Jul 42.
• 14 aircraft, Kenley, Surrey 8-10 Oct 42.
• Angle, S. Wales 15 Oct 42 – 28 Jan 43.
• 14 aircraft, Zeals, Wilts. 21-24 Oct 42.
• Exercise, Charmy Down, Som. 30 Nov – 3 Dec 42.
• Kenley, Surrey 29 Jan 43 – 22 Mar 43.
• Exercise, Croughton, Beds. 1-12 Mar 43.
• 8 aircraft, night fighter duty, Manston, Kent 19-25 Mar 43.
• Redhill, Surrey 23 Mar 43 – 16 May 43.
• No. 15 Armament Practice Camp, Martlesham Heath, Suffolk 10-21 Apr 43.
• Kenley, Surrey 17 May 43 – 5 Aug 43.
• Lashenden, Kent 6 Aug 43 – 19 Aug 43.
• ‘Headcorn, Kent 20 Aug 43 – 13 Oct 43.
• Kenley, Surrey 14 Oct 43 – 17 Apr 44.
• No, 16 Armament Practice Camp, Hutton Cranswick,
• Yorks. 2-9 Mar 44.
• Tangmere, Sussex 18 Apr 44 – 15 Jun 44.
• B.(Base) 2 Bazenville, Fr. 16 Jun 44 – 28 Aug 44
• B.26 Iliers |’Evéque, Fr. 29 Aug 44 – 21 Sep 44.
• B.68 Le Culot, Bel 22 Sep 44 – 30 Sep 44.
• B.82 Grave, Neth. 1 Oct 44 – 22 Oct 44.
• B.58 Melsbroek, Bel. 23 Oct 44 – 2 Nov 44.
• B.56 Evére, Bel. 3 Nov 44 – 1 Mar 45.
• No. 17 Armament Practice Camp, Warmwell, Dorset, Eng. 6-20 Dec 44.
• B.90 Petit-Brogel, Bel. 2 Mar 45 – 30 Mar 45.
• B.78 Eindhoven, Neth. 31 Mar 45 – 10 Apr 45.
• B.100 Goch, Ger. 11 Apr. 45 – 13 Apr 45.
• B.114 Diepholz, Ger. 13 Apr 45 – 27 Apr 45.
• B.1S4 Soltau, Ger. 28 Apr 45 – 1 Jul 45.
• B.152 Fassberg, Ger. 2 Jul 45 – 7 Jul 45.
• B.174 Utersen, Ger. 8 Jul 45 – 10 Jul 45.
• Chatham, N.B. 15 Sep 49 – 15 Jan 51.
• En route overseas (minus aircraft) 16 Jan 51 – 18 Jan 51.
• Odiham, Hants., Eng. 19 Jan 51 – 12 Nov 51.
• En route to Canada (minus aircraft) 13 Nov 51 – 14 Dec 51.
• St Hubert, Que. 15 Dec 51 – 27 Sep 52.
• En route overseas (Operation “Leapfrog II”) 28 Sep 52 – 10 Oct 52.
• Grostenquin, Fr. 11 Oct 53 – 1 Aug 63.
• Squadron inactive
• Grostenquin, Fr. 2 Dec 63 – 13 Feb 64.
• Baden-Soellingen, Ger. 14 Feb 64 – 31 Jan 68.

Years Active:

Aircraft Used:

• Supermarine Spitfire
  • Mk.VA (May 42, not on operations)
  • Mk.VB (May 42 – May 43)
  • Mk.IX (May 43 – Feb 44)
  • Mk.IXB (Feb – Dec 44)
  • Mk.XVI (Dec 44 – Jul 45)
• de Havilland Vampire
  • Mk.II (Sept 49 – Dec 50)
  • Mk.S (England, Jan – Oct 50, no code)
• Gloster Meteor T.Mk.7 (Jan – Oct 50)
• Canadair Sabre
  • Mk. 2 (Dec 51 – Mar 54)
  • Mk.5 (Mar 54 – Jun 56)
  • Mk.6 (Jun 56 – Jul 63)
• Canadair CF-104 Starfighter (Dec 63 – Feb 68)

Commanding Officer:

Squadron Leader F.W. Kelly .	9 Apr 42 – 13 Jul 42
Squadron Leader F.C. Willis (Can/RAF) Killed in action.	14 Jul 42 – 8 Nov 42
Squadron Leader F.E. Green, DFC	17 Nov 42 – 12 Apr 43
Squadron Leader J.D. Hall, DFC	13 Apr 43 – 16 Jun 43
Squadron Leader R.W. McNair, DFC and 2 Bars	19 Jun 43 – 16 Oct 43
Squadron Leader C.M. Magwood, DFC	17 Oct 43 – 12 Dec 43
Squadron Leader J.F. Lambert Killed in action.	13 Dec 43 – 20 Dec 43
Squadron Leader W.A.G. Conrad, DFC	1 Jan 44 – 27 Jul 44
Squadron Leader W.A. Prest	28 Jul 44 – 22 Nov 44
Squadron Leader J.D. Browne, DFC	23 Nov 44 – 10 Jul 45
Squadron Leader R.T.P, Davidson, DFC, CD	15 Sep 49 – 25 Nov 52
Squadron Leader R.G. Middlemiss, DFC, CD	29 Nov 51 – 25 Sep 53
Squadron Leader E.P. Wood, DFC, CD	23 Oct 53 – 17 May 54
Squadron Leader J.R.F. Johnson, DFC, AFC, CD	18 May 54 – 26 Apr 56
Squadron Leader C.D.A. Bourque	27 May 56 – 6 Jul 58
Squadron Leader L.D. Allatt, CD	7 Jul 58 – 29 Jun 59
Wing Commander R. Van Adel, CD	30 Jun 59 – 10 Jul 62
Wing Commander A.J. Bauer, CD	11 Jul 62 – 1 Aug 63
Squadron inactive
Wing Commander J.B. Lawrence, CD	29 Feb 64 – 5 May 67
Wing Commander R.H. Annis, CD	28 Apr 67 – 31 Jan 68

Battle Honors:

Defence of Britain	1942-1943
Fortress Europe	1942-1944
France and Germany	1944-1945
Normandy	1944
Amhem
Rhine

Daily Diary / Historical Reports / ORB Links:

Key Dates / Notes:

• 6 April 1942 – Authorized as ‘421 (Fighter) Squadron’
• 23 July 1945 – Disbanded
• 15 November 1949 – Reformed as ‘421 (Fighter) Squadron’
• 1 August 1963 – Disbanded
• 2 December 1963 – Reformed as ‘421 Strike/Attack Squadron’
• 1 January 1972 – Redesignated ‘421 Tactical Fighter Squadron’
• 31 August 1992 – Disbanded

Ephemera:

External Links:

• Government of Canada
  • Official Webpage – This Squadron is currently disbanded and does not currently have an official webpage.
  • Official lineage webpage
• Wikipedia
• CASPIR – Canadian Aircraft Serials Personnel Information Resource

Sources:

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