No. 408 Squadron — Goose

No. 408 “Goose” Squadron was the second Royal Canadian Air Force bomber squadron to be formed, coming together in Yorkshire in June 1941. It began operations in No. 5 Group flying the Handley Page Hampden, then re-equipped with the Handley Page Halifax and, for a time, the Avro Lancaster.

From the start of 1943 it served in the Canadian No. 6 Group, flying for most of the rest of the war from RAF Linton-on-Ouse and ending the conflict on later marks of the Halifax. Over the war the squadron flew more than 4,600 sorties. Its badge featured a Canada goose and the motto “For freedom”.