No. 233 Squadron RAF
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No. 233 Squadron RAF was a
Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...
squadron Squadron may refer to: * Squadron (army), a military unit of cavalry, tanks, or equivalent subdivided into troops or tank companies * Squadron (aviation), a military unit that consists of three or four flights with a total of 12 to 24 aircraft, de ...
that operated from 1918–1919, 1937–1945, 1952–1957 and 1960–1964. The squadron was formed from several
Royal Naval Air Service The Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) was the air arm of the Royal Navy, under the direction of the Admiralty's Air Department, and existed formally from 1 July 1914 to 1 April 1918, when it was merged with the British Army's Royal Flying Corps t ...
(RNAS) flights and took part in the tail end of the
First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
before being disbanded. The squadron was reformed with the advent of
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
. At first No. 233 Squadron flew general reconnaissance patrols before being tasked with transportation duties just prior to
D-Day The Normandy landings were the landing operations and associated airborne operations on Tuesday, 6 June 1944 of the Allied invasion of Normandy in Operation Overlord during World War II. Codenamed Operation Neptune and often referred to as D ...
. Shortly after the Second World War the squadron was again disbanded, to be reformed once more in 1960. No. 233 Squadron was finally disbanded in 1964.


History


First World War

The squadron was established at
Dover Dover () is a town and major ferry port in Kent, South East England. It faces France across the Strait of Dover, the narrowest part of the English Channel at from Cap Gris Nez in France. It lies south-east of Canterbury and east of Maidstone ...
on 31 August 1918, using flights from former RNAS stations at Dover and Walmer that had been absorbed by the RAF on 1 April 1918. Flights Nos. 407 and 491 flew
anti-submarine An anti-submarine weapon (ASW) is any one of a number of devices that are intended to act against a submarine and its crew, to destroy (sink) the vessel or reduce its capability as a weapon of war. In its simplest sense, an anti-submarine weapo ...
patrols over the
Strait of Dover The Strait of Dover or Dover Strait (french: Pas de Calais - ''Strait of Calais''), is the strait at the narrowest part of the English Channel, marking the boundary between the Channel and the North Sea, separating Great Britain from continent ...
, and No. 471 Flight at Walmer flew
Sopwith Camel The Sopwith Camel is a British First World War single-seat biplane fighter aircraft that was introduced on the Western Front in 1917. It was developed by the Sopwith Aviation Company as a successor to the Sopwith Pup and became one of the b ...
s and was used to engage enemy fighters based in
Belgium Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...
. In January 1919 Flight 491 was relocated to RAF Walmer flying DH9s and in early spring 233 Squadron was relocated to Walmer. No. 233 Squadron was disbanded on 15 May 1919.


Inter-war years

No. 233 Squadron was reformed on 18 May 1937 at RAF Tangmere as part of Coastal Command. It first used
Avro Anson The Avro Anson is a British twin-engined, multi-role aircraft built by the aircraft manufacturer Avro. Large numbers of the type served in a variety of roles for the Royal Air Force (RAF), Fleet Air Arm (FAA), Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) a ...
s for general
reconnaissance In military operations, reconnaissance or scouting is the exploration of an area by military forces to obtain information about enemy forces, terrain, and other activities. Examples of reconnaissance include patrolling by troops (skirmisher ...
until August when it was moved to
Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...
and began converting to Lockheed Hudsons. Patrols were at first carried out by both Ansons and Hudsons, until the last flight by Ansons on 10 October. By the end of October a flight of Bristol Blenheims had been added to the squadron, undertaking patrols until January 1940.


Second World War

Throughout 1940 No. 233 was one of five RAF squadrons equipped with Hudsons: Nos. 224, 233 and
269 Year 269 ( CCLXIX) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Claudius and Paternus (or, less frequently, year 1022 ''Ab urbe con ...
operated over the
North Sea The North Sea lies between Great Britain, Norway, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. An epeiric sea on the European continental shelf, it connects to the Atlantic Ocean through the English Channel in the south and the Norwegian S ...
along the Norwegian and
Danish Danish may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to the country of Denmark People * A national or citizen of Denmark, also called a "Dane," see Demographics of Denmark * Culture of Denmark * Danish people or Danes, people with a Danish ance ...
coasts, and Nos. 206 and
220 __NOTOC__ Year 220 ( CCXX) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Antonius and Eutychianus (or, less frequently, year 973 '' ...
operated from the
Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
to Denmark.Shores, p. 159. When Denmark and Norway were invaded by
Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
in April, Nos. 220, 224 and 233 Squadron flew attacks upon shipping and land targets, such as airfields, virtually every day.Shores, p. 156. In August several detachments from Hudson squadrons began operating out of
RAF Aldergrove Joint Helicopter Command Flying Station Aldergrove or more simply JHC FS Aldergrove is located south of Antrim, Northern Ireland and northwest of Belfast and adjoins Belfast International Airport. It is sometimes referred to simply as Alde ...
in
Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...
. On 25 October 1940 three Hudsons from No. 233 engaged ''U-46'', off the coast of Norway, seriously damaging the U-boat and forcing it to return to port.233 Squadron
Retrieved on 2007-10-01
By December, No. 233 Squadron had completed its move to Aldergrove. In May 1941 a Hudson from the squadron engaged and shot down a
Heinkel He 111 The Heinkel He 111 is a German airliner and bomber designed by Siegfried and Walter Günter at Heinkel Flugzeugwerke in 1934. Through development, it was described as a "wolf in sheep's clothing". Due to restrictions placed on Germany after th ...
bomber. Later in June the squadron damaged two U-boats, and on 23 July an aircraft from No. 233 Squadron shot down an Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condor long-range reconnaissance bomber which was attacking a British convoy. No. 233 Squadron was moved to
RAF St Eval Royal Air Force St. Eval or RAF St. Eval was a Royal Air Force station for the RAF Coastal Command, southwest of Padstow in Cornwall, England, UK. St Eval's primary role was to provide anti-submarine and anti-shipping patrols off the south wes ...
in
Cornwall Cornwall (; kw, Kernow ) is a historic county and ceremonial county in South West England. It is recognised as one of the Celtic nations, and is the homeland of the Cornish people. Cornwall is bordered to the north and west by the Atlantic ...
in August 1941 in order to fly patrols over the
Bay of Biscay The Bay of Biscay (), known in Spain as the Gulf of Biscay ( es, Golfo de Vizcaya, eu, Bizkaiko Golkoa), and in France and some border regions as the Gulf of Gascony (french: Golfe de Gascogne, oc, Golf de Gasconha, br, Pleg-mor Gwaskogn), ...
. Within the first few weeks of operations out of St Eval, the squadron damaged an enemy ship and attacked four U-boats, suffering the loss of a Hudson.


Operations out of Gibraltar

A detachment from No. 233 Squadron was sent to
Gibraltar ) , anthem = " God Save the King" , song = " Gibraltar Anthem" , image_map = Gibraltar location in Europe.svg , map_alt = Location of Gibraltar in Europe , map_caption = United Kingdom shown in pale green , mapsize = , image_map2 = Gib ...
in December 1941, and gradually the rest of the unit followed (though another detachment was left at
RAF Thorney Island Royal Air Force Thorney Island or more simply RAF Thorney Island is a former Royal Air Force station located on Thorney Island, West Sussex, England, west of Chichester and east of Portsmouth, Hampshire. Station history The airfield was bu ...
). It was not until July 1942 that the squadron fully assembled in Gibraltar, where it remained until February 1944. No. 233 was one of three Hudson squadrons in Gibraltar newly arrived from the UK.; it immediately took up anti-submarine operations. The squadron gained its first U-boat kill on 1 May 1942, when P/O Camacho attacked ''U-573'', but did not seem to inflict any damage on the submarine. Later the same day, the U-boat was spotted by another Hudson, and an attack forced it to submerge, but it immediately re-surfaced and signalled its surrender. The U-boat sank later from damage that had been received in the first attack. No. 233 Squadron took part in
Operation Torch Operation Torch (8 November 1942 – Run for Tunis, 16 November 1942) was an Allies of World War II, Allied invasion of French North Africa during the Second World War. Torch was a compromise operation that met the British objective of secu ...
, providing cover, before the Allied landings in
French North Africa French North Africa (french: Afrique du Nord française, sometimes abbreviated to ANF) is the term often applied to the territories controlled by France in the North African Maghreb during the colonial era, namely Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia. In ...
. By 1943 there were four Hudson squadrons flying out of Gibraltar and
Algeria ) , image_map = Algeria (centered orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Algiers , coordinates = , largest_city = capital , relig ...
: Nos. 48, 233,
500 500 may refer to: * 500 (number) * 500 BC * AD 500 Buildings and places * 500 Boylston Street of Boston * 500 Brickell in Miami * 500 Capitol Mall in Sacramento * 500 Fifth Avenue * 500 Renaissance Center, one of seven buildings in the GM Renai ...
and
608 __NOTOC__ Year 608 ( DCVIII) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. The denomination 608 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era b ...
. In the early part of the year No. 233 was used in anti-submarine duties though as 1943 wore on the pace of operations began to slacken, and the units were mainly involved in escorting convoys, either by day or night,Shores, p. 162. and large part of their duties were meteorological flights. In March the squadron engaged no less than six enemy U-boats. On 28 March 1940 a Hudson from No. 48 Squadron engaged and damaged ''U-77'' before radioing for assistance. A Hudson from No. 233 then arrived and attacked the U-boat, which returned fire with
anti-aircraft Anti-aircraft warfare, counter-air or air defence forces is the battlespace response to aerial warfare, defined by NATO as "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action".AAP-6 It includes surface based, ...
guns. A depth-charge attack upon the U-boat from the No. 233 aircraft destroyed the German submarine and the kill was accredited to both No. 48 and No. 233 Squadron. On 5 April 1940 another Hudson from No. 233 Squadron attacked and damaged ''U-167'' off the
Canary Islands The Canary Islands (; es, Canarias, ), also known informally as the Canaries, are a Spanish autonomous community and archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, in Macaronesia. At their closest point to the African mainland, they are west of Morocc ...
. It is likely that this was the same U-boat that was sunk later that day by another aircraft from the squadron. Two days later, on 7 April, ''U-447'' was sunk by the squadron. During the summer of 1943, No. 233 Squadron shot down at least two FW-200 Condors. Around this time the squadron's Hudsons were mounted with rockets which gave them greater firepower when engaging U-boats that remained surfaced to fight off the attacking aircraft. In December a Hudson from the squadron used its rockets to sink ''U-667'', which had been spotted by a
Vickers Wellington The Vickers Wellington was a British twin-engined, long-range medium bomber. It was designed during the mid-1930s at Brooklands in Weybridge, Surrey. Led by Vickers-Armstrongs' chief designer Rex Pierson; a key feature of the aircraft is its g ...
from No. 179 Squadron and captured in the Wellington's Leigh Light. From October 1943 to February 1944 a detachment from No. 233 was based in the
Azores ) , motto =( en, "Rather die free than subjected in peace") , anthem= ( en, "Anthem of the Azores") , image_map=Locator_map_of_Azores_in_EU.svg , map_alt=Location of the Azores within the European Union , map_caption=Location of the Azores wi ...
until the squadron was recalled to the UK. The reduction of U-boat activity in the area, following Allied successes on land, led to Nos. 48 and 233 Squadrons returning to the UK in early 1944, to become transportation units.


Transport Command

On its return to the UK No. 233 Squadron was equipped with Douglas Dakotas for use with
airborne forces Airborne forces, airborne troops, or airborne infantry are ground combat units carried by aircraft and airdropped into battle zones, typically by parachute drop or air assault. Parachute-qualified infantry and support personnel serving in ai ...
, as part of
RAF Transport Command RAF Transport Command was a Royal Air Force command that controlled all transport aircraft of the RAF. It was established on 25 March 1943 by the renaming of the RAF Ferry Command, and was subsequently renamed RAF Air Support Command in 1967. ...
. A company of
paratroops A paratrooper is a military parachutist—someone trained to parachute into a military operation, and usually functioning as part of an airborne force. Military parachutists (troops) and parachutes were first used on a large scale during World ...
from the
1st Canadian Parachute Battalion The 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion was an Airborne forces, airborne infantry battalion of the Canadian Army formed in July 1942 during the World War II, Second World War; it served in Western Front (World War II)#1944–45: The Second Front, Nort ...
was attached to the squadron to aid in its few months of training, On
D-Day The Normandy landings were the landing operations and associated airborne operations on Tuesday, 6 June 1944 of the Allied invasion of Normandy in Operation Overlord during World War II. Codenamed Operation Neptune and often referred to as D ...
there were thirty Dakotas from No. 233, and a few Ansons. Of the Dakotas on the first lift, six were used to tow gliders, the remainder carried troops from the 3rd Parachute Brigade. Later in the day the squadron flew twenty-one supply flights, losing four aircraft. After flying evacuation missions from the beachhead, No. 233 flew thirty-seven sorties during the Arnhem airlift during its first few days. Thirty-five re-supply sorties followed in which the squadron lost three aircraft. The squadron then flew general transport flights between the UK and occupied Europe until twenty-four Dakotas were used for the last major offensive over the Rhine in March 1945. In August No. 233 began to move to
India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
, though the
Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
ese surrendered before the squadron had fully assembled there. After flying general transport sorties in South East Asia the squadron was merged with
No. 215 Squadron RAF No. 215 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force aircraft squadron formed as a night bomber squadron in the First and Second World Wars, becoming a transport squadron near the end of the Second World War. History ;First World War No. 215 Squadron was ...
in December 1945.


Notable pilots

At least five pilots of the squadron were decorated during the Second World War. Arthur Terence Maudsley was a
sergeant Sergeant (abbreviated to Sgt. and capitalized when used as a named person's title) is a rank in many uniformed organizations, principally military and policing forces. The alternative spelling, ''serjeant'', is used in The Rifles and other uni ...
in the early days of the war, and was awarded the
Distinguished Flying Medal The Distinguished Flying Medal (DFM) was a military decoration awarded to personnel of the Royal Air Force and other British Armed Forces, and formerly to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank, for "exceptional va ...
before being commissioned as a
pilot officer Pilot officer (Plt Off officially in the RAF; in the RAAF and RNZAF; formerly P/O in all services, and still often used in the RAF) is the lowest commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countri ...
on 22 June 1940. He was then, whilst flying with 233 Squadron, awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) on 24 December 1940. Maudsley was later promoted to flying officer and then
flight lieutenant Flight lieutenant is a junior commissioned rank in air forces that use the Royal Air Force (RAF) system of ranks, especially in Commonwealth countries. It has a NATO rank code of OF-2. Flight lieutenant is abbreviated as Flt Lt in the India ...
. He was a
squadron leader Squadron leader (Sqn Ldr in the RAF ; SQNLDR in the RAAF and RNZAF; formerly sometimes S/L in all services) is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also ...
with No. 779 Squadron RAF when he was killed on 7 September 1943. A Canadian, Everett Large Baudoux became a pilot officer on probation in November 1939, and was confirmed in that rank in March 1940. He was promoted to flying officer on 5 November 1940, and was with 233 Squadron when he was awarded the DFC on 17 January 1941. In November that year he was promoted to flight lieutenant. Baudoux was an acting squadron leader (still with 233 Squadron) when he was awarded the
Distinguished Service Order The Distinguished Service Order (DSO) is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, as well as formerly of other parts of the Commonwealth, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typ ...
(DSO) on 20 April 1943. He transferred to the
Royal Canadian Air Force The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF; french: Aviation royale canadienne, ARC) is the air and space force of Canada. Its role is to "provide the Canadian Forces with relevant, responsive and effective airpower". The RCAF is one of three environm ...
on 3 May 1945. John William Barling also started in the ranks, being a flight sergeant when he was commissioned as a pilot officer on 1 May 1942. He was awarded the DFC with 233 Squadron on 16 February 1943, having been promoted to flying officer in November 1942. He was promoted to flight lieutenant in May 1944. In 1945, by then with No. 224 Squadron RAF, Barling was awarded the DSO. After the war he took a permanent commission as a flying officer, and was promoted to substantive flight lieutenant in 1946. Promoted to squadron leader in 1951, he retired in that rank in 1963, but took a reserve commission as a flying officer in the Training Branch in 1965. He resigned this commission in 1971. Alastair Cavendish Lindsay Mackie was commissioned as a pilot officer on probation in May 1941, and was promoted to flying officer in May 1942. In April 1943 he was awarded the DFC whilst flying with No. 178 Squadron RAF, before being promoted to flight lieutenant in May. In December 1944 he was awarded a
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to the DFC whilst flying with 233 Squadron. Mackie took a permanent commission as a flight lieutenant at the end of the war, was promoted to squadron leader in 1950. In the
Coronation A coronation is the act of placement or bestowal of a coronation crown, crown upon a monarch's head. The term also generally refers not only to the physical crowning but to the whole ceremony wherein the act of crowning occurs, along with the ...
Honours List Crown Honours Lists are lists of honours conferred upon citizens of the Commonwealth realms. The awards are presented by or in the name of the reigning monarch, currently King Charles III, or his vice-regal representative. New Year Honours Ho ...
of 1953 he was awarded the Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air. He was promoted to wing commander in 1956,
group captain Group captain is a senior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force, where it originated, as well as the air forces of many countries that have historical British influence. It is sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank i ...
in 1961, and air commodore in 1966, having also been made a
Commander of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...
(CBE). He retired on 30 September 1968. Peter Ian Burden was also a flight sergeant before being commissioned as a pilot officer in July 1942. Promoted to flying officer in January 1943, flight lieutenant in July 1944, he was awarded the
King's Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air The Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air, formerly the King's Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air, was a merit award for flying service awarded by the United Kingdom between 1942 and 1994. It was replaced by the Queen’ ...
and the DFC (with 233 Squadron) on 29 December 1944. Burden left full-time service after the war, but remained in the
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve The Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (RAFVR) was established in 1936 to support the preparedness of the U.K. Royal Air Force in the event of another war. The Air Ministry intended it to form a supplement to the Royal Auxiliary Air Force (RAuxAF ...
, retaining his rank, he relinquished his commission on 7 September 1953.


Post war

Squadron was reformed in 1953 as an OCU Operational Conversion Squadron training pilots to convert from prop aircraft to Jet aircraft. Based in South Wales at RAF Pembrey Camarthenshire. 1952 – 1957 flying De Havilland Vampire Jets No. 233 Squadron was reformed once more on 1 September 1960 when the
Vickers Valetta The Vickers Valetta is a twin-engine military transport aircraft developed and produced by the British manufacturing company Vickers-Armstrongs Ltd. Developed from the Vickers VC.1 Viking compact civil airliner, it was an all-metal mid-wing m ...
flight of No. 84 Squadron RAF was detached to form No. 233 at
Khormaksar Khormaksar District (Br.Eng. əˈmæksəArabic: خورمكسر ɔːɾˈmaksaɾ is a district of the Aden Governorate, Yemen. As of 2003, the district had a population of 47,044 inhabitants. History As part of Aden Colony Khormaksar was a mil ...
. The squadron was then used to provide general transport for the
British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...
in the Aden Protectorate. During November/December 1961 the Squadron took part in the Juba River flood relief effort in Somalia, with Valettas flying the supply drops. It was disbanded on 31 January 1964.Halley 1988, p. 301.Rawlings 1982, p. 160.


Squadron bases


Aircraft operated


See also

*
List of Royal Air Force aircraft squadrons Squadron (aviation), Squadrons are the main form of flying unit of the Royal Air Force (RAF). These include Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) squadrons incorporated into the RAF when it was formed on 1 April 1918, dur ...


References


Citations


Bibliography

* Bowyer, Michael J.F and John D.R. Rawlings. ''Squadron Codes, 1937–56''. Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, UK: Patrick Stephens Ltd., 1979. . * Edwards, Goronwy 'Gron', DFC. ''Flying to Norway, Grounded in Burma: A Hudson Pilot in World War II''. Barnsley, South Yorkshire, UK: Pen & Sword Aviation, 2008. . * Edwards, Goronwy 'Gron', DFC. ''Head in the Clouds: A Young RAF Pilot's Life in the Late '30s''. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife, 1996. . * Edwards, Goronwy 'Gron', DFC. ''Norwegian Patrol – RAF 233 Squadron in WW2''. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife, 1985. . * Flintham, Vic and Andrew Thomas. ''Combat Codes: A Full Explanation and Listing of British, Commonwealth and Allied Air Force Unit Codes Since 1938''. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlif Publishing Ltd., 2003. . * Halley, James J. ''The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth, 1918–1988''. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd., 1988. . * Jefford, C.G. ''RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive Record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912''. Shrewsbury: Airlife Publishing, 2001. . * Rawlings, John D.R. ''Coastal, Support and Special Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft''. London: Jane's Publishing Company Ltd., 1982. . * Shores, Christopher F. ''Lockheed Hudson Mks I to VI (Aircraft in Profile no. 253)''.
Windsor, Berkshire Windsor is a historic market town and unparished area in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in Berkshire, England. It is the site of Windsor Castle, one of the official residences of the British monarch. The town is situated west of ...
: Profile Publications Ltd., 1973.


External links


233 sqn in Aden







BBC On This Day – Juba River Floods
{{Royal Air Force 233 Squadron Aircraft squadrons of the Royal Air Force in World War II Military units and formations disestablished in 1964