No. 322 (Dutch) Squadron of the

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...

was a fighter squadron during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

. Formed with Dutch personnel already flying with the RAF, during the war it formed part of the Air Defence of Great Britain and formed part of the defences against

V-1 flying bomb The V-1 flying bomb (german: Vergeltungswaffe 1 "Vengeance Weapon 1") was an early cruise missile. Its official Ministry of Aviation (Nazi Germany), Reich Aviation Ministry () designation was Fi 103. It was also known to the Allies as the buz ...

s. In the last year of the war, it moved to the continent. After the war, it was disbanded as an RAF unit, but the '' 322e Jachtvliegtuig Afdeling'' of the Netherlands armed forces was formed from the squadron.

History

No. 322 Squadron of the

was formed from the Dutch personnel of

No. 167 Squadron RAF No. 167 Squadron RAF is a former Royal Air Force List of Royal Air Force aircraft squadrons, squadron. History Inter-war years 167 Squadron was formed on 18 November 1918 just after the Armistice of the World War I, First World War at RAF Birc ...

on 12 June 1943 at RAF Woodvale. The squadron retained the code-letter combination VL which had been used previously by No. 167 Squadron until late June 1944, when it was changed to 3W. It served at

RAF West Malling Royal Air Force West Malling or RAF West Malling is a former Royal Air Force station located south of West Malling, Kent and west of Maidstone, Kent, England. Originally used as a landing area during the First World War,Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

. From 20 June to 9 August 1944, and equipped with Spitfire Mk XIVs, the squadron was tasked with intercepting the

V-1 Flying Bomb The V-1 flying bomb (german: Vergeltungswaffe 1 "Vengeance Weapon 1") was an early cruise missile. Its official Ministry of Aviation (Nazi Germany), Reich Aviation Ministry () designation was Fi 103. It was also known to the Allies as the buz ...

"doodlebug" missiles launched from the Dutch and French coasts towards London.Rafweb
Retrieved 10 July 2007 Flying Officer was the most outstanding pilot on these ' anti-diver' patrols, claiming five of the missiles in one 90 minute flight on 8 July 1944.Rawlings 1976, p. 404. The total for the squadron was 108.5 destroyed. On 7 October 1945, the squadron disbanded at

Wunstorf Wunstorf () is a town in the district of Hanover, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated approximately 22 km west of Hanover. The following localities belong to the town of Wunstorf: Blumenau (with Liethe), Bokeloh, Großenheidorn, Idensen ...

in Germany as part of the RAF. In recognition of the squadron's wartime record, the squadron was reestablished at Twente Airbase on 27 September 1946 as the 322e Jachtvliegtuig Afdeling (Fighter Division) of the

Royal Netherlands Army The Royal Netherlands Army ( nl, Koninklijke Landmacht) is the land branch of the Netherlands Armed Forces. Though the Royal Netherlands Army was raised on 9 January 1814, its origins date back to 1572, when the was raised – making the Dutc ...

. The Dutch No. 322 Squadron RNLAF is officially considered as the continuation of No. 322 (Dutch) Squadron, keeping its motto and mascot "Polly Grey", the parrot.

Aircraft operated

Commanding officers

Squadron bases

Royal Air Force 1939-1945- Fighter Command CH12171

References

Notes

Bibliography

* Appeldorn, Filip. ''40 Jaar 322 Squadron, 1943–1983'' (in Dutch). Klu 322, 1983. * Halley, James J. ''The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force''. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd., 1980. . * Halley, James J. ''The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth 1918–1988''. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air Britain (Historians) Ltd., 1988. . * Jefford, C.G. ''RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive Record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912''. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing, 2001. . * Kock, W.J.E. ''25 Jaar 322'' (in Dutch). Klu 322, 1968. * Oxspring, Group Captain R.W. DFC. ''Spitfire Command''. London: William Kimber, 1984 (republished by Cerberus Publishing in 2000 and 2005, ). * Rawlings, John. ''Fighter Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft''. London: Macdonald and Jane's Publishers Ltd., 1969 (second edition 1976). . * Sorgedrager, Bart and W.H. Lutgert. ''322 Squadron, Sporen van zijn Verleden, Lijnen in zijn Geschiedenis'' (in Dutch). Ministerie van Defensie, 1993. * Van der Stok, Bob. ''Oorlogsvlieger van Oranje'' (in Dutch). Bussum, the Netherlands: Uitgeverij De Haan, 1980 (reprinted 1983). . ** Translated as ''War Pilot of Orange''. Missoula, Montana: Pictorial Histories Pub Co, 1987. .

External links

Rafweb

Air War Portal

No. 322 (Dutch) RAF Squadron
''In Dutch''
unofficial 322nd squadron website (in Dutch)

Another Dutch Airforce page about 322 Squadron

Aviation Group Leeuwarden
{{DEFAULTSORT:No. 322 Squadron Raf 322 Squadron Military units and formations established in 1943 Military units and formations disestablished in 1945 Military units and formations of the Netherlands in World War II Netherlands–United Kingdom military relations