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No. 437 Squadron
Nickname: Yukon
Badge: A husky's head affronte erased
Motto: Omnia passim (Anything anywhere)
Authority: King George VI, April 1945
Adoption: Hudson's Bay Company, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Battle Honours: France and Germany 1944-1945 Arnhem Rhine
Nicknamed the "Husky Squadron", this unit adopted as its badge a husky's head indicative of its function of the glider towing and the transportation of essential freight.
The Background
Formed at Blakehill Farm, Wiltshire, England on September 14, 1944 as the RCAF's 32nd - first of three transport - squadrons formed overseas. Three days after is formation, it airlifted part of the British Airborne force to Arnhem. Four days later, it suffered its first casualties when 4 out of 10 aircraft failed to return from a resupply flight to the Arnhem area. After hostilities the squadron provided air transport service to Canadian units on the Continent until disbanded at Odiham, Hampshire on June 15, 1946. During this period the unit operated the following aircraft:
* Douglas Dakota Mk.III & IV (September 1944 - June 1946)
No. 437 Squadron reformed as a Transport unit at Trenton, Ontario on 1 October 1961, the squadron flew Yukon aircraft on transatlantic service to Canadian military bases in Europe. On 1 February 1968 the squadron was integrated into the Canadian Armed Forces and the Yukons were eventually replaced with the Boeing CC-137 B707-320 aircraft.
No. 437 Squadron remains at CFB Trenton and is currently equipped with the Airbus CC-150 Polaris.
Operational History
- First Operational Mission: September 17, 1944 15 Dakotas from Blakehill Farm dispatched on Operation "Market Garden", the airborne assault on Arnhem, 1 aborted.
- Last Operational Mission: May 30, 1946 Dakota KG577 ODO-K with P/O JE Thompson and crew - Brussels, Belgium to Odiham with 6 passengers, 300 pounds of mail and 3024 pounds of freight.
Summary
- Sorties: 11,625
- Operational Flying Hours: 32,355
- Non-operational Flying Hours: 2884
- Airlifted: (only post war data available Nov 45 - June 46)
- 152 tons of mail, 1415 tons freight, 25,269 passengers, 180 casualties
- Casualties
- Operational: 14 aircraft, 17 aircrew (2 killed, 14 missing, 1 wounded)
Non-operational: nil
- Operational: 14 aircraft, 17 aircrew (2 killed, 14 missing, 1 wounded)
Honours & Awards
1 OBE, 8 DFC's, 2 AFC's, 1 DFM, 1 MiD, 3 King's Commendation