On 23 August 1940, No. 1 Squadron RCAF entered combat for the first time, becoming the only Canadian squadron to fight in the Battle of Britain. That engagement marked the culmination of their rapid work‑up since arriving in Britain in June, a period spent modifying their Hurricanes, learning RAF procedures, and preparing for the escalating air battles over southern England. By late August they were flying regular sorties, escorting convoys and intercepting raids during the height of the Kanalkampf. Just over two months later, on 30 October 1940, with the Battle of Britain effectively over, the surviving pilots gathered at Prestwick, Scotland, for a formal photograph beside one of their Hurricanes. The men in the image represent the squadron’s early wartime core: Frank Hillock of Toronto; Frederick Watson and Norman Richard Johnstone, both from Winnipeg; Robert Norris of Saskatoon; Joseph A. J. Chevrier of Saint‑Lambert; John David Morrison of Regina; and then a strong Montréal contingent — Gordon McGregor, Arthur Yuile, Paul Pitcher, William Sprenger, and Dean Nesbitt — standing together on the right. In 1941 the unit was renumbered 401 Squadron, later becoming the highest‑scoring fighter squadron in the RAF’s 2nd Tactical Air Force with 186.5 victories, including 29 earned during the Battle of Britain.

Imperial War Museum  THE CANADIANS — In the Battle of Britain — Vintage Wings of Canada

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