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No. 408 Squadron
Nickname: Goose
Motto: For Freedom
Battle Honours:
English Channel and North Sea 1941-1943, Baltic 1941-1943, Fortress Europe 1941-1944, France and Germany 1944-1945, Rhine Biscay Ports 1941-1944, Ruhr 1941-1945, Berlin 1943-1944, German Ports 1941-1945, Normandy 1944, Biscay 1942-1943
A Canada Goose volant. The Canada goose is at home in Canada, England and Scotland; its speed and power of flight are indicative of the operational function of the squadron.
The Background
No. 408 Squadron was formed at Lindholme, Yorkshire, on June 24, 1941 and was the second of the many RCAF bomber squadrons which served overseas in the Second world war. The squadron took part in the first 1,000-bomber raid on Germany, flew many missions against naval and industrial targets, and played an active part in Gardening (mine laying) for victory. Beginning operations with Hampdens in 1941, No. 408 was given Halifaxs towards the end of the following year and later (August 1943) Lancaster II's. In the summer of 1944 it returned to Halifaxs and dropped "well over 10,000 tons of bombs and mines". It gained more than 210 awards, including 160 DFC's and over 30 DFM's. The squadron was disbanded September 1945. Reformed as a Photographic unit at Rockcliffe (Ottawa), Ontario on 10 January 1949, the squadron flew modified Lancaster aircraft equipped with shoran, for geodetic control in aerial photography in the far north and Arctic regions of Canada, and Canso, Norseman, Otter and Dakota aircraft to fly in and maintain the ground stations associated with shoran. When this program was completed, the unit was redesignated Reconnaissance on 18 July 1957 and flew Lancaster aircraft on Arctic surveillance patrols. In April 1964 it moved to Rivers, Manitoba, was redesignated Transport Support and Area Reconnaissance, and re-equipped with CC-119 Flying Boxcar and Silver Star aircraft. On 1 February 1968 the squadron was integrated into the Canadian Armed Forces. It was disbanded on 1 April 1970 and moved to CFB Edmonton where it re-formed as 408 Tactical Helicopter Sqn.
Today No. 408 Sqn flies, twenty three CH-146 Griffon's, out of CFB Edmonton, Alberta
- Manchester I (June 1941 - August 1941)
- Hampden I (July 1941 - August 1942)
- Halifax V (September 1942 - December 1942)
- Halifax II (December 1942 - October 1943)
- Lancaster II (October 1943 - September 1944)
- Halifax III/VII (September 1944 - May 1945)
- Lancaster X (May 1945 - August 1945)
- Canso
- Norseman
- Otter
- Dakota
- Lancaster MP
- CC-119 Flying Boxcar
- CT-133 Silver Star
- CC-130 Hercules
- CH-135 Twin Huey
- CH-136 Kiowa
- CH-146 Griffon
Operational History
- First Operational Mission in WWII:
- 11/12th August 1941 : 2 Hampdens bombed Rotterdam docks & 2 more Hampdens aborted.
- Last Operational Mission in WWII:
- 25th April 1945 : 17 Halifaxs dispatched to bomb gun batteries on island of Wangerooge. 16 bombed primary & the other a/c FTR.