No. 320 Squadron RAF
Encyclopedia
No. 320 Squadron RAF was a unit of the Royal Air Force
during World War II
formed from the personnel of the Royal Netherlands Naval Air Service.
, after flying from the Netherlands
in eight Fokker T.VIIIW
twin-engined patrol seaplanes, as part of Coastal Command
. The squadron flew coastal and anti-submarine patrols in the Fokkers until they became unserviceable due to lack of spares and were re-equipped with Ansons
in August 1940 and supplemented in October with Hudsons
. Due to insufficient personnel, the squadron absorbed No. 321 (Netherlands) Squadron
on 18 January 1941.
on 1 October 1941, re-equipped with Hudson IIIs, flying patrols and anti-shipping attacks in the North Sea. Detachments were located at RAF Silloth
and RAF Carew Cheriton
until 24 April 1942 when the squadron moved to RAF Bircham Newton
. The squadron was reassigned to Bomber Command
and loaned to No.2 Group
on 15 March 1943. The squadron was also re-equipped with Mitchells
and moved to RAF Methwold
.
, then was reassigned to Second Tactical Air Force
on 1 June with the squadron attacking enemy communications targets and airfields. The squadron relocated to RAF Lasham on 30 August and to RAF Dunsfold on 18 February 1944.
After the liberation of Belgium
, the squadron was moved to Melsbroek (B.58)
, Belgium on 18 October and then on 30 April 1945 to Achmer (B.110), Germany
.
! style="text-align: left; background: #B0C4DE;"|To
! style="text-align: left; background: #B0C4DE;"|Aircraft
! style="text-align: left; background: #B0C4DE;"|Version
|-
| Jun 1940
| Oct 1940
| Fokker T.VIII
| TVIIIW/G (Floatplane version of TVIII)
|-
| Aug 1940
| Jul 1941
| Avro Anson
| Mk.I
|-
| Oct 1940
| Oct 1942
| Lockheed Hudson
| Mk.I
|-
| Mar 1941
| Sep 1941
| Lockheed Hudson
| Mk.II
|-
| Jul 1941
| Sep 1942
| Lockheed Hudson
| Mk.III
|-
| Jan 1942
| May 1942
| Lockheed Hudson
| Mk.V
|-
| Aug 1942
| Mar 1943
| Lockheed Hudson
| Mk.VI
|-
| Mar 1943
| Aug 1945
| North American Mitchell
| Mk.II
|-
| Feb 1945
| Aug 1945
| North American Mitchell
| Mk.III
! style="text-align: left; background: #B0C4DE;"|To
! style="text-align: left; background: #B0C4DE;"|Name
|-
| Jun 1940
| Oct 1940
| Lt/Cdr. J.M van Olm
|-
| Oct 1940
| Mar 1943
| Lt/Cdr. W. van Lier
Incomplete
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
formed from the personnel of the Royal Netherlands Naval Air Service.
Formation
Formed on 1 June 1940 at Pembroke DockPembroke Dock
Pembroke Dock is a town in Pembrokeshire, south-west Wales, lying north of Pembroke on the River Cleddau. Originally a small fishing village known as Paterchurch, the town was greatly expanded from 1814 onwards following the construction of a Royal Naval Dockyard...
, after flying from the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
in eight Fokker T.VIIIW
Fokker T.VIII
|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Green, William. War Planes of the Second World War, Volume Six: Floatplanes. London: Macdonald & Co., Ltd., 1962....
twin-engined patrol seaplanes, as part of Coastal Command
RAF Coastal Command
RAF Coastal Command was a formation within the Royal Air Force . Founded in 1936, it was the RAF's premier maritime arm, after the Royal Navy's secondment of the Fleet Air Arm in 1937. Naval aviation was neglected in the inter-war period, 1919–1939, and as a consequence the service did not receive...
. The squadron flew coastal and anti-submarine patrols in the Fokkers until they became unserviceable due to lack of spares and were re-equipped with Ansons
Avro Anson
The Avro Anson is a British twin-engine, multi-role aircraft that served with the Royal Air Force, Fleet Air Arm and numerous other air forces prior to, during, and after the Second World War. Named for British Admiral George Anson, it was originally designed for maritime reconnaissance, but was...
in August 1940 and supplemented in October with Hudsons
Lockheed Hudson
The Lockheed Hudson was an American-built light bomber and coastal reconnaissance aircraft built initially for the Royal Air Force shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War and primarily operated by the RAF thereafter...
. Due to insufficient personnel, the squadron absorbed No. 321 (Netherlands) Squadron
No. 321 Squadron RAF
No. 321 Squadron RAF was a unit of the Royal Air Force during World War II formed from the personnel of the Royal Netherlands Naval Air Service.-Formation:...
on 18 January 1941.
To Bomber Command
The squadron moved to RAF LeucharsRAF Leuchars
RAF Leuchars is the most northerly air defence station in the United Kingdom. It is located in Leuchars, Fife, on the east coast of Scotland, near to the university town of St Andrews.-Operations:...
on 1 October 1941, re-equipped with Hudson IIIs, flying patrols and anti-shipping attacks in the North Sea. Detachments were located at RAF Silloth
Silloth
Silloth is a port town and civil parish in Cumbria, England. It sits on the shoreline of the Solway Firth, west of Carlisle. It has a population of 2,932....
and RAF Carew Cheriton
RAF Carew Cheriton
RAF Carew Cheriton was a World War II Royal Air Force airfield of Coastal and Training Command near Carew Pembrokeshire. It was sited 6 miles north of Tenby. It was built on the site of RNAS Pembroke from World War I, which had been decommissioned and sold off in the inter war years.Carew...
until 24 April 1942 when the squadron moved to RAF Bircham Newton
RAF Bircham Newton
RAF Bircham Newton was a Royal Air Force airfield in the west of the county of Norfolk in the United Kingdom, eight miles west of Fakenham.-History:...
. The squadron was reassigned to Bomber Command
RAF Bomber Command
RAF Bomber Command controlled the RAF's bomber forces from 1936 to 1968. During World War II the command destroyed a significant proportion of Nazi Germany's industries and many German cities, and in the 1960s stood at the peak of its postwar military power with the V bombers and a supplemental...
and loaned to No.2 Group
No. 2 Group RAF
Number 2 Group is a Group of the Royal Air Force which was first activated in 1918, served from 1918–20, from 1936 through the Second World War to 1947, from 1948 to 1958, from 1993 to 1996, was reactivated in 2000, and is today part of Air Command....
on 15 March 1943. The squadron was also re-equipped with Mitchells
B-25 Mitchell
The North American B-25 Mitchell was an American twin-engined medium bomber manufactured by North American Aviation. It was used by many Allied air forces, in every theater of World War II, as well as many other air forces after the war ended, and saw service across four decades.The B-25 was named...
and moved to RAF Methwold
RAF Methwold
RAF Methwold was a Royal Air Force airfield in the west of the county of Norfolk in the United Kingdom which operated during and after World War II.-History:...
.
In the 2nd Tactical Air Force
On 30 March 1943, the squadron moved to RAF AttlebridgeRAF Attlebridge
RAF Attlebridge is a former World War II RAF Station and airfield in England. The field is located near Attlebridge 8 miles NW of Norwich in Norfolk.-RAF Bomber Command use:...
, then was reassigned to Second Tactical Air Force
RAF Second Tactical Air Force
The former RAF Second Tactical Air Force was one of three tactical air forces within the Royal Air Force during and after the Second World War...
on 1 June with the squadron attacking enemy communications targets and airfields. The squadron relocated to RAF Lasham on 30 August and to RAF Dunsfold on 18 February 1944.
After the liberation of Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, the squadron was moved to Melsbroek (B.58)
Melsbroek Air Base
Melsbroek Air Base is a Belgian Air Component facility in Zaventem, Belgium. It is located on the northern side of the same site as Brussels Airport, with which it shares runways and ground and air control facilities....
, Belgium on 18 October and then on 30 April 1945 to Achmer (B.110), Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
Back Home
The squadron was passed to the control of the Dutch Naval Aviation Service (Marine Luchtvaart Dienst) on 2 August 1945, keeping the same squadron number No. 320 Squadron MLD. The squadron was disbanded in 2005, due to budget cuts.Aircraft operated
! style="text-align: left; background: #B0C4DE;"|From! style="text-align: left; background: #B0C4DE;"|To
! style="text-align: left; background: #B0C4DE;"|Aircraft
! style="text-align: left; background: #B0C4DE;"|Version
|-
| Jun 1940
| Oct 1940
| Fokker T.VIII
Fokker T.VIII
|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Green, William. War Planes of the Second World War, Volume Six: Floatplanes. London: Macdonald & Co., Ltd., 1962....
| TVIIIW/G (Floatplane version of TVIII)
|-
| Aug 1940
| Jul 1941
| Avro Anson
Avro Anson
The Avro Anson is a British twin-engine, multi-role aircraft that served with the Royal Air Force, Fleet Air Arm and numerous other air forces prior to, during, and after the Second World War. Named for British Admiral George Anson, it was originally designed for maritime reconnaissance, but was...
| Mk.I
|-
| Oct 1940
| Oct 1942
| Lockheed Hudson
Lockheed Hudson
The Lockheed Hudson was an American-built light bomber and coastal reconnaissance aircraft built initially for the Royal Air Force shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War and primarily operated by the RAF thereafter...
| Mk.I
|-
| Mar 1941
| Sep 1941
| Lockheed Hudson
| Mk.II
|-
| Jul 1941
| Sep 1942
| Lockheed Hudson
| Mk.III
|-
| Jan 1942
| May 1942
| Lockheed Hudson
| Mk.V
|-
| Aug 1942
| Mar 1943
| Lockheed Hudson
| Mk.VI
|-
| Mar 1943
| Aug 1945
| North American Mitchell
B-25 Mitchell
The North American B-25 Mitchell was an American twin-engined medium bomber manufactured by North American Aviation. It was used by many Allied air forces, in every theater of World War II, as well as many other air forces after the war ended, and saw service across four decades.The B-25 was named...
| Mk.II
|-
| Feb 1945
| Aug 1945
| North American Mitchell
| Mk.III
Commanding officers
! style="text-align: left; background: #B0C4DE;"|From! style="text-align: left; background: #B0C4DE;"|To
! style="text-align: left; background: #B0C4DE;"|Name
|-
| Jun 1940
| Oct 1940
| Lt/Cdr. J.M van Olm
|-
| Oct 1940
| Mar 1943
| Lt/Cdr. W. van Lier
Incomplete