What we do
600 (City of London Squadron) is London's own squadron, training people to augment the Royal Air Force. The Squadron trains officers and aviators in the specialisations of air and space operations, intelligence, cyber operations and people operations. The Squadron provides Headquarters Support to the RAF and other capabilities like legal advisors and chaplains. History
600 Squadron wa
s formed at Northolt on 14 October 1925 as a unit of the Auxiliary Air Force. Equipped with De Havilland DH9As and Avro 504Ns, it was a day bomber squadron until 1934, having received Westland Wapitis in August 1929. These were replaced by Hawker Harts in January 1935 pending the arrival of Hawker Demon fighters, having been designated a fighter squadron in July 1934. In April 1937 conversion to Demons was complete and in January 1939 they were replaced by Blenheims. On the outbreak of war, day and night patrols were flown and experiments with airborne radar beginning in December 1939. When the Germans invaded Holland, the squadron flew patrols over the Low Countries but in view of the inadequacy of Blenheims for daylight operations, 600 was allocated to night defence only a few days later. In September 1940 the first Beaufighter was received, conversion being completed early in 1941. In October 1940 the Squadron moved to Yorkshire and in March 1941 to south-west England, where it remained until September 1942. In November 1942, 600 moved to North Africa to provide night cover for Allied bases and shipping. It was transferred to Malta in June 1943, and in September, to Italy where it spent the rest of the war on night defence and intruder missions. Re-equipment with Mosquitoes began in January 1945 and on 21 August 1945 the squadron disbanded. On 10 May 1946, 600 Squadron reformed at Biggin Hill, as a day fighter squadron of the Auxiliary Air Force with Spitfires. It began to recruit during June and received its first operational aircraft in October. After receiving a Vampire in October 1949 for jet conversion, it was allotted Meteors in March 1950 and flew these until the Royal Auxiliary Air Force disbanded on 10 March 1957. Present
Reforming on 1 October 1999 at RAF Northolt from No 1 and No 3 Maritime Headquarters Units, 600 Squadron is now a General Support Squadron of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force, tasked to provide manpower to RAF static and mobile HQ's in the UK and overseas. Currently four "Operational" Flights exist, these being Air and Space Operations, Intelligence, Cyber Operations and People Operations. Squadron personnel have deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan, the Gulf States and into many positions within the UK military construct. In 2007 the Corporation of the City of London granted 600 Squadron "Privileged Regiment Status", an ancient honour granted to only eight military formations in the history of the City. 600 Squadron is regularly involved in ceremonial events in London.
600 (City of London) Squadron RAuxAF actively seeks to recruit and train motivated people, with or without prior armed forces experience, and who have an interest in supporting the RAF in their spare-time.
