No. 228 Squadron RAF
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| No. 228 Squadron RAF | |
|---|---|
| Active | August 20, 1918 - June 30, 1919 December 15, 1936 - June 4, 1945 July 1, 1954 - September 1, 1964 |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Branch | Royal Air Force |
| Motto | Auxilium a caelo Latin: "Help from the sky" |
No. 228 Squadron RAF was formed on 20 August 1918 at Great Yarmouth from No's 324, 325 and 326 Flights. The squadron was equipped with Felixstowe F.2 aircraft and was involved in anti-submarine patrols. The squadron disbanded on 30 June 1919.
The squadron reformed on 15 December 1936 at Pembroke Dock, and was initially equipped with a variety of aircraft including Short Singapores, a Supermarine Scapa, a Saro London and a Supermarine Stranraer. However by April 1937 the squadron was just operating Stranraers. In November 1937 the squadron received it's first Short Sunderland, and by April 1939 the squadron was re-equipped with Sunderlands.
When World War II began the squadron was in Egypt. The squadron immediately returned to Pembroke Dock and sent detachments to Invergordon and Sullom Voe. In June 1940 the squadron returned to Egypt following Italy's declaration of war on Britain.
In June 1941 the squadron moved to Gambia, West Africa, returning in August 1941 to Pembroke Dock and then Stranraer to be re-equipped. In March 1942 at Oban, the squadron became operational again, moving to Lough Erne in December 1942 and then back to Pembroke Dock in May 1943, where it remained until disbanding on 4 June 1945.
On 1 June 1946 the squadron reformed at St Eval when No. 224 Squadron was renumbered. The squadron was equipped with Consolidated Liberators, and disbanded on 30 September 1946 at St Eval.
It reformed again on 1 July 1954 at St Eval equipped with the Avro Shackleton as a maritime reconnaissance unit, until disbanding again on 1 April 1959.
In September 1959 the squadron reformed again via the renumbering of No. 275 Squadron at Leconfield. The squadron was a helicopter search and rescue unit. On 1 September 1964 the squadron was disbanded when it was renumbered No. 202 Squadron.
