443 Squadron

General Information:

The Squadron was initially formed as

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

Role(s):

• Fighter Squadron 1942 – 1946
• Fighter Squadron 1951-1958
• Civil Defence, Search and Rescue and Light Transport Squadron 1958 – 1964
• Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron 1974 – 1995
• Maritime Helicopter Squadron 1995 – Present

Based:

• RAF Digby, Lincs. 8 Feb 44 – 17 Mar 44.
• RAF Holmsley South, Hants. 18 Mar 44 – 26 Mar 44.
• No. 16 Armament Practice Camp, Hutton Cranswick,
• RAF Yorks. 27 Mar 44 – 7 Apr 44.
• RAF Westhampnett, Sussex 8 Apr 44 – 21 Apr 44.
• RAF Funtington, Sussex 22 Apr 44 – 14 May 44.
• RAF Ford, Sussex 15 May 44 – 14 Jun 44.
• B(Base). 3 Ste. Croix-sur-Mer, Fr. 15 Jun 44 – 14 Jul 44.
• B(Base). 2 Bazenville, Fr. 15 Jul 44 – 27 Aug 44.
• B(Base). 26 Illiers l’Evéque, Fr. 28 Aug 44 – 20 Sep 44.
• B(Base). 68 Le Culot, Bel. 21 Sep 44 – 29 Sep 44.
• B(Base). 82 Grave, Neth. 30 Sep 44 -21 Oct 44.
• B(Base). 58 Melsbroek, Bel. 22 Oct 44 – 3 Nov 44.
• B(Base). 56 Evére, Bel. 4 Nov 44 – 2 Mar 45.
• No. 17 Armament Practice Camp, Warmwell, Dorset., Eng. – 18 Dec 44 – 2 Jan 44.
• B(Base). 90 Petit-Brogel, Bel. 3 Mar 45 – 30 Mar 45.
• B(Base). 78 Eindhoven, Neth. 31 Mar 45 – 11 Apr 45.
• B(Base). 100 Goch, Ger. 12 Apr 45.
• B(Base). 114 Diepholz, Ger. 13 Apr 45 – 27 Apr 45.
• B(Base). 154 Soltau, Ger. 28 Apr 45 – 1 Jul 45.
• B(Base).152 Fassberg, Ger. 2 Jul 45 – 6 Jul 45.
• B(Base).174 Utersen, Ger. 7 Jul 45 – 21 Mar 46.
• Sea Island, B.C. 1 Sep 51 – 1 Apr 64.
• CFB Shearwater, Nova Scotia September 1974 – July 1989
• Victoria International Airport, British Columbia – July 1989 – Present

Years Active:

Aircraft Used:

• Supermarine Spitfire Mk. VB (Feb – Mar 44, not on operations)
• Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IXB (Mar 44 – Feb 45)
• Supermarine Spitfire Mk.XIV (Jan 45 – Jan 46)
• Supermarine Spitfire Mk.XIVE (Jan – Mar 46)
• North American Harvard Mk.II (Dec 51 – Sep 58)
• North American Mustang Mk.IV (Nov 52 – Oct 56)
• Canadair Sabre Mk.5 (Aug 56 – Aug 58)
• Beechcraft Expeditor Mk.3 (Aug 58 – Mar 64)
• de Havilland Otter (Oct 60 – Mar 64
• Sikorsky CH-124 Sea King 1974 – 2018
• Sikorsky CH-148 Cyclone Helicopter 2018 – Present

Commanding Officer:

Flight Lieutenant W. P. Roberts	June 1942 – November 1942
Flight Lieutenant F. A. Gilbertson	November 1942 – February 1944
Squadron Leader Henry Wallace McLeod, DSO, DFC and Bar KIA.	8 Feb 44 – 27 Sep 44
Squadron Leader A.H. Sager, DFC 2	30 Sep 44 – 29 Mar 45
Squadron Leader Thomas Joseph DeCourcy, DFC died. (1)	5 Apr 45 – 7 Jun 45
Flight Lieutenant H.R. Finley, DFC	8 Jun 45 – 17 Sep 45
Squadron Leader C.D. Bricker, DFC .	18 Sep 45 – 21 Mar 46
Wing Commander R.B. Barker, DFC, CD .	1 Dec 51 – 31 Aug 56
Wing Commander R.O. Hetherington	1 Sep 56 – 31 Aug 58
Wing Commander C.J.D. Fisher	1 Sep 58 – 31 Aug 61
Wing Commander C.O.P. Smith, DFC, CD .	1 Sep 61 – 1 Apr 64
Lieutenant Colonel G. B. Montgomery	September 1974 – July 1976
Lieutenant Colonel B. J. Fegarty	July 1976 – July 1978
Lieutenant Colonel L. H. Reynolds	July 1978 – July 1980
Lieutenant Colonel G. R. Laforme	July 1980 –

(1) As a result of an automobile accident near Schneverdingen, Germany.

Battle Honors:

FORTRESS EUROPE	1944
FRANCE AND GERMANY	1944-1945
Normandy	1944
Arnhem
Rhine
LIBYA	2011
ARABIAN SEA

Daily Diary / Historical Reports / ORB Links:

Key Dates / Notes:

• Authorized as ‘No.127 (Fighter) Squadron’ 20 April 1942.
• Redesignated ‘443 (Fighter) Squadron’ 8 February 1944.
• Disbanded 15 March 1946.
• Reformed 15 September 1951.
• Redesignated ‘443 “City of New Westminster” (Fighter) Squadron’ 3 September 1952.
• Redesignated ‘443 Squadron’ 1 September 1958.
• Disbanded 31 March 1964.
• Reformed as ‘443 Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron’, 3 September 1974, from one-half of ’50 Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron’ (authorized 4 July 1955).
• Redesignated ‘443 Maritime Helicopter Squadron’ 30 January 1995.

Ephemera:

External Links:

• Government of Canada
  • Official lineage webpage
  • Official Website
• Wikipedia

Sources:

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