No. 81 Squadron, Royal Air Force

August 1939 No. 81 Squadron was formed in January 1917 at Gosport and served as a training unit in Lincolnshire throughout the First World War. It was disbanded in July 1918.
After the armistice on the 25 November 1918 it was briefly resurrected as a fighter squadron composed of Canadian personnel reassigned from other RAF squadrons. It also carried the designation No 1 Squadron, Canadian Air Force. It was disbanded on 28th January 1920 when the personnel returned to Canada where some left the service but others went on to distinguished careers in the RCAF.
On 25th August 1939, a Communications unit was formed at RAF Andover. It moved to France on the 16th September as part of the RAF elemnt of the British Expeditionary Force. This unit was redisgnated as no.81 (Communications) Squadron on the 6th December 1939. ASfter the retreat form France the Squadorn was disbanded.
81 Squadorn was reformed as a fighter Squadron eauipped with Hurricanes on the 29th July 1941 and despatched to Russia. After a short period on combat operatios, the Squadron trained Russian aviators to take over their Hurricanes, and returned to Britain where it was requipped with Spitfires. In October they moved to Gibraltar and participated in the Allied invasion of Algeria, teh final defeat of Axis forces in North Africa, the invasion of Sicily and Italy.
In November 1943 the Squadron moved to India and it was soon deployed behind Japanese lines in Burma in support of the Chindits. After participating in the successful defence of Imphal, the Squadron was withrawn to Ceylon. In May 1945 it moved to Calcutta where it was disbanded. On the same day no.123 Squadron was renumbered as no.81 and began to equip with Thunderbolt fighters. However it did not become operational before the Japanese surrender.
Airfields No. 81 Squadron flew from:

December 1939-May 1940: Amiens/ Montjois
May-June 1940: Andover (disbanded).

RAF Debden, Essex (re-formed with Hurricane IIb) 29th July 1941
RAF Leconfield, Yorkshire from 30th July 1941
to Vaenga, Russia 12th August-20th November 1941
RAF Turnhouse, Midlothian (Spitfire Va, Spitfire Vb) from 6th December 1941

Detachment 6th January-February 1942: Ouston, Northumberland

RAF Ouston, Northumberland from April 1942
RAF Hornchurch, Essex from 14th May 1942
RAF Fairlop, Essex from 17th July 1942
RAF Wellingore, Lincolnshire from 1st September 1942
to Gibraltar 30th October 1942

8th November 1942 to Maison Blanche (Algeria)
13th November 1942-March 1943: Bone/ Tingley
March-May 1943: Souk-el-Khemis (Tunisia)
May-June 1943: Utique
June-July 1943: Takali (Malta)

July-September 1943: Lentini East (Sicily)
September 1943: Milazzo East
September-October 1943: Serretelle (Italy)
October-November 1943: Gioia del Colle

December 1943-January 1944: Alipore (India)
January 1944: Imphal
January-February 1944: Tulihal
February 1944: Ramu
February 1944: Tulihal
February-March 1944: Kangla
March-April 1944: Tulihal

Detachment 12th 17th March 1944: Broadway airstrip (Burma)

April-August 1944: Kumbhirgram (India)
August-December 1944: Minneriya (Ceylon)
December 1944-April 1945: Ratmalana
April-June 1945: Amarda Road (India) (disbanded)

From June 1945: reformed by renumbering 123 Squadron at Bobbili

August 1939

16th September 1939 RAF Courier Unit in France

21st October 1939 Experimental aircraft

6th December 1939 Courier Squadron formed

11th May 1940 Airfield bombed

19th May 1940 Retreat to Britain

29th July 1941 New Wing formed

21st August 1941 Deployed to Russia

30th August 1941 Aircraft carrier take-off instructions

1st September 1941 Arrival at Murmansk

12th September 1941 Dogfight at Murmansk

17th September 1941 Skirmish

6th October 1941 Bombers attacked at Murmansk

20th November 1941 Russian Wing withdrawn

1st February 1942 Operational again

14th May 1942 New role

24th July 1942 On the move

5th October 1942 Withdrawn from ops

8th November 1942 To Algeria

9th November 1942 Airfield attacked

13th November 1942 Attacked on the ground

8th January 1943 New aircraft

18th March 1943 Into Tunisia

22nd April 1943 Supplies disrupted

14th May 1943 Move to Tunis

3rd June 1943 Invasion of Sicily

17th July 1943 Into Sicily

7th September 1943 Preparation for invasion

25th September 1943 Into Italy

14th October 1943 Moved

31st of October 1943 Mov & Tn Embarkation Instruction No 2 Appendix E1

3rd November 1943 Leaving Italy for India

9th November 1943 To the Far East

9th December 1943 Ground attack

7th January 1944 Move to the front line

9th February 1944 Heel Trap deployed successfully

10th February 1944 Battle of the Admin Box

12th February 1944 No enemy aircraft to be seen

13th February 1944 3 Groups of Raiders Intercepted

16-20th February 1944 Japanese airforce kept at bay

4th March 1944 Japanese recce aircraft shot down

6th March 1944 Recce aircraft shot down

11th March 1944 Orders

12th March 1944 Detachment behind enemy lines

13th March 1944 Secret airstrip discovered

16th March 1944 Japanese bombers driven off

17th March 1944 Attacked on the ground

22nd March 1944 Move to Imphal

15th April 1944 Imphal airfield bombed

28th April 1944 Strategic retreat

3rd July 1944 Seige lifted

August 1944 Withdrawn from the front

19th February 1945 Non-Operation - but rumours of posting

20th June 1945 Squadrons renumbered

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No. 81 Squadron, Royal Air Force
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No. 81 Squadron, Royal Air Force

Logbooks

Those known to have served with No. 81 Squadron, Royal Air Forceduring the Second World War 1939-1945.

The Wartime Memories Project is the original WW1 and WW2 commemoration website.

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Recomended Reading.

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Those known to have served with
No. 81 Squadron, Royal Air Force
during the Second World War 1939-1945.