No 609 Spitfire Squadron

West Riding Squadron
Squadron Leader Horace Darley


The Squadron was formed on the 10th of February of 1936, No 609 the (West Riding) Auxiliary Squadron  distinguished itself is many of the great air battles of the war. By their deeds over Britain and France its officers and men made Yorkshire’s name in the air war famous. When the War broke out. In September 1939, the Squadron had already exchanged its obsolescent light bombers for Britain’s latest fighter, the Spitfire. Brought south from Cattarick to Middle Wallop (also operated from Warmwell Satellite Station) it gained its first. success in the February of 1940 by shooting down a Heinkel He 111 which had been attacking a convoy. Three months later No. 609 went to the aid of the B.E.F. at Dunkirk, along with other Squadrons, engaging enemy forces of overwhelming size. In the Battle of Britain it fought over the towns and villages of Hampshire and Dorset, taking on odds as high as 80 to six. In one month (August) alone it destroyed 46 enemy aircraft. In the next month it helped in the defence of London. On September, I5,1940, when the Luftwaffe suffered its heaviest defeat, the Squadron brought down six and damaged several more of the raiders.
Continuing to operate over Southern England, No 609 was the first Spitfire Squadron to destroy 100 enemy aircraft. In later days it was to achieve a similar distinction by being the first Typhoon squadron to score 5O Huns.
M.J.Appleby N. le C Agazaian P.A.Baillon
F.H.R.Baraldi P.H.Barron S.G.Beaumont
J.D.Bisdee A.J.Blayney J.R.Buchanan
D.M.Crook J.Curchin H.Darley
J.C.Dundas A.R.Edge A.N.Feary
T.H.T.Forshaw G.N.Gaunt E.L.Hancock
S.J.Hill G. Howard F.J.Howell
J.Hughes-Rees V.Keough B.W.Little
Mac D Goodwin A.Mamedoff J.H.G.McArthur
Mercer R.F.G.Miller G.T.M.Mitchell
J.C.Newbury T.Nowierski A.K.Ogilvie
Z.Olenski P.Raymond D.N.Roberts
M.E.Staples E.G.Titley E.Q.Tobin
J.Zurakowski

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