No. 425 Squadron

Badge: A lark volant
Motto: Je te plumerai (I shall pluck you)
Authority: King George VI, January 1945

The badge is derived from the squadron nickname ‘Alouette’, and the motto comes from the refrain of the French Canadian folk song. The lark is shown in hovering position indicative of a bomber over the target about to strike the enemy.

Formed as an All-Weather (Fighter) unit at St Hubert (Montreal), Quebec on 1 October 1954, the squadron flew CF-100 aircraft on North American air defence. Selected as one of five units to be re-equipped with CF-101 aircraft, it was deactivated on 1 May 1961 pending delivery of the air­craft. Reactivated at Namao (Edmonton), Alberta on 15 October 1961, the squadron initially received the trainer version of the CF-101 and served as a training unit to con­vert the remaining four squadrons to this aircraft. It after­wards moved to Bagotville, Quebec, in July 1962, and was declared operational on 1 October when No. 3 All-Weather (Fighter) Operational Training Unit assumed responsibility for all future CF-101 training. On 1 February 1968 the squadron was integrated into the Canadian Armed Forces.

Brief Chronology: Formed at St Hubert, Que. 1 Oct 54. Deactivated 1 May 61. Reactivated at Namao, Alta. 15 Oct 61. Integrated into CAF at Bagotville, Que. 1 Feb 68.

Nickname: “Alouette”

Commanders

• W/C D.L.S. MacWilliam, AFC, CD 1 Nov 54 – 12 Apr 55.
• W/C F.W. Hillock 13 Apr 55 – 5 Aug 57.
• W/C W.M. Middleton, DFC, CD 7 Aug 57 -15 Jul 69.
• W/C J.E.Goldsmith, DFC, AFC, CD 16 Jul 60 – 1 May 61.

Squadron inactive

• W/C J.R.D. Schultz, DFC and Bar, CD 20 Oct 61 – 21 Jul 62.
• W/C G. H. Nichols, CD 22 Jul 62 – 28 Sep 64.
• W/C M.J. Dooher, CD 29 Sep 64 – 15 Jul 66.
• W/C W.J. Marsh, CD 15 Aug 66 – 4 Jul 67.
• W/C H.I. Pike, CD 16 Aug 67 – 31 Jan 68.

Higher Formations and Squadron Locations

North American Air Defence Command,

RCAF Air Defence Command:

• St Hubert, Que. 1 Nov 54 – 1 May 61.

Squadron inactive

• Namao, Alta. (non-operational) 15 Oct 61 – 20 Jul 62.
• Bagotville, Que. 21 Jul 62 – 31 Jan 68.
• North Bay, Ont. (Bagotville runways being resurfaced) 15 May – 15 Jul 66.

Representative Aircraft (Unit Code BB)

Avro CF-100 Canuck Mk.4A & 4B (Oct 54 – Apr 58)

• 18270   18288   18304   18502

Avro CF-100 Canuck Mk.5 (Mar 56 – Apr 61)

• 18520   18555   18617   18758

McDonnell CF-101F Voodoo (Oct 61 – Oct 62) (1)

• 17393   17337   17349   17372

McDonnell CF-101B Voodoo (Oct 61 – Jan 68)

• 17391   17436   17453   17482

(1) There were the trainer version and were transferred to No. 3 AW(F) OTU at Bagotville.