No. 249 Squadron RAF was a
Royal Air ForceThe 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...
squadron, active in the sea-patrol,
fighterRAF Fighter Command was one of three functional commands of the Royal Air Force. It was formed in 1936 to allow more specialised control of fighter aircraft. It served throughout the Second World War, gaining recognition in the Battle of Britain. The Command continued until 17 November 1943, when...
and
bomberRAF Bomber Command controlled the RAF's bomber forces from 1936 to 1968. During World War II the command destroyed a significant proportion of Nazi Germany's industries and many German cities, and in the 1960s stood at the peak of its postwar military power with the V bombers and a supplemental...
roles during its existence.
First formation
No. 249 Squadron was formed for the first time on 18 August 1918 from Nos. 400, 401, 419 and 450 flights at
DundeeDundee is the fourth-largest city in Scotland and the 39th most populous settlement in the United Kingdom. It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which feeds into the North Sea...
Equipped with a variety of seaplanes the squadrion flew coastal patrol and anti-submarine duties as part of No. 78 Wing RAF. It remained at Dundee until April 1919 when it moved to
RNAS KillingholmeKillingholme is an area of Lincolnshire, comprising the villages of North Killingholme and South Killingholme. It is the site of two oil refineries, the Humber Refinery and Lindsey Oil Refinery, and an liquid petroleum gas storage facility .It is also a fast expanding port, handling RORO ferries...
, without its aircraft. The squadron disbanded not long after on 8 October 1919.
During World War II
On 16 May 1940, 249 squadron reformed as a
fighter squadronRAF Fighter Command was one of three functional commands of the Royal Air Force. It was formed in 1936 to allow more specialised control of fighter aircraft. It served throughout the Second World War, gaining recognition in the Battle of Britain. The Command continued until 17 November 1943, when...
at
RAF Church FentonRAF Church Fenton is a Royal Air Force airfield at Church Fenton in North Yorkshire, England.- History :Plans for a new airfield adjacent to the village of Church Fenton were announced in June 1935, it was subject to protest from the local population particularly concerning the waste of valuable...
. Equipped with
HurricanesThe Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force...
, the unit fought in the
Battle of BritainThe Battle of Britain is the name given to the World War II air campaign waged by the German Air Force against the United Kingdom during the summer and autumn of 1940...
. The only
Victoria CrossThe Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
awarded to an
RAF Fighter CommandRAF Fighter Command was one of three functional commands of the Royal Air Force. It was formed in 1936 to allow more specialised control of fighter aircraft. It served throughout the Second World War, gaining recognition in the Battle of Britain. The Command continued until 17 November 1943, when...
pilot during the Battle of Britain, was won by James Brindley Nicolson whilst serving with 249 squadron.
Into the jet age
The squadron was stationed at RAF Deversoir in the
Egyptian Canal ZoneThe Suez Canal , also known by the nickname "The Highway to India", is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Opened in November 1869 after 10 years of construction work, it allows water transportation between Europe and Asia without navigation...
in 1952, flying
VampiresThe de Havilland DH.100 Vampire was a British jet-engine fighter commissioned by the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. Following the Gloster Meteor, it was the second jet fighter to enter service with the RAF. Although it arrived too late to see combat during the war, the Vampire served...
.
Present
In the year 2000 the Squadron gave its number to an Air Cadet Squadron based in
HailshamHailsham is a civil parish and the largest of the five main towns in the Wealden district of East Sussex, England. Mentioned in the Domesday Book, the town of Hailsham has had a long history of industry and agriculture...
,
EnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. This was because 249 Squadron lost a man over the town during the Battle of Britain. The Air Cadets Squadron is also an affiliated member of 249 Squadron Association.
Noted squadron members
- Wg Cdr John "Beazle" Beazley DFC
Wing Commander Hugh John Sherard "Beazle" Beazley, DFC was a famed World War II Royal Air Force fighter pilot.- Early life :...
- Flt Lt George "Buzz" Beurling DSO DFC DFM*
George Frederick "Buzz" Beurling DSO, DFC, DFM & Bar, RCAF , was the most successful Canadian fighter pilot of the Second World War....
- Wg Cdr Percy "Laddie" Lucas CBE DSO DFC
Percy Belgrave "Laddie" Lucas, CBE, DSO and Bar, DFC, , was a Royal Air Force Officer, left-handed golfer, author and Member of Parliament .-Early and family life:...
- Sqn Ldr Robert "Buck" McNair
- Wg Cdr Tom "Ginger" Neil DFC* AFC AE
Wing Commander Thomas Francis "Ginger" Neil, DFC*, AFC, AE is a famed World War II Royal Air Force fighter pilot, ace and one of the few remaining survivors of the Battle of Britain. Neil scored a total of 14 kills during the Second World War....
- Wg Cdr Eric Nicolson VC DFC
Fully recovered by September 1941, Nicolson was posted to India in 1942. Between August 1943 and August 1944 he was a Squadron Leader and C.O. of No 27 Squadron, flying Bristol Beaufighters over Burma. During this time he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross....
- Flt Lt "Titch" Palliser DFC AE
Aircraft operated
Aircraft operated
| From |
To |
Aircraft |
Version |
| Aug 1918 |
Mar 1919 |
Short 184 |
|
| Aug 1918 |
Nov 1918 |
Sopwith Baby
, Fairey Hamble Baby
|
|
| Aug 1918 |
Mar 1919 |
Curtiss H.12BThe Curtiss Model H was a family of classes of early long-range flying boats, the first two of which were developed directly on commission in the United States in response to the ₤10,000 prize challenge issued in 1913 by the London newspaper, the Daily Mail, for the first non-stop aerial crossing...
|
|
| Aug 1918 |
Mar 1919 |
Felixstowe F.2|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Bruce, J.M. Flight, 2 December 1955, pp. 842–846.* Bruce, J.M. Flight, 16 December 1955, pp. 895–898.* Bruce, J.M. Flight, 23 December 1955, pp. 929–932....
a, Felixstowe F.3-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Bruce, J.M. "". Flight, 2 December 1955, pp.842—846.* Bruce, J.M. "". Flight, 16 December 1955, pp.895—898.* Bruce, J.M. "". Flight, 23 December 1955, pp. 929—932....
, Felixstowe F.5-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Bruce, J.M. " Flight, 2 December 1955, pp. 842—846.* Bruce, J.M. " Flight, 16 December 1955, pp. 895—898.* Bruce, J.M. " Flight, 23 December 1955, pp. 929—932....
|
|
| May 1940 |
Jun 1940 |
Supermarine Spitfire The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s...
|
Mk.I |
| Jun 1940 |
Feb 1941 |
Hawker HurricaneThe Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force...
|
Mk.I |
| Feb 1941 |
Mar 1942 |
Hawker Hurricane |
Mks.IIa, IIb |
| May 1941 |
Aug 1941 |
Hawker Hurricane |
Mk.I |
| Feb 1942 |
Sep 1944 |
Supermarine Spitfire |
Mks.Vb, Vc |
| Jun 1943 |
Nov 1943 |
Supermarine Spitfire |
Mk.IX |
| Sep 1944 |
Apr 1945 |
North American MustangThe North American Aviation P-51 Mustang was an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II, the Korean War and in several other conflicts...
|
Mk.III |
| Apr 1945 |
Jun 1945 |
Supermarine Spitfire |
Mk.IX |
| May 1945 |
Jun 1945 |
North American Mustang |
Mk.III |
| Jun 1945 |
Aug 1945 |
North American Mustang |
Mk.IV |
| Oct 1945 |
Apr 1946 |
Martin Baltimore The Martin 187 Baltimore was a two-engined light attack bomber built by the Glenn L. Martin Company in the United States, originally ordered by the French in May 1940 as a follow-up to the earlier Martin Maryland, then in service in France. With the fall of France, the production series was...
|
Mks.IV, V |
| Mar 1946 |
Aug 1946 |
De Havilland MosquitoThe 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"...
|
FB.26 |
| Dec 1946 |
Mar 1950 |
Hawker TempestThe Hawker Tempest was a British fighter aircraft primarily used by the Royal Air Force in the Second World War. The Tempest was an improved derivative of the Hawker Typhoon, and one of the most powerful fighter aircraft used during the war....
|
F.6 |
| Feb 1950 |
May 1952 |
De Havilland VampireThe de Havilland DH.100 Vampire was a British jet-engine fighter commissioned by the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. Following the Gloster Meteor, it was the second jet fighter to enter service with the RAF. Although it arrived too late to see combat during the war, the Vampire served...
|
FB.5 |
| Jan 1952 |
Apr 1955 |
De Havilland Vampire |
FB.9 |
| Oct 1954 |
Dec 1955 |
De Havilland VenomThe de Havilland DH 112 Venom was a British postwar single-engined jet aircraft developed from the de Havilland Vampire. It served with the Royal Air Force as a single-seat fighter-bomber and two-seat night fighter....
|
FB.1 |
| Jul 1955 |
Oct 1957 |
De Havilland Venom |
FB.4 |
| Oct 1957 |
Jan 1960 |
English Electric CanberraThe English Electric Canberra is a first-generation jet-powered light bomber manufactured in large numbers through the 1950s. The Canberra could fly at a higher altitude than any other bomber through the 1950s and set a world altitude record of 70,310 ft in 1957...
|
B.2 |
| Nov 1959 |
Oct 1961 |
English Electric Canberra |
B.6 |
| Oct 1961 |
Feb 1969 |
English Electric Canberra |
B.16 |
External links