No. 500 Squadron RAF - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

No. 500 Squadron AAF was formed in 1931 as a Special Reserve squadron and in 1936 became part of the Auxiliary Air Force. It served in a number of roles before being disbanded in 1957.

Formation and early years

The Squadron was formed at RAF Manston

RAF Manston

RAF Manston was an RAF station in the north-east of Kent, at on the Isle of Thanet from 1916 until 1996. The site is now split between a commercial airport Kent International Airport and a continuing military use by the Defence Fire Training and Development Centre , following on from a long...

on 16 March 1931 as the first Special Reserve night-bomber squadron with Vickers Virginia Mk.X

Vickers Virginia

|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Andrews, C.F. and E.B. Morgan. Vickers Aircraft since 1908. London: Putnam, 1989. ISBN 0-85177-851-1....

aircraft. On 25 May 1936 the role changed to day-bombing and the squadron became part of the Auxiliary Air Force, flying Hawker Hart

Hawker Hart

The Hawker Hart was a British two-seater biplane light bomber of the Royal Air Force , which had a prominent role during the RAF's inter-war period. The Hart was designed during the 1920s by Sydney Camm and built by Hawker Aircraft...

s, later replaced with Hawker Hind

Hawker Hind

-See also:-Bibliography:* Crawford, Alex. Hawker Hart Family. Redbourn, Hertfordshire, UK: Mushroom Model Publications Ltd., 2008. ISBN 83-89450-62-3....

To Coastal Command

On 7 November 1938 the squadron saw another role change as it was transferred to RAF Coastal Command

RAF Coastal Command

RAF Coastal Command was a formation within the Royal Air Force . Founded in 1936, it was the RAF's premier maritime arm, after the Royal Navy's secondment of the Fleet Air Arm in 1937. Naval aviation was neglected in the inter-war period, 1919–1939, and as a consequence the service did not receive...

and became a general reconnaissance squadron flying on Anson Mk.I

Avro Anson

The Avro Anson is a British twin-engine, multi-role aircraft that served with the Royal Air Force, Fleet Air Arm and numerous other air forces prior to, during, and after the Second World War. Named for British Admiral George Anson, it was originally designed for maritime reconnaissance, but was...

s. In April 1941 these were replaced with Blenheim Mk.IV

Bristol Blenheim

The Bristol Blenheim was a British light bomber aircraft designed and built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company that was used extensively in the early days of the Second World War. It was adapted as an interim long-range and night fighter, pending the availability of the Beaufighter...

s which the squadron used till November 1941, when Lockheed Hudson

Lockheed Hudson

The Lockheed Hudson was an American-built light bomber and coastal reconnaissance aircraft built initially for the Royal Air Force shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War and primarily operated by the RAF thereafter...

s took their place. From December 1943 these were replaced with Lockheed Ventura Mk.V

Lockheed Ventura

The Lockheed Ventura was a bomber and patrol aircraft of World War II, used by United States and British Commonwealth forces in several guises...

s, until the squadron was completely equipped with them in April 1944. The squadron disbanded on 11 July 1944, handing over their Ventura's to No. 27 Squadron SAAF.

Back in Bomber Command

The Squadron was reformed on 1 August 1944 at La Senia

La Sénia

La Sénia is a municipality in the comarca of Montsià inCatalonia, Spain.This town is located in a plain by the Sénia River at the western end of the Montsià comarca...

as a bomber squadron, receiving Martin Baltimore

Martin Baltimore

The Martin 187 Baltimore was a two-engined light attack bomber built by the Glenn L. Martin Company in the United States, originally ordered by the French in May 1940 as a follow-up to the earlier Martin Maryland, then in service in France. With the fall of France, the production series was...

s. In September 1945 No. 500 squadron left Italy and headed for Kenya

Kenya

Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...

, being renumbered on arrival 23 October 1945 at RAF Eastleigh to No. 249 Squadron RAF

No. 249 Squadron RAF

No. 249 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force squadron, active in the sea-patrol, fighter and bomber roles during its existence.-First formation:...

. During World War II the squadron members had been awarded with 1 GC

George Cross

The George Cross is the highest civil decoration of the United Kingdom, and also holds, or has held, that status in many of the other countries of the Commonwealth of Nations...

, 2 DSO

Distinguished Service Order

The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...

s, 21 DFC

Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)

The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...

s, 1 bar

Medal bar

A medal bar or medal clasp is a thin metal bar attached to the ribbon of a military decoration, civil decoration, or other medal. It is most commonly used to indicate the campaign or operation the recipient received the award for, and multiple bars on the same medal are used to indicate that the...

the DFC, 9 DFM

Distinguished Flying Medal

The Distinguished Flying Medal was a military decoration awarded to personnel of the Royal Air Force and the other services, and formerly also to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active...

s and one CGM

Conspicuous Gallantry Medal

The Conspicuous Gallantry Medal was, until 1993, a military decoration awarded to personnel of the British Armed Forces and formerly also to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank, for conspicuous gallantry in action against the enemy at sea...

. Beside these, the squadron was mentioned in dispatches 25 times.

To Fighter Command

The Squadron was reformed again on 10 May 1946 at RAF West Malling

RAF West Malling

RAF West Malling was a Royal Air Force station near West Malling in Kent, England.Originally used as a landing area during the first World War, the site opened as a private landing ground and in 1930, then known as Kingshill, home to the Maidstone School of Flying, before being renamed West Malling...

, equipped with Mosquito NF.19

De Havilland Mosquito

The de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito was a British multi-role combat aircraft that served during the Second World War and the postwar era. It was known affectionately as the "Mossie" to its crews and was also nicknamed "The Wooden Wonder"...

s and later NF.30s, as a night fighter squadron in the Royal Auxiliary Air Force

Royal Auxiliary Air Force

The Royal Auxiliary Air Force , originally the Auxiliary Air Force , is the voluntary active duty reserve element of the Royal Air Force, providing a primary reinforcement capability for the regular service...

. Later, following an Air Ministry decision to convert all RAuxAF units to day fighter roles, the squadron became equipped with Meteor F.3

Gloster Meteor

The Gloster Meteor was the first British jet fighter and the Allies' first operational jet. It first flew in 1943 and commenced operations on 27 July 1944 with 616 Squadron of the Royal Air Force...

s. The squadron disbanded finally on 10 March 1957, along with all other flying squadrons of the RAuxAF.

Today

The squadron number 500 has been inherited by Headcorn squadron of the air training corps. Here they are based at Lashenden airfield and today carry on the RAuxAF squadron number of the county of kent 500 squadron.

Aircraft operated

Aircraft operated by no. 500 Squadron RAuxAF
From	To	Aircraft	Version
March 1931	January 1936	Vickers Virginia Vickers Virginia \|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Andrews, C.F. and E.B. Morgan. Vickers Aircraft since 1908. London: Putnam, 1989. ISBN 0-85177-851-1....	Mk.X
January 1936	May 1937	Hawker Hart Hawker Hart The Hawker Hart was a British two-seater biplane light bomber of the Royal Air Force , which had a prominent role during the RAF's inter-war period. The Hart was designed during the 1920s by Sydney Camm and built by Hawker Aircraft...
February 1937	March 1939	Hawker Hind Hawker Hind -See also:-Bibliography:* Crawford, Alex. Hawker Hart Family. Redbourn, Hertfordshire, UK: Mushroom Model Publications Ltd., 2008. ISBN 83-89450-62-3....
March 1939	April 1941	Avro Anson Avro Anson The Avro Anson is a British twin-engine, multi-role aircraft that served with the Royal Air Force, Fleet Air Arm and numerous other air forces prior to, during, and after the Second World War. Named for British Admiral George Anson, it was originally designed for maritime reconnaissance, but was...	Mk.I
April 1941	November 1941	Bristol Blenheim Bristol Blenheim The Bristol Blenheim was a British light bomber aircraft designed and built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company that was used extensively in the early days of the Second World War. It was adapted as an interim long-range and night fighter, pending the availability of the Beaufighter...	Mk.IV
November 1941	April 1944	Lockheed Hudson Lockheed Hudson The Lockheed Hudson was an American-built light bomber and coastal reconnaissance aircraft built initially for the Royal Air Force shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War and primarily operated by the RAF thereafter...	Mks.III, V
December 1943	July 1944	Lockheed Ventura Lockheed Ventura The Lockheed Ventura was a bomber and patrol aircraft of World War II, used by United States and British Commonwealth forces in several guises...	Mk.V
September 1944	February 1945	Martin Baltimore Martin Baltimore The Martin 187 Baltimore was a two-engined light attack bomber built by the Glenn L. Martin Company in the United States, originally ordered by the French in May 1940 as a follow-up to the earlier Martin Maryland, then in service in France. With the fall of France, the production series was...	Mk.IV
September 1944	October 1945	Martin Baltimore Martin Baltimore The Martin 187 Baltimore was a two-engined light attack bomber built by the Glenn L. Martin Company in the United States, originally ordered by the French in May 1940 as a follow-up to the earlier Martin Maryland, then in service in France. With the fall of France, the production series was...	Mk.V
February 1947	August 1947	de Havilland Mosquito De Havilland Mosquito The de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito was a British multi-role combat aircraft that served during the Second World War and the postwar era. It was known affectionately as the "Mossie" to its crews and was also nicknamed "The Wooden Wonder"...	NF.19
April 1947	October 1948	de Havilland Mosquito De Havilland Mosquito The de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito was a British multi-role combat aircraft that served during the Second World War and the postwar era. It was known affectionately as the "Mossie" to its crews and was also nicknamed "The Wooden Wonder"...	NF.30
May 1948	October 1948	Supermarine Spitfire Supermarine Spitfire The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s...	F.22
July 1948	October 1951	Gloster Meteor Gloster Meteor The Gloster Meteor was the first British jet fighter and the Allies' first operational jet. It first flew in 1943 and commenced operations on 27 July 1944 with 616 Squadron of the Royal Air Force...	F.3
July 1951	February 1952	Gloster Meteor	F.4
November 1951	March 1957	Gloster Meteor	F.8

Squadron bases

Bases and airfields used by no. 500 Squadron AAF, data from
From	To	Base
16 March 1931	28 September 1938	RAF Manston RAF Manston RAF Manston was an RAF station in the north-east of Kent, at on the Isle of Thanet from 1916 until 1996. The site is now split between a commercial airport Kent International Airport and a continuing military use by the Defence Fire Training and Development Centre , following on from a long... , Kent Kent Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
28 September 1938	30 July 1939	RAF Detling RAF Detling RAF Detling was a station of the Royal Naval Air Service in World War I and the Royal Air Force in World War II. Situated 600 feet above sea level, it is located near Detling, a village about three miles north-east of Maidstone, in Kent.... , Kent
30 July 1939	13 August 1939	RAF Warmwell RAF Warmwell RAF Warmwell was a Royal Air Force station near Warmwell in Dorset, England from 1937 to 1946, located about 5 miles east-southeast of Dorchester; 100 miles southwest of London.... , Dorset Dorset Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
13 August 1939	30 May 1941	RAF Detling, Kent
30 May 1941	2 April 1942	RAF Bircham Newton RAF Bircham Newton RAF Bircham Newton was a Royal Air Force airfield in the west of the county of Norfolk in the United Kingdom, eight miles west of Fakenham.-History:... , Norfolk Norfolk Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
2 April 1942	31 August 1942	RAF Stornoway RAF Stornoway RAF Stornoway was a Royal Air Force station near the burgh of Stornoway, on the Isle of Lewis, in the Western Isles of Scotland.- Beginnings :... , Western Isles, Scotland Scotland Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
31 August 1942	5 November 1942	RAF St Eval RAF St Eval RAF St Eval was a strategic airbase for the RAF Coastal Command in the Second World War . St Eval's primary role was to provided anti-submarine and anti-shipping patrols off the south west coast of England... , Cornwall Cornwall Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
5 November 1942	11 November 1942	RAF Gibraltar RAF Gibraltar Royal Air Force Station Gibraltar, better known as RAF Gibraltar and formally as North Front, is a Royal Air Force station on Gibraltar. No military aircraft are currently stationed there, but there are regular visits...
11 November 1942	19 November 1942	RAF Tafaraoui Tafraoui Tafraoui is a municipality in Oran Province, Algeria close to the city of Oran. There is an airport with the same name. Capturing Tafaraoui Airport was a part of Operation Torch in the WWII.... , Algeria Algeria Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
19 November 1942	3 May 1943	RAF Blida Blida Blida is a city in Algeria. It is the capital of Blida Province, and it is located about 45 km south-west of Algiers, the national capital. The name Blida, i.e... , Algeria
3 May 1943	6 January 1944	RAF Tafaraoui, Algeria
6 January 1944	11 July 1944	RAF La Senia Es Sénia Es Sénia is a municipality in Oran Province, Algeria. It is the seat of Es Sénia District. It contains a university as well as the international airport of Oran Es Sénia.... , Algeria
1 August 1944	24 August 1944	RAF La Senia
24 August 1944	14 September 1944	en route to Italy
14 September 1944	15 October 1944	Pescara Pescara Pescara is the capital city of the Province of Pescara, in the Abruzzo region of Italy. As of January 1, 2007 it was the most populated city within Abruzzo at 123,059 residents, 400,000 with the surrounding metropolitan area... , Italy Italy Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
15 October 1944	9 December 1944	Perugia Perugia Perugia is the capital city of the region of Umbria in central Italy, near the River Tiber, and the capital of the province of Perugia. The city is located about north of Rome. It covers a high hilltop and part of the valleys around the area.... , Italy
9 December 1944	10 May 1945	Cesenatico Cesenatico Cesenatico is a port town with about 20,000 inhabitants on the Adriatic coast of Italy. It is located in the province of Forlì-Cesena in the region of Emilia-Romagna, about 30 km south of Ravenna... , Italy
10 May 1945	28 September 1945	RAF Eastleigh, Kenia
10 May 1946	10 March 1957	RAF West Malling RAF West Malling RAF West Malling was a Royal Air Force station near West Malling in Kent, England.Originally used as a landing area during the first World War, the site opened as a private landing ground and in 1930, then known as Kingshill, home to the Maidstone School of Flying, before being renamed West Malling... , Kent

Commanding officers

Officers commanding no. 500 Squadron RAuxAF, data from
From	To	Name
March 1931	July 1931	S/Ldr. Squadron Leader Squadron Leader is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure. In these... S.R. Watkins, AFC Air Force Cross (United Kingdom) The Air Force Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom Armed Forces, and formerly also to officers of the other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying, though not in active operations against the enemy"...
July 1931	July 1933	W/Cdr. Wing Commander (rank) Wing commander is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries... L.F. Forbes, MC Military Cross The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
July 1933	May 1935	W/Cdr. R. Halley, DFC Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom) The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against... , AFC
May 1935	April 1936	S/Ldr. G.M. Lawson, MC
April 1936	October 1936	F/Lt. Flight Lieutenant Flight lieutenant is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many Commonwealth countries. It ranks above flying officer and immediately below squadron leader. The name of the rank is the complete phrase; it is never shortened to "lieutenant"... W.G. Wooliams
October 1936	October 1939	S/Ldr. G.K. Hohler, Aux.AF
October 1939	June 1940	S/Ldr. W. LeMay, Aux.AF
June 1940	March 1941	W/Cdr. G.H. Turner
March 1941	July 1941	W/Cdr. M.Q. Candler
July 1941	April 1942	W/Cdr. G.T. Gilbert
April 1942	April 1943	W/Cdr. D.F. Spotswood Denis Spotswood Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir Denis Frank Spotswood GCB, CBE, DSO, DFC, RAF was a senior commander in the Royal Air Force.-RAF career:... , DSO Distinguished Service Order The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September... , DFC
April 1943	April 1944	W/Cdr. D.G. Keddie
April 1944	June 1944	W/Cdr. C.K. Bonner
June 1944	July 1944	W/Cdr. C.E.A. Garton
July 1944	August 1945	W/Cdr. H.N. Garbett
August 1945	October 1945	W/Cdr. Matson
August 1946	February 1949	S/Ldr. P. Green, OBE Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions... , AFC, R.Aux.AF
February 1949	March 1952	S/Ldr. M.C. Kennard, DFC, R.Aux.AF
March 1952	August 1954	S/Ldr. D. de Villiers, R.Aux.AF
August 1954	October 1954	S/Ldr. D.M. Clause
October 1954	March 1957	S/Ldr. D.H.M. Chandler