Throughout September members of the Lowland RFCA Engagement and Comms Team have been lucky enough to join Reservists from 602 (City of Glasgow) and 603 (City of Edinburgh) Squadrons as both units celebrated their centenaries.
The Royal Auxiliary Air Force (RAuxAF) was formed in October 1924 on the vision of an elite corps of civilians that could serve their country by dedicating some of their free time to local flying squadrons.
602 (City of Glasgow) Squadron RAuxAF, affectionately nicknamed ‘Glasgow’s Own’, was formed on 12 September 1925 in Renfrew, and served as a light bomber unit up until the onset of the Second World War, when it swapped Gloster Gauntlets for Spitfires to intercept German bombing raids of Scotland.
602 Squadron also saw extensive front-line action in the summer of 1940 when it was deployed to the south coast of England during the Battle of Britain, the first major military campaign in history to be fought entirely by air forces.
Similarly, 603 (City of Edinburgh) Squadron RAuxAF began as a light bomber unit in 1925 before switching to a fighter unit in 1939, and is credited with shooting down the first enemy aircraft over the UK in the Second World War, shooting a Luftwaffe bomber into the Firth of Forth. The Edinburgh crews joined their Glasgow counterparts in the Battle of Britain before going on to operations in Malta and North Africa from 1942-3.
The festivities began on Friday 12 September, exactly one hundred years to the day since 602 Squadron was first formed, with a black-tie civic dinner in the stunning surroundings of Glasgow City Chambers.
Among the guests were a number of VIPs within the Royal Air Force community, including the squadron’s Honorary Air Commodore Charles Berry, who hailed Reservists as ‘twice the citizen’ for balancing their military service with civilian careers and various other commitments. Air Commodore Berry also offered his thanks to the families and employers of Reservists for the vital support they provide to the Armed Forces Community.
The event opened and closed with the marching in and out of the 602 Squadron Standard, which was newly presented by the Lord Provost for the City of Glasgow Jacqueline McLaren in the summer of 2022. As Lord-Lieutenant for the City of Glasgow and a vocal advocate for the local Defence Community, the Lord Provost was also keen to pay tribute to 602 Squadron during the evening, expressing that ‘“Glasgow’s Own” will always have a place in the hearts of its citizens.’
The civic dinner was followed on Sunday 14 September by a special service at Glasgow Cathedral, which marked not only a century of service for ‘Glasgow’s Own’, but also the 85th anniversary of the Battle of Britain.
Over on the east coast, 603 Squadron invited dignitaries, family and friends to a reception of its own at Edinburgh City Chambers. Having been granted the Freedom of the City of Edinburgh in 2018 – and been the first RAF unit to receive the honour in the whole of the UK – the squadron took advantage of the stunning setting and fair weather conditions to parade down the Royal Mile and into the Palace of Holyroodhouse, dazzling locals and tourists along the way. The salute for the parade was taken by the Lord Provost for the City of Edinburgh Robert Aldridge and the Honorary Air Commodore for 603, His Grace the Duke of Hamilton.
Reflecting on such an important anniversary for his unit, 602 Squadron’s Officer Commanding, Squadron Leader Jim Martin, said: ‘I am extremely honoured to be a member of 602 at such a milestone in our illustrious history.
‘Celebrating a century of service is a once in a lifetime moment; watching our Reserve personnel grow, develop our ethos and flourish within their careers is equally rewarding. I am both humbled and proud of all our RAF Reserve personnel, from flying biplanes in the early years, to now recruiting personnel from civilian life to serve in the RAF Reserve’s many cutting-edge professions.
‘Our centenary celebrates the RAuxAF journey, and we continue to look forward to another 100 years!’
603 Squadron’s newly appointed Officer Commanding, Squadron Leader Scottie Rankin, was equally delighted at the opportunity to celebrate a major milestone for his unit, remarking in his address to guests at Edinburgh City Chambers: ‘I think that a Squadron such as ours exists for three important reasons:
First and foremost, we are a fighting organisation, designed to be effective on the battlefields and airfields of today, tonight and tomorrow…
‘Secondly, it is a historical organisation: understanding, recording, preserving and remembering its history, so that those who fought in the past are remembered with dignity and respect…
‘Thirdly, we are a family – Regular and Reserve, serving and retired members, who are bound together by our service and experiences in the way of caring families, supporting one another.
‘This family spirit, combined with the professional skills of today’s modern aviators, mixed with all the trials and tribulations of 2025, has always been a marked feature of our original Squadron and today’s fighting 603.’
Many thanks to the teams at 602 and 603 for inviting us to share in their wonderful celebrations, and here’s to another hundred years of outstanding service.
To find out more about the various career and learning opportunities available within the Royal Auxiliary Air Force, click here.
