ROYAL AUXILIARY AIR FORCE I 100 th ANNIVERSARY
600 ( City of London ) Squadron RAuxAF
Praeter Sescentos ( More than six hundred )
600 ( City of London ) Sqn is the only Sqn in the RAF with two official badges . 1
Formed on 14 October 1925 at RAF Northolt , 600 Sqn was equipped with Avro 504 trainers and Airco DH9A light bombers . The Sqn moved to RAF Hendon at the end of 1926 and was re-equipped with the more modern Westland Wapiti , general purpose aircraft . It was redesignated a Fighter sqn in July 1934 operating Avro Tutor , Hawker Hart , and Hawker Demon . In 1939 , the Sqn was re-equipped with Bristol Blenheim aircraft and at the outbreak of war , day and night patrols were flown which included experiments with airborne radar .
On 10 May 1940 , 600 Sqn were tasked to attack the airfield at Waalhaven , Rotterdam , which had fallen to the German advance . Six Blenheim aircraft attacked the airfield with no fighter cover and overwhelmed by German fighters , five of the six aircraft were lost and 7 crew members died in the encounter . The local Dutch people gave great respect to the dead and the graves of the fallen are still tended with great care to this day . The Sqn still has close ties to the local people and visits every year in May to commemorate those who were lost .
In September 1940 , 600 Sqn received Bristol Beaufighters and developed its role as a night fighter specialist . It moved to North Africa in 1942 , Malta in 1943 and then Italy . The Sqn was finally equipped with the De Haviland Mosquito in December 1944 and at the end of the war was disbanded in August 1945 having become the highest scoring night fighter sqn in the RAF .
Post war , 600 Sqn reformed as an Auxiliary Air Force unit on 10 May 1946 at RAF Biggin Hill flying Spitfire aircraft . In 1949 the Sqn began converting to jets with the De Haviland Vampire but was equipped with Gloster Meteor aircraft in 1950 until the disbandment in March 1957 .
The Sqn reformed on 1 October 1999 as a Headquarters Support Sqn of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force . Today as a General Service Sqn , and as the only active RAF Reserve Sqn within the M25 , 600 Sqn provides roles in a broad range of specialisations to support the RAF in the UK and on overseas operations . The Sqn has 5 operational flights specialising in air operations , intelligence , cyberspace , people operations and medical services . The Sqn also has a flight of subject matter experts , chaplains , and legal officers .
In a parade at RAF Northolt on 24 June 2023 , the Representative Lord Mayor of the City of London , Sir Charles Bowman , accompanied by the Chief of the Air Staff , Air Chief Marshall Sir Rich Knighton , presented a new Royal Auxiliary Air Force Standard to the Sqn .
It is only the second time the Sqn has been presented with an official Standard . The first standard was presented in 1953 by Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth , The Queen Mother , who was the Sqn ’ s Honorary Air Commodore .
The Sqn ’ s close ties to the City of London were acknowledged by the award of Privileged Regiment Status in 2007 ; an ancient honour only granted to 8 military formations .
The Sqn takes part in the Lord Mayor ’ s Show every year and is affiliated to the livery companies of the Worshipful Company of Butchers and Worshipful Company of Management Consultants . The Sqn also has ties with the Church of St Bartholomew the Great , Smithfield , where it has commemorative plaques and the old Sqn Standard is on display .
600 Sqn Battle Honours France and Low Countries , 1940 * Battle of Britain , 1940 * Home defence , 1940 - 42 * North Africa , 1942 - 43 * Sicily Italy , 1943 - 45 * Salerno *, 1943 * Anzio & Nettuno * Gustav Line Gothic Line
( The honours marked with an Asterix * are those emblazoned on the Squadron Standard ).
1 The first badge : The City of London arms , overflown by an eagle . Also known as ‘ the dust-cart crest ’.
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The second badge : In front of an increscent , a sword on bend . The crescent moon represents the squadron ’ s nightfighter activities whilst the sword commemorates the connection with the city of London .