Caption: Bristol Blenheim IF RAF 600Sqn BQD L8679 England 1940

 Caption: Beaufighter IF RAF 600Sqn BQP BQL and BQZ T4628 over England IWM CH17265

 Caption: Beaufighter VIF RAF 600Sqn Wing Commander CP Paddy Green at Cassibile Sicily 1942 IWM CNA1185

 Caption: Beaufighter VIF RAF 600Sqn Wing Commander CP Paddy Green at Cassibile Sicily 1942 IWM CNA1182

 Caption: Beaufighter VIF RAF 600Sqn 6Y V8388 FltLt JH Turnbull Malta July 1943

RAF No 600 (City of London) Squadron

RAF No 600 (City of London) Squadron

Motto: Praeter sescentos (More than six hundred)

Formed at Northolt on 14 October 1925 as a light bomber squadron in the Auxiliary Air Force. Initially equipped with DH9As, it later received Wapiti's in August 1929 and Harts in January 1935. It continued in the bomber role until 1 July 1934 when it was redesignated a fighter squadron, but it was February 1937 before the first Demons arrived, conversion being complete by April. Blenheims arrived in January 1939 and although originally intended to operate both in the day and night role. In February 1940 Fg Off Tollimarche won a George Cross as a result of attempting to rescue his passenger following a crash landing in which his aircraft caught fire. Not expected to live he actually recovered, becoming one of the first 'Guinea Pigs'.

The day the Germans invaded France and the Low Countries, 10 May 1940, the squadron dispatched 6 a/c to attach Waalhaven Airfield in Rotterdam. 5 of the 6 were shot down by German Bf 110's and 7 aircrew killed, including Sqn Ldr "Jimmy" Wells the CO. As a result of operations like this it soon became obvious that the Blenheim was not suitable for the day fighter role. However, the squadron soon adapted to the night fighter role and was one of the first units to use Airborne Interception (AI) radar. Beaufighters replaced the Blenheims in September 1940 and it continued to operate this type until 1945.

It moved to North Africa in November 1942, Malta in June 1943 and finally to Italy in September 1943, continuing to operate in the night fighter/intruder role throughout. Mosquitos were received in January 1945 which were retained until the squadron disbanded on 21 August 1945.

With the reactivation of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force, 600 was reformed on 10 May 1946 at Biggin Hill as a day fighter squadron under the command of under Sqn Ldr Norman Hayes, who had flown the only Blenheim to make it back from the raid on Rotterdam on 10 May 1940. It was initially equipped with Spitfire F14Es, F21s and F 22s, until March 1950 when Meteor F 4s began to arrive, the squadron being fully re-equipped by November. These were replaced by F 8s in November 1951 but along with all the flying units of the RAuxAF, it was disbanded on 10 March 1957.

With the decision to resurrect the RAuxAF squadron numbers, it was reformed from No 1 (County of Hertford) MHU in 2001 and is designated HQ Augmentation Squadron.

No 600 is the only squadron in the RAF to have two official badges, the explanation for which I give here in the words of the 600 Squadron historian, Flt Lt Robin van Geene: - "The one featuring the City of London crest is called "The Dustcart Crest" as the City badge is found on all vehicles operated by the Corporation of The City of London. The second badge is called "The Moon and Paperknife" from the City dagger crossing the crescent moon. The design was decided on when the Sqn was based in N Africa and represents the Squadron's role as a Night Fighter unit at that time. Post war, on the reformation of the Sqn at Biggin Hill as a day fighter Sqn the Officers reverted to the original crest. This was unofficial until the CO, Sqn Ldr David Proudlove spoke to the Honorary Air Commodore about it. She replied that she would "Have a word with her husband about it". As our HAC was HM Queen Elizabeth, and her husband was King George VI, the authorisation of the second (but to us the first) badge quickly followed. The Herald "Chester King of Arms" was against it, but the King was talked around by our HAC and the Dust Cart badge was approved. We now display both badges, but the Dust Cart Badge is the primary badge of the unit."

The squadron also holds two Standards, one official (see above) and one 'unofficial' and the story of the presentation of the first is also given here in Flt Lt van Geene's words: - "In 1931 Sqn Ldr “Freddie Guest” retired to become the Sqn’s first HAC. He handed over command to Sqn Ldr “Stan” Collett who was posted in from 601Sqn to assume command on promotion. Stan was employed as Assistant Company Secretary of the Great Western Railway, and was the son of Sir Charles Collett who was involved in local government in the City of London.

In 1934 the Sqn was involved in the Hendon Air Pageant, and Sqn Ldr Collett chose to fly in the Observer’s position of one of the Squadrons Wapiti aircraft piloted by Fg Off Robert Lea. The aircraft suffered engine failure on take off (the subsequent Board of Inquiry actually found that the fuel cock had been turned off accidentally) and Lea turned back to the airfield to make a forced landing. He stalled and crashed and the aircraft caught fire. Lea escaped but Collett was knocked unconscious in the crash and died in the fire. His father was Lord mayor of London in the year of his death, and a large scale military funeral followed at St Paul’s Cathedral.

In memory of her son, the Lady Mayoress had a Squadron Standard embroidered, which was presented to the Squadron by her in 1935. It was subsequently carried by the Squadron in the Lord Mayor’s Show that November. At that time, no formation of the RAF or its reserves was authorised to hold a standard. In fact the presentation of Standards to the RAF did not begin until 1953. However the Squadron was given permission to parade with this banner only within the boundary of the City of London as recognition of it’s personal connection with the Lord Mayoralty. This custom was extended, and ratified by King George V on 1 April 1935, so that the Squadron could parade with the banner on St George’s Day of that year. Photographic evidence exists in one of the post war Squadron Scrap Books showing the Squadron under command of Sqn Ldr David Proudlove with the Collett Standard on parade for St Georges Day 1949. The standard continued to be paraded through the streets of the City of London on every Lord Mayor’s Show until the Squadron was disbanded in 1957.

The official records containing the letters authorising the custom were lost following the disbandment of the Squadron. Currently evidence exists only in the form of the photograph mentioned above, an article in Flight magazine dated 3 Nov 1949 which mentioned the custom, a further article written by Wg Cdr J Meadows, ex CO of the Sqn in Aeroplane Monthly in April 1987 and personal testimony from several members of the Sqn Association who were on parade when the Collett Standard was carried."

Squadron Codes used: - MV Jan 1939 - Sep 1939; BQ Sep 1939 - Aug 1943; 6 Aug 1943 - Jul 1944; RAG May 1946 - 1949; LJ 1949 - Apr 1951

Standards: - Standard originally awarded on 15 Jan 1952 but presented:- xx xxx xxxx HRH Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother.

Battle Honours: - Home Defence, 1940 - 42: France and Low Countries, 1940:, Battle of Britain, 1940: North Africa, 1942 - 43: Sicily, 1943: Italy 1943 - 45: Salerno: Anzio & Nettuno: Gustav Line: Gothic Line:

Aircraft Operated by RAF No. 600 Squadron

From	To	Aircraft	Version
October 1925	October 1929	Avro 504	K
October 1925	October 1929	De Havilland DH9	A
August 1929	January 1935	Westland Wapiti	Mk.IIA
August 1929	January 1935	Avro Tutor
January 1935	May 1937	Hawker Hart
February 1937	April 1939	Hawker Demon
January 1939	October 1941	Bristol Blenheim	Mk.IF
November 1939	June 1940	Bristol Blenheim	Mk.IV
September 1940	June 1941	Bristol Beaufighter	Mk.IF
April 1941	April 1942	Bristol Beaufighter	Mk.IIF
March 1942	February 1945	Bristol Beaufighter	Mk.VIF
December 1944	August 1945	de Havilland Mosquito	Mk.XIX
October 1946	November 1947	Supermarine Spitfire	Mk.XIVe
April 1947	November 1950	Supermarine Spitfire	F.21
September 1948	March 1950	Supermarine Spitfire	F.22
March 1950	April 1952	Gloster Meteor	F.4
November 1951	March 1957	Gloster Meteor	F.8

Commanding officers of RAF No. 600 Squadron

From	To	Name
October 1925	1926	W/Cdr. A.W.H. James, MC
1926	1931	S/Ldr. the Hon. F.E. Guest
1931	July 1934	S/Ldr. S.B. Collett
July 1934	June 1937	S/Ldr. P.G. Stewart
June 1937	December 1939	S/Ldr. G.L.S. Dawson – Damer, the Viscount Carlow
December 1939	May 1940	S/Ldr. J.M. Wells
May 1940	September 1940	F/Lt. de B. Clarke
September 1940	November 1940	S/Ldr. H.L. Maxwell, DSO
November 1940	January 1941	S/Ldr. C.A. Pritchard
January 1941	December 1941	W/Cdr. George Stainforth, AFC
December 1941	May 1942	W/Cdr. H.M. Pearson, DFC
May 1942	November 1942	W/Cdr. A.G. Miller, DFC, Order of Lenin
November 1942	December 1942	W/Cdr. J.R. Watson
December 1942	March 1944	W/Cdr. Patrick Green, DSO, DFC
March 1944	December 1944	W/Cdr. L.H. Styles, DFC
December 1944	August 1945	W/Cdr. A.H. Drummond
July 1946	July 1948	S/Ldr. T.N. Hayes, DFC
July 1948	August 1950	S/Ldr. D.E. Proudlove
August 1950	October 1953	S/Ldr. J.P. Meadows, DFC, AFC
October 1953	March 1957	S/Ldr. J. McCormack, AFC

Honorary air commodores of RAF No. 600 Squadron

From	To	Name
1931	1937	The Rt Hon Frederick Guest
1937	1941	George Lloyd, 1st Baron Lloyd
1942	1949	Sir Archibald Sinclair
1949	1957	The Queen (The Queen Mother from 1952)
1999	2002	Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother
2006	present	Hugh Trenchard, 3rd Viscount Trenchard

"Aircraft bases operated by RAF No. 600 Squadron

From	To	Base	Remark
14 October 1925	18 January 1927	RAF Northolt, Middlesex
18 January 1927	1 October 1938	RAF Hendon, Middlesex
1 October 1938	3 October 1938	RAF Kenley, Surrey
3 October 1938	25 August 1939	RAF Hendon, Middlesex
25 August 1939	2 October 1939	RAF Northolt, Middlesex
2 October 1939	16 October 1939	RAF Hornchurch, Essex	Det. at RAF Manston, Kent
16 October 1939	20 October 1939	RAF Rochford, Essex
20 October 1939	27 December 1939	RAF Hornchurch, Essex
27 December 1939	16 May 1940	RAF Manston, Kent
16 May 1940	20 June 1940	RAF Northolt, Middlesex
20 June 1940	22 August 1940	RAF Manston, Kent
22 August 1940	12 September 1940	RAF Hornchurch, Essex
12 September 1940	12 October 1940	RAF Redhill, Surrey
12 October 1940	14 March 1941	RAF Catterick, North Yorkshire	Dets. at RAF Drem, East Lothian, Scotland; RAF Acklington, Northumberland and RAF Prestwick, Ayrshire
14 March 1941	27 April 1941	RAF Drem, East Lothian, Scotland	Det. at RAF Prestwick, Ayrshire
27 April 1941	18 June 1941	RAF Colerne, Wiltshire
18 June 1941	27 June 1941	RAF Fairwood Common, Gower, Wales	Det. at RAF Predannack, Cornwall
27 June 1941	6 October 1941	RAF Colerne, Wiltshire	Det. at RAF Predannack, Cornwall
6 October 1941	2 September 1942	RAF Predannack, Cornwall
2 September 1942	14 November 1942	RAF Church Fenton, North Yorkshire
14 November 1942	18 November 1942	RAF Portreath, Cornwall
18 November 1942	7 December 1942	RAF Blida, Algeria
7 December 1942	3 January 1943	RAF Maison Blanche, Algeria
3 January 1943	25 June 1943	Setif, Algeria	Dets. at Souk-el-Khemis; 'Paddington'. Tunisia; Bone, Tunisia; RAF Tingley, Algeria and Monastir, Tunisia
25 June 1943	26 July 1943	RAF Luqa, Malta
26 July 1943	30 September 1943	Cassibile (Sicily), Italy
30 September 1943	2 February 1944	Montecorvino Airfield, Italy	Dets. at Brindisi, Tortorella, Gaudo and Lago, all Italy
2 February 1944	22 March 1944	Marcianise, Italy
22 March 1944	1 April 1944	Pomigliano, Italy
1 April 1944	13 June 1944	Marcianise, Italy
13 June 1944	19 June 1944	La Banca, Italy
19 June 1944	5 July 1944	Voltone, Italy
5 July 1944	29 July 1944	Follonica, Italy
29 July 1944	25 August 1944	Rosignano, Italy	Det. at Falconara, Italy
25 August 1944	15 December 1944	Falconara, Italy	Dets. at Rosignano, Iesi and Bellaria, all in Italy
15 December 1944	24 May 1945	Cesenatico, Italy
24 May 1945	26 July 1945	Campoformido, Italy
26 July 1945	21 August 1945	Aviano, Italy
10 May 1946	10 March 1957	RAF Biggin Hill