No. 256 Squadron RAF

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No. 256 Squadron RAF
Latin: (we add) strength to strength
Insignia
Squadron badge heraldryIn front of an Anchor Azure a Ferret’s head erased Argent
Squadron code (1939)SZ[1][2]
Squadron code (1940 – 1946)JT[1][3]

No. 256 Squadron RAF was a flying squadron of the

Mosquitoes
in the Second World War.

In the 1950s it was equipped with the

2nd Tactical Air Force, it initially flew from RAF Ahlhorn
in north Germany until that airfield was handed back to the German Air Force in 1958, after which the wing was re-located at RAF Geilenkirchen near Aachen.

First World War

The squadron was formed in June 1918 at RAF Elford (later RAF Seahouses),

Dh6 aircraft. It parented No.s 495 (Light Bomber), 525, 526, 527 and 528 Special Duty Flights.[5] The various flights were engaged in coastal patrols and outbased at other locations such as RAF Ashington,[6] New Haggerston, Rennington, and Cairncross.[7]

A cadre of

Kangaroos was detached to the airfield at Killingholme at the end of January 1919, but five months later, the whole squadron was disbanded.[8]

Second World War

The squadron reformed at

Mosquito NF.xii aircraft before returning to RAF Woodvale in August 1943.[13]

In September 1943, the squadron was moved to RAF Luqa in Malta for night-defence and convoy escort duties.[14] In April 1944, most of the squadron moved to La Senia Airfield in Algeria, whilst a month later in May 1944, the squadron absorbed the Spitfires of the Gibraltar Defence Flight (formerly No. 1676 Flight), which became 'C' Flight within the squadron.[15][16] During this time, the squadron ran intruder operations into Italy, eventually relocating to Foggia to enable these flights to be extended into the Balkans. Arriving at Foggia in September 1944, the squadron moved again to Forlì in February 1945 and at the end of the war, the squadron was at El Ballah in Egypt.[17]

Post war

The squadron moved to

2nd Tactical Air Force.[citation needed] The squadron moved to RAF Geilenkirchen in January 1958, and was renumbered to No. 11 Squadron a year later whilst still operating from Geilenkirchen.[19]

Squadron badge

The badge for No. 256 Squadron was approved in 1948 and showed a ferret looking to the right in front of a blue anchor. The anchor relates to the coastal and convoy patrols in the First World War and the ferret represented the intruder operations in the Second World War.[20] The squadron's motto was Addimus vim viribus, Latin for (we add) strength to strength.[21]

References

  1. ^ a b "Sqn Histories 256-260_P". www.rafweb.org. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  2. ^ Lake 1999, p. 300.
  3. ^ Lake 1999, p. 298.
  4. ^ "Seahouses (Elford) - Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust UK". www.abct.org.uk. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  5. ^ Lake 1999, pp. 80, 249.
  6. ^ Historic England. "Ashington Airfield (1507347)". Research records (formerly PastScape). Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  7. ^ Chorlton 2014, p. 163.
  8. ISBN 1844153916
    .
  9. ^ "No.256 Squadron". www.nationalcoldwarexhibition.org. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  10. ^ Halpenny 1982, p. 44.
  11. ^ a b Jefford 2001, p. 79.
  12. ^ Delve 2006, p. 276.
  13. ^ "Royal Air Force 1939-1945: Fighter Command". Imperial War Museums. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  14. ^ Fairbairn 1991, p. 125.
  15. ^ Lake 1999, p. 71.
  16. ^ "1676 Gibraltar Defence Flight, also C Flight 253 Squadron; later became C Flight 256". discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  17. ISBN 0953806197
    .
  18. ^ Fairbairn 1991, p. 141.
  19. ^ Lake 1999, pp. 195, 249.
  20. ^ "256 Sqn | RAF Heraldry Trust". rafht.co.uk. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  21. ISBN 0-7100-9339-X
    .

Sources
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