RAF No 249 Squadron

RAF No 250 (Sudan) Squadron

Motto:  Close to the sun

Formed 1 May 1918 from No's 494, 500, 501 and 502 Flights at Padstow with DH6 and DH9 aircraft, which it used for anti-submarine patrols along the Bristol Channel. It disbanded on 15 May 1919.

The squadron reformed on 1 April 1941 when 'K' Flight at Aqir was raised to squadron status. It was equipped with Tomahawks, which it used on defensive duties in Palestine with a detachment operating over Syria until June when the squadron moved to the Western Desert. A return to defensive duties, this in Egypt came in February 1942 and in April, it converted to Kittyhawks, which it took back on operations in the Western Desert the same month.

Operating in the fighter-bomber role it continued to provide support to the 8th Army, up to and during the Battle of El Alamein after which it moved forward through Egypt, and Libya until the end of North African campaign. From July 1943, the squadron was operating from Malta against targets in Sicily moving there after the invasion. It now began operations against Italian targets and in September moved over to the Italian mainland. It continued to operate in the fighter-bomber role for the rest of the war and when No 260 Squadron was disbanded in August 1945, No 250 took over its Mustangs. These were operated until the squadron disbanded on 2 January 1947 at Treviso.

Squadron Codes used: -
YE Allocated Apr 1939 - Sep 1939
LD Apr 1941 - Dec 1946

RAF No 250 (Sudan) Squadron

On 1 April 1941, No.250 reformed at Aquir from K Flight and by the end of the month had received enough Tomahawks to become operational on defensive duties in Palestine. In May, a detachment began offensive sweeps over Syria and in June began operations in the Western Desert, being withdrawn in February 1942 to defensive duties. After converting to Kittyhawks, it returned to the desert in April as a fighter bomber unit and provided support for the 8th Army, advancing bomber unit and provided support for the 8th Army, advancing with it through Libya into Tunisia to end the North African campaign.

In July 1943, the squadron flew to Malta to support the landings in Sicily moving there a few days afterwards. By mid-September it had occupied airfields in Italy where it spent the rest of the war flying fighter bomber missions. In August 1945, No.260 Squadron disbanded and transferred its Mustangs to No.250 which then flew them until disbanded on 30 December 1946.