No. 59 Squadron RAF

No. 59 Squadron
Active	1 August 1916 (RFC) to 4 August 1919 28 June 1937 - 15 June 1946 1 December 1947 - 31 October 1950 1 September 1956 - 4 January 1961
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	Royal Air Force
Motto(s)	Latin: Ab uno disce omnes ("From one teach all")[1]
Insignia
Squadron badge heraldry	A broken wheel.
Squadron codes	PJ Sep 1938 - Sep 1939 TR Sep 1939 - Oct 1942 1 Aug 1943 - Jul 1944 WE Jul 1944 - Oct 1945 BY Oct 1945 - Jun 1946, Dec 1947 - Oct 1950

No. 59 Squadron was a squadron of the Royal Air Force, based in Norfolk, England.

History

No.59 Squadron was formed at Narborough Airfield in Norfolk on 1 August 1916 as a squadron of the Royal Flying Corps.^[2] On 13 February 1917, the squadron crossed the English Channel, deploying to Saint-Omer in northern France to operate in the army co-operation role, equipped with Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.8s.^[3]

Second World War

A Lockheed Hudson of No. 59 Squadron after its wing was struck by anti-aircraft fire during an ani-shipping patrol over the North Sea, mid-1942

During the Second World War No. 59 Squadron was attached to RAF Fighter Command (1937–1940), Bomber Command (taking part in the Millennium II raid on Bremen) and Coastal Command (1940–1945). After the war, it was attached to Transport Command, flying troops to India from September 1945 until 15 June 1946, when the squadron was disbanded. On 1 December 1947 whilst at RAF Waterbeach, half the crew of No 51 Squadron were designated to reform as No 59 Squadron. At 0800 the move from RAF Waterbeach to RAF Abingdon commenced whereupon the arrival of their commanding officer, Squadron Leader E.V Best A.F.C at 1000, the squadron officially reformed, as a Long Range Transport Unit flying Avro Yorks. A detached flight would later take part in the Berlin Airlift (1948–49). The squadron disbanded again on 31 October 1950, then reformed at RAF Gutersloh, Germany in August 1956, when No. 102 Squadron was re-numbered No 59 Sqn flying English Electric Canberra B.2s and B(I).8s. No 59 Squadron was last disbanded in 1961, when it was re-numbered to No.3 Squadron.^[4]

References

1. Pine, L.G. (1983). A dictionary of mottoes (1 ed.). London: Routledge & Kegan Paul. p. 3. ISBN 0-7100-9339-X.
2. "Historic Squadrons: 59 Squadron". Royal Air Force. Retrieved 19 July 2014.
3. Halley 1980, p. 96.
4. "No. 59 Squadron (RAF) during the Second World War". www.historyofwar.org. Retrieved 1 April 2021.

• Halley, James J. (1980). The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. ISBN 0-85130-083-9.
• Rawlings, John D.R. (1982). Coastal Support and Special Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Jane's Publishing Company. ISBN 0-7106-0187-5.
• No.59 Squadron RFC RAF Historical and Memorial Site
• Royal Air Force:Historic Squadrons: 59 Squadron
• Air of Authority: No 56 - 60 Squadron Histories

External links

• Australian War Memorial 59 Squadron RAF- Roll of Honour