- No. 420 Squadron RCAF
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420 Combat Support Squadron Information Role Composite Aircraft Operated Home Station CFB Shearwater Motto "Pugnamus Finitum" ("We fight to the finish") History Date Founded 1941 Badge Argent a snowy owl wings elevated and adorsed proper Notable Battle Honours English Channel and North Sea 1942-44, Baltic 1942, Fortress Europe 1942-44, France and Germany 1944-45, Biscay Ports 1942-44, Ruhr 1942-45, Berlin 1944, German Ports 1942-45, Normandy 1944, Rhine, Biscay 1942-43, Sicily 1943, Italy 1943, Salerno. No. 420 "City of London" Squadron RCAF was a squadron of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) (and subsequently Canadian Forces) which existed from late December 1941 forwards. The Squadron's nickname was "Snowy Owl". Their motto was Pugnamus Finitum, Latin for We Fight To The Finish. No. 420 Squadron is no longer active.
Contents
History
No. 420 Squadron was formed at Waddington, Lincolnshire, England on December 19, 1941 as the RCAF's 18th (and fourth Bomber) squadron formed overseas. During the Second World War, the unit ultimately flew Manchester, Hampden, Wellington, Halifax, and Lancaster aircraft on strategic and tactical bombing operations. From June to October 1943, it flew tropicalized Wellington aircraft from North Africa in support of the invasions of Sicily and Italy. In April 1945, the Squadron was converted to Lancasters, and when hostilities in Europe concluded, it was selected as part of Tiger Force slated for duty in the Pacific, and returned to Canada for reorganization and training. The sudden end of the war in the Far East resulted in the Squadron being disbanded at Debert, Nova Scotia on September 5, 1945. No. 420 Squadron reformed at London, Ontario on September 15, 1948, and flew Mustang aircraft in a fighter role until the squadron disbanded on September 1, 1956. Re-formed during the unification period, No. 420 was an air reserve squadron based at CFB Shearwater and flew the CP-121 Tracker (Shared with No. 880).
Aircraft flown by No. 420 Squadron
- Avro Manchester I (December 1941 - December 1941)
- Handley Page Hampden I (December 1941 - August 1942)
- Vickers Wellington III (August 1942 - April 1943)
- Vickers Wellington X (February 1943 - October 1943)
- Handley Page Halifax III (December 1943 - May 1945)
- Avro Lancaster X (May 1945 - September 1945)
- North American Harvard
- P-51 Mustang IV
- CT-133 Silver Star
- CP-121 Tracker
Operational (wartime) history
- First Operational Mission: January 21, 1942: 5 Hampdens dispatched to bomb a target at Emden. two a/c bombed primary, two bombed alternative (town of Emden) and the other FTR. On same night another Hampden laid mines in Nectarines (Frisian Islands) area.
- Last Operational Mission: April 18, 1945: 18 Halifaxes bombed Heligoland and another Halifax crashed in sea en route to objective.
Above sentence is incorrect:- The last wartime operation by No. 420 Squadron was to Bremen on April 22nd. 1945. This was to be an army co-operation raid but heavy cloud prevented accurate bombing and the operation was cancelled by the Master-bomber. Most aircraft including mine dropped their bombs safely in th North Sea.
External links
Canadian Forces Commander-in-Chief • Chief of the Defence Staff • Armed Forces Council • Chief of the Maritime Staff • Chief of the Land Staff • Chief of the Air Staff
Canada Command • Canadian Expeditionary Force Command • Canadian Operational Support Command • Canadian Special Operations Forces Command • Reserve Force
Royal Canadian Navy • 
Canadian Army • 
Royal Canadian Air ForceCategories:- Military history of Canada
- Canadian Forces aircraft squadrons
- Military units and formations established in 1941
- Royal Canadian Air Force squadrons
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