433 Squadron (RCAF) 6 Group Skipton-on-Swale,

Yorkshire England - Porcupines

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Porcupine crest from Cameron Clare Campbells uniform

Motto: "Qui s'y frotte s'y pique" ("Who opposes it gets hurt").
Badge: A porcupine in front of a hurt. The hurt,or blue disc, symbolises the "hurt" done to the enemy and the sky through which the unit operated. The motto refers to the squadron and its nickname. 433 squadron was adopted by the Porcupine District of Northern Ontario.
Authority: King George VI, December 1945.

No. 433 Squadron was formed as a heavy-bomber unit of No. 6 (RCAF) Group at Skipton-on-Swale, Yorkshire, on 25th September 1943, with a nucleus of 5 crews from 429. The Porcupines began operations January 1944. 433 was based at Skipton-on-Swale throughout its wartime existence of nearly two years. The squadron operated with Halifax IIIs flying over the Continent at night until mid-January 1945, when 433 was re-equipped with Avro Lancaster MK I's. At the end of fighting, the Squadron transferred to No. 1 Group, and brought home troops and POWs from Germany and Italy. 433 Squadron was disbanded at Skipton-on-Swale on 15 October 1945.

The men of 433 flew 2,316 operational sorties on 155 bombing and 54 mining operations and lost 38 aircraft. 56 aircrew lost their lives, with a further 33 listed as missing. Another 56 were captured and held as POW's having bailed out over enemy territory. The Squadron won 146 decorations comprising 1 BEM, 132 DFCs, 2 bars to DFCs, 9 DFMs, 1 Purple Heart (US) and 1 Air Medal (US).

Bomber Command WWII Base:
Formed September 25, 1943 as No. 433 (Bomber) Squadron at Skipton-on-Swale, Yorks

Bomber Command WWII Aircraft:

Handley Page Halifax B.III : Nov 1943-Feb 1945

Avro Lancaster B.I : Jan 1945 onwards

Code Letters: "BM"

First Operational Mission in WWII: 2nd/3rd January 1944 : 3 Halifaxes laid mines in Frisian Islands area

First Bombing Mission in WWII: 18/19th January 1944 : 6 Halifaxes bombed Berlin (primary target) and another - one of two early returning aircraft - bombed Kiel instead.

Last Operational Mission in WWII: 25th April 1945 : 10 Lancasters bombed gun batteries on island of Wangerooge.

Sources: www.raf.mod.uk/bombercommand/h433.html

www.wartimememories.co.uk/allied/royalairforce/433sqd-raf.html

Image above is the crest from Cameron Clare Campbell's Uniform. The image was supplied by Lloyd and Susan Campbell, son and daughter-in-law of C.C. Campbell. For a view of the Medals and Crest in a Shadow Box created by his family, Click Here.