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No.603 Sqn RAF

Founded : 14th October 1925
Country : UK
Fate : Disbanded 10th March 1957
Known Aircraft Codes : XT, RL

City of Edinburgh (Auxiliary)

Gin ye daur - If you dare

No 603 Squadron was formed on 14 October 1925 at Turnhouse as a day bomber unit of the Auxiliary Air Force. Originally equipped with DH9As and using Avro 504Ks for flying training, the squadron re-equipped with Wapitis in March 1930, these being replaced by Harts in February 1934. On 24 October 1938, No 603 was redesignated a fighter unit and flew Hinds until the arrival of Gladiators at the end of March 1939. Within two weeks of the outbreak of war in September 1939, the squadron began to receive Spitfires and passed on its Gladiators to other squadrons during October. It was operational with Spitfires in time to intercept the first German air raid on the British Isles on 16 October, when it destroyed the first enemy aircraft to be shot down over Britain in the Second World War. It remained on defensive duties in Scotland until the end of August 1940, when it moved to southern England for the remaining months of the Battle of Britain, returning to Scotland at the end of December. In May 1941, the squadron moved south again to take part in sweeps over France until the end of the year. After a further spell in Scotland, No.603 left in April 1942 for the Middle East where its ground echelon arrived early in June. The squadron's aircraft were embarked on the US carrier 'Wasp' and flown off to Malta on 20 April to reinforce the fighter defences of the beleaguered island. After nearly four months defending Malta, the remaining pilots and aircraft were absorbed by No.229 Squadron on 3 August 1942.

No.603 Sqn RAF


Latest No.603 Sqn RAF Artwork Releases !
George Gilroy was a highly decorated World War Two pilot who acquired the nickname <i>Sheep</i> from his pre-war work as a shepherd. Flying with No.603 Sqn, he shared in 8 aircraft destroyed and claimed 3 victories of his own with the squadron. With No.609 Sqn he claimed another 4 victories before moving to command 324 Wing. Here, his score continued to climb and he was finally credited with 14 victories and another 14 shared with another dozen or so claimed damaged or probably destroyed. He is seen here in his No.603 Sqn Spitfire XT-N X4271 in which he claimed Me109s on the 28th and 31st August 1940. This Spitfire crashed in Wanstead after he baled out on 31st August - he was hospitalised by a crowd who mistook him for a German pilot in this incident.

Tribute to George Kemp 'Sheep' Gilroy by Ivan Berryman.		 Spitfire Ace Basil Gerald <i>Stapme</i> Stapleton achieved Ace status with 6 victories during the Battle of Britain in 1940. He is shown here in his Spitfire XT-L of No.603 Sqn during combat with German Ace Franz von Werra - the German ultimately survived being shot down over Kent in this encounter. Stapleton went on to fly Typhoons before himself being forced down behind enemy lines and captured in 1944, and liberated six months later. Basil Stapleton died in 2010.

Tribute to Basil Stapleton by Ivan Berryman.		 A trio of Spitfire Mk1s of 603 Sqn based at Biggin Hill are depicted on patrol in the Summer skies above Kent during the height of the Battle of Britain in August 1940. Lead aircraft is N3288 XT-H flown by Plt Off George Gilroy who finished the war with 14 confirmed victories, 10 shared and a further 14 aircraft destroyed in actions in which he was directly involved.

Biggin Trio by Ivan Berryman.		 Spitfires of No.603 Squadron, 23rd November 1940. The nearest aircraft is P7389 of Archie Winskill.

A Call to Arms by David Pentland. (P)

No.603 Sqn RAF Artwork Collection
Click the images below to view the fantastic artwork we have available to purchase!



Vickers Supermarine Spitfire Mk Ia X4277 XT-M. by M A Kinnear.


Wounded Eagle by Ivan Berryman.


Clipped Signature - Peter Olver.


Clipped Signature - Keith Lawrence.


Clipped Signature - Ray Harrington.


Clipped Signature - Bert Winwood.


Head on Attack by Robert Taylor


Biggin Trio by Ivan Berryman.


The Chain by Ivan Berryman. (PC)


Tribute to Basil Stapleton by Ivan Berryman.


Tribute to George Kemp 'Sheep' Gilroy by Ivan Berryman.


A Call to Arms by David Pentland. (P)

Spitfire Country by Nicolas Trudgian.


Stung by the Wasp by Stan Stokes.

Aces for : No.603 Sqn RAF
A list of all Aces from our database who are known to have flown with this squadron. A profile page is available by clicking the pilots name.
NameVictoriesInfo
G K Gilroy21.00
W G G Duncan-Smith17.00The signature of W G G Duncan-Smith features on some of our artwork - click here to see what is available.
Ronald Berry16.00
Brian John George Carbury15.50
John Donald Rae13.00The signature of John Donald Rae features on some of our artwork - click here to see what is available.
Basil Gerald 'Stapme' Stapleton6.00The signature of Basil Gerald 'Stapme' Stapleton features on some of our artwork - click here to see what is available.