No.264 Squadron
- Badge
- A helmet
- Motto
- We defy
- Formed
- 27 September 1918
- Disbanded
- 30 November 1962
First formed at Suda Bay, Crete, No 264 Squadron flew anti submarine patrols over the Eastern Mediterranean shipping routes. The squadron disbanded on 1 March 1919.
On 30 October 1939, it re-formed at RAF Sutton Bridge as the first unit to operate the Boulton Paul Defiant fighter. The squadron first saw action during May 1940 with the German invasion of the Low Countries. Although initially successful, losses mounted during daylight operations and the squadron switched to night fighting at the end of August. Defiants became non-operational on 30 April, and were replaced by Mosquito aircraft.
The squadron first saw action with the Mosquito on 13 June 1942. Intruder missions began in January 1943 from bases in South West England. In November, the squadron returned to Lincolnshire on defensive patrols. In May 1944 it was transferred south once more to cover the invasion beaches during D-Day. The squadron moved to France in August, but returned to the UK in September. In January 1945 it joined Second Tactical Air Force, flying patrols over the Low Countries and anti-night fighter intruder missions over Germany for the rest of the war. The squadron disbanded on 25 October 1945.
On 20 November 1945, No 125 Squadron at RAF Church Fenton was renumbered No 264 Squadron, and flew Mosquitoes until the end of 1951, when they were replaced by Meteors. These remained in service with the unit until it was renumbered No 33 Squadron on 30 September 1957. On 1 December 1958 the squadron reformed at RAF North Coates as the first Bloodhound Surface-to-Air Missile unit. It was disbanded on 30 November 1962.
AIRCRAFT
Short 184 1918 – 1919
Defiant I 1939 – 1941
Defiant II 1941 – 1942
Mosquito II 1942 – 1944
Mosquito VI 1943 – 1943
Mosquito XIII 1944 – 1945
Mosquito 30 1945 – 1946
Mosquito NF.36 1946 – 1952
Meteor NF.11 1951 – 1954
Meteor NF.14 1954 – 1957
Bloodhound I 1958 – 1963
Recommended Reading
The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force
James J Halley Air Britain (Historians) Ltd 1988
RAF Squadrons
Wg Cdr C G Jefford Airlife 2001
Fighter Squadrons of the RAF and their aircraft
John D R Rawlings Crecy Books 1993
Coastal Support and Special Squadrons of the RAF and their aircraft
John D R Rawlings Jane’s Publishing 1982
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