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VSQ-320 |
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Squadron of
the
Marine Luchtvaartdienst |
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History
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1. June 1940 |
320
Sqn. established at
Pembroke Dock, Wales |
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2. August 1940 |
320. Sqn
renamed No. 320 Sqn (RAF) |
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April 1946 |
No. 320 Sqn.
disbanded at ? |
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1947 |
VSQ 320
reestablished at Marine Airfield Valkenburg |
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14. January 2005 |
VSQ-320
disbanded at Marine Airfield Valkenburg |
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1940
Fokker T-VIIIW |
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Aug. 1940 - Jan. 1941
Avro Anson |
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Oct. 1940 - Oct. 1941
Hudson Mk.I |
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Oct.1941 - Mar. 1943
Hudson Mk.III |
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Mar. 1943 - Aug 1945
Mitchell Mk.II |
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1947 - 1950
Mitchell B-25 |
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1947 - 1952
Airspeed Oxford |
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1951 - 1954
Harpoon |
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1947
- 19??
Auster Mk.III |
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1954 - 1960
P2V-5 Neptune |
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1960 - 1962
S-2A Tracker |
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1963 - 1982
SP-2H Neptune |
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1974 - 1975
S-2N Tracker |
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1981 - 2005
P-3C Orion |
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..
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VSQ-230 Home Base |
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Pembroke Dock, Wales |
1. Jun. 1940 |
1. Oct. 1941 |
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RAF Leuchars |
1. Oct. 1941 |
24. Apr. 1942 |
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RAF Bircham Newton |
24. Apr. 1942 |
15. Mar. 1943 |
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RAF Methwold |
15. Mar. 1943 |
30. Mar. 1943 |
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RAF Attlebridge |
30. Mar. 1943 |
30. Aug. 1943 |
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RAF Lasham |
30. Aug. 1943 |
18. Feb. 1944 |
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RAF Dunsfold |
18. Feb. 1944 |
Oct. 1944 |
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Melsbroek, Belgium |
Oct. 1944 |
30. Apr. 1945 |
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Achmer, Germany |
30. Apr. 1945 |
1946 |
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Marine Airfield Valkenburg |
1947 |
14. Jan. 2005 |
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..
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VSQ-320 Commanding Officers |
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Wing Cdr. J.M. van Olm
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Jul. 1940 |
Jun. 1941 |
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Wing Cdr. J.M van Olm |
Jun. 1941 |
Jun. 1942 |
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Wing Cdr.K.J.A. Meester
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Jun. 1942 |
Sep. 1943 |
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Wing Cdr E.Bakker |
Sep. 1943 |
Oct. 1943 |
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Sqn.Ldr. J.F. Breedveld
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Oct. 1943 |
Dec. 1943 |
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Wing Cdr. H.V.B. Burgerhout
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Dec. 1943 |
Jun. 1944 |
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Sqn. Ldr. J.N. Mulder |
Jun. 1944 |
Sep. 1944 |
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Wing Cdr. H.V.B. Burgerhout
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Sep. 1944 |
Dec. 1944 |
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Wing Cdr. A.W. Witholt
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Dec. 1944 |
Apr. 1946 |
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1947 |
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14. Jan. 2005 |
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History
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Formed
on 1. June 1940 at RAF Pembroke Dock, after flying from the
Netherlands in eight Fokker T.VIIIW twin-engined patrol seaplanes,
as part of Coastal Command. The squadron flew coastal and
anti-submarine patrols in the Fokkers until they became
unserviceable due to lack of spares and were re-equipped with Ansons
in August 1940 and supplemented in October 1940 with Lockhee
Hudsons. Due to insufficient personnel, the squadron absorbed No.
321 (Netherlands) Squadron on 18. January 1941.
The squadron moved to RAF Leuchars on 1. October 1941, re-equipped
with Hudson IIIs, flying patrols and anti-shipping attacks in the
North Sea. Detachments were located at RAF Silloth and RAF Carew
Cheriton until 24. April 1942 when the squadron moved to RAF Bircham
Newton. The squadron was reassigned to Bomber Command and loaned to
No.2 Group on 15. March 1943. The squadron was re-equipped with
Mitchells during spring 1943 and moved to RAF Methwold.
On 30. March 1943, the squadron moved to RAF Attlebridge, then was
reassigned to Second Tactical Air Force on 1 June with the squadron
attacking enemy communications targets and airfields. The squadron
relocated to RAF Lasham on 30. August 1943 and to RAF Dunsfold on
18. February 1944. From these airfields the squadron participated in
many "Ramrod" and "Noball" operations and bombing attacks on
construction works, railway yards, fuel dumps and V-1 flying bomb
sites in the North of France, in advance of Normandy landings on 6
June 1944 (D-Day).
After D-Day the bombing of tactical targets continued and changed
from France to the Dutch coast of Zeeland, and in September 1944 the
squadron was involved in bombing German troops in the surroundings
of Arnhem during the attempt by airborne troops to take the bridge.
In September the squadron started bombing targets in Germany along
the Rhine for the advancing allied troops. In October 1944 the
squadron was transferred to Melsbroek (B.58), in Belgium. From there
the bombing of bridges and airfields in the east of the Netherlands
and Germany continued. During 1943 and 1944 the squadron took heavy
losses. On 30 April 1945 the squadron moved to Advanced Landing
Ground B.110 at Achmer, Lower Saxony in Germany.
The squadron was passed to the control of the Marine Luchtvaart
Dienst on 2. August 1945, keeping the same squadron number No. 320
Squadron MLD. The squadron was disbanded in 2005, due to budget cuts.
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