No. 683 Squadron RAF

No. 683 Squadron RAF was a photo-reconnaissance squadron of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War.

No. 683 Squadron RAF
Active8 Feb 1943 – 21 Sep 1945
1 Aug 1950 – 30 Nov 1953
Country United Kingdom
Branch Royal Air Force
Rolephoto-reconnaissance squadron
Part ofAHQ Malta, Mediterranean Air Command[1]
No. 214 Group RAF, Mediterranean Air Command[2]
RAF Middle East Air Force[3]
Motto(s)Latin: Nihil Nos Latet
(Translation: "Nothing remains concealed")[4][5]
Insignia
Squadron Badge heraldryIn front of a mullet of six points, a telescope in bend[4][5]
Squadron CodesNo code(s) are known to have been carried by this squadron[4][6][7]

History

Formation and World War II

683 squadron was formed out of 'B' Flight of No. 69 Squadron on 8 February 1943[4][5][8] at RAF Luqa on Malta, as a photo-reconnaissance squadron operating the Spitfire fighter in the photo-reconnaissance role. The squadron added the Mosquito Mk.VI to its strength in May 1943, but they were only operated for a month. The squadron was involved in photo-reconnaissance mission over Sicily and Italy and later over Yugoslavia. The squadron moved to San Severo in Italy and continued in support of the US 5th Army. As the war continued it was involved in both tactical and strategic reconnaissance, and was involved survey flight across southern Europe. In September 1944, the squadron re-equipped with Spitfire PR.XIX photo-reconnaissance aircraft. Detachments from the squadron were based at a wide range of bases all across the Italian theatre of operations, with the squadron finally disbanding on 22 September 1945 at San Severo, Italy.[4][5][8]

Post war

The squadron was re-formed on 1 November 1950 at RAF Fayid, Egypt with the Avro Lancaster PR.1 and the Vickers Valetta C.1. It was tasked with the survey and mapping of Arabia and East Africa. In January 1952 the squadron moved to RAF Khormaksar, Aden to cover both Aden and Somaliland. Another move to RAF Habbaniya, Iraq allowed the squadron to survey and map the Persian Gulf. With the survey and mapping role completed the squadron was disbanded at Habbaniya on 30 November 1953.[4][5][8]

Aircraft operated
Aircraft operated by no. 683 Squadron RAF, data from[4][5][8]
FromToAircraftVariant
February 1943July 1943Supermarine SpitfirePR.Mk.IV
February 1943March 1943Supermarine SpitfirePR.Mk.IX
April 1943September 1945Supermarine SpitfirePR.XI
May 1943June 1943de Havilland MosquitoPR.Mks.IV & VI
September 1944September 1945Supermarine SpitfirePR.XIX
November 1950November 1953Avro LancasterPR.1
November 1950November 1953Vickers ValettaC.1

Squadron bases
Bases and airfields used by no. 683 Squadron RAF, data from[4][5][8]
FromToBaseRemark
8 February 194322 November 1943RAF Luqa, Malta
22 November 194320 December 1943RAF El Aouina, Tunisia
20 December 194321 September 1945RAF San Severo, ItalyDets. all over Italy
1 August 195026 February 1951RAF Fayid, Egypt
26 February 195123 April 1951RAF Kabrit, Egypt
23 April 195124 September 1951RAF Eastleigh, KenyaDets. at Livingstone, Northern Rhodesia and Dar-es-Salaam, Tanganyika
24 September 195112 December 1951RAF Kabrit, EgyptDet. at RAF Shaibah, Iraq
12 December 195122 May 1952RAF Khormaksar, AdenDet. at RAF Habbaniya, Iraq
22 May 195230 November 1953RAF Habbaniya, IraqDet. at RAF Sharjah, Trucial States

Commanding officers
Officers commanding no. 683 squadron RAF, data from[4]
FromToName
February 1943October 1943W/Cdr. A. Warburton, DSO and Bar, DFC and Bar
October 1943August 1944S/Ldr. H.S. Smith, DFC
August 1944April 1945S/Ldr. R.T. Turton, DFC
April 1945September 1945S/Ldr. E.R. Pearson, DFC
November 19501952S/Ldr. I.D.N. Lawson
1952November 1953S/Ldr. N.N. Ezekiel
gollark: Like I said, the problem of evil pokes holes in that whole "omnibenevolence" thing.
gollark: Like I said, I think there is evidence directly against some religions' gods.
gollark: All glory to Eric.
gollark: God created complaining about god.
gollark: Well, for most gods, there is the problem of evil... problem..., speaking philosophically.

See also

References

Notes
  1. Delve 1994, p. 67.
  2. Delve 1994, p. 75.
  3. Delve 1994, p. 87.
  4. Rawlings 1982, p. 246.
  5. Halley 1988, p. 455.
  6. Bowyer and Rawlings 1979, p. 148.
  7. Flintham and Thomas 2003, p. 233.
  8. Jefford 2001, p. 105.

Bibliography
  • Bowman, Martin. Mosquito Photo-Reconnaissance Units of World War 2. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing, 1999. ISBN 1-85532-891-7.
  • Bowyer, Chaz. Mosquito Squadrons of the Royal Air Force. London: Ian Allan Ltd., 1984. ISBN 0-7110-1425-6.
  • Bowyer, Michael J.F. and John D.R. Rawlings. Squadron Codes, 1937–56. Cambridge, UK: Patrick Stephens Ltd., 1979. ISBN 0-85059-364-6.
  • Delve, Ken. The Source Book of the RAF. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing, 1994. ISBN 1-85310-451-5.
  • Flintham, Vic and Andrew Thomas. Combat Codes: A full explanation and listing of British, Commonwealth and Allied air force unit codes since 1938. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing Ltd., 2003. ISBN 1-84037-281-8.
  • Halley, James J. The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth, 1918–88. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd., 1988. ISBN 0-85130-164-9.
  • Jefford, C.G. RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive Record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing, 2001. ISBN 1-84037-141-2.
  • Rawlings, John D.R. Coastal, Support and Special Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Jane's Publishing Company Ltd., 1982. ISBN 0-7106-0187-5.

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