World War II No. 14 Squadron RAF

14 squadron blenheims

in april 1941, following liberation of addis ababa, squadron sent egypt operations on western desert. squadron deployed in support of operation brevity on 15–16 may 1941, unsuccessful british offensive, , carried out attacks on german , italian motor transport, 5 blenheims being shot down messerschmitt bf 109 fighters of iii gruppe, jagdgeschwader 27 while carrying out strafing attacks along tobruk–capuzzo road on 21 may. squadron flew attacks against maleme airfield on 25 , 27 may during battle of crete, , in june, flew in support of operation battleaxe, unsuccessful british offensive in western desert. on 7 july 1941, squadron withdrew western desert, being based in palestine , iraq until returned egypt in november 1941.

a martin marauder of no. 14 squadron in 1942

on 17 august 1942, 14 squadron withdrawn operations convert martin marauder, first raf squadron operate american bomber. squadron flew first operational mission marauder, maritime reconnaissance mission on 26 october 1942. squadron used marauders ling-range maritime reconnaissance missions, minelaying , anti-shipping attack torpedoes. squadron s marauders sank tanker torpedoes on 19 january 1943 , 2 more merchant ships on 21 february. in march 1943, started performing anti-submarine missions out of algeria, basing detachments in italy , sardinia, moving alghero in sardinia in june 1944. squadron flew last marauder mission on 21 september year, leaving equipment behind when transferred uk.

on return uk, squadron based @ raf chivenor , carried out anti-submarine mission on western approaches , bay of biscay using vickers wellington mk.xivs. squadron again disbanded on 1 june 1945 reborn same day, when 143 squadron @ banff, equipped de havilland mosquito mk.vi in anti-shipping strike role, renumbered. incarnation of squadron short lived, being disbanded on 31 march 1946.