No. 209 Squadron RAF

No. 209 (Hong Kong) Squadron RAF
Official squadron badge of No. 209 Squadron RAF
ActiveRoyal Naval Air Service
1 February 1917 – 1 April 1918
Royal Air Force
1 April 1918 – 24 June 1919 ()
15 January 1930 – 1 January 1955
1 November 1958 – 31 December 1968
CountryUnited Kingdom United Kingdom
Branch Royal Air Force
RoleGround support (World War I)
Maritime patrol (World War II & Korea)
Liaison and transport (Malaya)
Nickname(s)Hong Kong
Motto(s)Might and Main[1]
Battle honours *Honours marked with an asterisk are those emblazoned on the Squadron Standard[2][3]
Insignia
Squadron Badge heraldryAn eagle volant recursant descendant in pale, wings overture[1] The red eagle was chosen due to the squadron getting credit for shooting down Manfred von Richthofen (the Red Baron). Approved by King George VI in August 1941.[2]
Squadron CodesFK[4][5]
WQ (Sep 1939 – Mar 1942; 1950 – 1951)[6][7]

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 (RNAS)[8] and saw active service in both World Wars, the Korean War and in Malaya. The use of the squadron number ceased in 1968 and it has not been reused since by an RAF squadron.[9] However the number, badge and motto is in current service within the RAF Air Cadets at 209 (West Bridgford) Squadron ATC in Nottinghamshire.

  1. ^ a b Halley 1988, p. 272.
  2. ^ a b "209 Sqn". RAF Heraldry Trust. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
  3. ^ "RAF Battle Honours". RAF Heraldry Trust. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
  4. ^ Bowyer and Rawlings 1979, p. 14.
  5. ^ Flintham and Thomas 2003, p. 50.
  6. ^ Bowyer and Rawlings 1979, p. 109.
  7. ^ Flintham and Thomas 2003, pp. 117 + 159.
  8. ^ Rawlings 1978, p. 324.
  9. ^ "History of No. 209 Squadron". raf.mod.uk. Royal Air Force. 22 January 2009. Retrieved 12 February 2011.