Background

602 (City of Glasgow) Squadron, founded on 12 September 1925, was the first squadron to be established by the Royal Auxiliary Air Force (RAuxAF).

In the pre-war years, it flew a mix of aircraft (including the first flown over Mount Everest in 1933) before becoming the first RAuxAF squadron to convert to the Spitfire in 1939. It was with this aircraft, and alongside 603 (City of Edinburgh) Squadron fighters, that the Squadron shot down the first enemy aircraft over mainland Britain during the Second World War while repelling air attacks on Royal Navy warships in the Firth of Forth.

602 Squadron went on to have a truly remarkable record during the war. It was the longest serving squadron in the front line during the Battle of Britain (scoring the second highest toll of enemy aircraft of any squadron); it carried out the first Spitfire night operations and the first Spitfire dive bombing attacks and, in addition to pinpoint raids on V1 and V2 sites, 602 Spitfires strafed Field Marshal Rommel’s staff car, ending his involvement in the Normandy campaign. The Squadron continued to fly the Spitfire until 1951, giving it the longest unbroken association in the entire RAF with this famous plane.

Flying Vampire aircraft until 1957, the Squadron, along with the entire RAuxAF, was disbanded in this year. At this time, a Reservist Maritime Headquarters Unit (MHU) was established in Edinburgh to support maritime operations. Following the resurrection of the RAuxAF in 1979, the Edinburgh MHU was renamed 603 (City of Edinburgh) Squadron in 1999; the core maritime support elements from this Squadron went on to re-establish 602 (City of Glasgow) Squadron in 2006. The Squadron is currently headquartered in Maryhill, Glasgow.

Role

The Squadron’s role is to provide operational support to the RAF’s intelligence, surveillance, target aquisition and reconnaissance (ISTAR) units at RAF Kinloss and RAF Waddington, as well as other deployed locations as needed (individual deployments to date have included Kinloss, Cyprus and Iraq). It does this by specialising in the operational support roles, which encompass Flight Operations Officers (Commissioned Officers), Flight Operations Managers (Non-Commissioned Officers), Flight Operations Assistants (Junior Ranks), Intelligence Officers (Commissioned Officers) and Intelligence Analysts (both Non-Comissioned Officers and Junior Ranks).

Trades

Flight operations

This entails supporting flying operations in station or squadron ‘ops rooms’ and from control towers at RAF airfields, using the latest technology to update aeronautical data, providing information for mission and flight planning and assisting Air Traffic Controllers in their work. It’s a job that calls for a cool head, a clear voice and the ability to work successfully under pressure as a crucial member of the team.

Operational intelligence

This trade includes obtaining, analysing and presenting different forms of intelligence in support of our aircraft and other military assets. Intelligence Officers brief and debrief aircrews and become experts at sifting through various sources of data to collate information to produce useful intelligence; findings will mainly be disseminated through presentations at either aircrew or station briefings.

In addition to these specialised trades, all RAF Reservists undergo basic recruit training and undertake continual military skills training throughout their enlistment.

Aircraft

The Squadron’s role sees much of its activity aligned to support the RAF’s current maritime patrol/attack aircraft, the Nimrod MR2.

The Nimrod is the only jet-powered maritime patrol aircraft in military service, and offers the advantages of speed and height in transit while still being capable of operating for long on-task periods. The Nimrod is used in four main roles: Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW), Anti-Surface-Unit Warfare (ASUW), Intelligence Surveillance Targeting Acquisition Reconnaissance (ISTAR) and Search and Rescue (SAR).

The Nimrod’s offensive weapons include Sting Ray torpedoes for use in the ASW and ASUW role, and for self defence the aircraft is fitted with Defensive Aids systems and may be armed with four wing-mounted Sidewinder air-to-air missiles. For SAR purposes the aircraft has a selection of air-deliverable, multi-seat dinghies and survival packs.

The Nimrod MR2 has also provided a continual presence in the Middle East since late 2001. In that time, employment of the aircraft has evolved to take on an additional range of non-traditional tasks, including overland Electro-Optic IMINT (Image Intelligence) surveillance of Iraq and Afghanistan, and IMINT and communications support to coalition ground troops. The Nimrod MR2 will continue in service until it is replaced by the MRA4, which is expected to enter service around 2011.

Heritage

As expected of the first RAuxAF squadron to be formed, 602 Squadron has a rich and well-evidenced heritage. Its early exploits and outstanding record during the Battle of Britain led to the first book on 602 Squadron, ‘Glasgow’s Fighter Squadron’ by F.G. Nancarrow, being published in 1942, followed soon after by a section in ‘The Glasgow Territorials 1858—1946’ by Paul W. Pratt.

A definitive history of the Squadron, ‘Lions Rampant: The Story of No 602 Spitfire Squadron’ by Douglas Roberts, was published in 1985 and, two years later, ‘Glasgow’s Own: Visual Record of the Men and Machines of 602 (City of Glasgow) Sqn, RAuxAF 1925—57’ by the famous military aircraft illustrator Dugald Cameron was released. In 2000, a fifth book on 602 Squadron was published, ‘Spitfires over Sussex: The Exploits of 602 Squadron’ by David Rowland, which details the Squadron’s role in the Battle of Britain.

Today, one of those Spitfires can be viewed hanging in Glasgow’s Kelvingrove Museum, and the Squadron’s history is explored at the 602 Squadron Museum on Sauchiehall Street (above the Royal Highland Fusiliers’ Museum). Given its history, it is unsurprising that Air Vice Marshal Sandy Johnston encapsulated 602 Squadron’s record by saying that “...there can be few flying units anywhere in the world which have left such a mark in aviation history as the City of Glasgow Squadron, and its glory will surely live forever”.

That spirit of excellence and pride continues in the Squadron’s current role. All personnel wear 602 Squadron’s emblem — a lion rampant superimposed on a St Andrew’s cross — as a tactical recognition badge on their camouflage uniforms. The Squadron’s officers continue to wear the Grey Douglas kilt while in formal dress uniform, a privilege extended to them by 602 Squadron’s commanding officer at the time, the Marquess of Douglas and Clydesdale (14th Duke of Hamilton), and confirmed by Edward VIII in 1936.

The Squadron’s Standard, or flag, emblazoned with seven battle honours, can be viewed hanging for safekeeping in Glasgow Cathedral. The Squadron’s motto, ‘Cave Leonem Cruciatum’, plays on 602 Squadron’s lion and St Andrew’s cross emblem, and means ‘Beware the crossed lion’!

Recruitment

While we always welcome enquiries from interested individuals, the Squadron has no junior rank entry-level positions open at this present time. We are, however, actively recruiting for non-commissioned officers. If you have prior military experience at this level (RAF, RAuxAF or any other Regular or Reserve service), and wish to join the RAuxAF’s senior squadron, we would warmly welcome your interest and application. Please call 0141 948 0084.