No.3 (Fighter) Squadron At RAF Hunsdon

The use of aeroplanes for military purposes was established in the UK by the formation of the Air Battalion of the Royal Engineers. Following the issue of a special Army Order dated the 28th of February 1911 the organisation was inaugurated on the 1st of April 1911 and comprised a Headquarters at South Farnborough and two companies; No.1 (Airship) Company and No.2 (Aeroplane) Company located at South Farnborough and Larkhill respectively. The creation of No.2 (Aeroplane) Company of the Air Battalion stationed at Larkhill marked the first British formation of a military unit composed entirely of heavier-than-air flying machines. Training flights of this newly created No.2 (Aeroplane) Company continued including participation in the Army’s Autumn Manoeuvres of 1911. Although these manoeuvres were cancelled by the Army, ostensibly due to lack of water, No.2 (Aeroplane) Company used the opportunity to exercise their planned deployment. After these manoeuvres, in September 1911, a small detachment of No.2(Aeroplane) Company was established at Farnborough as the ‘Aldershot Station’. The ‘Diary of Squadron Work’ (November 1911 to August 1912) includes the transition from Air Battalion, Royal Engineers to Royal Flying Corps on 13 May 1912 by re-naming No.2(Aeroplane) Company as No.3 Squadron RFC. On the same day No.1 (Airship) Company became No.1 Squadron RFC and remained at Farnborough continuing with its Balloons and Kites. No.2 Squadron RFC was also inaugurated on 13 May 1912 and ‘formed’ later in May 1912. From a letter by Air Chief Marshal Sir Robert Brooke-Popham, to the Editor of Flight Magazine; published in March 1949. “In about March 1912, I was seconded to the Air Battalion and told to take command of No.2 (Aeroplane) Company. That was the only unit formation of any sort that possessed aeroplanes. On about May the 12th or 15th No.2 (Aeroplane) Company was given a new name - No.3 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps, (Military Wing).” Copyright: No.3(F) Squadron Association (2018) courtesy of Vic Lorriman 3(F) Squadron Assc. Historian Please Note, these are RNZAF Official copyright photographs. Commanding Officer Squadron Leader RF 'Digger' Aitken centre A group of No. 3 Squadron RAF, pilots standing in front of a Hawker Hurricane IIC at RAF Station Hunsdon. L-R: Sergeant Jack Collins, RWG Emery, Squadron Leader RF Aitken, Commanding Officer, Flight Lieutenant Eddie Berry, Sergeant Johnnie Scholes, Sergeant Gill, Flight Sergeant Wigglesworth. Re-arming a 3(F) Squadron Hurricane IIC at RAF Hunsdon. Hurricane of 3(F) displaying the overall black paint scheme Aircrew of 3(F) squadron relax at Hunsdon. No. 3 Squadron RAF, pilots standing in front of a Hurricane at RAF Station Hunsdon. L-R: Gill, Collins, Gawith, Dallon, unknown, Wigglesworth, Moore, unknown, Sqd Ldr Aitken, unknown, Berry, Tow, Emery, MacKichan(?), Davies, Hunt, Inwood, Montgomery.

At the start of WWII, No 3 (F) Squadron were equipped with the Hawker Hurricane and as a day fighter squadron were sent to France during the latter part of the period of the German invasion of the Low Countries and France. In ten days of fighting the squadron was almost decimated and returned to Britain as the French defence started to crumble and the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) withdrew to Dunkirk. They were sent to Scotland to re-equip and a nucleus of pilots formed 232 Squadon. 3(F) squadron took over the air defence of Scapa Flow, Britain's largest Royal Naval base. In 1941 3(F) were designated as a Night Fighter Squadron and moved south to the newly built airfield of RAF Hunsdon where they joined another famous Hurricane squadron No 85, who were a day fighter squadron who also had seen intensive action in France. No 85 had been similarly re mustered as a Night Fighter Squadron, and was now flying twin engine Douglas Boston night fighters from Hunsdon. 3(F) squadron operated Hurricane MkIIC fighters, some in an overall night fighter black paint scheme. These aircraft were armed with four 20 mm Hispano Cannons and sometimes fitted with long range tanks and according to the Station ORB flew some of the early intruder raids into France in 1941 attacking road convoys , shipping and any other targets of opportunity. 3(F) Squadron also provided aircraft to accompany 1451 (Turbinlight) Flight also at Hunsdon on their early foray into their rather unusual method of night fighting (See Hunsdon History on this site for details) 3(F) remained at Hunsdon until early 1943, by this time now equipped with another Hawker design the Typhoon . Due to leave Hunsdon sometime on the 5th May 1943 to relocate to RAF West Malling in Kent, They had made discreet enquiries as to the timing of the upcoming visit of the Air Officer Commanding of No 11 Group Fighter Command, Air Vice Marshall H.W.L 'Dingbat' Saunders who was going to visit on the 5th May to present 85 Squadron with their official crest. The personnel of 85 Squadron were drawn up on parade and had formed on three sides with the Air Officer Commanding in the middle on a dias and about to give his speech. From their nearby dispersals and watching, 3(F) squadron fired their Kaufman cartridge starters, an apparently very raucus and shattering noise, even if you were prepared for it, and slowly taxied out to the runway where they took off one by one drowning out the speaking Air Officer Commanding, only his mouth could be seen moving and it is doubtful anyone heard his words over the noise of the squadrons 2200 HP 24 cylinder Napier Sabre engines as they departed and then carried out a squadron strength low pass over the proceedings. Please Note, these are RNZAF Official copyright photographs

A Guard of honour standing guard over the coffin of Pilot Officer John Douglas McVay, RNZAF, inside the Ware new parish church, Watton Road, Ware . Pilot Officer JD McVay, NZ404913, crashed in his No. 3 Squadron Hurricane at Rye Hall Road near Thornwood Common after hitting a tree on the night of 7 December 1941, when returning to RAF Station Hunsdon after an offensive patrol.

Guard of honour and priest at the grave of Pilot Officer John Douglas McVay in the cemetery of Ware parish church. Now recognisable by the Commonwealth War Graves headstone to mark his grave.