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No. 162 Squadron RCAF

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162OspreySquadron RCAF
Active1942-1945
Disbanded7 August 1945
CountryCanada
AllegianceCanada
BranchRoyal Canadian Air Force
RoleBomber Reconnaissance
Part ofEastern Air Command,RAF Coastal Command
Nickname(s)Osprey
Motto(s)Sectabimur usque per ima. (We will hunt them even through the lowest deeps)
EngagementsSecond World War
Battle honoursNorth-West Atlantic 1942-44[1]
Commanders
Wing Commander (W/C)C. W. G. Chapman
Aircraft flown
BomberConsolidated Canso
No. 162 Squadron Aircraft "P" in 2018 (restoration)

No. 162 Squadron RCAFwas a unit ofRoyal Canadian Air Force Eastern Air Command.Formed as a bomber reconnaissance squadron atRCAF Station Yarmouth,Nova Scotia,Canadaon 19 May 1942 withCanso Aaircraft, the squadron spent an uneventful eighteen months on east coast anti-submarine duty.[2][3]In January 1944, it was seconded toRAF Coastal Commandand moved toRAF Reykjavik,Icelandto cover the mid-ocean portion of the North Atlantic shipping route. On April 17, Flying Officer T. C. Cooke and his crew attacked and sankU-342while on a meteorological flight west of Iceland.

In May 1944, a large detachment of the squadron moved east toRAF Wick,Scotlandto support the invasion of Normandy. Its task was to interceptU-boatsoperating from Norwegian ports. While in Scotland, No. 162 sank four German submarines and shared in the sinking of a fifth that tried to break through the North Transit Area to attack the Allied D-Day invasion fleet. These engagements took place in theNorwegian Searoughly 200 miles north of theShetland Islands,for example at63°28′00″N000°43′00″W/ 63.46667°N 0.71667°W/63.46667; -0.71667.

Flight Lieutenant(F/L)D.E. Hornellwon theVictoria Crossfor attacking and sinkingU-1225on June 24, 1944, despite withering anti-aircraft fire from theU-boat.[4]

No. 162 leftRAF Wickfor Camp Maple Leaf atRAF Reykjavikin August, and remained there until it returned to Canada in June 1945. It was the RCAF's most successful anti-submarine squadron during the Second World War with five U-boats destroyed, one shared sinking and one U-boat damaged. The squadron flew theCansoduring its entire operational lifetime. From the beginning of operations until the end of the war, the squadron flew 2,100 sorties and lost 6 aircraft and 34 crew on operations, with a further 3 aircraft and 8 crew lost non-operationally.

The squadron was disbanded at Sydney, Nova Scotia on August 7, 1945.

A Canso at theCanadian Warplane Heritage Museumis restored in the markings and colors of No. 162 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force. The museum is located inHamilton, Ontario.

Honours and awards

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References

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  1. ^[1]Canada Remembers
  2. ^Wikene, I. (1979)."Canso & Catalina In The R.C.A.F".In Wilkinson, Les (ed.).I'll Never Forget...Canadian Aviation In The Second World War.Willowdale, Ontario: Canadian Aviation Historical Society. pp.47–54.ISBN0-920610-00-5.
  3. ^Douglas, William Alexander Binney (1986).The Official History of the Royal Canadian Air Force vol. 2 The Creation of a National Air Force.Canada: Department of National Defence. pp. 592–593.ISBN0-8020-2584-6.
  4. ^Milberry, L. (2010).Aviation in Canada: evolution of an air force.Toronto: CANAV Books. pp. 212–219.ISBN9780921022237.
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