603 Squadron, Auxiliary
Air Force was formed at Turnhouse 14th October 1925, and was among the
first Auxiliary Air Force squadrons to be formed. Initially a light bomber
squadron, 603 was equipped with DH 9s, Westland Wapatis, Hawker Harts and
Hinds. On 27th October 1938, the squadron was redesignated as a fighter
squadron, and was re-equipped with the Gloster Gladiator Mk II, which in
September 1939 were replaced by the Vickers Supermarine Spitfire Mk I..
Following the declaration of war against Nazi Germany, the squadron was
soon in action when it was scrambled on 16th October 1939 to intercept a
force of Ju88 bombers of I/KG 30 attacking naval vessels in the Firth of
Forth - 603 shooting down one of the enemy aircraft which crashed off Port
Seton. On 28th October, 603 and 602 (City of Glasgow) Squadrons shared in
the destruction of an He111 - which was the first enemy aircraft to fall
on British soil. Between January and August 1940, 603 claimed a further 13
enemy aircraft. At the end of August, the squadron was sent south for what
was to become known as the Battle of Britain, during which 603 was
involved in many fierce air battles. The squadron returned to Scotland in
December, completing many coastal and convoy patrols before returning to
Hornchurch in May 1941, as part of the Hornchurch Wing, carrying out
offensive fighter sweeps and bomber escorts over France. Now flying the
Spitfire MkVa and b, 603 continued in this role until it was posted back
to Scotland in December 1941. Little happened until April 1942, when the
squadron was sent to Malta on defensive duties and re-equipped with
Spitfire Mk Vc. In August, 603 was renumbered becoming the nucleus of of
229 Squadron. By February 1943, the unit was a coastal strike squadron
equipped with the Bristol Beaufighter, attacking enemy shipping in the
Aegean. It returned to the UK at the end of 1944. On 26th December 1944,
the squadron was disbanded. It was reformed on 10th January 1945,
renumbered 603 and re-equipped with the Spitfire LF 16e aircraft. Its task
was now to escort Beaufighters on anti-shipping strikes, and to attack V2
sites on the continent. The squadron was disbanded on 15th August 1945 and
reformed on 10th May 1946. On the 16th December 1947, King George VI gave
permission for the use of the Royal prefix for all Auxiliary Air Force
Squadrons. No.603 Squadron Royal Auxiliary Air Force, chosen as the
Queen's squadron, was disbanded on 10th March 1957, whilst equipped with
D.H. Vampires FB.5 at RAF Turnhouse.
Air Commodore Sir
Archie Winskill KCVO CBE DFC AE An
RAFVR pilot, Winskill flew with both 72 Squadron and 603 Squadrons during
the Battle of Britain. Commissioned in August 1940 he was posted in
February 1941 to 41 Squadron where he soon became a Flight Commander.
Baders determination to engage the enemy at every possible opportunity is
what he remembers most clearly of the period, On August 14th he was shot
down over France, just five days after Bader. He managed to evade capture
and, with the help of the French Resistance, made his way to Spain and
then Gibraltar. He was the first pilot to use this route home. After
another operational posting to North Africa, after which he was awarded a
Bar to his DFC, he finished the war with four confirmed victories. Post
war he stayed on in the RAF and was Captain of the Queens Flight for 14
years. He died 9th August 2005
Aircraft side view by M A Kinnear Vickers Supermarine Spitfire Mk Ia X4277 XT-M.
Aircraft History: First flight 27th August 1940. X4277 was delivered to No.6
Maintenance Unit 28th August, and then delivered to 603 Squadron, 30th
August. The aircraft was shot down in flames off the North Foreland
(between Margate and Broadstairs), and crashed in to the sea 3rd
September, 1940.
Flight Lieutenant Richard Hope Hillary: Born on the 20th
April, 1919 in Australia. Richard Hillary came to England aged three, when
his father took up a post as a government official at Australia House in
London. He later attended Oxford, was a member of the University Air
Squadron and was called up in October 1939. He completed his training and
was initially posted to No.1 School Army Co-operation, followed by a
posting to No.5 OTU - to convert to Spitfires- and then on to 603 Squadron
at Montrose. He shot down his first enemy aircraft on 29th August 1940,
but his aircraft was badly damaged forcing him to crash land, Hillary
surviving unhurt. He obtained his fifth victory on 3rd September 1940, but
was then shot down by Hptmn. Bode of II/JG26. He had to abandon his
blazing Spitfire (X4277) by parachute, landing in the sea with severe
burns to his face and hands. After some time in the water he was rescued
by the Margate lifeboat. He spent the next three months in the Royal
Masonic Hospital, and was then transferred to the Queen Victoria Cottage
Hospital at East Grinstead, where he began a long period in hospital as
one of the first 'guinea pig' patients under the care of plastic surgeon
Archibald McIndoe (later Sir Archibald McIndoe). It was during his
recovery that he wrote his famous book "The Last Enemy" which
has since become a wartime classic. Following great personal effort, he
was posted on a nightfighter training course to No.54 OTU, flying the
Bristol Blenheim. During the early hours of 8th January 1943 whilst on a
night flying exercise, his Blenheim crashed in poor weather, both he and
his navigator were killed.
Head on Attack by Robert Taylor No. 603 Squadron Spitfire attacks a large group of ME109s in a head-on
attack during the battle of Britain, 1940. Signatories: David Scott-Maiden.