No. 235 Squadron RAF
Encyclopedia
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
, Cornwall
on 20 August 1918 from the former No. 424 and 425 flights RNAS
, 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.
on 30 October 1939 as a fighter squadron, but was equipped at first with Fairey Battle
light bombers for training purposes, which were in February 1940 replaced by Bristol Blenheim
s. 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 with the de Havilland Mosquito
and moved to Banff
in September 1944, joining the "Banff Strike Wing". The squadron disbanded on 10 July 1945.
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
served as a squadron in RAF Coastal Command
RAF Coastal Command
RAF Coastal Command was a formation within the Royal Air Force . Founded in 1936, it was the RAF's premier maritime arm, after the Royal Navy's secondment of the Fleet Air Arm in 1937. Naval aviation was neglected in the inter-war period, 1919–1939, and as a consequence the service did not receive...
Formation and World War I
No. 235 Squadron RAF was formed at NewlynNewlyn
Newlyn is a town and fishing port in southwest Cornwall, England, United Kingdom.Newlyn forms a conurbation with the neighbouring town of Penzance and is part of Penzance civil parish...
, Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
on 20 August 1918 from the former No. 424 and 425 flights RNAS
Royal Naval Air Service
The Royal Naval Air Service or RNAS was the air arm of the Royal Navy until near the end of the First World War, when it merged with the British Army's Royal Flying Corps to form a new service , the Royal Air Force...
, and was equipped with Short 184 seaplanes for anti-submarine patrols. It flew these until the Armistice
Armistice with Germany (Compiègne)
The armistice between the Allies and Germany was an agreement that ended the fighting in the First World War. It was signed in a railway carriage in Compiègne Forest on 11 November 1918 and marked a victory for the Allies and a complete defeat for Germany, although not technically a surrender...
on 11 November 1918. The squadron disbanded three months later, on 22 February 1919.
Reformation and World War II
It reformed at RAF ManstonRAF Manston
RAF Manston was an RAF station in the north-east of Kent, at on the Isle of Thanet from 1916 until 1996. The site is now split between a commercial airport Kent International Airport and a continuing military use by the Defence Fire Training and Development Centre , following on from a long...
on 30 October 1939 as a fighter squadron, but was equipped at first with Fairey Battle
Fairey Battle
The Fairey Battle was a British single-engine light bomber built by the Fairey Aviation Company in the late 1930s for the Royal Air Force. The Battle was powered by the same Rolls-Royce Merlin piston engine that gave contemporary British fighters high performance; however, the Battle was weighed...
light bombers for training purposes, which were in February 1940 replaced by Bristol Blenheim
Bristol Blenheim
The Bristol Blenheim was a British light bomber aircraft designed and built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company that was used extensively in the early days of the Second World War. It was adapted as an interim long-range and night fighter, pending the availability of the Beaufighter...
s. 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
Bristol Beaufighter
The Bristol Type 156 Beaufighter, often referred to as simply the Beau, was a British long-range heavy fighter modification of the Bristol Aeroplane Company's earlier Beaufort torpedo bomber design...
, and in May 1942 moved to RAF Docking
RAF Docking
RAF Docking was a RAF Station of the Second World War a few miles from Bircham Newton in Norfolk.It was a satellite airfield for the RAF Coastal Command station at RAF Bircham Newton and was mostly used for overflow from there....
. In July 1942 the squadron moved to RAF Chivenor, and then returned to Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
in January 1943. In August 1943 the squadron returned again to South West England, in preparation for the D-Day
Operation Overlord
Operation Overlord was the code name for the Battle of Normandy, the operation that launched the invasion of German-occupied western Europe during World War II by Allied forces. The operation commenced on 6 June 1944 with the Normandy landings...
landings, later operating Atlantic anti-submarine patrols from RAF St Angelo in Northern Ireland. The squadron re-equipped in June 1944 with the de Havilland Mosquito
De Havilland Mosquito
The de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito was a British multi-role combat aircraft that served during the Second World War and the postwar era. It was known affectionately as the "Mossie" to its crews and was also nicknamed "The Wooden Wonder"...
and moved to Banff
Banff, Aberdeenshire
Banff is a town in the Banff and Buchan area of Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Banff is situated on Banff Bay and faces the town of Macduff across the estuary of the River Deveron...
in September 1944, joining the "Banff Strike Wing". The squadron disbanded on 10 July 1945.
Aircraft operated
| From | To | Aircraft | Variant |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 1918 | Feb 1919 | Short 184 | |
| Dec 1939 | Feb 1940 | Fairey Battle Fairey Battle The Fairey Battle was a British single-engine light bomber built by the Fairey Aviation Company in the late 1930s for the Royal Air Force. The Battle was powered by the same Rolls-Royce Merlin piston engine that gave contemporary British fighters high performance; however, the Battle was weighed... |
Mk.II ? |
| Feb 1940 | May 1940 | Bristol Blenheim Bristol Blenheim The Bristol Blenheim was a British light bomber aircraft designed and built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company that was used extensively in the early days of the Second World War. It was adapted as an interim long-range and night fighter, pending the availability of the Beaufighter... |
Mk.If |
| Feb 1940 | Dec 1941 | Bristol Blenheim | Mk.IVf |
| Dec 1941 | Sep 1942 | Bristol Beaufighter Bristol Beaufighter The Bristol Type 156 Beaufighter, often referred to as simply the Beau, was a British long-range heavy fighter modification of the Bristol Aeroplane Company's earlier Beaufort torpedo bomber design... |
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 De Havilland Mosquito The de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito was a British multi-role combat aircraft that served during the Second World War and the postwar era. It was known affectionately as the "Mossie" to its crews and was also nicknamed "The Wooden Wonder"... |
Mk.VI |