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No. 436 Squadron
Nickname: Elephant
Badge: An elephant head couped carrying a log
Motto: Onus portamus (We carry the load)
Authority: King George VI, May 1945
Battle Honours: Burma 1944 - 1945
The squadron operated as a transport unit from a base in India and adopted the badge and motto to symbolize its functions.
The History
On 15 January 1945, 436 Squadron flew its first official mission from Kanglatongbi, Assam, India, when seven Dakotas airlifted 59 tons of supplies for 33 Corps of the Fourteenth Army. Soon the adopted emblem of the squadron, "Canucks Unlimited," would be seen far and wide in the China-Burma-India (CBI) theatre of operations.
Although the first Far East Canadian transport squadron to be formed on 20 August 1944, 436 Squadron would be the last to leave for England. It flew its last operational mission on 31 August 1945 when five aircraft flew seven sorties delivering cargo to various fields. By this time part of the squadron was already on its way to England and by the first week in September were already flying in European skies, albeit with new crews fresh from Canada. Squadron personnel who had served in CBI were repatriated back to Canada. Throughout their time in the Far East, Canucks Unlimited had become a welcome sight to the supply "starved" Allied ground forces. In a little over a year, 436 Squadron had flown almost 10,000 sorties and logged over 36,000 hours in the air. Their motto Onus portamus, (We carry the load) had certainly been earned.
No. 436 Sqn jumped the gun somewhat and painted 'Royal Canadian Air Force' on its aircraft long before it was common RCAF usage.
Re-formed No. 436(T) Squadron at Dorval on 1 April 53 and was equipped with CC-119 Flying Boxcar and Hercules aircraft. The squadron moved to CFB Trenton on August 11, 1971 where it remains today operating the CC-130 Hercules.
Since 22 June 1946 No. 436 Sqn has remained a transport squadron with the RCAF, and its equipment has included the Fairchild Flying Boxcar.
Operational History
- First Operational Mission (CBI): January 15, 1945 , 7 Dakotas from Kangla airlifted 59 tons of supplies for 33 Corps at Shwebo (17 tons para dropped, 4 tons free dropped, 38 tons landed at airstrip) Note: One previous mission was flown before the squadron was operational. On December 10, 1944, 16 Dakotas were employed in and emergency airlift of No. 177(Fighter) Squadron RAF from Bikramganj to a forward area at Hathazari.
- Last Mission (CBI): August 31, 1945, 5 Dakotas from Kyaukpyu - 7 sorties to airlift 15 tons of freight, 1 ton of mail, 7 passengers.
- First Mission (England): September 9, 1945, 3 Dakotas rom Down Ampney - airlift to Paris, France.
- Last Mission (England): June 16, 1946 Dakota KG587 ODN-L with F/L Nicholls and crew - special flight from Brussels, Belgium to Odiham with 3 passengers and 1.5 tons of freight.
Summary(CBI)
- Sorties: 9806
- Operational Flying Hours: 31,798
- Non-operational Flying Hours: 4561
- Airlifted: 29,000 tons of supplies, 15,000 troops, passengers and casualties
- Casualties
- Operational: 3 aircraft, 4 aircrew killed
Non-operational: 1 aircraft, 1 killed, 2 died of natural causes.
- Operational: 3 aircraft, 4 aircrew killed
Summary (England)
- Operational Flying Hours: 6983
- Non-operational Flying Hours: 2597
- Airlifted: 297 tons of mail, 1486 tons of freight, 13,063 passengers, 3156 casualties
- Casualties
- Operational: nil
Non-operational: 1 aircraft, 4 aircrew killed
- Operational: nil
Honours & Awards
1 DSO, 26 DFC's, 1 AFM, 3 BEM's, 11 MiD's