No. 24 Squadron

Image courtesy of Adrian M Balch

XXIV Squadron

24 squadron RFC was established at Hounslow on September 1st 1915, from a core of 17 squadrons personnel. The initial equipment was an eclectic mix of Curtiss JN3, Caudron G III, Avro 504, Be2e, Bleriot XI, Bristol Scout, Longhorn and Shorthorn.

Avro 504
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The squadron moved to France in February 1916 as the first DH-2 fighter squadron to reach the Western Front.The DH2s played a large part in defeating the German efforts to gain air supremacy during 1916 but rapidly became obsolete as the pace of fighter development increased.

DH-2
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During the summer of 1916 the squadron also operated the Morane-Saulnier N, Bristol Scout and Fe8 briefly. In May 1917 the squadron re-equipped with DH-5s which were in turn replaced by S.E 5As For the rest of the Ist World War it flew fighter and ground attack missions in Northern France. In February 1919 it returned to the UK as a cadre, being attached to No 41 Training Depot Station at London Colney, and in September 1919 moved to RAF Uxbridge.

The squadron escaped the mass cull of cadre squadrons at the end of 1919. It was re-established on April 1st 1920 at Kenley as a communications and training squadron. It was initially equipped with Bristol F2b which were joined in July by DH9As.

A DH.9A similar to aircraft flown by the squadron
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These 2 types were to serve the squadron for the next 7 years. In addition to providing transport for Government, Air Ministry and RAF personnel, it also maintained a flight of training aircraft to enable pilots employed at the Air Ministry to maintain flying proficiency.

On 15th January 1927, the squadron moved to Northolt and again in 1933 to Hendon.which remained its base until after the end of World War II. Soon after the move to Northolt the DH9As were retired. During the following 12 years the squadron received a wide variety of aircraft of 14 types to supplement and eventually replace the F2bs, which were finally retired in July 1930. Many of these types were used in small quantities and for short periods. A list of these types is included in a footnote [1].

Until March 1935, communications flights were carried out in combat or training aircraft. However, a D.H 89A was then received for VIP flights; being supplemented by a D.H.86B in October 1937. To replace the variety of types on hand, it was planned to equip the squadron with twenty Miles Mentors, but World War II broke out before this could happen. During the early years of the war, 24 squadron received an even larger range of types, many being impressed civil aircraft. These types are detailed at the foot [2]. Many were on charge for very short periods and it is not clear the extent to which they were used operationally.

Until the German occupation of France, communications and mail flights across the Channel were frequent, but after June 1940 all but a few flights were in the UK. In April 1942, the squadron was transferred to Ferry Command and began flights to Malta with mail and passengers.

24 squadron has a special association with Malta following the 323 shuttle flights which were made during the 1942 siege. One of these delivered a casket containing the Islands George Cross.