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No. 424 Squadron
Nickname: City of Hamilton, Tiger
Motto: CASTINGANDOS CASTIGAMUS - We chastise those who deserve to be chastised
Battle Honours:
English Channel and North Sea 1943-1945, Baltic 1944-1945, Salerno Fortress Europe 1943-1945, France and Germany 1944-1945, Rhine Biscay Ports 1943-1944, Ruhr 1943-1945, Berlin 1944, Normandy 1944, German Ports 1943-1945, Biscay 1943-1944, Sicily 1943, Italy 1943
A heraldic tiger's head. The squadron was adopted by the City of Hamilton and adopted the tigers head in reference to the Hamilton Football team.
The History
No. 424 Squadron fornfed at Topcliffe on 15 October 1942 for bomber duties. As part of No. 4 Group it was initially equipped with Vickers Wellington Mk IIIs then Mk Xs, beginning operations in January 1943. After four months of bombing Germany it went to Kairouan in North Africa, bombing targets in Sicily and Italy in support of the invasions of these countries, then returned to become part of the newly-formed No. 6 Group, Bomber Command, at Skipton-on-Swale in November 1943. It now re-equipped with Handley Page Halifax Mk IIIs, which it began operating before the year was out. These it flew in the night offensive aganst Germany for a whole year until, in January 1945, it was re-equipped with Avro Lancaster Mk Is and Mk IIIs. After briefly converting to these the squadron was back on operations until its final sortie in April. Thereafter it flew on services repatriating POWs from Europe before disbanding at Skipton on 15 October 1945.
No. 424 Squadron reformed at Hamilton, Ontario on 15 April 1946, the squadron flew Mustang aircraft in a fighter role until 1 September 1957 when it was then reassigned to a light transport and emergency rescue role and re-equipped with Expeditor and Otter aircraft. On 21 October 1961 the unit received its Squadron Standard for 25 years service as No. 119 and 424 Squadron. A reduction of the Auxiliary Force resulted in the squadron being disbanded on 1 April 1964. On July 8, 1968, 424 Communications and Rescue Squadron stood up at RCAF Station (CFB) Trenton equipped with the CH-113 Labrador and CC-130 Hercules.
The squadron continues to operate in the Search and Rescue role equipped with the CH-149 Cormorant and CC-130 Hercules.
Representative Aircraft
- Wellington III (October 1942 - April 1943)
- Wellington X (February 1943 - October 1943)
- Halifax III (December 1943 - May 1945)
- Lancaster I/III (May 1945 - August 1945)
- Mustang Mk IV
- Expeditor
- CSR-123 Otter
- CC-115 Buffalo
- CH-113 Labrador
- CC-130 Hercules
- CH-149 Cormorant
Operational History
- First Operational Mission in WWII: 15th/16th January 1943 - 5 Wellingtons bombed Lorient.
- Last Operational Mission in WWII: 25th April 1945 - 9 Lancasters bombed gun batteries on island of Wangerooge & another Lancaster dropped bombs about 3 miles from target after pilot hit in eye by Perspex splinter.