No. 440 Squadron

Badge: None

Formed in Canada as No. 111 (Fighter) Squadron on 1 November 1941, the unit was the third of six home squad­rons transferred overseas (complete in personnel but without aircraft) in preparation for the Allied invasion of Europe, and was redesignated No. 440 (Fighter Bomber ) Squadron at Ayr, Scotland on 8 February 1944. It flew Typhoon aircraft in the pre-invasion softening up of the German defenses and, after D-Day, gave close support to ground forces by dive-bombing and strafing enemy strong ­points, bridges, rail and road traffic. The squadron was disbanded at Flensburg, Germany on 26 August 1945.

Brief Chronology: Formed as No. 111 (F) Sqn, Rockcliffe, Ont. 1 Nov 41. Redesignated No. 440 (FB) Sqn, Ayr, Scot. 8 Feb 44. Disbanded at Flensburg, Ger. 26 Aug 45.

Title or Nickname: “City of Ottawa,” “Beaver”

Adoption: City of Ottawa (December 1944)

Commanders

• S/L W.H. Pentland, DFC 8 Feb 44 – 7 Oct 44 KIA.
• S/L A.E. Monson, DFC 8 Oct 44 – 15 Dec 44 OTE.
• S/L H.O. Gooding, DFC 16 Dec 44 – 10 Mar 45 OTE.
• S/L R.E. Coffey, DFC 11 Mar 45 – 30 Jul 45 died. (1)
• S/L A.E. Monson, DFC 4 Aug 45 – 26 Aug 45.

Higher Formations and Squadron Locations Second Tactical Air Force:

No. 83 (Composite) Group,

No. 22 (RCAF) Sector (disbanded 13 Jul 44),

No. 143 (RCAF) Wing,

• Ayr, Scot. 14 Feb 44 – 17 Mar 44
• Hurn, Hants. 18 Mar 44 – 2 Apr 44.
• Funtington, Sussex 3 Apr 44 – 19 Apr 44.
• Hurn,.Hants. 20 Apr 44 – 27 Jun 44.
• B.(Base) 9 Lantheuil, Fr. 28 Jun 44 – 30 Aug 44.
• B.24 St Andre, Fr. 31 Aug 44 – 2 Sep 44.
• B.48 Glisy, Fr. 3 Sep 44 – 5 Sep 44.
• B.58 Melsbroek, Bel. 6 Sep 44 – 25 Sep 44.
• B.78 Eindhoven, Bel. 26 Sep 44 – 29 Mar 45.
• B.100 Coch, Ger. 30 Mar 45 – 10 Apr 45.
• B.110 Osnabruck, Ger. 11 Apr 45 – 19 Apr 45.
• B.150 Hustedt, Ger. 20 Apr 45 – 28 May 45.

No. 17 Armament Practice Camp, Warmwell, Dorset., Eng. 23 Apr – 7 May 45.

• B.166 Flensburg, Ger. 29 May 45 – 26 Aug 45.

Representative Aircraft (Unit Code 18)

Hawker Hurricane Mk.IV (Feb – Mar 44, not on opera­tions)

Hawker Typhoon Mk.IB (Mar 44 – Aug 45)

• JP149 P JR432 A JR530 Y MN171 E MN257 D MN298 A MN366 G MN378 A MN403 J MN428 Z MN457 R MN535 K MN547 Q MN595 M MN603 P MN691 V MN703 L MN709 B MN720 W MN777 U PB389 P PD452 X PD589 R RB377 Z RB427 A RB495 T SW428 S

Operational History: First Mission 30 March 1944, 10 Typhoons from Hurn – anti-shipping sweep over the Channel Islands.

Last Mission: 21 April 1945, 11 Typhoons from Hustedt, each with one 500-pound bomb – dive­bombed Aachen, Germany.

Summary Sorties: 4213.

• Operational/Non-operational Flying Hours: 4820/2264.
• Victories:
  • Aircraft: 1 destroyed, 1 probably destroyed, 1 damaged.
  • Ground: dropped 2215 tons of bombs (2735 1000- and 2591 500-pound), credited with 420 rail cuts; destroyed/damaged 5/0 bridges, 309/262 motor vehicles, 9/7 tanks, 2/48 locomotives, 93/500 trains, 4/50 barges.
• Casualties:
  • Operational: 38 aircraft; 32 pilots, of whom 23 were killed, 5 missing, 3 POW, 1 evaded capture.
  • Non-op­erational: 8 personnel, of whom 4 were killed, 3 wounded, 1 died of natural causes.

Honours and Awards: 5 DFC’s.

Battle Honours:

• Fortress Europe 1944.
• France and Germany 1944-1945: Normandy 1944, Arnhem, Rhine. Aleutians 1942-1943. (2)

(1)Severely injured in an auto accident on 30 July 1945 and died 1 August.

(2) Earned as No. 111 (F) Squadron