No. 236 Squadron RAF facts for kids
Quick facts for kids No. 236 Squadron RAF |
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|---|---|
| Active | August 1918 - 15 May 1919 31 October 1939 – 25 May 1945 |
| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Branch |  Royal Air Force |
| Motto(s) | Latin: Speculate nuntiate (Latin: Having watched, bring word) |
| Insignia | |
| Squadron Badge heraldry | In front of a fountain, a mailed fist grasping a winged sword. |
| Squadron Codes | FA (Oct 1939 - 1941) ND (1941 - Aug 1943) MB (Jul 1944 - May 1945) |
No. 236 Squadron RAF was a special group of planes and pilots in the Royal Air Force (RAF). They flew missions during both the First and Second World Wars. Their main jobs were to hunt for enemy submarines and attack enemy ships.
Contents
History of No. 236 Squadron
Early Days: World War I Missions
The squadron started on 20 August 1918. It was formed from three smaller groups (No's 493, 515 & 516 Flights) in a place called Mullion, in Cornwall, England. They used planes called DH6s. Their job was to fly patrols along the coast. They looked for enemy submarines to protect ships. The squadron was closed down on 15 May 1919 after the war ended.
Reforming for World War II
No. 236 Squadron was started again on 31 October 1939. This was at RAF Stradishall, just after World War II began. At first, they were a fighter squadron, flying Blenheim planes. In February 1940, they moved to Bircham Newton. Here, they joined Coastal Command, which meant they would protect the coast and ships.
They moved to Speke in April. For a short time, they rejoined Fighter Command. This meant they would fight enemy planes. The next month, they moved to RAF Filton. From there, they flew patrols over the English Channel to defend against attacks. In July, they moved to Thorney Island. They went back to Coastal Command and stayed there for the rest of the war.
Coastal Patrols and New Planes
From August 1940, the squadron flew from bases in the southwest of England. They patrolled the Channel and the Irish Sea. Their job was to attack enemy ships. In October 1941, they got new planes called Beaufighters. These were powerful planes, good for attacking ships.
Brave Missions: The Paris Sortie
On 12 June 1942, something very brave happened. A Beaufighter plane, flown by Flight Lieutenant A. K. Gatward and Sergeant G. Fern, went on a special mission. They flew alone to Paris, France. Their goal was to interrupt a German troop parade. This parade was supposed to happen on the Champs-Elysees at noon.
When they arrived, there was no parade. But they still dropped a French tricolore (the French flag) over the empty street. Then, they attacked a different target. They shot at the Gestapo headquarters. This was the German secret police building. It was located in the Ministry of Marine on the Place de la Concorde. After their daring mission, they flew safely back.
Later War Efforts and Disbandment
In February 1942, the squadron moved to RAF Wattisham. They received new Beaufighters in March. They continued their missions, but now they flew over the North Sea. Some smaller groups from the squadron also flew over the Bay of Biscay. They did similar anti-shipping patrols there.
In September 1942, the squadron moved to North Coates. In April 1943, they became part of a "strike wing." This was a group of squadrons that worked together to attack enemy ships. They continued these important missions until the war ended. No. 236 Squadron was officially closed down on 25 May 1945.
