No. 418 Squadron (RCAF): Second World War

Aircraft - Locations - Group and Duty - Books

No.418 Squadron (RCAF) was a Canadian squadron that operated the Boston as a night intruder, then the Mosquito on day intruder, bomber escort and anti V-1 duties, ending the war with 2nd Tactical Air Force.

The squadron was formed at Debden on 15 November 1941 as an intruder squadron, and was equipped with the Douglas Boston III.

Its first mission was flown on 26 March 1942. Its main targets were airfields, interupting Luftwaffe night operations, but it was also used to attack factories and communications targets.

In March 1943 the first Mosquito IIs began to arrive. They were used alongside the Bostons until July 1943, by which time the Mosquito VI had also begun to arrive. The Mosquitoes were used on the intruder missions and also to escort Bomber Command raids in an attempt to intercept German night fighters.

The squadron was one of five Boston squadrons to take part in the attack on Dieppe in August 1942.

The squadron was one of only three (Nos.23, 418 and 605) to use the Douglas Boston III (Intruder) as a night intruder over France.

In September 1943 both the Bostons and the Mosquito IIs left the squadron.

In November 1943 the squadron began to fly day intruder missions over France.

When the V-1 offensive began the squadron flew night patrols to try and intercept them. This lasted until September 1944 when the day intruder missions resumed.

In November 1944 Nos.418 and 605 Squadrons became the last of nine Mosquito squadrons to move from Fighter Command to 2nd Tactical Air Force, joining No.2 Group. It was used to fly daylight sweeps over Germany to support the final Allied advance, carrying out this role to the end of the war.

After the end of the war the squadron joined the occupation forces, and was based on the Dutch side of the German border. The squadron was disbanded on 7 September 1945.

Aircraft
November 1941-September 1943: Douglas Boston III
March-September 1943: de Havilland Mosquito II
May 1943-September 1945: de Havilland Mosquito VI

Location
15 November 1941-14 April 1942: Debden
14 April 1942-14 March 1943: Bradwell
14 March 1943-8 April 1944: Ford
9 April-14 July 1944: Holmsley South
14 July-29 June 1944: Hurn
29 June-27 August 1944: Middle Wallop
27 August-21 November 1944: Hunsdon
21 November 1944-15 March 1945: Hartfordbridge
15 March-25 April 1945: B.71 Coxyde
25 April-7 September 1945: B.80 Volkel

Squadron Codes: TH

Duty
-6 June 1944-: No.11 Group, Air Defence of Great Britain
November 1944-: No.2 Group, 2nd Tactical Air Force

Books

 

How to cite this article: Rickard, J (4 October 2021), No. 418 Squadron (RCAF): Second World War, http://www.historyofwar.org/air/units/RCAF/418_wwII.html

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