RAF No 124 (Baroda) Squadron

RAF No 124 (Baroda) Squadron

Motto:

Danger is our opportunity

Formed at Old Sarum on 1 March 1918 as a training squadron, it was planned that it would mobilise as a day bomber unit for deployment to France in September, but was disbanded on 17 August. It was planned that it form in November as a Camel equipped night fighter unit, but the Armistice put pay to these plans.

The squadron reformed at Castletown on 10 May 1941 as a Spitfire equipped fighter unit for the defence of Scapa Flow. In November the squadron moved south to Biggin Hill, from where it began bomber escort missions as well as taking part in the 'Channel Dash'. In April 1942, it received new equipment in the form of the high altitude Spitfire VI, which it took to Drem for a month in December.

On its return from Scotland, it absorbed the SS Flight at Northolt and in March received the Spitfire VII, another high altitude version of the aircraft. These were operated on a number of detachments in the South West to combat high altitude reconnaissance aircraft in the area. As the number of high altitude incursions diminished the squadron was transferred to No 141 Airfield of the 2nd Tactical Air Force, then at Church Fenton, in March 1944. In July Spitfire IXs replaced the VIIs and then in August the squadron was transferred back to ADGB (the new name for Fighter Command.

It was now mainly involved in flying bomber escort missions but in February 1945 it began attacking V-2 launching sites and conducting shipping reconnaissance sorties. Its last operations were carried out on 25 April and in July the squadron began converting to Meteors, being declared operational in October at its new base of Bentwaters. Here it was disbanded by being renumbered No 56 Squadron on 1 April 1946.

Squadron Codes used: -
PK Allocated Apr 1939 - Sep 1939
ON May 1941 - Apr 1946