No. 610 Squadron RAF

No. 610 Squadron of the Royal Air Force was formed on the 10th of Feb 1936 as one of several Royal Auxiliary Air Force Squadrons formed to meet the needs of an approaching European war.

History

The Squadron was titled "The County of Chester" with the motto "Alifero tollitur axe ceres"; which translates as "Ceres rising in a winged chariot". Ceres being the Roman Goddess of Wheat, a reference to Chester's Agricultural sector. Its badge contained the image of a shief of wheat.

Equipped with Hawker Hart light bombers, it's pilots were initially part timers who would spend their weekends and spare time flying and practicing combat maneuvers.

As war approached, it was upgraded to Hawker Hinds in 1938. On the outbreak of war in 1939 it received Hurricanes, but by the end of that same year was flying the superior Spitfire fighter.

610 Sqn was based with 13 Group during the Battle of Britain, and remained based in the UK until 1945 when it moved to the continent to provide fighter cover as the allies entered Germany.

The Squadron was briefly disbanded after the war, but was reformed in 1946 an Auxiliary Air Force Squadron. By the time of its final disbandment in 1957 it had switched from Spitfires to Meteor jet engined aircraft.