No. 223 Squadron RAF

No. 223 Squadron RAF
Official badge of No. 223 Squadron RAF
Active	1917–1919 1936–1944 194–1945 1959–1963
Country	UK
Branch	Royal Air Force
Role	Bomber squadron/Operational training unit
Motto(s)	Latin: Alæ defendunt Africam ("Wings defend Africa")

No. 223 Squadron RAF was a squadron of the Royal Air Force. Originally formed as part of the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS), the Squadron flew in both World Wars.

What later became 223 Squadron was formed as B Flight (soon known as "B Squadron") of the RNAS operating from Mytilene on the island of Lesbos as a general duties unit. It was equipped with a mixture of aircraft types including the Sopwith 1½ Strutter and Airco DH.4. On 1 April 1918, the RNAS was merged with the Royal Flying Corps to produce the RAF, with B Squadron becoming No. 223 Squadron. It continued operations over the Aegean Sea, flying both reconnaissance and bombing missions from various bases until the end of World War I, disbanding at Mudros on the island of Lemnos on 16 May 1919.

The squadron reformed at Nairobi in Kenya on 15 December 1936 as a day bomber squadron when "B" Flight of 45 Squadron, equipped with the Fairey Gordon, was renumbered. It re-equipped with the Vickers Vincent in February 1937.Vickers Wellesley monoplanes followed in June 1938, and these still remained in service when Italy entered World War II. The squadron, based at Summit in Sudan, flew bombing missions against Italian forces in the East African Campaign over Italian East Africa. In August 1940, the squadron moved to Perim Island, near Aden to support operations in Italian Somaliland.