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A Cubic arm holding in the hand a tomahawk. The painted arm indicates the Red Indian
Brave is at war.
Nickname: Tomahawk
Squadron Codes: DG (1940 - 1946)
TF (1953 - 1958)
Motto:
THIS ARM SHALL DO IT
Badge:
A cubit arm adorned holding
in the hand a tomahawk head Gules handle adorned
Battle Honours:
Atlantic 1942-1945,
English Channel and North Sea 1944-1945, Normandy 1944, Biscay 1944-1945, Arctic 1942
History
422 General Reconnaissance Squadron formed at Lough Erne, Northern Ireland, on 2 April 1942. They were redesignated
a Transport Squadron on 5 June 1945 and disbanded on on 3 September 1945. They reformed at RCAF Station Uplands on 1 January
1953 as 422 Fighter Squadron. They went to 4 Wing Baden-Soellingen on 27 August and stayed there until they were deactivated
on 1 July 1970. They reactivated as 422 Tactical Helicopter Squadron on 1 January 1971 and remained a helicopter squadron
until they were finally disbanded on 16 August 1980.
422 Squadron has flown the following Aircraft:
- Saro Lerwick
- Consolidated Catalina
- Shorts Sunderland
- Douglas CC-129 (DC-3) Dakota
- Consolidated Liberator
- de Havilland Vampire
- Canadair (North American) F-86 Sabre
- Canadair (Lockheed) CF-104 Starfighter
- Bell CH-135 Twin Huey
- Bell CH-136 Kiowa
422 SQUADRON SORTIES 1,116 : FLYING HOURS OPERATIONS - 13,346 : NON-OP.- 5,842
Casualties 86, 31 rescued, 6 injured, 23 buried at sea (Runnymede, U.K.), 27 graves, 12 aircraft
lost
My grandfather, F.G. "Jerry" Fellows flew with 422 squadron from March 28, 1943, until December 10, 1943.
HISTORY:
| 422 "Tomahawk"
Squadron was first formed in April 1942 in Lough Erne, Northern Ireland. The entire war was spent in Coastal Command flying
Catalina and Sunderland flying-boats on convoy escort and anti-submarine patrols. During this period 422 Squadron operated
from a number of seaplane bases in Northern Ireland, the west coast of Scotland, the Hebrides and the Shetlands with Reykjavik
and Gibraltar as ports of call. In addition, 422 gained the distinction of being the only Canadian squadron that carried out
0pcrations from bases in the USSR; Murmansk and Archangel. To its credit, 422 had one confirmed and one possible U-boat kill.
The first deactivation for the squadron occurred from September 1945 to January 1953, when it
was reformed at RCAF Station Uplands, Ottawa and equipped with F-86 Sabre aircraft. Eight months later, twenty-five 422 Squadron
Sabres were winging their way to Baden-Soellingen, West Germany via Bagotville, Goose Bay, Greenland, Iceland, and Scotland
as part of Leap Frog IV. Along with 414 and 444 Squadrons, the "Tomahawks" formed 4 Wing and were an integral part of the
day time air defence system of Western Europe, as part of 4 ATAF.
The second disbandment in April 1963 lasted only a few months to July 1963 when 422 was re-equipped
with the CF- 104 as part of 4 Wing. The Starfighters were flown in the strike/attack role within ! Air Division as part of
Canada's contribution NATO. The squadron remained at Baden-Soellingen until its disbandment in July 1970 having served a total
of 17 years at that base.
CFB Gagetown was the site of the latest chapter of 422 history with its last reactivation in
January 1971 as a Tactical Helicopter Squadron with the CH 135 Twin Huey, L- 19 Birddog, and finally CH136 Kiowa aircraft.
In 1975, 422 Squadron completed 25 years service and in 1977 received its standard. The colours
show the squadron crest, an Indian hatchet, five battle honors and the squadron's motto "THIS ARM SHALL DO IT!"
In August 1980, 422 Squadron was stood down for the final time and the "Hatchetmen" were
dispersed to other units. |
PERSONNEL AND AIRCRAFT OF #422 LOST IN FLYING ACTION :
(OTHER THAN FLYING ACTION:: One person lost by drowning during a gale, one by a truck accident:: one aircraft
lost in a gale in Bowmore.)
DATE |
A/C |
LOCATION |
Crew
|
| Sep-42 |
FP103 |
Crashed on Isle of Whalsay (CATALINA) |
0 |
| 10-Sep-42 |
L7267 |
Crashed on Landing, Lough Erne (LERWICK) |
0 |
| 19-Dec-42 |
W6029 |
Oban, Scotland |
5 |
|
|
| 25-May-43 |
DD846 |
Clare Island, Ireland -Paige |
11 |
| 03-Sep-43 |
DD861 |
Bay of Biscay Engine Failure - De le Paulle |
0 |
| 28-Sep-43 |
W6033-J |
On Landing, Rekjavik, Iceland -Holley |
0 |
| 17-Oct-43 |
JM712 |
North Atlantic, Flak U-470 (BM) Sargent |
4 |
| 20-Nov-43 |
W6031 |
North Atlantic, Flak U-618-Ulrichsen |
11 |
| 20-Feb-44 |
W6028 |
Trory,St. Angelo, (F.A.E.).. Tomlinson |
2 |
| 24-May-44 |
DV990 |
North Sea off Norway, Flak U-921 (SV) - Holley |
12 |
| 12-Aug-44 |
NJ175 |
Donegal, N. of Belleek, Ireland - Devine |
3 |
| 23-Oct-44 |
|
Died on Operations - H.J. Lepper |
1 |
AIRCRAFT. |
12 |
PERSONNEL LOST. |
49 |
To learn more about 422 Squadron, please click HERE
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