Caption: Spitfire MkVb RAF 313Sqn Czech RYD force landed Dunkirk France

 Caption: Spitfire MkVb RAF 313Sqn at Hornchurch Essex

 Caption: Spitfire MkVb RAF 313Sqn Czech RYB RYC and RYJ aerial formation photo

RAF No 313 (Czechoslovak) Squadron

 

RAF No 313 (Czechoslovak) Squadron

Motto: Jeden Jestřáb Mnoho Vran Rozhání (One hawk scatters many crows)

Formed at Catterick on 10 May 1941 as a fighter unit composed of Czechoslovak personnel who had managed to escape from Nazi occupied Europe. It was equipped with Spitfires from the outset and remained so throughout its career.

The squadron was formed at RAF Catterick on 10 May 1941.It was the last RAF squadron to be formed mostly of escaped Czechoslovak pilots. Its first commander was the British Squadron Leader Gordon Sinclair. On 29 July, Czechoslovak fighter pilot Josef Jaške was appointed as joint commander of the squadron. The plan was for responsibility to be transferred gradually from Sinclair to Jaške.

The squadron was equipped initially with Supermarine Spitfire I fighters. On 30 June 1941 it moved to RAF Leconfield in the East Riding of Yorkshire. In August the squadron was re-equipped with the Spitfire IIA, and on 25 August it moved to RAF Portreath in Cornwall. In October the squadron was re-equipped with the Spitfire VB/C.

A 313 squadron pilot with a rigger, fitter and his Spitfire at RAF Hornchurch in April 1942 On 15 December 1941 Sqn Ldr Karel Mrázek succeeded Jaške as commanding officer and the squadron moved to RAF Hornchurch in Essex. On 8 June 1942 the squadron moved to RAF Church Stanton in Somerset and on 26 June Sqn Ldr Jaroslav Himr succeeded Mrázek as commanding officer.

In 1943 the squadron moved to Scotland, firstly on 28 June to RAF Sumburgh "A" in Shetland, and shortly thereafter to RAF Peterhead "B" in Aberdeenshire. The squadron briefly flew the Spitfire VI in June and July 1943.[5] On 20 July it moved to RAF Hawkinge in Kent. On 18 September it moved to RAF Ibsley in Hampshire and on 24 September Sqn Ldr František Fajtl succeeded Himr as commanding officer.

On 1 February 1944 Sqn Ldr Václav Bergman succeeded Fajtl as commanding officer. Also in February the squadron was re-equipped with the Spitfire IX. This model was fitted with 190-gallon "slipper" tanks to extend its range, enabling the squadron to escort bombers on raids deep into Germany. On 20 February the squadron moved to RAF Mendlesham in Suffolk. On 14 March it moved again, to RAF Rochford in Essex.

Ground crew changing the engine oil of a Spitfire LF My IX at RAF Appledram

On 3 April 1944 the squadron moved to RAF Appledram in West Sussex. On 22 May Sqn Ldr Alois Hochmál succeeded Bergman as commanding officer. From 29 June the squadron spent a few days at RAF Tangmere, also in West Sussex. On 4 July it spent a week at RAF Lympne in Kent.

On 11 July 1944 the squadron moved to RAF Skeabrae on Orkney in Scotland. The squadron briefly flew the Spitfire VII in July and August 1944.

On 3 October 1944 the squadron moved to RAF North Weald in Essex. Also in October it reverted to the Spitfire IX, which it continued to operate until the end of its history as an RAF unit. On 1 September 1944 Sqn Ldr Karel Kasal succeeded Hochmál as commanding officer, and on 15 November Sqn Ldr Otmar Kučera succeeded Kasal. On 29 December the squadron moved to RAF Bradwell Bay, also in Essex.

Farewell parade of Czechoslovak squadrons at RAF Manston, Kent, on 3 August 1945. Air Marshal John Slessor, with walking stick, inspects some of the men. Air Marshal Karel Janoušek can be seen behind him. From 27 February to 8 May 1945 the squadron was based at RAF Manston in Kent. On 3 August members of all of the RAF's Czechoslovak squadrons held a farewell parade at RAF Manston. Air Marshal John Slessor inspected the parade, accompanied by A/M Karel Janoušek. On 24 August 313 Squadron moved to Ruzyně Airport in Prague. It became a squadron of the new Czechoslovak Air Force, and on 15 February 1946 was officially disbanded as an RAF squadron.

Squadron Codes used: - LH Allocated Apr - Sep 1939; RY May 1941 - Feb 1946

RAF No 313 'Czechoslovak' Squadron Bases

Station	From	To
Catterick, Yorkshire	10.05.1941	01.07.1941
Leconfield, Yorkshire	01.07.1941	26.08.1941
Portreath, Cornwall	26.08.1941	23.11.1941
Warrnwell, Dorset	23.11.1941	28.11.1941
Portreath, Comwall	28.11.1941	15.12.1941
Hornchurch, Essex	15.12.1941	06.02.1942
Rochford, Essex	06.02.1942	06.03.1942
Hornchurch, Essex	06.03.1942	30.04.1942
Fairlop, Essex	30.04.1942	08.06.1942
Churchstanton, Somerset	08.06.1942	28.06.1942
Warrnwell, Dorset	28.06.1942	11.07.1942
Churchstanton, Somerset (detachment Bold Head, Devon)	11.07.1942 10.06.1942	28.06.1943 28.06.1943
Peterhead, Aberdeen (detachment Sumburgh, Shetland Isles)	28.06.1943 28.06.1943	20.08.1943 22.07.1943
Hawkinge, Kent	20.08.1943	18.09.1943
Ibsley, Hampshire	18.09.1943	06.01.1944
Ayr, Ayrshire	06.01.1944	19.01.1944
Ibsley, Hampshire	19.01.1944	20.02.1944
Mendlesham, Suffolk	20.02.1944	14.03.1944
Southend, Essex	14.03.1944	20.03.1944
Mendlesham, Suffolk	20.03.1944	03.04.1944
Appledram, Sussex	03.04.1944	29.06.1944
Tangmere, Sussex	29.06.1944	03.07.1944
Lympne, Kent	03.07.1944	11.07.1944
Skeabrae, Orkney Isles (detachment Sumburgh, Shetland Isles)	11.07.1944 11.07.1944	03.10.1944 03.10.1944
North Weald, Hertfordshire	03.10.1944	29.12.1944
Bradwell Bay, Essex	29.12.1944	27.02.1945
Manston, Kent	27.02.1945	13.08.1945
Praha - Ruzyne (CSR)	13.08.1945	22.09.1945
Brno (CSR)	22.09.1945

RAF No 313 'Czechoslovak' Squadron Commanders

Squadron Commanders	From	To
S/Ldr Josef Jaske	20.07.1941	15.12.1941
S/Ldr Gordon L. Sinclair, DFC (British)	10.5.1941	24.09.1941
S/Ldr Karel Mrazek, DFC	15.12.1941	26.06.1942
S/Ldr Jaroslav Himr	26.06.1942	24.09.1943
S/Ldr Frantisek Fajtl, DFC	24.09.1943	31.01.1944
S/Ldr Vaclav Bergman, DFC	31.01.1944	22.05.1944
S/Ldr Alois Hochmal	22.05.1944	01.09.1944
S/Ldr Karel Kasal	01.09.1944	15.11.1944
S/Ldr Otmar Kucera, DFC	15.11.1944	CSR

RAF No 313 'Czechoslovak' Squadron
Flight Commanders of Flight "A"

Squadron Flight Commanders of Flight 'A'	From	To
F/Lt Karel Mrazek	15.05.1941	15.12.1941
F/Lt John L. Kilmartin, DFC (British)	04.06.1941	25.06.1941
F/Lt Frantisek Fajtl	15.12.1940	27.04.1942
F/Lt Frantisek Vancl	27.04.1942	21.05.1942
F/Lt Vaclav Hajek	21.05.1942	01.10.1942
F/Lt Jaroslav Muzika	01.10.1942	07.08.1943
F/Lt Alois Hochmal	07.08.1943	21.05.1944
F/Lt Vaclav Slouf	21.05.1944	30.09.1944
F/Lt Frantisek Masarik	30.09.1944	CSR

RAF No 313 'Czechoslovak' Squadron
Flight Commanders of Flight 'B'

Squadron Flight Commanders of Flight 'B'	From	To
F/Lt Jan Cermak	19.05.1941	21.07.1941
F/Lt Thomas W. Gillen (British)	03.06.1941	15.09.1941
F/Lt Stanislav Fejfar	21.07.1941	20.03.1942
F/Lt Karel Vykoukal	20.03.1942	13.04.1942
F/Lt Stanislav Fejfar	13.04.1942	17.05.1942
F/Lt Vaclav Raba	17.05.1942	01.10.1942
F/Lt Bohuslav Kimlicka	01.10.1942	01.01.1943
S/Ldr Vaclav Bergman	01.01.1943	01.09.1943
F/Lt Otmar Kucera, DFC	01.09.1943	01.05.1944
F/Lt Ronald Wood, DFC (British)	01.05.1944	28.02.1945
F/Lt Karel Zouhar	28.02.1945	CSR

Types of planes used by RAF No 313 'Czechoslovak' Squadron

Aircraft	From	To
Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IA	May 1941	August 1941
Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IIA	August 1941	November 1941
Supermarine Spitfire Mk.VB	October 1941	February 1944
Supermarine Spitfire Mk.VC	July 1942	February 1944
Supermarine Spitfire HF Mk.VI	June 1943	July 1943
Supermarine Spitfire LF Mk.IXC	January 1944	June 1944
Supermarine Spitfire LF Mk.IXE	June 1944	July 1944
Supermarine Spitfire HF Mk.IX	July 1944	July 1944
Supermarine Spitfire Mk.VB	July 1944	October 1944
Supermarine Spitfire HF Mk.VII	July 1944	August 1944
Supermarine Spitfire F Mk.IX	August 1944	August 1944
Supermarine Spitfire HF Mk.IX	October 1944	August 1945
Supermarine Spitfire LF Mk.IXE	July 1945	CSR