602 SQUADRON RAF
602 (City of Glasgow) Squadron was formed on 15 September 1925 with its headquarters at Moorpark Aerodrome in Renfrew. It was the first of 21 Royal Air Force Auxiliary Squadrons and was initially equipped with the DH-9A Daylight Bomber. Over the years they used a variety of different aircraft including Fawns, Wapitis, Harts and Hinds.
In 1933 the Squadron was moved to Abbotsinch (now the site of Glasgow International Airport) and in 1938, it was re-designated as an army co-op unit equipped with Hectors.
In 1939, 602 Squadron was again re-designated, this time as a fighter squadron and was equipped with Gloster Gauntlets. In May of that year the squadron became the first auxiliary squadron in the RAF (and the sixth over all) to be equipped with the Supermarine Spitfire.
At the outbreak of war they were moved first to Grangemouth and then to Drem, and it was from this station that the squadron flew sorties to protect shipping in the Firth of Forth. On 16 October 1939, Flight Lieutenant George Pinkerton of 602 Squadron shot down a Junkers Ju-88, the first enemy aircraft to be shot down over Britain during World War Two.
In August 1940, 602 Squadron moved to Westhampnett in Sussex and fought the Luftwaffe throughout the Battle of Britain. One of the Aces of the Squadron was Sergeant Andrew “Roddy” McDowall, DFM and bar, who shot down 11 enemy aircraft during the battle.
From 1941 through to the end of the war 602 Squadron flew from a variety of British and European airfields in fighter sweeps, bomber escorts and defensive missions. Some notable engagements in which the squadron took part include a night patrol to search for the plane that was later found to carry Rudolph Hess, the sighting of the Scharnhorst and Gneisenau, the Dieppe Raid on 19 August 1942, strikes against V1 and V2 rocket launch sites and the random attack on the car carrying Feldmarschall Erwin Rommel.
By 1943 only 15 of the original City of Glasgow airmen were still with the Squadron and in 1944 602 (City of Glasgow) Squadron was made up of aircrew from six countries including Australia, Canada, France, New Zealand and South Africa. These include Pierre Closterman, a Free French pilot credited with 33 aerial victories and Johannes “Chris” le Roux, DFC and two bars, a South African who commanded the squadron in 1944.
Some of the better known squadron leaders that commanded 602 during the war included Sandy Johnstone, Alan Deere, Peter Brothers and ‘Paddy’ Finucane.
When the squadron was disbanded on 15 May 1945 it had been credited with the destruction of 150 enemy aircraft.
When the squadron was disbanded on 15 May 1945 it had been credited with the destruction of 150 enemy aircraft. It was reformed on 13 June 1946 as a Day Fighter Auxiliary Squadron flying Spitfire XV’s, XXI’s and finally XXII’s. In 1951 it converted to jet powered aircraft including Vampire FB-5’s and the Gloster Meteor T-7 trainer, before being finally disbanded on 10 March 1957.