No. 601 Squadron RAuxAF
Number 601 Squadron is a squadron of the RAF Reserves, based in London. The squadron took part in the Battle of Britain, during which the first Americans to fly in World War II were members of the squadron.
Reactivated in 2017, it is a specialist squadron "tapping into the talents of leaders from industry, academia and research to advise and shape and inspire ".
History
Formation
No. 601 Squadron was formed at RAF Northolt on 14 October 1925 when a group of wealthy aristocratic young men, all of whom were amateur aviators, decided to form themselves into a Reserve Squadron of the RAF after a meeting in White's Club, London. The original officers were picked by the first commanding officer, Lord Edward Grosvenor, youngest son of Hugh Grosvenor, 1st Duke of Westminster. Grosvenor tested potential recruits by plying them with alcohol to see if they would behave inappropriately. Grosvenor wanted officers "of sufficient presence not to be overawed by him and of sufficient means not to be excluded from his favourite pastimes, eating, drinking and White's". The squadron was known in its earlier days as "The Millionaires' Squadron", a nametag gained because of a reputation for filling their ranks with the very 'well-heeled'. Most of these affluent young pilots had little regard for the rigid discipline of the regular service; they lined their uniform tunics with bright red silk and wore blue ties rather than the regulation black. They played polo on brand-new Brough Superior motor cycles, drove fast sports cars, and most of the pilots owned their own private aircraft.Second World War
The Squadron became a day fighter unit in 1940 and operated both the Hawker Hurricane and the Supermarine Spitfire. Aircrew attrition and transfers to other units, war quickly took its toll on the pre-war personnel and as replacements were drafted in from all walks of life and all parts of the Commonwealth to cover casualties and promotions, the Squadron became as cosmopolitan as any other.Postwar operations
The unit reformed in 1946 as a fighter squadron within the Royal Auxiliary Air Force, initially equipped with the Spitfire, followed by the jet powered De Havilland Vampire and the Gloster Meteor twin-jet. The squadron disbanded along with all other RAuxAF units during the defence cuts of early 1957.Present
Reforming on 20 April 2017 at RAF Northolt, 601 Squadron is now a Specialist Support Squadron of the RAuxAF. The 3 principal roles of the Squadron are to provide advice to the Chief of the Air Staff and the RAF to help address important issues; to provide access to new networks that the RAF has not traditionally been connected with; and to develop advocates for the RAF.Among the specialists appointed Honorary Group Captains to the squadron are:
- Edward Cadogan, Viscount Chelsea –2026
- Jonathan Stuart Christian Andrews –2026
- Colonel Paul Eli Beaver –2026
- Hon. Kevin William Billings OBE –2026
- Kenneth Roderick Bristow –2026
- Squadron Leader Peter Charles Brown –2026
- William Francis Charnley –2026
- Christopher James Dell –2026
- Richard Anthony Lewis –2026
- John Charles Edward Michaelson –2026
- Eamonn Mark Molloy –2026
- Paul Newmann –2026
- Andrew Charles Palmer –2026
- Air Commodore Delva Frances Patman –2026
- Sir Peter Rigby –2026
- Donald Austin Robert –2026
- William Bruce Roper –2027
- Anita Teresa Bernie –2027
- Sally Bridgeland –2027
- Flight Lieutenant Joanna Mary Salter –2027
- Helen Kathryn Selby –2027
- Karan Bilimoria, Baron Bilimoria –2027
- Helen Louise Gripton –2027
- Guy Phillips Austin –2027
- Peter Lionel Raleigh Hewitt –2027
- Professor Adam Jason Beaumont –2027
- Duncan Roy Barber –2027
- Paul Bruce Dickinson –2027
- Dame Dawn Elizabeth Childs 2025–2028
- Donagh Patrick McCullagh 2025–2028
- Sir Martin Nicholas Sweeting 2025–2028
Aircraft operated
| From | To | Aircraft | Version |
| May 1926 | June 1926 | Avro 504 | K, N |
| June 1926 | October 1930 | Airco DH.9A | |
| November 1929 | June 1933 | Westland Wapiti | Mks.IIa, VI |
| February 1933 | August 1937 | Hawker Hart | |
| August 1937 | November 1938 | Hawker Demon | |
| November 1938 | March 1939 | Gloster Gauntlet | Mk.II |
| January 1939 | March 1940 | Bristol Blenheim | Mk.If |
| March 1940 | March 1941 | Hawker Hurricane | Mk.I |
| March 1941 | January 1942 | Hawker Hurricane | Mk.IIb |
| August 1941 | March 1942 | Bell Airacobra | Mk.I |
| March 1942 | April 1942 | Supermarine Spitfire | Mk.Vb |
| May 1942 | January 1944 | Supermarine Spitfire | Mk.Vc |
| June 1943 | August 1943 | Supermarine Spitfire | Mk.IX |
| July 1943 | June 1944 | Supermarine Spitfire | Mk.VIII |
| June 1944 | May 1945 | Supermarine Spitfire | Mk.IXb |
| December 1946 | December 1949 | Supermarine Spitfire | LF.16e |
| November 1949 | September 1952 | de Havilland Vampire | F.3 |
| August 1952 | March 1957 | Gloster Meteor | F.8 |
Squadron bases
Notable pilots
- Sqn Ldr Roger Bushell – took part in the Great Escape
- Sqn Ldr Gordon "Mouse" Cleaver DFC – Battle of Britain pilot whose accident aided the development of artificial optical lenses.
- Flt Lt Carl Davis DFC – American who flew with 601 Sqn during the Battle of Britain
- Plt Off "Billy" Fiske – American who flew with 601 Sqn during the Battle of Britain
- Gp Cpt Sir Archibald Philip Hope, 17th Baronet OBE DFC
- Plt Off B P Legge DFC
- Plt Off H C Mayers DSO DFC and Bar – Australian who flew with 601 Sqn during the Battle of Britain
- Gp Cpt J A O'Neill
- Flight Lieutenant Edward Whitehead Reid
- Flight Lieutenant Thomas Grier – Battle of Britain flying ace
- Flight Lieutenant William Clyde – Battle of Britain flying ace
- Fg Off W H Rhodes-Moorhouse DFC
- Sqn Ldr "Jack" Riddle & Sqn Ldr Hugh Riddle – brothers and last surviving aircrew who flew with 601 Sqn during the Battle of Britain
- Sqn Ldr Stanisław Skalski DSO, DFC and Two Bars,- Polish ace, the second Pole to command an RAF Squadron, and later Polish Air Force general
- Norman Taylor DFC, DFM - Battle of Britain fighter pilot, and flying ace
- Air Cdre Whitney Straight CBE MC DFC
- Plt Off D R W Stubbs OBE DSO DFC
- Flight Lieutenant Denis Barnham. Painter, teacher and author of 'One man's window' his autobiographical account of the Siege of Malta otherwise titled as 'Malta Spitfire Pilot - Ten weeks of terror April - June 1942.