No. 148 Squadron of the Royal Air Force has been part of the RAF since the First World War.

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No. 148 Squadron RAF
148 Squadron Halifax loaded with supplies reading for dropping to Yugoslav Partisans, at Brindisi, Italy
Active	1918–19 1937–1940 1940 1940–42 1943–46 1946–55 1956–65
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	Royal Air Force
Motto(s)	Trusty[1]
Insignia
Identification symbol	Two battle axes in saltire. The battle axes were selected as being well-tried and formidable weapons.

History

First World War

The squadron was formed at Andover Aerodrome on 10 February 1918, it moved to Ford Junction Aerodrome on 1 March 1918 where it was equipped with the Royal Aircraft Factory FE.2b and moved to France on 25 April 1918. It returned to the UK on 17 February 1919 and disbanded at Tangmere on 4 July 1919.[2]

Second World War

It was reformed at RAF Scampton on 7 June 1937 with the Hawker Audax and the Vickers Wellesley and moved twice before being disbanded and merged into No. 15 Operational Training Unit on 8 April 1940.[2]

With the expansion of the Royal Air Force Special Duties Service the unit was reformed in 1943 as No. 148 (Special Duties) Squadron. The unit's Halifaxes dropped supplies to partisans in southern France, Italy and the Balkans, while its flight of Lysanders under the command of Peter Vaughan-Fowler did agent pick-up operations to Greece, Yugoslavia and southern France. It participated in the Warsaw airlift, where it suffered heavy losses. The unit continued its work through the end of the war.

Cold War

No. 148 operated the Vickers Valiant nuclear bomber out of RAF Marham, Norfolk from 1 July 1956 until 1 May 1965.[2]

Aircraft operated

Date of introduction of aircraft into 148 squadron:[2]

• 1918 – Royal Aircraft Factory FE.2b
• 1937 – Hawker Audax
• 1937 – Vickers Wellesley
• 1938 – Handley Page Heyford III
• 1939 – Vickers Wellington I
• 1939 – Avro Anson I
• 1940 – Vickers Wellington IC
• 1941 – Vickers Wellington II
• 1943 – Consolidated Liberator II
• 1943 – Handley Page Halifax II
• 1944 – Westland Lysander IIIA
• 1944 – Handley Page Halifax V
• 1944 – Short Stirling IV
• 1945 – Consolidated Liberator VI
• 1946 – Avro Lancaster B.1 (FE)
• 1949 – Avro Lincoln B.2
• 1956 – Vickers Valiant B1 and B(K).1
• 1957 – Vickers Valiant B(PR).1
• 1958 – Vickers Valiant B(PR)K.1

Records from 58RSU indicate 148 Sqdn also operated Blenheims as 58RSU carried out an engine change on Blenheim Z6157 of 148 Sqdn at Maryut in July 1943, after which it was flown to Heliopolis.[3]

References

Citations

Bibliography

• Jefford, C G (1988). RAF Squadrons. A comprehensive record of the movement and equipment of all RAF squadrons and their antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury: Airlife. ISBN 1-85310-053-6.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to No. 148 Squadron RAF.

• Official website
• 148 Squadron (Special duties-SOE) RAF Commemorative Website
• RAF Web Air of Authority