No. 258 Squadron RAF

No. 258 Squadron RAF
No. 258 Squadron RAF
Active 25 July 1918 - 5 March 1918
20 November 1940 - October 1941
1 March 1942 - 31 December 1945
Country United Kingdom United Kingdom
Branch Ensign of the Royal Air Force.svg Royal Air Force
Motto 'In medias re' (In the middle of things)
Engagements Java, Ceylon
Commanders
Notable
commanders
Marshal of the RAF Sir Neil Cameron
Insignia
Squadron Badge heraldry In front of wings elevated and conjoined in base, a panthers face
Squadron Codes FH (Apr 1939 - Sep 1939)
ZT (Aug 1944 - Dec 1945)

RAF 258 Squadron was a Royal Air Force squadron during World War I and World War II.

No. 258 Squadron was first formed 25 July 1918 from 523, 525 and 529 Special Duties Flights at Luce Bay near Stranraer, Scotland under the control of No. 25 Group. It was equipped with De Havilland DH.6 biplanes and carried out anti-submarine patrols over the Irish Sea. It was disbanded on 5 March 1918.[1]

The squadron was reformed on 20 November 1940 at RAF Leconfield, Yorkshire as a fighter squadron equipped with Hawker Hurricanes. First based at RAF Acklington they relocated to the Isle of Man and then in April 1941 to RAF Kenley to fly sweeps over France. In October they were stood down to prepare for a move to the Far East. After a few days in Singapore they were withdrawn to Sumatra and then Java, where they suffered many losses either killed or captured by the Japanese. The survivors transferred their aircraft to No. 605 squadron and most attempted to escape by ship to Australia, but unfortunately all the ships were sunk en route with no survivors.[2]

The squadron was again reformed 1 Mar 1942 from G Squadron at Ratmalana Airport, near Colombo, Ceylon but suffered severe losses during the Japanese carrier strike on 5 April 1942. After a spell in Burma (under Neil Cameron) the squadron was withdrawn to be re-equipped with American Republic P-47 Thunderbolts. In June 1945 it then began training for the invasion of Malaya but on the Japanese surrender the squadron was finally disbanded on 31 December 1945.

The squadron was largely manned by RNZAF pilots from New Zealand.

References

See also



Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно сделать НИР?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • No. 4 Squadron RAF — No. IV(R) Squadron Active September 1912 (RFC) Branch Royal Air Force …   Wikipedia

  • No. 691 Squadron RAF — Active 1 December 1943 11 February 1949 Country United Kingdom …   Wikipedia

  • No. 667 Squadron RAF — Active 1 Dec 1943 20 Dec 1945 Country United Kingdom B …   Wikipedia

  • No. 595 Squadron RAF — Active 1 December 1943 11 February 1949 Country United Kingdom …   Wikipedia

  • No. 679 Squadron RAF — Active 1 December 1943 26 June 1945 Country United Kingdom …   Wikipedia

  • No. 631 Squadron RAF — Active 1 December 1943 7 February 1949 Country United Kingdom …   Wikipedia

  • No. 639 Squadron RAF — Active 1 December 1943 30 April 1945 Country United Kingdom …   Wikipedia

  • No. 587 Squadron RAF — Active 1 December 1943 15 June 1946 Country United Kingdom …   Wikipedia

  • No. 16 Squadron RAF — Active 10 February 1915 – Present Role Elementary Flying Training …   Wikipedia

  • No. 41 Squadron RAF — Official Squadron Badge of No. 41 Squadron RAF Active 14 July 1916 Country …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”