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No.603 Sqn
Country : UK
Founded : 14th October 1925
Disbanded 10th March 1957
Codes : , XT, RL,
Gin ye daur - If you dare
No 603 Squadron was formed on 14 October 1925 at Turnhouse as a day bomber unit of the Auxiliary Air Force. Originally equipped with DH9As and using Avro 504Ks for flying training, the squadron re-equipped with Wapitis in March 1930, these being replaced by Harts in February 1934. On 24 October 1938, No 603 was redesignated a fighter unit and flew Hinds until the arrival of Gladiators at the end of March 1939. Within two weeks of the outbreak of war in September 1939, the squadron began to receive Spitfires and passed on its Gladiators to other squadrons during October. It was operational with Spitfires in time to intercept the first German air raid on the British Isles on 16 October, when it destroyed the first enemy aircraft to be shot down over Britain in the Second World War. It remained on defensive duties in Scotland until the end of August 1940, when it moved to southern England for the remaining months of the Battle of Britain, returning to Scotland at the end of December. In May 1941, the squadron moved south again to take part in sweeps over France until the end of the year. After a further spell in Scotland, No.603 left in April 1942 for the Middle East where its ground echelon arrived early in June. The squadron's aircraft were embarked on the US carrier 'Wasp' and flown off to Malta on 20 April to reinforce the fighter defences of the beleaguered island. After nearly four months defending Malta, the remaining pilots and aircraft were absorbed by No.229 Squadron on 3 August 1942.
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Head on Attack by Robert Taylor On October 12, 1940, No. 603 Squadron, reduced to only eight aircraft, took on a large formation of Me109s attacking head on. Robert Taylors vivid portrayal shows Scott-Maldens Spitfire moments after knocking down an Me109 in the encounter, both he and his wingman coming through unscathed. |
| Aces for : No.603 Sqn RAF | ||
| A list of all Aces from our database who are known to have flown with this squadron. A profile page is available by clicking the pilots name. | ||
| Name | Victories | Info |
| G K Gilroy | 21.00 | |
| W G G Duncan-Smith | 17.00 | The signature of W G G Duncan-Smith features on some of our artwork - click here to see what is available. |
| Ronald Berry | 16.00 | |
| Brian John George Carbury | 15.50 | |
| John Donald Rae | 13.00 | The signature of John Donald Rae features on some of our artwork - click here to see what is available. |
| Basil Gerald 'Stapme' Stapleton | 6.00 | The signature of Basil Gerald 'Stapme' Stapleton features on some of our artwork - click here to see what is available. |
| No.603 Sqn RAF Aircraft details |
 Beaufighter Manufacturer : Bristol Built : 5564 | Beaufighter BRISTOL BEAUFIGHTER The Bristol Beaufighter was a Torpedo Bomber and had a crew of two. with a maximum speed of 330mph and a ceiling of 29,000 feet. maximum normal range of 1500 miles but could be extended to 1750 miles. The Bristol Beaufighter carried four 20mm cannon in the belly of the aircraft and upto six .303in browning machine guns in the wings. it could also carry eight 3 -inch rockets, 1605 lb torpedo or a bomb load of 1,000 lb. The Bristol Beaufighter first flew in July 1939 and with some modifications entered service with the Royal Air Force in July 1940. In the winter of 1940 - 1941 the Beaufighter was used as a night fighter. and in March 1941 the aircraft was used at Coastal Command as a long range strike aircraft. and in 1941, the Beaufighter arrived in North Africa and used as a forward ground attack aircraft. The Bristol Beaufighter was used also in India, Burma and Australia. A total of 5,564 Beaufighters were built until production in Britain finished in 1945, but a further 364 were built in Australia for the Australian Air Force |
 Gladiator Manufacturer : Gloster Built : 746 | Gladiator GLOSTER GLADIATOR: A continuation form the Gloster Gauntlet aircraft the Gloster Gladiator (SS37) becoming designated the F.7/30 was named Gladiator on the 1st July 1935. The first 70 Gladiators had Under wing machine guns (Vickers or Lewis) before the browning became standard The first aircraft arrived at Tangmere airfield on in February 1937 to no. 72 squadron. at the outbreak of world war two a total of 218 Gladiators had been received by the Royal air force with a total of 76 on active service. They served also in the Middle eats and in 1940 when Italy joined the war was nearly the only front line fighter in the middle east. Between 1939 and 1941. the Gloster Gladiator flew in many war zones. flying in France, Greece, Norway, Crete Egypt Malta and Aden. The Aircraft claimed nearly 250 air victories. It stayed in front line duties until 1942, then becoming fighter trainer, and other sundry roles. It continued in these roles until the end of world war two. The Naval equivalent the Sea Gladiator a short service in the Middle east and European waters. A Total of 746 aircraft were built of these 98 were Sea Gladiators.. Performance. speed: 250mph at 17,500 feet, 257 mph at 14,600 Range 430 miles. Armament: Two fixed .3-03 browning machine guns |
 Spitfire Manufacturer : Supermarine Built : 20351 | Spitfire Royal Air Force fighter aircraft, maximum speed for mark I Supermarine Spitfire, 362mph up to The Seafire 47 with a top speed of 452mph. maximum ceiling for Mk I 34,000feet up to 44,500 for the mark XIV. Maximum range for MK I 575 miles . up to 1475 miles for the Seafire 47. Armament for the various Marks of Spitfire. for MK I, and II . eight fixed .303 browning Machine guns, for MKs V-IX and XVI two 20mm Hispano cannons and four .303 browning machine guns. and on later Marks, six to eight Rockets under the wings or a maximum bomb load of 1,000 lbs. Designed by R J Mitchell, The proto type Spitfire first flew on the 5th March 1936. and entered service with the Royal Air Force in August 1938, with 19 squadron based and RAF Duxford. by the outbreak of World war two, there were twelve squadrons with a total of 187 spitfires, with another 83 in store. Between 1939 and 1945, a large variety of modifications and developments produced a variety of MK,s from I to XVI. The mark II came into service in late 1940, and in March 1941, the Mk,V came into service. To counter the Improvements in fighters of the Luftwaffe especially the FW190, the MK,XII was introduced with its Griffin engine. The Fleet Air Arm used the Mk,I and II and were named Seafires. By the end of production in 1948 a total of 20,351 spitfires had been made and 2408 Seafires. The most produced variant was the Spitfire Mark V, with a total of 6479 spitfires produced. The Royal Air Force kept Spitfires in front line use until April 1954. |
| No.603 Sqn RAF Pilot and aircrew signature details |
Flight Lieutenant Raife J Cowan Our estimated value of this signature : £20 | Flight Lieutenant Raife J Cowan Joined the RAAF in May 1940 and attended EFTS in Australia and gained his wings in Canada. Early in 1941, Raife sailed to the UK and converted to Spitfires at 57 OTU Hawarden. In April 1942 he joined 452 Sqn RAAF being formed at Kirton in Lindsay, Lincolnshire. On 16th June 1941 he was hospitalised after a night flying prang until re-joining the squadron at Kenley during September. Raife flew operations with 452 Sqn until the squadron was posted to Australia for the defence of Darwin. On 24th June he joined 75 Sqn which was re-forming at Kingaroy after their epic forty four day Battle at Port Moresby. Cowan flew to New Guinea in July and participated in the Battle of Milne Bay during August and September, then withdrew to Australia with the squadron. In February 1943 Raife was posted to 2 OTU Mildura as an instructor on Spitfires, Kittyhawks and Wirraways. On 3rd August 1945 Raife Cowan was posted as CO to 78 Sqn at Tarakan until the end of the war. |
  Flight Lieutenant Ray Harrington Our estimated value of this signature : £40 | Flight Lieutenant Ray Harrington Ray joined the RAF in 1941, completing his training in South Africa. In January 1944 he was posted to 603 Squadron flying Beaufighters in North Africa. Here he teamed up with navigator, Warrant Officer A.E. 'Bert' Winwood, and from where they launched attacks across the Mediterranean into Crete, Greece and the Aegean Islands against shipping, harbour installations and enemy aircraft with much success. In December 1944 they were posted to 235 Squadron Coastal Command, part of the Banff Strike Wing, converting to Mosquitos. In April 1945 they were shot down following a strike in the Kattegat, but avoided capture and with the help of the Danish resistance made it home, where they continued to fly again from Banff. |
Group Captain Herbert M Pinfold Our estimated value of this signature : £55 Died : 2009 | Group Captain Herbert M Pinfold Group Captain Herbert Moreton Pinfold, Battle of Britian pilot with 56 Squadron flying Hurricanes, he also flew with 6, 64, 502 and 603 Squadrons. Sadly, Herbert Pinfold passed away on 19th October 2009. Group Captain Herbert Moreton Pinfold was born 5th February 1913 and joined the Royal Air Force in August 1934 at the age of 21. In September Herbert Pinfold was posted to 5 FTS, Sealand and with training completed, on the 5th of September he was sent to join 6 Squadron at Ismailia, Egypt. He returned to the UK on 19th March 1936 and joined the newly formed 64 Squadron. The squadron were flying Hawker Demons, and were moved to the Western Desert to combat the Italian Air Force threat. The squadron returned to the UK in September. After a short spell as personal assistant and pilot to AOC 11 Group, Herbert Pinfold was sent on a Flying Instructors Course at RAF Upavon. After completing the instructors course he was posted to 502 Squadron, AuxAF as Flying Instructor and Adjutant at RAF Aldergrove, Northern Ireland on 16th July 1938. In January 1939, Herbert Pinfold went to RAF Turnhouse, Edinburgh and joined 603 Squadron where the squadron were flying Gladiators and then Spitfires. He went to 3 FTS, South Cerney on 2nd July 1940, as an instructor. On the 11th of August Penfold went to Aston Down and converted to Hurricanes. Herbert Pinfold took command of 56 Squadron at North Weald on the 25th, remaining with it until 29th January 1941, after this he was posted to 10 FTS at Tern Hill when he returned to flying instruction with a posting to 10 FTS, Tern Hill. Herbert Pinfold completed the RAF Staff College course and went on a number fo staff positions in the UK and also overseas including Ceylon and Singapore. Coming back to the UK Herbert Pinfold took command of Duxford, at that time flying Meteors, after which was posted to the Air Ministry. In 1953 Herbert was appointed Air Attache in Rome, before returning to the UK in 1956 for a second spell as Station Commander of Duxford. On the 1st of October 1958 Herbet Pinfold retired at the rank of Group Captain. Sadly, Herbert Pinfold passed away on 19th October 2009. |
Flight Lieutenant Jack Rae DFC* Our estimated value of this signature : £65 Died : 2007 | Flight Lieutenant Jack Rae DFC* New Zealander Jack Rae joined the RNZAF in September 1940, was posted to England and joined 485 Squadron RNZAF. He claimed 2 victories before being posted to 603 Squadron. With this unit he flew his Spitfire off USS Wasp to Malta, on 20th April 1942. After being shot down over the island, he was posted to 249 Squadron. During the following two weeks he saw much action, claiming 4 and one shared by the end of July. Posted back to the UK, he returned to combat flying in May 1943, rejoining 485 Squadron. He rapidly scored further victories, but on 22nd August just after downing an Fw190, his engine failed forcing him to land in France where he was taken POW. His final tally stood at 12 victories and 8 probables. He died on 19th December 2007. |
  Flight Lieutenant Allan Scott DFM Our estimated value of this signature : £50 Died : 2020 | Flight Lieutenant Allan Scott DFM Allan Scott joined the RAF in March 1941, joining 124 Squadron in October, where he made his first claim - a shared Ju88 near Clacton-on-Sea. Ordered to Malta, he flew his Spitfire off HMS Eagle to the island on 21st July 1942, where the Germans attempted to lure the 30 Spitfires on a heading to Siciliy with a false broadcast, without success. Initially posted to 603 Squadron, he went to 1435 Squadron, seeing much action - including a victory over an Italian S.79 bomber during Operation Pedestal on 13th August. He claimed a further Me109 that month, but a concerted Axis bombing campaign came in October. On the 12th, he claimed 3 Me109s - one destroyed, one probable and one damaged - and the next day he claimed another Me109 destroyed alongside two damaged Ju88s. On the 15th he claimed another Me109 bomber escort and had claimed another probable and another destroyed before the attacks tailed off around the 21st. He remained with this unit until December 1942. Whilst on Malta he was credited with at least 5 destroyed and a further 2 probables, and received the DFM. Returning to the UK he became an instructor before joining No.122 Sqn flying Spitfires on intruder missions over France. By January 1944 the squadron had re-equipped with long range P-51 Mustangs for bomber escort duties. He carried out dive-bombing sorties in the Mustang in the build up to D-Day in 1944, before becoming a test pilot in July that year. After the war, he suffered serious injury when aerobatics in a Tiger Moth caused the airframe to fail and the aircraft to crash. He died on 8th September 2020. |
Group Captain W G G Duncan-Smith DSO, DFC, AE Our estimated value of this signature : £80 | Group Captain W G G Duncan-Smith DSO, DFC, AE Spent WWII flying Spitfires in the Battle of Britian and over Europe accounting for 19 enemy aircraft destroyed, 7 probables and 15 damaged. Duncan-Smith was born in Madras, India, on 28th May 1914, the son of an officer in the Indian civil service. He was educated in Scotland, where he joined his schools OTC. Returning to India in 1933, he became a coffee and tea planter, but in 1936 returned to the UK to join the RAF. Wartime service - Serving at 7 OTU at the outbreak of war, he was posted to No.611 Squadron RAF later that year. He was awarded a DFC in June 1941, and went to 603 Squadron in August 1941 as a Flight Commander. Taken ill late in the year, he spent some time in hospital, before joining 64 Squadron in March 1942. In August he became Wing Commander- Flying at RAF North Weald after a rest from operations. He was then sent to the Mediterranean as Wing leader, 244 Wing. In September 1943 after engine failure he bailed out into the sea, being rescued after 5 hours adrift. As a Group Captain, he then took charge of 324 Wing , finally leaving in March 1945. Duncan Smith or 'Smithyv was credited with 17 confirmed kills, two shared kills, six probables, two shared probables and eight damaged in aerial combat. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order and Bar and the Distinguished Flying Cross and two Bars in recognition of his bravery. He also was a notable recipient of the 5 Years Safe Driving Award. He was the author of 'Spitfire into Battle', published in 1981, a highly entertaining account of aerial combat in the Spitfire aircraft. Group Captain Duncan Smith flew and fought in front-line operations continuously from the Battle of Britain through the struggle for Malta, the invasion of Italy and the liberation of France. |
 Flight Lieutenant John Squier Our estimated value of this signature : £45 Died : 2006 | Flight Lieutenant John Squier John Squier was called up from the RAFVR at the outbreak of war, joining 64 Squadron at Kenley in June 1940 flying Spitfires. In August he crash landed following an attack by Hannes Trautloft of III/JG51, suffering severe injuries. Rejoining 64 Squadron in November, he was posted to 72 Squadron, then 603 Squadron, and finally 141 Squadron. He was commissioned in 1942. After the war he became a test pilot and was the first pilot to eject at supersonic speed. He died 30th January 2006. |
  Squadron Leader Basil Stapleton DFC Our estimated value of this signature : £65 Died : 2010 | Squadron Leader Basil Stapleton DFC Born in South Africa, Basil Gerald Stapleton joined the RAF in Jan 1939, being posted to 603 Sqn flying Spitfires. He first saw action off Scotland, sharing in the destruction of two bombers, before the Squadron was posted south to Hornchurch during the height of the Battle of Britain. By Nov 1940 his tally had risen to 6 and 2 shared victories and 8 probables. In March 1942 he was posted to 257 Sqn as flight commander. In August 1944 he commanded 247 Sqn flying Typhoons, taking part in the Arnhem operations. In December 1944, whilst attacking a train, debris hit his aircraft forcing him to land behind enemy lines where he was taken prisoner of war. Stapme Stapleton had scored 6 victories, plus 2 shared, 5 probable and 2 damaged. Sadly, we have learned that Basil Stapleton passed away on 13th April 2010. |
  Wing Commander George W Swanwick Our estimated value of this signature : £50 Died : 2011 | Wing Commander George W Swanwick George Swanwick was born on 10th November 1915 and was an air-gunner on Wallaces and Hinds with 504 squadron at RAF Hucknall during the 1930s. In May 1936, 504 became part of the Auxiliary Air Force, and in October 1938 converted to a fighter unit, equipped with Gauntlets. In 1938 George re-trained as a pilot, and was promoted to Sergeant Pilot in August 1939. In May 1940 George Swanwick joined 7 BGS, and on 7th September was posted to 54 Squadron at Catterick flying Spitfires. He then went to 41 Squadron at Hornchurch. Commissioned in late 1941, he was posted to 222 Squadron at North Weald in April 1942 as a Flight Commander. In July George Swanwick joined 603 Squadron in Malta and in September 1942, George was posted to 7 OTU at Port Sudan as Flight Commander. In July 1943, he joined 81 Squadron in Malta as a supernumerary. George was invalided back to the UK and following his discharge from hospital in 1944, George held various staff appointments until the end of the war. George Swanwick was granted a Permament Commission in 1949 and retired on 30th April 1970, as a Wing Commander. Sadly, George Swanwick passed away on 4th January 2011. |
  Air Commodore Sir Archie Winskill KCVO CBE DFC AE Our estimated value of this signature : £60 Died : 2005 | Air Commodore Sir Archie Winskill KCVO CBE DFC AE An RAFVR pilot, Winskill flew with both 72 Squadron and 603 Squadrons during the Battle of Britain. Commissioned in August 1940 he was posted in February 1941 to 41 Squadron where he soon became a Flight Commander. Baders determination to engage the enemy at every possible opportunity is what he remembers most clearly of the period, On August 14th he was shot down over France, just five days after Bader. He managed to evade capture and, with the help of the French Resistance, made his way to Spain and then Gibraltar. He was the first pilot to use this route home. After another operational posting to North Africa, after which he was awarded a Bar to his DFC, he finished the war with four confirmed victories. Post war he stayed on in the RAF and was Captain of the Queens Flight for 14 years. He died 9th August 2005. |
  Warrant Officer Bert Winwood Our estimated value of this signature : £50 Died : 2012 | Warrant Officer Bert Winwood WO A.E. 'Bert' Winwood was a Navigator on Mosquitoes and Beaufighters, flew only with pilot Ray Harrington attached to 603 sqn in the Greek Campaign. Bert did his Navigator training in Canada and in January 1944 was posted to 603 Squadron on Beaufighters, based at Gambut, near Tobruk. From here they launched attacks right across the Mediterranean into Crete, Greece and the Aegean Islands against shipping, harbour installations and enemy aircraft with much success. In December 1944 he was posted to 235 Squadron at RAF Banff flying as navigator on Mosquito's flying in the Banff Strike Wing. In April 1945 he was shot down when returning from a strike in the Kattegat, he and his pilot Ray Harrington avoided capture, and with the help of the Danish resistance made it home to England. After a short rest he continued to fly again from RAF Banff, he left the RAF in 1946. Bert Winwood passed away in 2012. |
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