Godfrey Huggins, the Prime Minister of Southern Rhodesia, visits No. 266 (Rhodesia) Squadron RAF in May 1944. The PM sits in a dinghy, surrounded by men of the unit.
Active
27 September 1918 – 1 September 1919 30 October 1939 – 31 July 1945 1 September 1946 – 11 February 1949 14 July 1952 – 16 November 1957 1 December 1959 – 30 June 1964.
The squadron was reformed on 30 October 1939 at RAF Sutton Bridge as a fighter squadron, one of the Rhodesian gift squadrons and was named 266 (Rhodesia) Squadron in honour of the gift. Originally it was equipped with the Fairey Battle light bomber but soon after in January 1940 it received the Supermarine Spitfire and became a fighter squadron. It was in action over Dunkirk in early June and fought in the Battle of Britain. To rest the squadron it was moved north to RAF Wittering to carry out patrols over France.
In January 1942 the squadron moved to RAF Duxford and re-equipped with the Hawker Typhoon. The squadron changed role to fighter-bomber in support of the Normandy invasion and flew also armed reconnaissance missions in support of the invasion forces. The squadron moved along with the armies and was disbanded at Hildesheim, Germany on 31 July 1945.
In May 1944 the squadron was based at Needs Oar (Needs Ore) Advanced Landing Ground at Beaulieu in the New Forest, they were one of four such RAF British and Commonwealth squadrons flying Hawker Typhoons based here in the build-up to D-Day. About 150 aircraft were based here in the build-up to D-Day, along with over 900 ground crew. During the spring and summer of 1944, it is estimated that the airfield was so busy that aircraft took off or landed every 45 seconds. As with many of the ALGs along the south coast, the airfield was vacant by July and would not be used as an airfield again. No. 266 Squadron were visited by the Rhodesian Prime Minister on 18 May 1944.[5]
The squadron re-formed at RAF Boxted on 1 September 1946 when 234 Squadron was renumbered. It was now a fighter squadron operating the Meteor F.3 twin-jet fighter. After a move to RAF Tangmere, Sussex two years, later the squadron converted to Meteor F.4s. The squadron was disbanded when it was re-numbered to 43 Squadron on 11 February 1949. On 14 July 1952 the squadron was reformed at Wunstorf, flying the de Havilland Vampire and later the de Havilland Venom for ground attack & night battle operations. The squadron moved on 16 October 1955 to RAF Fassberg, West Germany for a year before going back again to Wunstorf, where it was disbanded on 16 November 1957.
Bloodhound missiles
The last time the squadron reformed was on 1 December 1959 at Rattlesden to operate the Bristol Bloodhound anti-aircraft missile until it was finally disbanded on 30 June 1964.
Halley, James J. The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth, 1918–88. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd., 1988. ISBN0-85130-164-9.
Jefford, C.G. RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive Record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing, 2001. ISBN1-84037-141-2.
Rawlings, John D.R. Coastal, Support and Special Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Jane's Publishing Company Ltd., 1982. ISBN0-7106-0187-5.