No. 226 Squadron RAF - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

First formed on 1 April 1918 at Pizzone, Italy

Pizzone, Italy

Pizzone is a comune in the Province of Isernia in the Italian region Molise, located about 50 km west of Campobasso and about 20 km northwest of Isernia near the Monti della Meta chain.-History:...

, by re-designating the Bombing School Pizzone, No. 226 Squadron RAF operated fast bombers and fighter aircraft and formed No. 472, 473 and 474 (Fighter) Flights within it in September 1918. after the Armistice

Armistice

An armistice is a situation in a war where the warring parties agree to stop fighting. It is not necessarily the end of a war, but may be just a cessation of hostilities while an attempt is made to negotiate a lasting peace...

the squadron was dis-banded at Taranto, Italy.

As part of the re-armament plan 226 Squadron was reformed at RAF Upper Heyford

RAF Upper Heyford

RAF Upper Heyford was a Royal Air Force station located north-west of Bicester near the village of Upper Heyford, Oxfordshire, England. The base was brought into use for flying in July 1918 by the Royal Flying Corps. During World War II it was used by many units of the RAF, mainly as a training...

, as a light bomber squadron, on 15 Mar 1937, flying Fairey Battle light bombers. Deployed to France as part of the British Expeditionary Force

British Expeditionary Force (World War II)

The British Expeditionary Force was the British force in Europe from 1939–1940 during the Second World War. Commanded by General Lord Gort, the BEF constituted one-tenth of the defending Allied force....

(BEF) 226 Squadron suffered heavy losse during the Battle of France

Battle of France

In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...

, retreating westwards and evacuating from Brest

Brest, France

Brest is a city in the Finistère department in Brittany in northwestern France. Located in a sheltered position not far from the western tip of the Breton peninsula, and the western extremity of metropolitan France, Brest is an important harbour and the second French military port after Toulon...

in mid-June 1940.

The squadron was re-assembled at 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....

, moving to East Anglia

East Anglia

East Anglia is a traditional name for a region of eastern England, named after an ancient Anglo-Saxon kingdom, the Kingdom of the East Angles. The Angles took their name from their homeland Angeln, in northern Germany. East Anglia initially consisted of Norfolk and Suffolk, but upon the marriage of...

and re-equipping with Douglas Havoc , Douglas Boston and North American Mitchell medium bombers, whilst carrying out attacks on German ports and anti-shipping strikes.

No. 226 Squadron began the war as part of the Advanced Air Striking Force, making it one of the first squadrons to be sent to France. The Fairey Battle suffered very heavy loses during the Battle of France. No.226 Squadron was forced to retreat west, and had to be evacuated from Brest in mid-June, reforming at RAF Sydenham in North Ireland.

Operation Overlord

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...

saw 226 Squadron become part of the 2nd Tactical Air Force, supporting the invasion in Normandy

Normandy

Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...

and the allied advance to Germany. The squadron was disbanded shortly after hostilities ceased, at B.77 Gilze-Rijen, on 20 September 1945.

The Squadron was reformed in 1959 as one of 20 Strategic Missile (SM) squadrons associated with Project Emily

Project Emily

Project Emily was the deployment of American-built PGM-17 Thor Intermediate-range ballistic missiles in the United Kingdom between 1959 and 1963....

equipped with three Douglas PGM-17 Thor Intermediate range ballistic missiles, based at RAF Catfoss

RAF Catfoss

RAF Catfoss was a Royal Air Force station during the Second World War. Located just to the West of Hornsea, Yorkshire, England. The nearest village is Brandesburton.-History:Originally used as a grass airfield in the 1930s. On 1 January 1932 No...

in Yorkshire as part of the Driffield group of Thor launch sites.

During the Cuban missile crisis

Cuban Missile Crisis

The Cuban Missile Crisis was a confrontation among the Soviet Union, Cuba and the United States in October 1962, during the Cold War...

, the squadron was kept at full readiness, with the missiles aimed at strategic targets in the USSR. Resolution of the missile crisis included the de-activation of the Thor and Jupiter IRBMs in the United Kingdom

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

, Italy

Italy

Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...

and Turkey

Turkey

Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...

. The squadron was disbanded with the termination of Project Emily in 1963.

External links

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See also

External links