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No. 2 Squadron RCAF
No. 2 (Army Co-Operation) Squadron was a Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) squadron active during the late 1930s. The squadron operated army cooperation aircraft from 1935, and upon the outbreak of World War II was selected for overseas duty. However, a shortage of aircraft forced its disbandment in late 1939 to reinforce two other squadrons.
The lineage of the squadron originates with the first Canadian 2 Squadron, formed in 1918 as part of the Canadian Air Force and disbanded in 1920. The squadron number was carried by No. 2 (Operations) Squadron, which flew forestry patrols in Alberta to support civil government operations between 1925 and 1927. It was transferred to civilian control at the end of that period and its designation lapsed. The squadron was reformed on paper as No. 2 (Training) Squadron in 1928, but never became active under that designation.
The squadron traced its lineage back to No. 2 Squadron, Canadian Air Force (CAF), and No. 2 (Operations) Squadron RCAF.
The formation of two Canadian-manned squadrons in England, No. 123 (Canadian Squadron) Squadron RAF, a day bombing unit, and a fighter unit, was authorized by the Air Ministry on 5 August 1918 during World War I; these were to be the first formations of the Canadian Air Force. Canadian flying ace Temporary Lieutenant Colonel Billy Bishop was placed in charge of pilot selection for the squadrons; he prioritized officers who had seen service on the Western Front over recent volunteers, effectively creating what military historian Sydney F. Wise described as two "elite squadrons". Bishop selected Captain Walter Lawson DFC, a veteran Royal Naval Air Service and Royal Air Force (RAF) pilot, to command 2 Squadron, but the former's departure for Canada after giving up his position in early October delayed the formation of the squadrons as Bishop had completed a list of pilots for the fighter squadron but left Lawson to select the pilots of the bomber squadron; the Air Ministry did not receive a complete pilot list until 19 November. In addition to Bishop's departure, the delay in the pilot selection process occurred due to difficulties in transferring Lawson and the other squadron commander from the RAF and doubts about the continued existence of the Canadian Air Force after the war ended on 11 November. Ground crew for the Canadian Air Force were selected from men with relevant civilian careers in Canadian depots in England in a process that began in August, which resulted in them spending a lengthy period in training.
The squadron was officially formed as No. 2 Squadron, CAF on 20 November at Upper Heyford following approval for the formation of the two squadrons from Canadian Prime Minister Robert Borden, who received a guarantee from the Air Ministry that the squadrons would remain intact units. Its formation was actually delayed by five days to allow an RAF squadron to leave the quarters it was assigned to. No. 2 Squadron conducted training flights during its existence. Equipped with the de Havilland DH.9A, the squadron was assigned to No. 2 Group RAF of RAF Home Command. Due to his belief that the DH.9A was obsolete, Lawson unsuccessfully requested that the squadron receive Bristol F.2B Fighters instead. In mid-January 1919, the squadron established the Hounslow Detached Flight in order to transport senior officials between London and Paris for the Paris Peace Conference.
No. 2 Squadron also operated two Fokker D.VII fighters from May 1919 to January 1920, one of which crashed with the loss of its pilot on 22 May, the squadron's sole fatal accident. Later commanders were Captains J.O. Leach MC AFC from 29 May 1919, J.A. Glen DSC and Bar from 20 August, and W.I. Bailey from 20 November of that year. When the squadron moved to RAF Shoreham on 1 April 1919, it came under the control of the new No. 1 Wing, CAF, which had been set up to provide a Canadian administrative organization for the two squadrons. No. 2 Squadron, CAF was disbanded on 5 February 1920 along with the wing headquarters after the Canadian government decided against forming a permanent peacetime air force.
RCAF Station High River was redesignated No. 2 (Operations) Squadron in July 1925, retroactive to 1 April under the control of RCAF headquarters, one of five squadrons authorized to carry out missions in support of government agencies. Commanded by Squadron Leader A.A.L. Cuffe, it flew forestry patrols over Alberta to support civil government with sub-bases at Pincher Creek and Eckville. Flight Lieutenant R. Collis replaced Cuffe on 19 October 1926, and would lead the squadron for the rest of its military career. Equipped with the de Havilland DH.4, Avro 552A, and Avro 504N, it tested two Armstrong Whitworth Siskins between 22 June and 14 July 1927. Of the latter, one crashed on 28 June with the loss of its pilot and the other was returned to Camp Borden. Due to opposition to the RCAF performing civil operations, the squadron was transferred to the nominally civilian Directorate of Civil Government Air Operations as the High River Air Station on 1 July 1927 and its service designation lapsed.
The squadron number was immediately repurposed for No. 2 (Training) Squadron. Authorized at Camp Borden on 1 April 1927 and redesignated the following year as an advanced training squadron, the unit only existed on paper due to a lack of aircraft, funding, and personnel. It was deleted from authorized establishments for 1929.
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No. 2 Squadron RCAF
No. 2 (Army Co-Operation) Squadron was a Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) squadron active during the late 1930s. The squadron operated army cooperation aircraft from 1935, and upon the outbreak of World War II was selected for overseas duty. However, a shortage of aircraft forced its disbandment in late 1939 to reinforce two other squadrons.
The lineage of the squadron originates with the first Canadian 2 Squadron, formed in 1918 as part of the Canadian Air Force and disbanded in 1920. The squadron number was carried by No. 2 (Operations) Squadron, which flew forestry patrols in Alberta to support civil government operations between 1925 and 1927. It was transferred to civilian control at the end of that period and its designation lapsed. The squadron was reformed on paper as No. 2 (Training) Squadron in 1928, but never became active under that designation.
The squadron traced its lineage back to No. 2 Squadron, Canadian Air Force (CAF), and No. 2 (Operations) Squadron RCAF.
The formation of two Canadian-manned squadrons in England, No. 123 (Canadian Squadron) Squadron RAF, a day bombing unit, and a fighter unit, was authorized by the Air Ministry on 5 August 1918 during World War I; these were to be the first formations of the Canadian Air Force. Canadian flying ace Temporary Lieutenant Colonel Billy Bishop was placed in charge of pilot selection for the squadrons; he prioritized officers who had seen service on the Western Front over recent volunteers, effectively creating what military historian Sydney F. Wise described as two "elite squadrons". Bishop selected Captain Walter Lawson DFC, a veteran Royal Naval Air Service and Royal Air Force (RAF) pilot, to command 2 Squadron, but the former's departure for Canada after giving up his position in early October delayed the formation of the squadrons as Bishop had completed a list of pilots for the fighter squadron but left Lawson to select the pilots of the bomber squadron; the Air Ministry did not receive a complete pilot list until 19 November. In addition to Bishop's departure, the delay in the pilot selection process occurred due to difficulties in transferring Lawson and the other squadron commander from the RAF and doubts about the continued existence of the Canadian Air Force after the war ended on 11 November. Ground crew for the Canadian Air Force were selected from men with relevant civilian careers in Canadian depots in England in a process that began in August, which resulted in them spending a lengthy period in training.
The squadron was officially formed as No. 2 Squadron, CAF on 20 November at Upper Heyford following approval for the formation of the two squadrons from Canadian Prime Minister Robert Borden, who received a guarantee from the Air Ministry that the squadrons would remain intact units. Its formation was actually delayed by five days to allow an RAF squadron to leave the quarters it was assigned to. No. 2 Squadron conducted training flights during its existence. Equipped with the de Havilland DH.9A, the squadron was assigned to No. 2 Group RAF of RAF Home Command. Due to his belief that the DH.9A was obsolete, Lawson unsuccessfully requested that the squadron receive Bristol F.2B Fighters instead. In mid-January 1919, the squadron established the Hounslow Detached Flight in order to transport senior officials between London and Paris for the Paris Peace Conference.
No. 2 Squadron also operated two Fokker D.VII fighters from May 1919 to January 1920, one of which crashed with the loss of its pilot on 22 May, the squadron's sole fatal accident. Later commanders were Captains J.O. Leach MC AFC from 29 May 1919, J.A. Glen DSC and Bar from 20 August, and W.I. Bailey from 20 November of that year. When the squadron moved to RAF Shoreham on 1 April 1919, it came under the control of the new No. 1 Wing, CAF, which had been set up to provide a Canadian administrative organization for the two squadrons. No. 2 Squadron, CAF was disbanded on 5 February 1920 along with the wing headquarters after the Canadian government decided against forming a permanent peacetime air force.
RCAF Station High River was redesignated No. 2 (Operations) Squadron in July 1925, retroactive to 1 April under the control of RCAF headquarters, one of five squadrons authorized to carry out missions in support of government agencies. Commanded by Squadron Leader A.A.L. Cuffe, it flew forestry patrols over Alberta to support civil government with sub-bases at Pincher Creek and Eckville. Flight Lieutenant R. Collis replaced Cuffe on 19 October 1926, and would lead the squadron for the rest of its military career. Equipped with the de Havilland DH.4, Avro 552A, and Avro 504N, it tested two Armstrong Whitworth Siskins between 22 June and 14 July 1927. Of the latter, one crashed on 28 June with the loss of its pilot and the other was returned to Camp Borden. Due to opposition to the RCAF performing civil operations, the squadron was transferred to the nominally civilian Directorate of Civil Government Air Operations as the High River Air Station on 1 July 1927 and its service designation lapsed.
The squadron number was immediately repurposed for No. 2 (Training) Squadron. Authorized at Camp Borden on 1 April 1927 and redesignated the following year as an advanced training squadron, the unit only existed on paper due to a lack of aircraft, funding, and personnel. It was deleted from authorized establishments for 1929.