405 (Vancouver) Squadron RCAF

The honour of becoming the very first RCAF bomber unit to be formed overseas under the scheme to 'Canadianise' RAF Bomber Command was bestowed upon 405 Squadron, which came into existence on the 4 Group station at Driffield on the 23rd of April 1941. Equipped with the Merlin-powered Wellington Mk II, the squadron began operations in June and continued to operate in 4 Group's front line until converting to the Halifax in April 1942. In October that year the squadron was posted to Coastal Command for convoy and anti-U-Boat duties and it was during this period that the unit became 405 (Vancouver) Squadron.

A return to Bomber Command in March 1943 took the squadron initially to the Canadian 6 Group, which had been formed officially on the 1st of January. However, after serving briefly with 6 Group, 405 Squadron became the first and only Canadian unit to serve in the Path Finder Force, by this time redesignated 8 Group. The unit continued to serve with distinction, converting to Lancasters in the late summer of 1943, often providing the Master Bomber and Deputy pairing for operations. The squadron developed an excellent record of serviceability and suffered remarkably low losses during 1944 and 1945. The squadron was twice commanded by Wing Commander, later Group Captain, "Johnny" Fauquier, a legendary figure in the annals of Canadian aviation, who commanded the famous 617 Squadron (Dambusters) during the final four months of the bombing war.

The squadron's outstanding record of service and contribution to victory stand to this day as a testament to the character of the nation of Canada. This is the record of its operations with Bomber Command in the Second World War.A ret