No. 235 Squadron RAF

No. 235 Squadron RAF

A 235 Sqn Beaufighter taking off from RAF Luqa airfield, Malta, during Operation Harpoon
Active 20 August 1918 – 22 February 1919
30 October 1939 – 10 July 1945
Country United Kingdom United Kingdom
Branch Royal Air Force
Motto(s) Latin: Jaculamur Humi
("We Strike Them to the Ground")[1][2]
Insignia
Squadron Badge heraldry A double Wyvern spouting fire[1][2]
Squadron Codes LA (Oct 1939 – Sep 1942, Jun 1944 – Jul 1945)[3][4]

No. 235 Squadron RAF was an anti-submarine squadron of the Royal Air Force in World War I and in World War II served as a squadron in RAF Coastal Command.

History

Formation and World War I

No. 235 Squadron RAF was formed at Newlyn, Cornwall on 20 August 1918 from the former No. 424 and 425 flights RNAS,[5] and was equipped with Short 184 seaplanes for anti-submarine patrols. It flew these until the Armistice on 11 November 1918. The squadron disbanded three months later, on 22 February 1919.[1][2]

Reformation and World War II

It reformed at RAF Manston on 30 October 1939 as a fighter squadron, but was equipped at first with Fairey Battle light bombers for training purposes,[2] which were in February 1940 replaced by Bristol Blenheims. The squadron then transferred to Coastal Command and later moved RAF Dyce in June 1941. In December 1941 the squadron began re-equipping with the Bristol Beaufighter, and in May 1942 moved to RAF Docking. In July 1942 the squadron moved to RAF Chivenor, and then returned to Scotland in January 1943. In August 1943 the squadron returned again to South West England, in preparation for the D-Day landings, later operating Atlantic anti-submarine patrols from RAF St Angelo in Northern Ireland. The squadron re-equipped in June 1944 [5] with the de Havilland Mosquito and moved to Banff in September 1944, joining the "Banff Strike Wing". The squadron disbanded on 10 July 1945.[1][2][5]

Aircraft operated

From To Aircraft Variant
Aug 1918 Feb 1919 Short 184
Dec 1939 Feb 1940 Fairey Battle Mk.II ?
Feb 1940 May 1940 Bristol Blenheim Mk.If
Feb 1940 Dec 1941 Bristol Blenheim Mk.IVf
Dec 1941 Sep 1942 Bristol Beaufighter Mk.Ic
Jul 1942 Oct 1943 Bristol Beaufighter Mk.VIc
Oct 1943 May 1944 Bristol Beaufighter Mk.X
Apr 1944 Jun 1944 Bristol Beaufighter Mk.XI
Jun 1944 Jul 1945 de Havilland Mosquito Mk.VI

[1][2][5]

References

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Rawlings 1982, pp. 169–170.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Halley 1988, pp. 302–303.
  3. ↑ Bowyer and Rawlings 1979, pp. 65–66.
  4. ↑ Flintham and Thomas 2003, p. 87.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Jefford 2001, pp. 77–78.

Bibliography

  • Bowyer, Michael J.F. and John D.R. Rawlings. Squadron Codes, 1937–56. Cambridge, UK: Patrick Stephens Ltd., 1979. ISBN 0-85059-364-6.
  • Flintham, Vic and Andrew Thomas. Combat Codes: A full explanation and listing of British, Commonwealth and Allied air force unit codes since 1938. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing Ltd., 2003. ISBN 1-84037-281-8.
  • Halley, James J. The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth 1918–1988. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air Britain (Historians) Ltd., 1988. ISBN 0-85130-164-9.
  • Jefford, Wing Commander C.G., MBE, BA, RAF(Retd.). RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing, 1988 (second edition 2001). ISBN 1-85310-053-6.
  • Rawlings, John D.R. Coastal, Support and Special Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Jane's Publishing Company Ltd., 1982. ISBN 0-7106-0187-5.
  • Rawlings, John D.R. Fighter Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Macdonald & Jane's (Publishers) Ltd., 1969 (2nd edition 1976, reprinted 1978). ISBN 0-354-01028-X.
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