No. 213 Squadron was a squadron of the Royal Air Force. The squadron was formed on 1 April 1918 from No. 13 (Naval) Squadron of the Royal Naval Air Service. This RNAS squadron was itself formed on 15 January 1918 from the Seaplane Defence Flight which, since its creation in June 1917, had had the task of defending the seaplanes which flew out of Dunkirk.

History

World War I

Formed originally from the Seaplane Defence Flight, which was itself founded in June 1917 at Dunkirk, it was reorganized as No. 13 Squadron RNAS on 15 January 1918. As the SDF, it operated Sopwith Pups. When the Royal Naval Air Service merged with the Royal Flying Corps to form the Royal Air Force, it was renumbered as 213 Squadron. In this incarnation, it flew Sopwith Baby floatplanes and transitioned to Sopwith Camels. It was during this time that the squadron derived its Hornet insignia and motto for the squadron badge, after overhearing a Belgian General refer to the squadron's defence of his trenches, "Like angry hornets attacking the enemy aircraft". The Hornet became affectionately known as "Crabro," Latin for hornet. The squadron's official motto became, "Irritatus Lacessit Crabro" (The Hornet Attacks When Roused). In March 1919 the squadron went back to the UK where it disbanded on 31 December 1919. The squadron finally disbanded on 31 December 1969.

|-

! style="text-align: left" |From

! style="text-align: left" |To

! style="text-align: left"|Aircraft

! style="text-align: left"|Version

|-

| April 1918

| December 1919

| Camel

| F1

|-

| March 1937

| February 1939

| Gauntlet

| Mk.II

|-

| January 1939

| February 1942

| Hurricane

| Mk.I

|-

| August 1941

| March 1944

| Hurricane

| Mks.IIa, IIc

|-

| February 1944

| May 1944

| Spitfire

| Mk.Vc

|-

| February 1944

| June 1944

| Spitfire

| Mk.IX

|-

| May 1944

| February 1947

| Mustang

| Mk.III

|-

| February 1945

| February 1947

| Mustang

| Mk.IV

|-

| January 1947

| January 1950

| Tempest

| F.6

|-

| November 1949

| April 1952

| Vampire

| FB.5

|-

| April 1952

| September 1954

| Vampire

| FB.9

|-

| March 1956

| December 1969

| Canberra

| B(I).6

|-

|}

Commanding officers

{|class="wikitable"

|+Commanding Officers of 213 Squadron

|-

! style="text-align: left"|From

! style="text-align: left"|To

! style="text-align: left"|Name

|-

| 3 July 1917

| 21 November 1918

| S/Cdr. R. Graham

|-

| 21 November 1918

| 31 December 1919

| Maj. A.G. Tayler

|-

| 3 May 1937

| 27 May 1940

| S/Ldr. J.H. Edwardes Jones

|-

| 27 May 1940

| 25 August 1940

| S/Ldr. H. McGregor, DSO

|-

| 25 August 1940

| 14 November 1941

| S/Ldr. D.S. MacDonald

|-

| 14 November 1941

| 16 January 1942

| S/Ldr. R. Lockhart

|-

| 16 January 1942

| 18 May 1942

| S/Ldr. G.V.W. Kettlewell

|-

| 18 May 1942

| 12 October 1942

| S/Ldr. M.H. Young, DFC

|-

| 12 October 1942

| 1 January 1943

| S/Ldr. P. Olver

|-

| 1 January 1943

| 24 August 1943

| S/Ldr. V.C. Woodward, DFC

|-

| 24 August 1943

| 16 September 1944

| S/Ldr. S.R. Whiting, DFC

|-

| 16 September 1944

| 17 December 1944

| S/Ldr. C.S. Vos, DFC

|-

| 17 December 1944

| 17 January 1946

| S/Ldr. P.E. Vaughan-Fowler, DFC & Bar

|-

| 17 January 1946

| 4 November 1946

| S/Ldr. R.S. Nash, DFC

|--

| 4 November 1946

| 2 January 1947

| S/Ldr. M.C. Wells

|-

| 2 January 1947

| 18 March 1948

| S/Ldr. D.C. Colebrook

|-

| 18 March 1948

| 18 April 1949

| S/Ldr. P.J. Kelley, DFC

|-

| 18 April 1949

| 14 September 1951

| S/Ldr. D.J.A. Roe, DSO, DFC

|-

| 14 September 1951

| 31 March 1954

| S/Ldr. D.M. Finn, DFC

|-

| 31 March 1954

| 30 September 1954

| S/Ldr. A.J.H. Kitley

|-

| 1 September 1954

| 29 December 1957

| W/Cdr. H.J. Dodson, AFC

|-

| 29 December 1957

| 10 August 1959

| W/Cdr. I.R. Campbell, AFC

|-----

| 10 August 1959

| 7 June 1961

| W/Cdr. P.T. Bayley

|-

| 7 June 1961

| 24 April 1964

| W/Cdr. S. Slater, DSO, OBE, DFC & Bar

|-

| 24 April 1964

| 13 June 1966

| W/Cdr. R.H. Arscott

|-

| 13 June 1966

| 23 May 1968

| W/Cdr. T.E. Benson

|-

| 23 May 1968

| 31 December 1969

| W/Cdr. M.R.T. Chandler

|-

|}

References

;Bibliography

  • Bowyer, Michael J.F and John D.R. Rawlings. Squadron Codes, 1937-56. Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, 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: 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, 1998 (second edition 2001). .
  • Leeson, Frank M. The Hornet Strikes: the Story of 213 Squadron Royal AIr Force. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: AIr-Britain (Historians) Ltd., 1998. .
  • Lewis, Peter. Squadron Histories: R.F.C, R.N.A.S and R.A.F., 1912-59. London: Putnam, 1959.
  • Moyes, Philip J.R. Bomber Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Macdonald and Jane's (Publishers) Ltd., 1964 (new edition 1976). .
  • Rawlings, John D.R. Fighter Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Macdonald and Jane's (Publishers) Ltd., 1969 (new edition 1976, reprinted 1978). .
  • 213 sqn association
  • The history of 213 SQN RAF
  • RAF Website
  • No. 213 sqn bases while in Fighter Command
  • Squadron history and more on rafweb's 'Air of Authority'
  • No. 213 sqn during the Battle of Britain