No. 123 Squadron RAF facts for kids

Quick facts for kids No. 123 (East India) Squadron RAF
Active	1 Feb 1918 – 17 Aug 1918 28 Nov 1918 – 5 Feb 1920 10 May 1941 – 10 June 1945
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	Royal Air Force
Nickname(s)	East India
Motto(s)	Swift to Strike
Insignia
Squadron badge heraldry	In front of two claymores, in saltire, the points uppermost, a Tiger’s head erased. The claymores indicate the sqn’s association with Scotland and the Tiger’s head its association as the third East India Sqn.
Squadron Codes	XE

No. 123 Squadron was a special group of aircraft and pilots in the Royal Air Force (RAF). The RAF is the United Kingdom's air force. This squadron flew planes during both the First World War and the Second World War. It was officially closed down for good on June 20, 1945.

The Story of No. 123 Squadron

First World War Service

No. 123 Squadron first started on February 1, 1918. This happened at RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire, England. On March 1, 1918, the squadron moved to RAF Duxford. Here, they began training with Airco DH.9 planes. However, the war ended before they could join any battles. So, the squadron was closed down on August 17, 1918.

The squadron was formed again on November 20, 1918. This time, it was at RAF Upper Heyford. It was made up of Canadian pilots and also used DH.9 planes. In March 1919, they moved to Shoreham. The squadron was then renamed No. 2 Squadron, Canadian Air Force. It stayed active until it was closed down in 1920.

Second World War Service

In May 1941, the squadron was started for a third time. This happened at RAF Turnhouse in Scotland. They flew Supermarine Spitfire planes. Their job was to protect ships and patrol the Scottish east coast. They also guarded the Forth Estuary. The squadron also helped train new pilots. They gave new pilots experience before sending them to other squadrons.

In April 1942, the squadron's people, but not their planes, went to Egypt by ship. They arrived in June. They didn't get new planes until October. Then, they used Gloster Gladiators for training. The squadron later moved to the Persian Gulf. Here, they got Hawker Hurricane planes. Their mission was to protect Iranian oil fields from attacks.

Six months later, the squadron moved to the Western Desert of Egypt. They started patrolling for convoys, which are groups of ships. They were equipped with Spitfires again. They also attacked ground targets in Crete during Operation Thesis. The squadron kept some Hurricanes into 1944. Then, they moved to India, near Chittagong.

This was a very busy time for the squadron. They flew missions to attack ground targets and escorted bombers. In June 1944, they got new planes called Republic Thunderbolts. They continued to support army operations. They also escorted Douglas Dakotas on supply missions. These missions delivered supplies behind Japanese lines. On June 20, 1945, the squadron was closed down. It was then re-numbered as 81 Squadron.

Aircraft Flown by the Squadron

No. 123 Squadron used several types of aircraft over the years. Here is a list of the planes they flew:

Images for kids

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  Squadron Spitfires and pilots at Castletown