No. 54 Squadron

No. 54 Squadron flew the Supermarine Spitfire throughout the Second World War — the only RAF squadron to do so from the first day to the last. Based at RAF Hornchurch, it entered combat in earnest during the Dunkirk evacuation of May–June 1940, claiming over thirty enemy aircraft while covering the beaches. The squadron then fought through the first phase of the Battle of Britain within No. 11 Group, tallying considerable losses before withdrawing north to Catterick to recover. After a period of fighter sweeps over northern France in 1941, it deployed to Australia in mid-1942 as part of a three-squadron Spitfire wing sent to defend the Darwin coast against Japanese raids. Operating from Parap and Livingstone, the squadron flew defensive patrols through 1943–44 before disbanding at Melbourne in October 1945. Notable pilots included New Zealander Al Deere, who scored eleven kills while himself being shot down seven times.