610 AUXILIARY AIR FORCE SQUADRON 1936-1940 . FTH013

610 (County of Chester) Squadron was formed in 1936 at Hooton Park, Wirral. With personnel recruited locally for the expanding Auxiliary Air Force, these ‘weekend flyers’ were moulded into a cohesive fighting unit.

As war loomed, 610 Squadron transferred to Fighter Command, ultimately operating the Spitfire. In 1940, flying from Gravesend, 610 Squadron protected the Dunkirk evacuation, suffering seven pilots killed and one wounded.

The Squadron then played a key role in the Battle of Britain, claiming a heavy toll on the Luftwaffe while operating from Biggin Hill and Hawkinge. After further pilot and ground crew losses, 610 moved to Acklington, Northumberland, to train new pilots.

This detailed book recounts 610’s valiant history for the first time, combining the Squadron’s Operations Record Book, Combat Reports and the latest National Archives’ files, with ground crew and relatives’ testimonies, plus a rare interview with a founding Squadron pilot. This heroic story is supported with rare photos, many previously unpublished from relatives and the Squadron’s Association Archive.