No. 502 (Ulster) Squadron is a squadron of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force that was reformed in September 2013, and is the oldest active reserve squadron, having been formed in 1925. The squadron took park in anti-submarine patrols and bombing sorties in the Second World War.

History

Formation and early years No. 502 squadron was originally formed on 15 May 1925 as No. 502 (Bomber) Squadron, a Special Reserve squadron at RAF Aldergrove, and it was composed of a mixture of regular and reserve personnel. On 1 December 1925 the name No. 502 (Ulster) Squadron was adopted. The squadron operated in the heavy night bomber role and as such it was initially equipped with Vickers Vimys from June 1925, re-equipping with Handley Page Hyderabads in July 1928. Vickers Virginias arrived in December 1931, but in October 1935 the squadron was transferred to the day bomber role for which it received Westland Wallaces, Hawker Hinds arriving in April 1937. Shortly after this, on 1 July 1937, it was transferred to the Auxiliary Air Force, the Special Reserve being disbanded.

In Coastal Command

On 28 November 1938, No. 502 (Ulster) Squadron became part of RAF Coastal Command, and was re-equipped with Avro Anson, a twin-engine, multi-role aircraft, in January 1939. When war broke out, the squadron was used to fly maritime patrols in the Atlantic Ocean off the Irish Coast. From October 1940, the Squadron flew with Armstrong Whitworth Whitley, a twin-engined medium bomber. It was reported that on 30 November 1941 the squadron became the first Coastal Command unit to make a successful attack on a U-boat with air-to-surface-vessel radar, sinking U-boat U-206 in the Bay of Biscay. This report has been countered with newer information that the U-206 was more probably sunk by the minefield, "Beech," laid there by the British after August 1940, and that the squadron's attack was actually on U-71, which escaped without loss.

In January 1942, the squadron officially moved to both Norfolk (RAF Docking) and Cornwall, where a maintenance station was set up at RAF St Eval. Until 1944 the squadron's main role was to carry out anti-submarine patrols. In January 1943 conversion to Handley Page Halifax GR.Mk.II, a British four-engined heavy bomber, began, with the first patrol by this type being flown on 12 March. In addition to anti-submarine patrols, now also attacks on enemy shipping off the occupied French coast were made. In September 1944, with the French coast back in Allied hands, the squadron moved to RAF Stornoway in Scotland, to carry out attacks on German shipping off the Norwegian coast, remaining there until the end of the war. It was disbanded on 25 May 1945.

Into the jet age With the reactivation of the Auxiliary Air Force, No. 502 was reformed on 10 May 1946, again at RAF Aldergrove, but now as a light bomber squadron, equipped with de Havilland Mosquito B.25 from July 1946. In December night fighter de Havilland Mosquitoe replaced the bomber variant, but in June 1948 the units of the by now Royal Auxiliary Air Force all converted to the day fighter role, 502 receiving Supermarine Spitfire F.22 fighter aircraft for the purpose. Jet conversion began in January 1951 with the arrival of de Havilland Vampire FB.5, which were supplemented by the FB.9 variant in July 1954. The squadron continued to fly both types until, along with all the flying units of the RAuxAF, it was disbanded on 10 March 1957.

Reformation at Aldergrove It was confirmed in September 2013 that No. 502 (Ulster) Squadron has reformed at Aldergrove Flying Station. As a general Squadron its mission is to provide fully trained Royal Auxiliary Air Force personnel, across a wide spectrum of roles, to support current and future worldwide commitments. No. 502 is the oldest of the reserve squadrons, having been formed in 1925, and in 2019, a new standard was awarded to the squadron as the old standard had been awarded in 1939 and was worn out.

Aircraft operated +Aircraft operated by No. 502 Squadron RAF From To Aircraft Version June 1925 July 1928 Vickers Vimy July 1928 February 1932 Handley Page Hyderabad December 1931 October 1935 Vickers Virginia Mk.X October 1935 May 1937 Westland Wallace Mk.I November 1935 May 1937 Westland Wallace Mk.II April 1937 April 1939 Hawker Hind January 1939 November 1940 Avro Anson Mk.I August 1940 November 1940 Blackburn Botha Mk.I September 1940 February 1942 Armstrong Whitworth Whitley Mk.V November 1941 February 1943 Armstrong Whitworth Whitley Mk.VII January 1943 March 1945 Handley Page Halifax GR.Mk.II Srs.IA December 1944 May 1945 Handley Page Halifax GR.Mks.IIIA, VI July 1946 December 1947 de Havilland Mosquito B.25 December 1947 June 1948 de Havilland Mosquito NF.30 June 1948 January 1951 Supermarine Spitfire F.22 January 1951 March 1951 de Havilland Vampire F.3 March 1951 March 1957 de Havilland Vampire FB.5 July 1954 March 1957 de Havilland Vampire FB.9

Squadron bases

+Bases and airfields used by No. 502 Squadron From To Base Remark 27 January 1925 27 January 1941 RAF Aldergrove, County Antrim Detachment at RAF Hooton Park, Cheshire 27 January 1941 12 January 1942 RAF Limavady, County Londonderry Detachments at RAF Wick, Caithness, Scotland; RAF Chivenor, Devon; RAF St Eval, Cornwall and RAF Reykjavik, Iceland 12 February 1942 22 February 1942 RAF Docking, Norfolk Detachment at RAF St Eval, Cornwall 22 February 1942 2 March 1943 RAF St Eval, Cornwall 2 March 1943 25 March 1943 RAF Holmesley South, Hampshire Detachment at RAF St Eval, Cornwall 25 March 1943 30 June 1943 RAF St Eval, Cornwall 30 June 1943 10 December 1943 RAF Holmesley South, Hampshire Detachment at RAF St Eval, Cornwall 10 December 1943 11 September 1944 RAF St Davids, Pembrokeshire, Wales 11 September 1944 25 May 1945 RAF Stornoway, Western Isles, Scotland Detachment at RAF Wick, Caithness, Scotland 17 July 1946 10 March 1957 RAF Aldergrove, County Antrim

Commanding officers +Officers commanding No. 502 Squadron RAF From To Name May 1925 November 1926 S/Ldr. R.D. Oxland W/Cdr. A.C. Wright, AFC S/Ldr. C.L. King, MC, DFC W/Cdr. F.P. Don March 1932 W/Cdr. R.T. Leather, AFC March 1932 1934 W/Cdr. L.T.N. Gould, MC 1934 W/Cdr. J.C. Russell, DSO November 1937 S/Ldr. G.V. Tyrell, MC November 1937 December 1940 W/Cdr. L.R. Briggs December 1940 November 1941 W/Cdr. T.C. Cooper November 1941 September 1942 W/Cdr. F.C. Richardson September 1942 August 1943 W/Cdr. J.C. Halley, DSO August 1943 May 1944 W/Cdr. N.M. Bayliss May 1944 October 1944 W/Cdr. C.A. Maton, DSO, SAAF October 1944 November 1944 W/Cdr. K.B. Corbould, DFC November 1944 May 1945 W/Cdr. H.H.C. Holderness, DFC, AFC, DSO July 1946 S/Ldr. W.H. McGiffin S/Ldr. D.F.B. Sheen, DFC & Bar, RAAF 1956 S/Ldr. N.G. Townsend, DFC 1956 March 1957 S/Ldr. J.H. Pearce

Notable personnel Clive Beadon John Burrough (rower), killed 26 November 1944. William Maxfield (cyclist), killed 27 December 1943. Michael Oser Weizmann, son of Chaim Weizmann, who was shot down and reported missing in 1942.

References

Notes

Bibliography

. (New edition in 1992 by Crécy Publishing, .) (second edition 2001) (new edition 1976)

(new edition 1976, reprinted 1978)

External links

502 Squadron history on RAF site World War II bases at RAF Commands History of No.'s 500–520 Squadrons at RAF Web No. 502 Squadron aircraft and markings at RAF Web Ulster Aviation Society