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Badge: In front of a maple leaf an elephant's head affronte

Motto: Ad vigilamus undis (We watch the waves)

Authority: King George VI, October 1943

The elephant head represents the squadron's operations from Ceylon, while the motto suggests its functions.

 
The War Years

Formed at Stranraer. Scotland on 1 July 1941 as the RCAF's eleventh third coastal and first flying boat General Reconnaissance squadron formed overseas, the unit flew Catalina aircraft on north Atlantic reconnaissance and anti- submarine patrols. In March 1942, it was hurriedly moved to the Far East. As aircraft and crews arrived at Koggala, Ceylon, they were pressed into service making reconnaissance flights over the Indian Ocean to watch for the approach of a Japanese naval force. On 4 April. S/L. LJ. Birchall. whose aircraft and crew had arrived in Ceylon only two days earlier, sighted and reported a large Japanese fleet 350 miles south of Ceylon. The Catalina (Mk.I AJl55 "A") was shot down by Japanese carrier aircraft. and S/L Birchall and the survivors of his crew were taken prisoner, hut their warning had alerted Ceylon's defences and the Japanese attack was repulsed. The squadron remained in Ceylon until early 1945, was then returned to the United Kingdom for conversion to a Bomber unit, but was instead disbanded at Bournemouth, Hampshire on 23 February 1945.

Brief Chronology
Formed at Stranraer, Scot. 1 Jul 41 I)isbanded at Bournemouth. Hants., Eng. 23 Feb 45

Title or Nickname "Tusker"

Commanders
W/C V.H.A. McBratney (RAF) 1 Jul 41 -18 Aug 41.
W/C R.G. Briese 19 Aug 41 - 22 Oct 41 KIA
W/C J.D Twigg 15 Nov 41 - 19 Mar 42
W/C J.L. Plant 20 Mar 42 - 21 Oct 42.
W/C J.C. Scott, DSO 22 Oct 42 - 20 Jun 43
W/C L.H. Randall. DFC 21 Jun 43 - 14 Sep 44
W/C S.R. McMillan 15 Sep 44 -18 Feb 45

Higher Formations and Squadron Locations
Coastal Command:
No. 15 Group,
Stranraer, Scot. 1 Jul 41 - 30 Sep 41
No. 18 Group,
Sullom Voe. Shetland 7 Oct 41 - 3 Mar 42
En route to Ceylon 4 Mar 42 - 29 May 42
(First 4 aircraft arrived 24 Apr 42)
South East Asia Command:
No. 222 Group,
Koggala, Ceylon 2 Apr 42 -19 Jan 45.
Detachments at Addu Atoll. Seychelles Is., Indian Ocean, Mombasa, Kenya; Bahrein, Persian Gulf:
Langebaan South Africa; Aden.
En route to England (minus aircraft) 21 ran 45 - 20 Feb 45
Bomber Command:
No. 6 (RCAF) Group (on paper only),
Bournemouth, Hants. 21 Feb 45 - 23 Feb 45. (Officially transferred to Bomber Command 18 Feb 45, while still at sea, though "virtuallv non-existent" as a unit.)

Operational History:
First Mission 6 October 1941. Catalina AH561 from Sullom Voe with F/L Thomas and crew - convoy escort; the convoy did not sail, and the aircraft was recalled.

Last Mission
3/4 December 1944, 4 Catalinas from Koggala - hunt for a submarine reported at position 1237N 8t140E; nothing was seen.

Summary Sorties: 871. Operational/Non-operational Flying Hours: 11,794/2783. Victories: U-boat: I possibly damaged; dropped 52 250-pound depth charges.

Casualties:
Operational: 3 aircraft; 27 aircrew were killed, missing or POW Non-operational: 1 aircraft: 10 personnel, of whom 5 were killed, 5 died of other causes.

Honours and Awards
1 DSO. 4 DFC's. 2 AFC's, 1 MiD.

Battle Honours
Atlantic 1941- 1943. Ceylon 1942. Eastern Waters 1942-1944

Post War

No· 413 Squadron Unofficially formed as No. 13 (photographic) Squadron at Rockcliffe (Ottawa), Ontario on 20 May 1944, and officially renumbered as No. 413 Squadron on 1 April 1947, the unit flew Mitchell and Lancaster aircraft on aerial photography. On 1 Apri1 1949 it was redesignated Survey Transport and flew Dakota, Canso and Norseman aircraft in logistical support and the transportation of survey parties in the far north. The squadron was disbanded on 1 November 1950.

Brief Chronology
Unofficially formed as No. 13 (P) Sqn. Rockcliffe Ont 20 May 44. Renumbered No. 413 (P) Sqn 1 Apr 47. Redesignated No. 413 (ST) Sqn 1 Apr 49. Disbanded 1 Nov 50.

Commanders
S/L J.A. Wiseman, AFC 1 Apr 47 - 4 Jan 48
S/L C.S. Olsen. CD 5 Jan 48 - 24 Aug 49.
W/C A.P. Blackburn. DFC 25 Apr 49 - 22 Jan 50.
W/C D.J.G. Jackson 3 Jan 50 - 1 Nov 50.

Higher Formations and Squadron Locations
Air Transport Command:
No. 22 (photographic) Wing.
Rockcliffe, Ont. 1 Apr 47 - 1 Nov

Honours and Awards
2 AFC's, 1 King's Commendation

Formed as a Fighter unit at Bagotville, Quebec on I August 1951 with Vampire and Sabre aircraft, the squadron joined No. 3 (Fighter) Wing at Zweibrucken. Germany in April 1953. In 1956, it was decided to replace one Sabre squadron in each of No. 1 Air Division Europe's four wings with an all-weather fighter unit. When No 440 AW(F) Squadron arrived from Canada. No. 413 was deactivated on 7 April 1957 and reactivated as All-Weather (Fighter) at Bagotville on 1 May. The squadron flew CF-100 aircraft on North American air defence until disbanded on 30 December 1961.

Brief Chronology
Formed as No. 413 (F) Sqn. Bagotville. Que. 1 Aug 51. Deactivated at Zweibrucken, Ger. 7 Apr 57. Reactivated as No. 413 AW(F) Sqn, Bagotville. Que. 1 May 57. Disbanded 30 Dec 61.

Commanders
S/L J.D. Lindsay, DFC 7 Aug 51 - 6 Mar 53.
S/L W.I. Gordon 7 Mar 53 -1 Sep 53.
S/L E.P. Wood, DFC 8 Jun 54 - 10 Jul 50.
W/C H.C. Stewart, AFC. CD 27 Aug 56 - 7 Apr 57.
Squadron inactive
S/L C. Allison, CD l Jul 57 -14 Jul 59.
W/C J.R.D. Schultz, DFC and Bar, CD 24 Aug 59 - 20 Aug 60.
S/L E.G. Smith, DFC. CD 21 Aug 60 - 28 Jan 61.
W/C E.D. Kelly, CD 2 Feb 61 - 30 Dec 61.

Higher Formations and Squadron Locations
Air Defence Command:
Bagotville. Que. 1 Aug 51 - 6 Mar 53.
En route overseas (Operation "Leapfrog III") 7 Mar 53 - 6 Apr 53.
No. 1 Air Division Europe:
No. 3 (Fighter) Wing, Zweibrucken, Ger. 7 Apr 53 - 7 Apr 57.
Squadron inactive
North American Air Defence Command:
RCAF Air Defence Command:
Bagotville, Que. I May 57 - 30 Dec 61.