No. 434 Squadron — Bluenose

No. 434 “Bluenose” Squadron was formed at RAF Tholthorpe in June 1943 as part of the Canadian No. 6 Group, moving in December to RAF Croft, where it served for the rest of the war. It flew the Handley Page Halifax and later the Avro Lancaster, opening its account with an attack on Milan in August 1943.

The squadron was adopted by the Rotary Club of Halifax, Nova Scotia, and took the nickname “Bluenose” — the common name for Nova Scotians and the name of the famous racing schooner that symbolises the province. Its motto, In excelsis vincimus, meant “we conquer the heights”.