ROYAL AUXILIARY AIR FORCE I 100 th ANNIVERSARY
the COVID pandemic . Following extensive training , personnel were deployed across the home counties providing mobile COVID Testing Facilities for the general public . Celebrating its 90th Anniversary in 2019 with a parade through Gloucester , the Squadron has also provided personnel for ceremonial duties
on Operation LONDON BRIDGE ( the funeral of HM Queen Elizabeth II ) in September 2022 and Operation GOLDEN ORB in May 2023 ( the Coronation of HM King Charles III and Queen Camilla ).
As of June 2023 , 501 Sqn is one of 3 Logistics Support Sqns of the Reserve Logistics Support Wing and continues to provide high-quality personnel to support the RAF at home and worldwide .
607 ( County of Durham ) Squadron RAuxAF
607 ( County of Durham ) Sqn was formed on 17 March 1930 at the then new airfield of RAF Usworth , County Durham as a day bomber unit of the Auxiliary Air Force ( RAuxAF ). They became operational in the summer of 1933 , having received their first aircraft in December 1932 , flying Westland Wapiti . First commanding officer was Walter Leslie Runciman ( later the 2nd Viscount Runciman of Doxford ). In September 1936 the Sqn was told that it was to re-role to a fighter squadron and was re-equipped with Hawker Demons . In the run up to WW2 , 607 received Gloster Gladiators , which arrived in December 1938 .
In November 1939 , having achieved their first success downing a DO 18 flying boat in the North Sea and still equipped with Gladiators , the Sqn was deployed to France as part of the Air Component of the British Expeditionary
Force . During the Battle of Britain , the Sqn operated from various locations , including Saint-Inglevert . In March 1940 , the Sqn was re-equipped with Hawker Hurricanes just in time to effectively operate against the modern Luftwaffe aircraft during the Blitzkrieg . Following the British withdrawal , the Sqn returned to the United Kingdom and served throughout the Battle of Britain , firstly in the air defence of the North East of England then on the South coast with 11Gp . In October 1941 , the Sqn moved to RAF Manston and remained there undertaking anti shipping operations and cross channel fighter sweeps until 1942 . During this period , 607 became the first unit to operate the Hurricane in the fighter bomber role and using their “ Hurri-bombers ” destroyed or damaged several enemy support vessels during the German capital ships “ Channel dash !” on 12 February 1942 .
During 1942 , the Sqn was transported to India . There , it joined No . 166 Wing RAF on 25 May 1942 . In September 1943 , the Sqn ’ s Hurricanes were replaced with Supermarine Spitfires . This change in machine , made the Sqn the first unit in South East Asia Command to operate such aircraft . It re-equipped with the Spitfire Mk . VIII in March 1944 , and flew these in support of XIV Army , including the Imphal and Kohima actions , until disbanding on 19 August 1945 at Mingaladon in Burma . 607 were one of the last units to finish operations in this theatre .
In 10 May 1946 , 607 Sqn reformed at RAF Ouston as a day fighter sqn of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force . After flying Spitfire F . 14 and F . 22s for five years , it converted to De Havilland Vampires . These were flown until February 1957 when , along with all the other flying units of the RAuxAF , it was disbanded on 10 March 1957 .
Re-formed 5 January 2015 , 607 Sqn is now a General Service Support Sqn ( GSS ) and operates from RAF Leeming in North Yorkshire .
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