RCAF.Info » Squadrons Units » 438 Squadron

438 Squadron

“City of Montreal”

437 Squadron 439 Squadron

General Information:

The Squadron was initially formed as 118 (Fighter) Squadron, in January 1941.

*Note* – My plan it to create a page for 118 (Fighter) Squadron and the other 100 series units once I have completed the 400 series squadrons. The history of the squadron as 118 Squadron will be documented on that page.

Based:

Years Active:

Based:
  • RAF Digby, Lincs. 20 Nov 43 – 18 Dec 43.
  • RAF Wittering, Leics. 19 Dec 43 – 9 Jan 44.
  • RAF Ayr, Scot. 10 Jan 44 – 17 Mar 44.
  • RAF Hurn, Hants. 18 Mar 44 – 2 Apr 44.
  • RAF Funtington, Sussex 3 Apr 44 – 19 Apr 44.
  • RAF Hurn, Hants. 20 Apr 44 – 26 Jun 44.
  • B.(Base) 9 Lantheuil, Fr. 27 Jun 44 – 30 Aug 44.
  • B.24 St Andre, Fr. 31 Aug 44 – 2 Sep 44.
  • B.48 Glisy, Fr. 3 Sep 44 – 5 Sep 44.
  • B.58 Melsbroek, Bel. 6 Sep 44 – 25 Sep 44.
  • B.78 Eindhoven, Neth. 26 Sep 44 – 18 Mar 45.
  • No. 17 Armament Practice Camp, Warmwell, Dorset., Eng. 19 Mar – 2 Apr 45.
  • B.100 Goch, Ger, 3 Apr 45 – 11 Apr 45.
  • B.110 Osnabruck, Ger. 12 Apr 45 – 20 Apr 45.
  • B.150 Hustedt, Ger. 21 Apr 45 – 28 May 45.
  • B.166 Flensburg, Ger. 29 May 45 – 26 Aug 45.
  • RCAF Station St Hubert, Que. 15 Apr 46 – Present (2026)
Aircraft Used
  • Hawker Hurricane Mk.IV (Nov 43 – May 44 — not on operations) LD 973
  • Hawker Typhoon Mk.IB (Jan 44 – Aug 45)
  • North American Harvard Mk.II (Nov 46 – Mar 47)
  • de Havilland Vampire Mk. III (Apr 48 – Sep 53)
  • Canadair Silver Star Mk.3 (Nov 54 – Sep 58) 21469
  • Canadair Sabre Mk.5 (Oct 56 – Nov 58)
  • Beechcraft Expeditor Mk.3 (Nov 58 – Mar 64)
  • de Havilland Otter (Sep 60 – February 1981)
  • Bell CH-136 Kiowa helicopters – January 1981 – 1995
  • Bell CH146 Griffon helicopter (1995 – Present (2026))
Commanding Officers
Squadron Leader
Frank George Grant,
D.S.O., D.F.C., Croix de Guerre (France), Airman’s Cross (Netherlands)		18 November 1943 – 28 July 1944
Squadron Leader
Jack Rife Beirnes,
DFC and Bar
Killed in action		29 July 1944 – 13 October 1944
Squadron Leader
Ross Frederick Reid
DFC		14 October 1944 – 29 December 1944
Squadron Leader
Peter Wilson
Killed in action 		30 December 1944 – 1 January 1945
Squadron Leader
Ross Frederick Reid
DFC		1 – 19 January 1945
Squadron Leader
James Easson Hogg,
DFC
Killed in action 		20 January 1945 – 23 March 1945
Flight Lieutenant
Robert Edward Spooner,
DFC		23 March 1945 – 5 April 1945
Squadron Leader
Jack Rife Beirnes,
DFC and Bar
Killed in Flying Accident		6 April 1945 – 1 June 1945
Squadron Leader
Paul Bissky		4 June 1945 – 26 August 1945
Wing Commander
R.J. Claude Hebert,
DFC		1 May 1946 – 14 May 1950
Wing Commander
Andre Rene Morrissette,
AFC		15 May 1950 – 14 February 1952
Wing Commander
J.A. Guy P.F. Valois		15 February 1952 – 14 February 1955
Wing Commander
J.E.M.M. (Al) Gauthier,
CD		15 February 1955 – 14 November 1960
Wing Commander
J. Laurent Y. Gagne,
CD		15 November 1960 – 31 October 1963
Wing Commander
James D. Fisher,
CD		1 November 1963 – 30 August 1967
Wing Commander
Al E. Gamble,
CD		31 August 1967 – 31 January 1968
Lieutenant Colonel
John Perodeau,
CD		1968–1973
Lieutenant Colonel
Herb Laviolette,
CD		1973–1974
Lieutenant Colonel
Gerry McDougall,
CD		1973–1974
Lieutenant Colonel
Peter Carver,
CD		1977–1979
Lieutenant Colonel
Jean Cadorel,
CD		1979 – 6 December 1981
Lieutenant Colonel
Ed McKeogh,
CD		6 December 1981 – 1 October 1983
Lieutenant Colonel
Pierre Beauchamp,
CD		1 October 1983 – 19 January 1986
Lieutenant Colonel
John Guimond,
CD		19 January 1986 – 31 March 1990
Lieutenant Colonel
Henri Cardinal,
CD		31 March 1990 – 13 June 1993
Lieutenant Colonel
Gilles Trepanier,
CD		13 June 1993 – 23 April 1994
Major
Daniel Poirier,
CD		3 April 1994 – 22 June 1996
Lieutenant Colonel
Jean-Marc Hivon,
CD		22 June 1996 – 20 March 1999
Lieutenant Colonel
Jean Egan,
CD		20 March 1999 – 18 August 2001
Lieutenant Colonel
Michel Desgroseillers,
CD		18 August 2001 – 27 August 2005
Lieutenant Colonel
Luc Martineau,
CD		27 August 2005 – 14 August 2010
Lieutenant Colonel
Rene Therrien,
CD		14 August 2010 – 15 June 2012
Lieutenant Colonel
Pierre Barma,
CD		15 June 2012 – 27 June 2014
Lieutenant Colonel
Gilbert L. McCauley,
MSM, CD		27 June 2014 – 23 June 2016
Lieutenant Colonel
Martin Pesant,
CD		23 June 2016 – 24 May 2018
Lieutenant Colonel
Martin Houle,
CD		24 May 2018 to 7 July 2020
Lieutenant Colonel
Stéphane St-Onge,
CD		7 July 2020 to 29 June 2023
Lieutenant Colonel
Dominique Bertrand,
CD		29 June 2023 to 4 July 2025
Lieutenant Colonel
Guillaume Mallet,
CD		4 July 2025 to present (2026)

Battle Honors:

Fortress Europe 1944
France and Germany 1944-1945
Normandy 1944
Arnhem
Rhine

Daily Diary / Historical Reports / ORB Links:

194

194

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

Key Dates / Notes:

  • 1 September 1934 – Authorized as ‘No.18 (Bomber) Squadron’
  • 15 November 1937 – Redesignated ‘No.118 (Bomber) Squadron’
  • 8 August 1940 – Redesignated ‘No.118 (Fighter) Squadron’
  • 27 September 1940 – Disbanded
  • 13 January 1941 – Reformed
  • 10 November 1943 – Redesignated ‘438 (Fighter Bomber) Squadron’
  • 7 September 1945 – Disbanded
  • 15 April 1946 – Reformed
  • 1 April 1947 – Redsignated ‘438 (Fighter) Squadron’
  • 1 May 1950 – Redesignated ‘438 “City of Montreal” (Fighter) Squadron’
  • 1 November 1958 – Redesignated ‘438 Squadron’
  • 5 May 1961 – Awarded Squadron Standard
  • 22 February 1964 – Redesignated ‘438 Squadron (Auxiliary)’
  • 1 January 1969 – Redesignated ‘438 Air Reserve Squadron’
  • 22 October 1991 – Redesignated ‘438 Tactical Aviation Squadron’
  • 1 April 1993 – Redesignated ‘438 Tactical Helicopter Squadron’

Ephemera:

External Links:

Sources:

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

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