No. 322 (Dutch) Squadron RAF
# No. 322 (Dutch) Squadron RAF

No. 322 (Dutch) Squadron of the Royal Air Force was a fighter squadron during the Second World War.

Formed with Dutch personnel already flying with the RAF, during the war it formed part of the Air Defence of Great Britain and formed part of the defences against V-1 flying bombs. In the last year of the war, it moved to the continent. After the war, it was disbanded as an RAF unit, but the 322e Jachtvliegtuig Afdeling of the Netherlands armed forces was formed from the squadron.

## History

No. 322 Squadron of the Royal Air Force was formed from the Dutch personnel of No. 167 Squadron RAF on 12 June 1943 at RAF Woodvale. The squadron retained the code-letter combination VL which had been used previously by No. 167 Squadron until late June 1944, when it was changed to 3W. It served at RAF West Malling and other stations during the Second World War.

From 20 June to 9 August 1944, and equipped with Spitfire Mk XIVs, the squadron was tasked with intercepting the V-1 Flying Bomb "doodlebug" missiles launched from the Dutch and French coasts towards London. Flying Officer Rudy Burgwal [nl] was the most outstanding pilot on these 'anti-diver' patrols, claiming five of the missiles in one 90 minute flight on 8 July 1944. The total for the squadron was 108.5 destroyed.

On 7 October 1945, the squadron disbanded at Wunstorf in Germany as part of the RAF. In recognition of the squadron's wartime record, the squadron was reestablished at Twente Airbase on 27 September 1946 as the 322e Jachtvliegtuig Afdeling (Fighter Division) of the Royal Netherlands Army.

The Dutch No. 322 Squadron RNLAF is officially considered as the continuation of No. 322 (Dutch) Squadron, keeping its motto and mascot "Polly Grey", the parrot.

## Aircraft operated

| From | To | Aircraft | Version |
| - | - | - | - |
| June 1943 | March 1944 | Supermarine Spitfire | Vb, Vc |
| March 1944 | August 1944 | Supermarine Spitfire | XIV |
| August 1944 | November 1944 | Supermarine Spitfire | IXb |
| November 1944 | October 1945 | Supermarine Spitfire | XVIe |

## Commanding officers

| From | To | Name |
| - | - | - |
| June 1943 | August 1943 | S/Ldr. Archibald Cathcart Stewart, DFC |
| September 1943 | September 1944 | Maj. K.C. Kuhlmann, DFC |
| September 1944 | November 1944 | S/Ldr. L.C.M. van Eendenburg |
| November 1944 | March 1945 | S/Ldr. H.F. O'Neill, DFC |
| March 1945 | October 1945 | S/Ldr. Bram "Bob" van der Stok |

## Squadron bases

| From | To | Base |
| - | - | - |
| 12 June 1943 | 15 November 1943 | RAF Woodvale |
| 15 November 1943 | 30 November 1943 | RAF Llanbedr |
| 30 November 1943 | 31 December 1943 | RAF Woodvale |
| 31 December 1943 | 25 February 1944 | RAF Hawkinge |
| 25 February 1944 | 1 March 1944 | RAF Ayr |
| 1 March 1944 | 9 March 1944 | RAF Hawkinge |
| 9 March 1944 | 23 April 1944 | RAF Acklington |
| 23 April 1944 | 20 June 1944 | RAF Hartford Bridge |
| 20 June 1944 | 21 July 1944 | RAF West Malling |
| 21 July 1944 | 10 October 1944 | RAF Deanland |
| 10 October 1944 | 1 November 1944 | RAF Fairwood Common |
| 1 November 1944 | 3 January 1945 | RAF Biggin Hill |
| 3 January 1945 | 21 February 1945 | RAF Woensdrecht (B.79) |
| 21 February 1945 | 18 April 1945 | RAF Schijndel (B.85) |
| 18 April 1945 | 30 April 1945 | RAF Twente (B.106) |
| 30 April 1945 | 2 July 1945 | RAF Varrelbusch (B.113) |
| 2 July 1945 | 7 October 1945 | RAF Wunstorf (B.116) |
