No. 209 Squadron RAF
Number 209 Squadron of the British Royal Air Force was originally formed from a nucleus of "Naval Eight" on 1 February 1917 at Saint-Pol-sur-Mer, France, as No. 9 Squadron Royal Naval Air Service and saw active service in both World Wars, the Korean War and in Malaya. The use of the squadron number ceased in 1968 and has not been reused since by an RAF squadron.
History
Formation and World War I
The Squadron was formed as a Royal Air Force Squadron on 1 April 1918, from No. 9 Squadron, Royal Naval Air Service at Clairmarais aerodrome. During the remainder of World War I, 209 Squadron flew Sopwith Camels over the Western Front on fighter and ground support missions. The Squadron badge, the falling red eagle, symbolizes the destruction of Baron Manfred von Richthofen who, in the 1914–1918 War, was credited to the guns of a pilot, Roy Brown from No. 209 Squadron. On 21 January 1919, the squadron was reduced to a skeleton organization and disbanded in the UK on 24 June 1919 at RAF Scopwick, Lincolnshire.The interbellum
No. 209 reformed at the flying boat base at RAF Mount Batten, Plymouth on 15 January 1930. It was first equipped with Blackburn Iris flying boats and then from January 1934 by Blackburn Perth but neither of these types were built in sufficient quantities to equip the squadron fully. In July 1936, however, the squadron was fully equipped with Short Singapore Mk.IIIs and it was transferred to RAF Kalafrana, Malta in September 1937 for three months. In December 1938, No 209 began to convert to yet another flying boat type, the Supermarine Stranraer.World War II
When the Second World War broke out, No.209 moved to Invergordon to patrol the North Sea between Scotland and Norway. From October 1939 it patrolled the Atlantic from Oban. Two further re-equipments occurred, in December 1939 and then in April 1941. Familiarisation with the U.S. supplied Catalinas was aided by the secondment of U.S. military personnel who also flew on active service patrols, despite the U.S. being a neutral power at the time. Anti-submarine patrols were flown over the Atlantic from RAF Castle Archdale on Lough Erne, in Northern Ireland, using the Donegal Corridor over neutral Eire. During this time, in May 1941, a patrol by No.209 located the German battleship Bismarck.In August 1941, the squadron moved to Iceland for two months. From March 1942 until July 1945, No.209 was stationed in East Africa. It flew patrols over the Indian Ocean with detached bases in South Africa, Madagascar, Oman and the Seychelles to extend its cover. In July 1945 the squadron moved to Ceylon, with recently acquired Short Sunderland MkVs, with a detachment at Rangoon, to harass Japanese shipping along the coast from Burma to Malaya.
Post war
Hong Kong and Seletar
After the Japanese surrender in August 1945, a detachment was sent to Hong Kong in September, followed by the rest of the squadron in October. In April 1946 the squadron moved to Singapore. A detachment remained at RAF Kai Tak and became No.1430 flight and then No.88 Squadron. The squadron headquarters was established at RAF Seletar, on Singapore Island on 18 May 1946 and No.209 and was named "City of Hong Kong" Squadron on 23 January 1947.To Korea
missions during the Malayan Emergency began on 7 July 1948. In September 1950, during the Korean War, the aircraft were moved to Iwakuni, Yamaguchi, Japan to patrol off the Korean coast from 15 September. On 1 January 1955 the squadron merged with No. 205 Squadron.With Pioneers in the transport role
On 1 November 1958 No. 267 Squadron at RAF Kuala Lumpur was renumbered 209 Squadron and flew Scottish Aviation Pioneers and Scottish Aviation Twin Pioneers on liaison and transport duties in Malaysia. No.209 Squadron was finally disbanded on 31 December 1968 at RAF Seletar.Notable personnel
- Fred Everest Banbury - 1917-1918 with No. 9 Naval Squadron
- Arthur Roy Brown
- Stearne Tighe Edwards
- Air Chief Marshal Robert Foster - 1918
- John Hales
- Oliver Colin LeBoutillier
- Wilfrid May
- Air Vice Marshal Francis Mellersh
- John Paynter - 1917 with No. 9
- Oliver Redgate - 1917-1918
- Merrill Samuel Taylor - 1917-1918 with No. 9 and No. 209
Aircraft operated
| From | To | Aircraft | Version |
| February 1917 | June 1917 | Nieuport 17 | |
| February 1917 | July 1917 | Sopwith Pup | |
| February 1917 | July 1917 | Sopwith Triplane | |
| July 1917 | February 1919 | Sopwith Camel | |
| January 1930 | December 1932 | Blackburn Iris | Mk. III |
| February 1932 | July 1932 | Saro A.7 | |
| June 1932 | June 1934 | Blackburn Iris | Mk. V |
| August 1932 | November 1932 | Short Singapore | Mk.II |
| February 1933 | June 1934 | Supermarine Southampton | Mk.II |
| January 1934 | December 1934 | Blackburn Perth | |
| October 1934 | November 1934 | Supermarine Southampton | Mk.II |
| October 1934 | November 1934 | Saro London | Mk.I |
| December 1934 | August 1935 | Supermarine Scapa | |
| January 1935 | February 1935 | Supermarine Southampton | Mk.II |
| January 1935 | February 1936 | Saro London | Mk.I |
| February 1935 | September 1935 | Supermarine Stranraer | Mk.I |
| April 1935 | September 1935 | Short Knuckleduster | |
| July 1935 | May 1936 | Blackburn Perth | |
| January 1936 | July 1936 | Supermarine Southampton | Mk.II |
| February 1936 | April 1939 | Short Singapore | Mk.III |
| November 1938 | April 1940 | Supermarine Stranraer | Mk.I |
| December 1939 | April 1941 | Saro Lerwick | Mk.I |
| April 1941 | April 1945 | Consolidated Catalina | Mks.I |
| July 1942 | April 1945 | Consolidated Catalina | Mk.IIa |
| February 1945 | December 1954 | Short Sunderland | GR.5 |
| November 1958 | March 1959 | Auster AOP | 6 |
| November 1958 | November 1959 | Douglas Dakota | C.4 |
| November 1958 | February 1960 | Percival Pembroke | C.1 |
| November 1958 | December 1968 | Scottish Aviation Pioneer | CC.1 |
| March 1959 | December 1968 | Scottish Aviation Twin Pioneer | CC.1 |
| October 1960 | December 1968 | Scottish Aviation Twin Pioneer | CC.2 |