| No. 123 Squadron RAF | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1 February 1918 - 17 August 1918 28 November 1918 - 5 February 1920 10 May 1941 - 10 June 1945 |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Branch | Royal Air Force |
| Motto | Swift to Strike |
| Insignia | |
| Squadron Codes | XE |
No. 123 Squadron of the Royal Air Force was a British aircraft squadron in both the First and Second World Wars.[1][2]
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The squadron was formed at RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire, England on 1 February 1918, on the 1 March 1918 it moved to RAF Duxford to begin training as an Airco DH.9 unit using various aircraft.[1][2] It was to late to see action so was disbanded on 17 August 1918.[2]
The squadron was formed again on the 20 November 1918 at RAF Upper Heyford as a Canadian-manned unit with the DH.9.[2] It moved to Shoreham in March 1919 and was re-named No. 2 Squadron, Canadian Air Force until it was disbanded in 1920.[2]
In May 1941 the squadron was formed again at RAF Turnhouse in Scotland with Supermarine Spitfire with a role to provide escorts and shipping patrols along the Scottish east coast and the Forth estuary.[2] The squadron was also undertook operational training, it took on new pilots and exposed them to operational flying before sending south to squadron in England.[2]
In April 1942 the squadron personnel without any aircraft were shipped to Egypt, although they arrived in June 1942 they did not acquire any aircraft until October when Gloster Gladiators were used for training.[2] The squadron moved on to the Persian Gulf and was re-equpped with the Hawker Hurricane to protect Iranian oilfields against attack.[2] Six months later the squadron moved into the Western Desert of Egypt to undertake convoy patrols.[2] It then changed equipment again and operated the Supermarine Spitfire in the ground-attack role in Crete as part of Operation Thesis.[2] The squadron did manage to keep hold a number of Hurricanes into 1944 when it was moved again to India in the Chittagong area.[2] It was a busy time for the squadron with ground-attack sorties and bomber escorts and in June 1944 it re-equipped with the American Republic Thunderbolts and continued in support of the Army operations and escorting Douglas Dakotas on supply mission behind Japanese lines.[2] On 20 June 1945 the squadron disbanded when it was re-numbered as 81 Squadron.[2]
| From | To | Aircraft | Version |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1918 | 1920 | Airco DH.9 | |
| 1941 | 1941 | Supermarine Spitfire | I |
| 1942 | 1942 | Supermarine Spitfire] | VB |
| 1942 | 1942 | Gloster Gladiator | II |
| 1942 | 1945 | Hawker Hurricane | IIC |
| 1943 | 1943 | Supermarine Spitfire | VC and IX |
| 1944 | 1945 | Republic Thunderbolt | I and II |
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