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Royal Auxiliary Air Force 616 squadron shown in
historical aviation art print. 616 squadron formed 1938 as the last
auxiliary squadron was initially a bomber squadron but transferred to
fighter command in 1939 equipped with Supermarine Spitfires. Aviation art prints
available from the aviation art print company.
616 squadron was formed at Doncaster on
1st November 1938 as the last of the Auxiliary Squadrons. Formed initially
as a bomber squadron equipped with Hawker Hinds, it was re-equipped with
Gloster Gauntlets in June 1939 and transferred to Fighter Command. The
squadron's first Spitfires arrived in late October. 616 first saw action
and claimed its first victories whilst covering the evacuation from
Dunkirk in May 1940. Returning to Yorkshire, the squadron claimed further
enemy victims with 15th August standing out as a memorable day. 616
intercepted a large force of unescorted German bombers off the Yorkshire
coast and claimed eight enemy aircraft destroyed. They moved to Kenley to
join 11 Group at the height of the Battle of Britain, and destroyed 15
aircraft and claimed a further 15 as probables or damaged. During February
1941, 616 joined the Tangmere Wing led by Wg Cdr Douglas Bader. Flying
Spitfire II fighters, they flew 'circus' and 'ramrod' sweeps over Northern
France, and re-equipped with Spitfires Vb during July 1941. For the next
two years 616 continued as a front line fighter squadron and was heavily
engaged during the Dieppe expedition and later flying beach-head patrols
on D-Day. In July 1944, 616 re-equipped with Gloster Meteor jet fighter
thus becoming the first and only Allied squadron to operate jet aircraft
in World War II. The squadron destroyed a number of V1 flying bombs whilst
operating from Manston before joining the 2nd Tactical Air Force. In
January 1945, 616 moved to the continent and operated in the ground attack
role before being disbanded at Lubeck on 29th August. The squadron was
re-formed at Finningley on 31st July 1946 equipped with Mosquito NF XXX
night fighters which were replaced with Meteor F 3 day fighters a few
months later. 616 Squadron Royal Auxiliary Air Force was finally disbanded
at RAF Worksop on 10th March 1957 whilst equipped with Meteor F8 aircraft.
Summer of 41 by Tom Marchant The Pilot, Squadron Leader L.H. Buck Casson
D.F.C., A.F.C., a
founder member of 616 Squadron took this aircraft into action in July
1941. In August he was shot down over France and became a prisoner
of war. After the war he returned to Command the Squadron flying
Meteors
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| Aircraft side view by M A Kinnear
Supermarine Spitfire MKVb W3458 YQ-X.
Aircraft History: First flight 11th July 1941, then onto
12 Maintenance Unit 16th July 1941. W3458 was delivered to 616 Squadron on
23rd July 1941. It failed to return from operations over Northern France
on 9th August 1941. Squadron
Leader LH Buck Casson DFC, AFC: Coming
from Sheffield Lionel H Casson was one of the original volunteer pilots to
join 616 (South Yorkshire) Auxiliary Air Force Squadron on its formation
at Doncaster in 1938. After pilot training, he served briefly with 79
Squadron flying Hurricanes from Biggin Hill before rejoining Spitfire
equipped 616 at Leconfield in July 1940. With the squadron he flew south
to Kenley in mid-August and over the next three weeks was involved in
fierce fighting during the Battle of Britain. On 30th August he was
credited with a probable and a damaged HE111. Two days later he claimed a
Bf109 followed by the destruction of a Do17. After suffering severe
losses, the squadron was withdrawn to Kirton-in-Lindsay on 4th September
and after a rest period, 616 moved to Tangmere in February to join the
'Bader Wing'. On 5th May 1941, Casson shared in the destruction of a Ju88
but was hit by return fire and was forced to bale out. Flying on daily
sweeps and bomber escorts over Northern France, he destroyed a Bf109 on
22nd June and he claimed a damaged two days later. He was made Flight
Commander in July and claimed two Bf109s as probables. On 9th August as he
was leading his flight over St Omer, his aircraft was hit and he was
forced to crash land. He was soon captured and spent the rest of the war
in the infamous Stalag Luft 3. Shortly after his capture he was awarded
the DFC. After his release four years later, he rejoined the peacetime 616
Squadron, equipped at first with Mosquito night fighters and then Meteor
jet fighters. He was appointed as Commanding Officer in December 1950
during which time the Squadron won the coveted Esher Trophy awarded to the
top Auxiliary Air Force squadron. After three years in command, he retired
having been awarded the AFC for his outstanding leadership. |
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