No. 322 (Dutch) Squadron RAF


No. 322 Squadron of the Royal Air Force was a fighter squadron during the Second World War.
Formed with Dutch personnel already flying with the RAF, during the war it formed part of the Air Defence of Great Britain and formed part of the defences against V-1 flying bombs. In the last year of the war, it moved to the continent. After the war, it was disbanded as an RAF unit, but the 322e Jachtvliegtuig Afdeling of the Netherlands armed forces was formed from the squadron.

History

No. 322 Squadron of the Royal Air Force was formed from the Dutch personnel of No. 167 Squadron RAF on 12 June 1943 at RAF Woodvale. The squadron retained the code-letter combination VL which had been used previously by No. 167 Squadron until late June 1944, when it was changed to 3W. It served at RAF West Malling and other stations during the Second World War.
From 20 June to 9 August 1944, and equipped with Spitfire Mk XIVs, the squadron was tasked with intercepting the V-1 Flying Bomb "doodlebug" missiles launched from the Dutch and French coasts towards London. Flying Officer was the most outstanding pilot on these 'anti-diver' patrols, claiming five of the missiles in one 90 minute flight on 8 July 1944. The total for the squadron was 108.5 destroyed.
On 7 October 1945, the squadron disbanded at Wunstorf in Germany as part of the RAF. In recognition of the squadron's wartime record, the squadron was reestablished at Twente Airbase on 27 September 1946 as the 322e Jachtvliegtuig Afdeling of the Royal Netherlands Army.
The Dutch No. 322 Squadron RNLAF is officially considered as the continuation of No. 322 Squadron, keeping its motto and mascot "Polly Grey", the parrot.

Squadron bases

FromToBase
12 June 194315 November 1943RAF Woodvale
15 November 194330 November 1943RAF Llanbedr
30 November 194331 December 1943RAF Woodvale
31 December 194325 February 1944RAF Hawkinge
25 February 19441 March 1944RAF Ayr
1 March 19449 March 1944RAF Hawkinge
9 March 194423 April 1944RAF Acklington
23 April 194420 June 1944RAF Hartford Bridge
20 June 194421 July 1944RAF West Malling
21 July 194410 October 1944RAF Deanland
10 October 19441 November 1944RAF Fairwood Common
1 November 19443 January 1945RAF Biggin Hill
3 January 194521 February 1945RAF Woensdrecht
21 February 194518 April 1945RAF Schijndel
18 April 194530 April 1945RAF Twente
30 April 19452 July 1945RAF Varrelbusch
2 July 19457 October 1945RAF Wunstorf