No. 432 Squadron RCAF

No. 432 (Leaside) Squadron RCAF
432 All Weather Fighter Squadron RCAF
No. 432 (Leaside) Squadron RCAF; 432 All Weather Fighter Squadron RCAF
Active	1943–1945; 1954–1961
Country	Canada
Branch	Royal Canadian Air Force
Role	Strategic bombing (1943–1945); Fighter-interceptor (1954–1961)
Part of	No. 6 Group RCAF (1943–1945)
Nickname(s)	Leaside
Motto(s)	Saeviter ad Lucem; ("Ferociously towards the light")
Battle honours	English Channel & North Sea 1943; Fortress Europe 1944–1945; France and Germany 1944–1945; Biscay Ports 1944; Ruhr 1943–1945; Berlin 1943–1944; German Ports 1943–1945; Normandy 1944; Rhine, Biscay 1943;
Insignia
Squadron Code	QO (1943–1945)
Squadron Badge	Argent in front of a full moon Argent a Cougar leaping downwards Sable armed and langued Gules.
Aircraft flown
Bomber	Vickers Wellington Mk.X; Avro Lancaster Mk.II; Handley Page Halifax Mk.III & VII (1943–1945)
Fighter	Avro Canada CF-100 Canuck (1954–1961)

No. 432 Squadron RCAF was a squadron of the

Second World War

.

History

It was first formed at RAF Skipton-on-Swale in May 1943, as part of No. 6 Group of RAF Bomber Command. The unit was equipped with Wellington Mk.X bombers.^[1]

The squadron deployed to RAF East Moor in mid-September, equipping with Lancaster Mk.IIs in October. In February 1944 they changed to Halifax Mk.IIIs, upgrading these to Halifax Mk.VIIs in July.^[1]^[2]

As part of a Royal Canadian Air Force public relations plan, the town of Leaside officially "adopted" No. 432 Squadron RCAF. Formed and adopted on 1 May 1943 the squadron took the town's name as its nickname, becoming 432 "Leaside" Squadron RCAF. The sponsorship lasted the duration of the war.^[3]

The squadron was disbanded at East Moor in May, 1945.^[1]

On October 1, 1954, it was reformed as a fighter squadron at

Avro CF-100. The squadron was again disbanded on October 15, 1961.^[4]

Manuel Sharko and Jack Stacy were mid-upper gunners in their respective Halifax bombers during the war.

References

^ ^a ^b ^c "RAF Bomber Command No.432 (Leaside) Squadron". raf.mod.uk. 2013. Retrieved 9 September 2013.
^ McNeill, Ross (March 1999). "No.432 (Leaside) Squadron RCAF". rafcommands.com. Retrieved 9 September 2013.
^ Fletcher, Mark (2013). "An Unimaginable Task : Vintage Wings of Canada". vintagewings.ca. Retrieved 9 September 2013.
^ "No. 432 Squadron, Canadian Air Force". canadianwings.com. 2013. Retrieved 9 September 2013.