Country United Kingdom | Branch Royal Air Force | |
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Active 1 August 1916 (RFC) to 1919
1934–1961
1964–1970
1970–1974
1986–1992 Motto(s) Latin: Vi et armis
"By force of arms" Battle honours Western Front, 1917-1918*: Cambrai, 1918*: Somme, 1918*: France & Low Countries*: Dunkirk: Battle of Britain, 1940*: Home Defence, 1940-42: Fortress Europe, 1941-1944*: Channel & North Sea, 1942-1945*: Dieppe: Normandy, 1944: Arnhem: France & Germany, 1944-1945*: Baltic 1945:
Honours marked with an asterisk are those emblazoned on the Squadron Standard Squadron Badge heraldry In front of fifteen swords in pile, the hilts in base, a lion passant.
The number of swords refers to a memorable combat in which a similar number of enemy arircraft were destroyed. | ||
No. 65 Squadron was a squadron of the Royal Air Force.
Contents
World War I
The squadron was first formed at Wyton on 1 August 1916 as a squadron of the Royal Flying Corps with a core provided from the training ground at Norwich. By the end of World War I, it had claimed over 200 victories. Thirteen aces had served with it, including : John Inglis Gilmour, Joseph White, Maurice Newnham, Thomas Williams, William Harry Bland, Alfred Leitch, Jack Armand Cunningham, Godfrey Brembridge, and George M. Cox. Arthur G. Jones-Williams, who would go on to long-range flight record attempts in 1929, also served in the squadron.
World War II
The squadron reformed in 1934 at RAF Hornchurch with the Hawker Demon, converting to the Gloster Gauntlet in 1936 and the Gloster Gladiator in 1937. During World War II, the squadron operated Supermarine Spitfires, having converted from Gladiators in 1939. In December 1943, the squadron converted to North American Mustangs. For a period of time their Wing Commander was Reg Grant.
Post war
In 1946, the unit converted to the Spitfire LF.XVIe and then the de Havilland Hornet, the Gloster Meteor F.4 and F.8, then the Hawker Hunter F.6. at RAF Duxford from August 1951 until the squadron disbanded in 1961, and then reformed in 1964 as a surface-to-air missile unit, operating the Bristol Bloodhound. During this period, it was based at RAF Seletar, Singapore, and it disbanded again in 1970. It was last disbanded at RAF Coningsby in June 1992, by re-numbering as No. 56 (Reserve) Squadron, after serving as the Operational Conversion Unit for the Tornado F.2 and F.3 fighter, with the alternative identity of No. 229 OCU.