No. 504 Squadron RAF

No. 504 (County of Nottingham) Squadron RAF
A reservist Gunner with 504 (County of Nottingham) Squadron, Royal Auxiliary Air Force fires a machine gun during two weeks Annual Continuous Training at Hythe Range Complex.
Active	26 Mar 1928 – 10 Aug 1945 10 May 1946 – 10 Mar 1957 1 Oct 1999 – present
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	Royal Air Force
Role	Offensive Support Role
Part of	Royal Auxiliary Air Force
Base	RAF Wittering
Motto(s)	Latin: Vindicat in Vetis (Translation: "It avenges in the wind")
Post-1952 aircraft insignia
Battle honours	France and Low Countries, 1940; Battle of Britain, 1940; Home Defence, 1940–42; Atlantic, 1941–42; Fortress Europe, 1942–44; Normandy, 1944; Arnhem, 1944; France and Germany, 1944–45. These honours are all emblazoned on the squadron standard
Commanders
Honorary Air Commodores	Lord Sherwood (48–56) J.M. Birkin (56–57)
Notable commanders	Sir H.M. Seely, MP John Hamar "Johnnie" Hill
Insignia
Squadron Badge heraldry	An oak tree fronted and eradicated The 'Major Oak' of Sherwood forest from the armorial bearings of the county of Nottingham, also thought to be appropriate for a Hurricane squadron
Squadron Codes	AW (Apr 1939 – Sep 1939) TM (Sep 1939 – Aug 1945, 1949 – 1952) RAD (May 1946 – 1949)

No. 504 (County of Nottingham) Squadron was one of the Special Reserve Squadrons of the Auxiliary Air Force, and today is a reserve force of the RAF Regiment. It was integrated into the AAF proper in 1936. Based at RAF Cottesmore, Rutland, 504 Squadron used a variety of light bombers before being re-tasked to fighters with the Hawker Hurricane in 1939. It subsequently became a Fighter Squadron. Currently no. 504 squadron no longer has a flying role, but as part of an Operational Support Squadron (OSS), the first role of 504 Squadron today is Force Protection. In December 2009, the MOD announced the closure of parent station RAF Cottesmore.

No. 504 squadron was formed on 26 March 1928 at RAF Hucknall, Nottinghamshire as a Special Reserve Squadron in the day bomber role. As such it flew first with Hawker Horsleys, later with Westland Wallaces and Hawker Hinds. In the meantime, on 18 May 1936, the squadron had gone over to the Auxiliary Air Force and the next change for the squadron came on 31 October 1938, when it was transferred from RAF Bomber Command to RAF Fighter Command. After a short spell with Gloster Gauntlet biplane fighters the squadron received its first really modern aircraft as their next aircraft were to be Hawker Hurricane fighters.

On 26 August 1939 the squadron was mobilised for active service as part of RAF Fighter Command and the Squadron was transferred to RAF Digby. In 1940 Squadron Leader ”Johnnie” Hill took command whilst the squadron was at Lille, France. When the airfield was overrun Hill had taken 12 Hurricanes into the air. Hill was shot down and shot at first by French peasants, and later by a British Army major who believed him to be a fifth columnist. On recovering from his injuries Hill was given command of 222 Squadron.