On a hurt, an owl affrontée wings elevated, alighting on a seax The owl represents No. 151 Squadron's role of night-fighting whilst the seax comes from the arms of Essex in which county the squadron was formed[3][4]
Squadron Codes
TV (Sep 1938 - Dec 1938) GG (Dec 1938 - Sep 1939) DZ (Sep 1939 - Oct 1946)
Post 1950 squadron roundel
Military unit
No. 151 Squadron was a squadron of the Royal Air Force.
History
World War I
No. 151 squadron was founded at Hainault Farm in Essex on 12 June 1918, and was equipped with Sopwith Camel aircraft.
During the five months in which 151 Squadron had taken part in hostilities overseas, the total number of hours flown by night was 1443 hrs 26 mins.
Sixteen enemy aircraft were destroyed at night on the Allies side of the lines, and five were destroyed on the enemy side and confirmed. Another five were unconfirmed, thus making a total of twenty six successful engagements. Of the enemy aircraft destroyed, twenty two were AEGs, Friedrichshafen or Gothas, with two engines and carrying a crew of three or more. Two were giant P 52's with five engines carrying a crew of up to eight or nine.
During all the numerous combats there were very few occasions when the guns jammed or caused trouble, reflecting the devotion to duty of Lt Eggar and his gunnery staff.
Too much cannot be said for the NCOs and men of the Squadron. The long hours from dawn to dusk and the urgent necessity of getting all machines serviceable during the daytime was evidence of their keen spirit and esprit de corps, and nothing was more gratifying to a pilot on landing after a successful combat than to hear the rousing cheers of the NCOs and men of his Flight, echoed by the Squadron, that greeted him."
151 Squadron Gloster Meteor NF.11 night fighter in September 1955
The squadron was reformed again at RAF Leuchars, Scotland on 15 September 1951 as a night fighter unit, initially operating De Havilland Vampire NF.10s and later Gloster Meteor NF.11s. It disbanded on 19 September 1961.
On 1 January 1962 the Signals Development Squadron at RAF Watton was redesignated as No. 151 Squadron operating a variety of aircraft on development and training duties. It was joined by the pilots and ground crew from the disbanded No. 97 (Strategic Missile) Squadron from RAF Hemswell on 25 May 1963.
Halley, James J. (1988). The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth, 1981-1988. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. ISBN0-85130-164-9..
Jefford, C. G. (2001). RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive Record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing. ISBN1-84037-141-2.
Rawlings, John D. R. (1982). Coastal, Support and Special Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Jane's Publishing Company Ltd. ISBN0-7106-0187-5.
Rawlings, John D. R. (1978). Fighter Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Macdonald and Jane's (Publishers) Ltd. ISBN0-354-01028-X.