No. 151 Squadron RAF
| No. 151 Squadron RAF | |
|---|---|
| Active | 12 Jun 1918 - 10 Sep 1919 4 Aug 1936 - 10 Oct 1946 15 Sep 1951 - 19 Sep 1961 1 Jan 1962 – 25 May 1963 |
| Country |
 United Kingdom
|
| Branch |
 Royal Air Force
|
| Size | squadron |
| Motto(s) |
French: Foy pour devoir (Translation: "Fidelity unto duty" or "Faith for duty" or "Fidelity into duty") |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders |
Edward Mortlock "Teddy" Donaldson |
| Insignia | |
| Squadron Badge heraldry | On a hurt, an owl affrontée wings elevated, alighting on a seax The owl represents No. 151 Squadron's role of night-fighting whilst the seax comes from the arms of Essex in which county the squadron was formed |
| Squadron Codes |
TV (Sep 1938 - Dec 1938) GG (Dec 1938 - Sep 1939) DZ (Sep 1939 - Oct 1946) |
No. 151 Squadron was a squadron of the Royal Air Force.
No. 151 squadron was founded at Hainault Farm in Essex on 12 June 1918, and was equipped with Sopwith Camel aircraft. During the five months in which 151 Squadron had taken part in hostilities overseas, the total number of hours flown by night was 1443 hrs 26 mins.
Sixteen enemy aircraft were destroyed at night on the Allies side of the lines, and five were destroyed on the enemy side and confirmed. Another five were unconfirmed, thus making a total of twenty six successful engagements. Of the enemy aircraft destroyed, twenty two were AEGs, Friedrichshafen or Gothas, with two engines and carrying a crew of three or more. Two were giant P 52’s with five engines carrying a crew of up to eight or nine.
During all the numerous combats there were very few occasions when the guns jammed or caused trouble, reflecting the devotion to duty of Lt Eggar and his gunnery staff.
Too much cannot be said for the NCOs and men of the Squadron. The long hours from dawn to dusk and the urgent necessity of getting all machines serviceable during the daytime was evidence of their keen spirit and esprit de corps, and nothing was more gratifying to a pilot on landing after a successful combat than to hear the rousing cheers of the NCOs and men of his Flight, echoed by the Squadron, that greeted him."
The squadron was disbanded on 10 September 1919. Though it had no aces among its members, future Air Vice Marshal Quintin Brand came close; he scored his final four victories while in the squadron.
On 4 August 1936 the squadron was reformed at RAF North Weald from 'B' Flight of 56 Squadron, as a fighter squadron, flying Gloster Gauntlets. In December 1938 these were exchanged for Hawker Hurricanes, when the squadron came under Squadron Leader Edward Mortlock Donaldson. It operated throughout the Second World War, flying with Hawker Hurricanes, Boulton Paul Defiants and later de Havilland Mosquitoes, disbanding on 10 October 1946 at RAF Weston Zoyland.
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