602 Squadron, Royal Auxiliary Air Force

The original 602 Squadron was founded in 1925 as one of the first units of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force. Designated "City of Glasgow" Squadron, the unit was one of two Auxiliary Squadrons based in Scotland, the other being 603 "City of Edinburgh".

In 1940, the two sister squadrons both claim to have downed the first German aircraft over British soil, a Junkers 88. (We, of course, are firm believers that the honors belong to "our" squadron.)

"Glasgow's Own" went on to distinguish themselves in the Battle of Britain, and continued to fight the Luftwaffe from England and - shortly after the Normandy landings in 1944 - from France. 602 is one of several squadrons claiming responsibility for strafing a German staff car on July 17th, wounding its passenger, non other than the commander of Army Group B, Field Marshall Erwin Rommel, effectively taking him out of the fight when the Germans' position was deteriorating and they could ill afford the loss of such a capable commander.