History
Motto:
"Piyautailili"
(Defend even unto death)
Formed at Debden on 15 November 1941 in the night intruder role,
equipped with Bostons. However, work up was slow and it was March 1942
before the squadron was declared operational, flying its first mission
on the 26th.
As well as the standard
Boston, it also used examples armed with a solid nose mounting 20mm
cannons, which it used to devastating effect. In May 1943, the squadron
converted to Mosquito VIs and on 15 September 1943 it acted in the
escort fighter role to a force of Lancasters from No 617 Squadron
attacking the Dortmund-Elms Canal.
In 1944 the squadron
began to operate in daylight and on 2 May it claimed its 100th victim.
In August the squadron began night operations against V-1 flying bombs
and in September began strikes against V-2 launching sites. On 21
November 1944 the squadron was transferred from No 11 Group, Fighter
Command to No 2 Group, 2nd Tactical Air Force as a light bomber
squadron. It continued in this role until the end of the war,
disbanding at Volkel on 7 September 1945.
(Source
and
©:
rafweb.org)
Relevant
Websites
http://www.418squadron.ca/
http://www.rcaf.com/archives/archives_general/418intruder/index.php
http://www.mossie.org/squadrons/418_squadron.htm
Casualties of the squadron, buried
in the Netherlands.
Number of known casualties:
31
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