No. 328 Squadron (RAF): Second World War

Aircraft - Locations - Group and Duty - Books

No.328 Squadron was the RAF designation given to G.C. I/7 'Provence', a French fighter squadron that had served with the Vichy forces in North Africa before joining the Allies in 1943.

G.C. I/7 fought against the Allies in Syria in June-July 1941, when it was equipped with the Morane MS 406. It thus wasn't involved in the brief period of conflict between Vichy forces in North Africa and the Allies after Operation Torch. The unit was reformed in the summer of 1943 and was equipped with Spitfire Vs. The new unit was based in western Algeria, and flew defensive fighter patrols over the Mediterranean. On 26 November it intercepted a force of Heinkel He 177s, claiming four victories and five damaged.

On 1 December 1943 G.C. I/7 was given the RAF designation No.328 Squadron. This indicated that it was to operate away from North Africa, and under RAF operational control. In April 1944 the squadron moved to Corsica, where it joined Nos.326 and 327 Squadrons to form a complete French Spitfire wing. 

In August 1944 the French Spitfire wing was used to cover the invasion of southern France. In September they moved onto French soil. In October the RAF squadrons allocated to the invasion were transferred to Italy, leaving the three French squadrons operating independently on their own home soil. They followed the armies as they advanced north into Alsace-Lorraine, and were then used to support the French First Army, flying offensive sweeps over Germany. No.328 Squadron officially ceased to be an RAF unit in November 1945.

Aircraft
December 1943-April 1944: Supermarine Spitfire VB and VC
December 1943-November 1945: Supermarine Spitfire IX
August 1944-April 1945: Supermarine Spitfire VIII

Location
December 1943-January 1944: Reghaia
January-April 1944: Oran/ Taher
April-July 1944: Bastia/ Borgo
July-August 1944: Campo del Oro
August-September 1944: Calvi
September 1944: Istres
September 1944: Lyon/ Bron
September 1944-February 1945: Dijon/ Longvic
February-March 1945: Luxeuil
March-April 1945: Colmar
April 1945: Strasbourg/ Entzheim
April-November 1945: Grossachsenheim

Squadron Codes: -

Duty
1943-1945: French fighter squadron under RAF operational control

Books

Links

Fondation de la France Libre: French language site of the Foundation for the Free French.

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