No 88 Squadron RAF was an aircraft squadron of the Royal Air Force

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...

 formed at Gosport

Gosport

Gosport is a town, district and borough situated on the south coast of England, within the county of Hampshire. It has approximately 80,000 permanent residents with a further 5,000-10,000 during the summer months...

, Hampshire

Hampshire

Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...

 in July 1917.

Involvement in World War I

The squadron was moved to France in April 1918 where it undertook fighter-reconnaissance duties. It was also involved in the development of air-to-air wireless telegraphy and participated in numerous bombing raids.

Despite its short service at the front, the squadron claimed 147 victories for casualties of two killed in action, five wounded in action, and ten missing. Eleven aces served in the unit, including Kenneth Burns Conn

Kenneth Burns Conn

Kenneth Burns Conn DFC was a Canadian First World War flying ace, officially credited with 20 victories.-Distinguished Flying Cross:"Lt. Kenneth Burns Conn...

, Edgar Johnston

Edgar Johnston

Edgar Charles Johnston DFC was an Australian fighter pilot in World War I, later on a leading member in civic aviation in Australia....

, Allan Hepburn

Allan Hepburn

Wing Commander Allan Hepburn, DFC, was an Australian World War I flying ace, who was born in Melbourne, Victoria. He scored 16 victories during his flying career....

, Charles Findlay

Charles Findlay

Group Captain Charles Findlay was a professional military officer. In World War I, he was a flying ace credited with fourteen aerial victories. He made the Royal Air Force his career, and served his country throughout World War II.- Early life and service :...

, and Gerald Anderson. It was disbanded in 1919.

Involvement in World War II

No. 88 squadron was reformed in 1937 as a bomber squadron equipped with the 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...

.

It began the war as part of the Advanced Air Striking Force, making it one of the first squadrons to be sent to France and suffered very heavy loses during the Battle of France. They returned to Britain in June 1940, moving to RAF Sydenham

RAF Sydenham

RAF Sydenham was a Royal Air Force station in Northern Ireland. In the 1970s it was the main servicing base for Blackburn Buccaneer aircraft, employing 650 civilian workers....

, Belfast where they operated a mix of Battles, Douglas Boston Is and 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...

 IVs, carrying out patrol duties over the Western Approaches.

In July 1941 the squadron moved to RAF Swanton Morley

RAF Swanton Morley

The former Royal Air Force Station Swanton Morley, more commonly known as RAF Swanton Morley, was a Royal Air Force Station in Norfolk, England, located near to the village of Swanton Morley...

, East Anglia where it converted fully to the Boston III and IIIA. From there it carried out attacks on German coastal shipping and targets on the coast of occupied Europe .

In August 1943 the squadron relocated to RAF Hartford Bridge, Hampshire with its sister squadron No. 342 Squadron

No. 342 Squadron RAF

The No. 342 Squadron also known in French as Groupe de Bombardement n° 1/20 "Lorraine", was a Free French squadron in the RAF during World War II.-History:No...

 as part of 137 wing of No.2 Group of the 2nd Tactical Air Force in preparation for the invasion of Europe. From there the squadron attacked German communications and airfields. On D-Day itself it was charged with laying the smokescreen to hide the first wave of landing craft.

In October 1944 the squadron returned to France to join the tactical air forces that were supporting the Allied armies as they advanced across Europe. The squadron was finally disbanded on 4 April 1945.

Post-war History

On 1 September 1946, No. 1430 Flight at RAF Kai Tak

RAF Kai Tak

RAF Kai Tak was a Royal Air Force station in Hong Kong. It was opened in 1927 and used for seaplanes. The RAF flight operated a few land based aircraft as well as having spare aircraft for naval units.-History:...

, Hong Kong was redesignated No. 88 Squadron for transport duties with six Short Sunderland

Short Sunderland

The Short S.25 Sunderland was a British flying boat patrol bomber developed for the Royal Air Force by Short Brothers. It took its service name from the town and port of Sunderland in northeast England....

 flying boats. Courier services between bases in the Far East were operated until it was redesignated a general reconnaissance unit. It was disbanded on 1 October 1954.

On 15 January 1956, No. 88 reformed at RAF Wildenrath

RAF Wildenrath

The former Royal Air Force Station Wildenrath, commonly known as RAF Wildenrath, was a Royal Air Force military airbase which opened on 15 January 1952. Wildenrath was the first of four 'Clutch' stations built for the RAF in Germany during the early 1950s...

 as an interdiction Squadron equipped with Canberra

Canberra

Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...

s. On 17 December 1962, it was renumbered No. 14 Squadron RAF

No. 14 Squadron RAF

No. 14 Squadron of the Royal Air Force currently operates the Beechcraft Shadow R1 in the ISTAR role from RAF Waddington.-World War I:...

.