No. 265 Squadron RAF

No. 265 Squadron RAF was an anti-submarine squadron of the Royal Air Force during two world wars. It was based at Gibraltar in World War One and Madagascar in World War Two.

History

Formation and World War I

The squadron was officially announced in August 1918 and was to be formed at Gibraltar from three former RNAS flights 364, 365, and 366 to perform anti-submarine patrols. There is no evidence that the squadron actually formed and this may have been because of the war ending on 11 November.Halley 1988, p. 332. Sources say it was either officially disbanded in January 1919 or abandoned.

World War II

On 11 March 1943 the squadron was officially reformed at Mombasa (probably at RAF Port Reitz, now the city's Moi International Airport), again in the anti-submarine role as one of Air Headquarters East Africa's Wing 246's general reconnaissance three squadrons. The squadron used the Consolidated Catalina to patrol the Indian Ocean from its base at Diego Suarez in northern Madagascar. Although the squadron headquarters remained at Diego Suarez, aircraft were also based in Kenya, Aden, Mauritius and South Africa.

U-197

U-197 was caught on the surface 240 miles south of Madagascar by Catalina FP-126 of 259 Squadron on 20 August 1943. Damaged by machine gun fire and depth charges from the plane, the U-boat was forced to remain on the surface. Catalina ''FP-313'' of 265 Squadron flown by Flying Office C Ernest Robin was called to attack, sinking the U-boat with all hands by depth charges.

U-862

On 20 August 1944 Flight Lieutenant William Stewart Lough's Catalina ''FP104/H'' caught German submarine U-862 on the surface in the Mozambique Channel and attacked it. A depth charge was dropped but missed and the Catalina was hit by fire from the submarines anti-aircraft gun. The plane flew back over the submarine and crashed into the sea in front of it. The submarine recovered the planes log book, which showed it had been looking for a missing ship either the ''Empire City'' or ''Empire Day'' which had been sunk by U-198 on 5 August. None of the planes 9 crew and 4 passengers had survived. ''U-862'' escaped unharmed to join the Monsun Gruppe based at Penang.

Disbandment

Towards the end of the war the units focus shifted from submarine hunting to moving freight.PBY: The Catalina Flying Boat, Roscoe Creed, Naval Institute Press, 1985, page 253, , 9780870215261 The squadrons disbandment date is as clouded as its founding date: sources cite 18 April 1945; 30 April 1945 or 1 May 1945.Jefford 2001, p. 83. Its final patrol was on 12 April 1945.

Aircraft operated

See also

*List of Royal Air Force aircraft squadrons

References

References

Bibliography

* Bowyer, Michael J.F. and John D.R. Rawlings. ''Squadron Codes, 1937–56''. Cambridge, UK: Patrick Stephens Ltd., 1979. .
* 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: Airlife 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, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing, 1988 (second edition 2001). .
* Rawlings, John D.R. ''Coastal, Support and Special Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft''. London: Jane's Publishing Company Ltd., 1982. .

{{Royal Air Force

Military units and formations established in 1918
Royal Air Force aircraft squadrons, 265
Military units and formations disestablished in 1919
Military units and formations established in 1943
Military units and formations disestablished in 1945
1918 establishments in the United Kingdom