RAF No 313 (Czechoslovak) Squadron

RAF No 313 (Czechoslovak) Squadron

Motto: Jeden Jestřáb Mnoho Vran Rozhání (One hawk scatters many crows)

Formed at Catterick on 10 May 1941 as a fighter unit composed of Czechoslovak personnel who had managed to escape from Nazi occupied Europe. It was equipped with Spitfires from the outset and remained so throughout its career.

Initially moving to Cornwall in August, it moved into No 11 Group at Hornchurch in December 1941. In June 1943 it moved up to Scotland, but two months later returned south in the bomber escort role. At the same time it became part of 2nd Tactical Air Force and began to take part in operations in preparation for the invasion.

The squadron moved back to Scotland, the Orkneys, in July 1944 where it was to provide protection for the fleet in Scapa Flow. When it returned to East Anglia in October it resumed its escort duties to daylight bombing missions as well as beginning ground attack operations over the Low Countries.

Following the end of the war 313 Squadron flew to Czechoslovakia, in August 1945, to form part of the newly reformed Czech Air Force, disbanding as a RAF unit 15 February 1946.

Squadron Codes used: - LH Allocated Apr - Sep 1939; RY May 1941 - Feb 1946

RAF No 313 'Czechoslovak' Squadron Bases

Station	From	To
Catterick, Yorkshire	10.05.1941	01.07.1941
Leconfield, Yorkshire	01.07.1941	26.08.1941
Portreath, Cornwall	26.08.1941	23.11.1941
Warrnwell, Dorset	23.11.1941	28.11.1941
Portreath, Comwall	28.11.1941	15.12.1941
Hornchurch, Essex	15.12.1941	06.02.1942
Rochford, Essex	06.02.1942	06.03.1942
Hornchurch, Essex	06.03.1942	30.04.1942
Fairlop, Essex	30.04.1942	08.06.1942
Churchstanton, Somerset	08.06.1942	28.06.1942
Warrnwell, Dorset	28.06.1942	11.07.1942
Churchstanton, Somerset (detachment Bold Head, Devon)	11.07.1942 10.06.1942	28.06.1943 28.06.1943
Peterhead, Aberdeen (detachment Sumburgh, Shetland Isles)	28.06.1943 28.06.1943	20.08.1943 22.07.1943
Hawkinge, Kent	20.08.1943	18.09.1943
Ibsley, Hampshire	18.09.1943	06.01.1944
Ayr, Ayrshire	06.01.1944	19.01.1944
Ibsley, Hampshire	19.01.1944	20.02.1944
Mendlesham, Suffolk	20.02.1944	14.03.1944
Southend, Essex	14.03.1944	20.03.1944
Mendlesham, Suffolk	20.03.1944	03.04.1944
Appledram, Sussex	03.04.1944	29.06.1944
Tangmere, Sussex	29.06.1944	03.07.1944
Lympne, Kent	03.07.1944	11.07.1944
Skeabrae, Orkney Isles (detachment Sumburgh, Shetland Isles)	11.07.1944 11.07.1944	03.10.1944 03.10.1944
North Weald, Hertfordshire	03.10.1944	29.12.1944
Bradwell Bay, Essex	29.12.1944	27.02.1945
Manston, Kent	27.02.1945	13.08.1945
Praha - Ruzyne (CSR)	13.08.1945	22.09.1945
Brno (CSR)	22.09.1945

RAF No 313 'Czechoslovak' Squadron Commanders

Squadron Commanders	From	To
S/Ldr Josef Jaske	20.07.1941	15.12.1941
S/Ldr Gordon L. Sinclair, DFC (British)	10.5.1941	24.09.1941
S/Ldr Karel Mrazek, DFC	15.12.1941	26.06.1942
S/Ldr Jaroslav Himr	26.06.1942	24.09.1943
S/Ldr Frantisek Fajtl, DFC	24.09.1943	31.01.1944
S/Ldr Vaclav Bergman, DFC	31.01.1944	22.05.1944
S/Ldr Alois Hochmal	22.05.1944	01.09.1944
S/Ldr Karel Kasal	01.09.1944	15.11.1944
S/Ldr Otmar Kucera, DFC	15.11.1944	CSR

RAF No 313 'Czechoslovak' Squadron
Flight Commanders of Flight "A"

Squadron Flight Commanders of Flight 'A'	From	To
F/Lt Karel Mrazek	15.05.1941	15.12.1941
F/Lt John L. Kilmartin, DFC (British)	04.06.1941	25.06.1941
F/Lt Frantisek Fajtl	15.12.1940	27.04.1942
F/Lt Frantisek Vancl	27.04.1942	21.05.1942
F/Lt Vaclav Hajek	21.05.1942	01.10.1942
F/Lt Jaroslav Muzika	01.10.1942	07.08.1943
F/Lt Alois Hochmal	07.08.1943	21.05.1944
F/Lt Vaclav Slouf	21.05.1944	30.09.1944
F/Lt Frantisek Masarik	30.09.1944	CSR

RAF No 313 'Czechoslovak' Squadron
Flight Commanders of Flight "B"

Squadron Flight Commanders of Flight 'B'	From	To
F/Lt Jan Cermak	19.05.1941	21.07.1941
F/Lt Thomas W. Gillen (British)	03.06.1941	15.09.1941
F/Lt Stanislav Fejfar	21.07.1941	20.03.1942
F/Lt Karel Vykoukal	20.03.1942	13.04.1942
F/Lt Stanislav Fejfar	13.04.1942	17.05.1942
F/Lt Vaclav Raba	17.05.1942	01.10.1942
F/Lt Bohuslav Kimlicka	01.10.1942	01.01.1943
S/Ldr Vaclav Bergman	01.01.1943	01.09.1943
F/Lt Otmar Kucera, DFC	01.09.1943	01.05.1944
F/Lt Ronald Wood, DFC (British)	01.05.1944	28.02.1945
F/Lt Karel Zouhar	28.02.1945	CSR

Types of planes used by RAF No 313 'Czechoslovak' Squadron

Aircraft	From	To
Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IA	May 1941	August 1941
Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IIA	August 1941	November 1941
Supermarine Spitfire Mk.VB	October 1941	February 1944
Supermarine Spitfire Mk.VC	July 1942	February 1944
Supermarine Spitfire HF Mk.VI	June 1943	July 1943
Supermarine Spitfire LF Mk.IXC	January 1944	June 1944
Supermarine Spitfire LF Mk.IXE	June 1944	July 1944
Supermarine Spitfire HF Mk.IX	July 1944	July 1944
Supermarine Spitfire Mk.VB	July 1944	October 1944
Supermarine Spitfire HF Mk.VII	July 1944	August 1944
Supermarine Spitfire F Mk.IX	August 1944	August 1944
Supermarine Spitfire HF Mk.IX	October 1944	August 1945
Supermarine Spitfire LF Mk.IXE	July 1945	CSR

Web References: http://cz-raf.hyperlink.cz/Units/313.html