417 Combat Support Squadron

417 Combat Support Squadron
Active
  • 1941–1945
  • 1947–1949
  • 1968–1983
  • 1993–present
Country Canada
Branch Royal Canadian Air Force
Type Combat support
Size One squadron
Part of 4 Wing
Garrison/HQ CFB Cold Lake
Motto(s) Supporting liberty and justice
Battle honours
  • Defence of Britain, 1942
  • Egypt and Libya, 1942–1943
  • North Africa, 1943
  • Sicily, 1943
  • Italy, 1943–1945
  • Salerno
  • Anzio and Nettuno
  • Gustav Line
  • Gothic Line
Website www.rcaf-arc.forces.gc.ca/en/4-wing/417-squadron.page
Commanders
Honorary colonel Glen Suitor
Insignia
Identification
symbol		 Argent in front of a palm tree Or eradicated a sword Argent and fasces Gules in saltire
Aircraft flown
Transport CH-146 Griffon

417 Combat Support Squadron (French: 417e Escadron de soutien au combat) is an Air Force unit with the Canadian Forces. Based at CFB Cold Lake it provides helicopter support to the base operations. Since 1994, it has also provided search and rescue.

History

417 Squadron was a Royal Canadian Air Force squadron formed in England on 27 November 1941 at RAF Charmy Down and was known as the "City of Windsor" squadron.[1] It was equipped with the Hurricane and later the Spitfire. It was initially deployed in Egypt and followed the allied advance through the western desert. With the defeat of axis forces in North Africa, the squadron followed the advance through Italy. It disbanded in Italy on July 1, 1945.

The squadron reactivated in Canada on June 1, 1947, at Rivers, Manitoba. It was equipped with the Mustang for army close support training until August 1, 1948.

Reformed as a part of the Canadian Forces in 1970 it operated as an operational training squadron on the CF-104 Starfighter at CFB Cold Lake. The squadron disbanded in 1983 with the retirement of the CF-104 fleet.

On April 1, 1993, 417 Combat Support squadron was formed from CFB Cold Lake Base Flight plus aircraft servicing and maintenance elements of the Wing Maintenance organization. The squadron continued Base Flight's operations with ten CT-133 Silver Stars and three CH-118 Iroquois. When Base Rescue Moose Jaw was disbanded in 1993, 417 Squadron gained two of their CH-118s, to operate a total of five.

In July 1995 417 Squadron received three CH-146 Griffon helicopters and the five CH-118s were retired. The CT-133 was retired in 2001.[2]

Images

Badges

References

  1. ↑ Berryman, David (2006). Somerset airfields in the Second World War. Newbury: Countryside Books. pp. 34–49. ISBN 1-85306-864-0.
  2. ↑ Air Force Public Affairs/Department of National Defence (June 28, 2007). "CT-133 Silver Star". Archived from the original on May 10, 2006. Retrieved 2007-10-12.
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