No. 249 Squadron RAF

No. 249 (Gold Coast) Squadron RAF
Active	18 August 1918 - 8 October 1919 16 May 1940 - 16 August 1945 23 October 1945 - 24 February 1969
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	Royal Air Force
Nickname	Gold Coast
Motto	Latin: Pugnis et calcibus ("With fists and heels")
Battle honours	Home Waters, 1918*; Battle of Britain, 1940*; Home Defence; Fortress Europe, 1941*; Malta, 1941-42*; Mediterranean, 1942-43*; North Africa, 1942*; Sicily; Italy, 1943-45*; South-East Europe, 1943-45* Honours marked with an asterix* are those emblazoned on the Squadron Standard
Commanders
Notable commanders	Tom Neil Percy Lucas
Insignia
Squadron Badge	In front of a bezant an elephant passant[1]
Squadron Codes	GN (May 1940 - May 1941, Jun 1943 - Sep 1944, Oct 1945 - Mar 1950) T (Mar 1942 - Jun 1943)

No. 249 (Gold Coast) Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force squadron, active in the sea-patrol, fighter and bomber roles during its existence.

History

First formation

No. 249 Squadron was formed for the first time on 18 August 1918 from Nos. 400, 401, 419 and 450 flights at Dundee^[2] 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 Killingholme, without its aircraft. The squadron disbanded not long after on 8 October 1919.

249 Sqn Spitfire VC at RAF Ta Kali, Malta, in 1942.

During World War II

On 16 May 1940, 249 squadron reformed as a fighter squadron at RAF Church Fenton. Equipped with Hurricanes, the unit fought in the Battle of Britain. The only Victoria Cross awarded to an RAF Fighter Command 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 Zone in 1952, flying Vampires.

Present

In the year 2000 the Squadron gave its number to an Air Cadet Squadron based in Hailsham, England^[3]. 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^[4].

Noted squadron members

• Wg Cdr John "Beazle" Beazley DFC
• Flt Lt George "Buzz" Beurling DSO DFC DFM*
• Wg Cdr Percy "Laddie" Lucas CBE DSO DFC
• Sqn Ldr Robert "Buck" McNair
• Wg Cdr Tom "Ginger" Neil DFC* AFC AE
• Wg Cdr Eric Nicolson VC DFC
• Flt Lt "Titch" Palliser DFC AE

Aircraft operated

Aircraft operated^[2]

From	To	Aircraft	Version
Aug 1918	Mar 1919	Short 184
Aug 1918	Nov 1918	Sopwith Baby, Fairey Hamble Baby[5]
Aug 1918	Mar 1919	Curtiss H.12B
Aug 1918	Mar 1919	Felixstowe F.2a, Felixstowe F.3, Felixstowe F.5[6]
May 1940	Jun 1940	Supermarine Spitfire	Mk.I
Jun 1940	Feb 1941	Hawker Hurricane	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 Mustang	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	Mks.IV, V
Mar 1946	Aug 1946	De Havilland Mosquito	FB.26
Dec 1946	Mar 1950	Hawker Tempest	F.6
Feb 1950	May 1952	De Havilland Vampire	FB.5
Jan 1952	Apr 1955	De Havilland Vampire	FB.9
Oct 1954	Dec 1955	De Havilland Venom	FB.1
Jul 1955	Oct 1957	De Havilland Venom	FB.4
Oct 1957	Jan 1960	English Electric Canberra	B.2
Nov 1959	Oct 1961	English Electric Canberra	B.6
Oct 1961	Feb 1969	English Electric Canberra	B.16

References

Notes

1. ^ Halley 1988, p. 317.
2. ^ ^{a b} Halley 1988, p. 318.
3. ^ http://249sqn-atc.co.uk/
4. ^ http://www.249sqn.co.uk/history.html
5. ^ Cull 1997, p. xii.
6. ^ Rawlings 1982, 180.

Bibliography

• Bowyer, Chaz. Mosquito Squadrons of the Royal Air Force. Shepperton, Surrey, UK: Ian Allan Ltd., 1984. ISBN 0-7110-1425-6.
• Bowyer, Michael J.F. and John D.R. Rawlings. Squadron Codes, 1937-56. Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, UK: Patrick Stephens Ltd., 1979. ISBN 0-85059-364-6.
• Cull, Brian. 249 At War: The Authorized History of the RAF's Top Scoring Squadron of WWII. London, Grub Street, 1997. ISBN 1-89869-749-3.
• Flintham, Vic and Andrew Thomas. Combat Codes: A Full Explanation and Listing of British, Commonwealth and Allied Air Force Unit Codes Since 1938. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing Ltd., 2003. ISBN 1-84037-281-8.
• Halley, James J. The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth, 1918-1988. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd., 1988. ISBN 0-85130-164-9.
• Jefford, Wing Commander C.G., MBE, BA, RAF (Retd). RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive Record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury: Airlife Publishing, 1998 (second edition 2001). ISBN 1-84037-141-2.
• Moyes, Philip J.R. Bomber Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Macdonald and Jane's (Publishers) Ltd., 1964 (new edition 1976). ISBN 0-354-01027-1.
• Rawlings, John D.R. Coastal, Support and Special Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Jane's Publishing Company Ltd., 1982. ISBN 0-7106-0187-5.
• Rawlings, John D.R. Fighter Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Macdonald and Jane's (Publishers) Ltd., 1969 (new edition 1976, reprinted 1978). ISBN 0-354-01028-X.

External links

• 249 (Hailsham)Squadron, Air Training Corps
• 249 Squadron Association
• Aviation art painting - F/O Percy Burton of No.249 Squadron in combat over Hailsham, September 27th 1940
• RAF Website
• Squadron history on RAFweb
• Sqn History