No. 401 Squadron RCAF
| No. 401 Squadron RCAF | |
|---|---|
| Active | 21 September 1937 – 1 March 1941 (as No. 1) 1 March 1941 – 10 July 1945 15 April 1946 – 23 June 1996 30 June 2015 – present |
| Country |
 Canada |
| Allegiance | Elizabeth II of Canada |
| Branch | Royal Canadian Air Force |
| Role | Fighter, Helicopter and Training |
| Nickname(s) | City of Westmount, Ram |
| Motto(s) |
Latin: Mors celerrima hostibus ("Very swift death for the enemy") |
| Battle honours |
Battle of Britain 1940 Defence of Britain 1940–41 English Channel and North Sea 1942 Dieppe Fortress Europe 1941–44 France and Germany 1944–45 Normandy 1944 Arnhem Rhine |
| Insignia | |
| Squadron Badge heraldry | A Rocky Mountain sheep's head, caboshed |
| Squadron Codes | YO (Mar 1941 – May 1945) |
No. 401 Tactical Fighter Squadron , a.k.a. "City of Westmount" Squadron (originally No. 1 Squadron), is a Royal Canadian Air Force squadron based at CFB Cold Lake. During World War II it was a fighter squadron and is notable for having fought in the Battle of Britain. Postwar, the squadron operated in Canada as an auxiliary squadron, reserve squadron and a helicopter and training squadron. In 2015 it was reactivated as a Tactical Fighter Squadron.
No. 1 Squadron Royal Canadian Air Force was formed as a fighter unit at Trenton, Ontario on 21 September 1937 with Siskin aircraft. The squadron was formed from the Fighter Flight of No. 3 (Bomber) Squadron. In August 1938, the squadron moved to Calgary, Alberta and was re-equipped with Hawker Hurricane aircraft in February 1939. While stationed in Calgary, the squadron was commanded by S/L Elmer Garfield Fullerton. It was mobilized at Saint-Hubert, Quebec on 10 September 1939, and on 5 November 1939 it moved to Dartmouth, Nova Scotia.
The unit began as a permanent peacetime unit which, augmented by personnel from RCAF No. 115 Squadron (Auxiliary), arrived at its first base in the UK, Middle Wallop, on 21 June 1940. It had brought its own Hurricanes from Canada, and as these were not fully up to UK standard, the squadron was non-operational until mid-August when it moved to RAF Northolt. At the time the squadron comprised 27 officers (21 pilots) and 314 airmen. To gain experience of Fighter Command operations, S/L E.A. McNab, Commanding Officer, flew on operations attached to No. 111 Squadron, and claimed a He 111 bomber destroyed on 11 August 1940.
The squadron was posted to Middle Wallop in June 1940, before in July moving to Croydon.
...
Wikipedia