Preux et audacieux - Valiant and brave

No. 22 Squadron was formed at Fort Grange, Gosport, on 1 September 1915 The squadron trained on a variety of aircraft types, including the Royal Aircraft Factory BE.2c, the Maurice Farman Shorthorn, the Bleriot XI and the Curtiss JN-3. It received its intended operational type, the Royal Aircraft Factory FE.2b in February 1916, passing 14 BE.2s to 33 Squadron and departed for France seven months later with twelve FE2B two-seat pusher biplanes. These outdated aircraft were used for a year on reconnaissance tasks before Bristol Fighters arrived to take over these tasks. The Squadron moved to Germany after the War as part of the Army of Occupation and returned to the UK in August 1919 prior to disbanding at the end of the year. The Squadron was reformed at Martlesham Heath in July 1923, but in name only, as the aircraft it flew belonged to the Aeroplane Experimental Establishment. During the next decade, many new RAF aircraft west tested by the squadron prior to entering service. In 1934, No. 22 Squadron was reformed as a torpedo unit at Donibristle with Vickers Vildebeests. The squadron was still equipped with the Vildebeest when the Second World War broke out in September 1939, with the squadron carrying out anti-submarine patrols over the English Channel. From November 1939 the squadron started to receive Bristol Beaufort twin-engined monoplanes to replace its obsolete biplanes. The Bristol Taurus engines of the Beaufort proved unreliable at first, and the squadron continuing to fly operations with the Vildebeest while converting to the Beaufort. It flew its last operational mission with the Vildebeest on 20 December 1939 (The squadron was based at RAF Thorney Island from 10 March 1938 firstly using Vickers Vildebeest and then the Bristol Beaufort. It was possibly during this time when Flight Officer Kenneth Campbell won his Victoria Cross for a daring attack on the German battleship Gneisenau which was located in Brest harbour during April 1941 which unfortunately took his life. The squadron left on 8 April 1940 then came back to the airfield again on 25 June 1941 and stayed until 28 October 1941 ) On 6 April 1941, Flying Officer K Campbell led a flight of six aircraft in an attack on the German battlecruiser Gneisenau which was anchored in Brest harbour. Campbell's aircraft was the only one the vessel, and despite the awesome German defences, he managed to press home his attack on the Gneisenau before being shot down. It took months for the full story to emerge, but when it did, Campbell was awarded a well-earned Victoria Cross. In 1942, No. 22 Squadron moved to the Far East, re-equipping with Beaufighters in the process and undertaking anti-shipping rocket attacks. A month after the Japanese surrender, No. 22 Squadron disbanded. It wasn't until 1955 that the Squadron reformed again, this time as a search and rescue unit equipped with Whirlwinds. It is in this guise that No. 22 Squadron exists today, having flown Wessex helicopters for a number of years before receiving Sea Kings in the mid-1990s.

Semper aggessus - Always having attacked

o. 23 Squadron formed at Fort Grange, Gosport on 1 Sep 1915 under the command of one of the RAF's most experienced operational pilots - Captain Louis Strange. After a brief period attempting to counter German airship flights over London, the Squadron moved to France with its FE2Bs initially employed on escort duties. By early 1917, Spad single-seaters had arrived, and were being used on offensive patrols over the front and low-level strafing attacks against German troops By the end of the War, the Squadron had converted to Dolphins, and flew these until disbanded at the end of 1919. On 1 July 1925, No. 23 Squadron reformed at Henlow with Snipes, but these were replaced shortly after with Gloster Gamecocks. In 1931, the Squadron was tasked with carrying out trials on the new Hawker Hart two-seaters, taking the production version, known as Demons, on strength in 1933 n 1938 it became a night-fighter squadron using the Bristol Blenheim. Following the outbreak of the Second World War, these were replaced by the Douglas Havoc and later the de Havilland Mosquito. Between 1942 and 1944 the squadron was based on Malta. It then returned to England and served as an intruder squadron, targeting German night fighters, over western Europe. 23 Sqn was disbanded, following the war's end, in September 1945 The squadron was reformed on 1 September 1946 as a night fighter squadron operating the de Havilland Mosquito.[8] It received jet aircraft in the form of de Havilland Vampire NF.10s in 1953, replacing them with de Havilland Venom NF.2s in June 1954. The squadron acquired Venom NF.3 in 1957.but was soon replaced with Gloster Javelin all-weather fighter, beginning a long period operating in the air defence role. The squadron has a strong heritage in the air defence role, operating Gloster Javelins, Lightnings, Phantoms and Tornado F3s. The squadron first acquired Phantoms on 1 November 1975 at RAF Coningsby before moving to RAF Wattisham for just under 10 years. Then in October 1983 the squadron deployed to Stanley airfield, Falkland Islands after their recapture from Argentina, arriving there on 1 November. They remained here until 31 October 1988 when its duty was assumed by 1435 Flight. The squadron then reformed on 1 November 1988 at RAF Leeming with the Panavia Tornado which it operated until 26 February 1994, when the unit was disbanded. The squadron assumed the Airborne Early Warning role upon reformation in April 1996, sharing the RAF's Sentry AEW1 fleet with No. 8 Squadron. The squadron disbanded on 2 October 2009, when it amalgamated with No 8 Squadron.

En garde - Be on your guard

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