No. 424 Squadron RCAF

Motto: "Castigandos castigamus" ("We chastise those who deserve to be chastised").
Badge: An heraldic tiger's head erased. The squadron was adopted by the City of Hamilton, Ontario, and adopted the tiger's head in reference to the Hamilton rugby team.
Authority: King George VI, June 1945.

No. 424 Squadron was formed at Topcliffe, Yorkshire, on 15th October 1942, as a bomber squadron. Originally in No. 4 Group, it was transferred in January, 1943, to No. 6 (RCAF) Group, with which it operated until mid-April, 1943, when it became non-operational preparatory to moving to North Africa a month or so later. For just over three months (late June- early October) the squadron operated with No. 205 Group from bases in Tunisia, attacking targets in Sicily and Italy. Returning to the U.K. in late October and early November 1943, the squadron rejoined No. 6 Group and was stationed at Skipton-on-Swale, its base until the end of hostilities in Europe.

Equipped originally with Wellington IIIs the unit gradually changed to Wellington Xs, some of which ("tropicalised" aircraft) it flew to North Africa. After returning to the UK it converted to Halifax IIIs with which it operated for nearly a year. Throughout its last three months of operations it flew Lancasters.

Bomber Command WWII Bases:
Formed 15.10.42 as No. 424 (Bomber) Squadron at:

• Topcliffe : Oct 1942-Apr 1943
• Leeming : Apr 1943-May 1943
• Dalton : May 1943

• Skipton-on-Swale : Nov 1943 onwards

Bomber Command WWII Aircraft:

• Vickers Wellington III and X : Oct 1942-Oct 1943
• Handley Page Halifax B.III : Dec 1943-Jan 1945
• Avro Lancaster B.I : Jan 1945 onwards

Code Letters:

• "QB".

First Operational Mission in WWII:

• 15th/16th January 1943 - 5 Wellingtons bombed Lorient.

Last Operational Mission in WWII:

• 25th April 1945 - 9 Lancasters bombed gun batteries on island of Wangerooge & another Lancaster dropped bombs about 3 miles from target after pilot hit in eye by Perspex splinter.

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