No. 266 Squadron RAF

No. 266 (Rhodesia) Squadron RAF
Godfrey Huggins, the Prime Minister of Southern Rhodesia, visits No. 266 (Rhodesia) Squadron RAF in May 1944. The PM sits in a dinghy, surrounded by men of the unit.
Active	27 September 1918 – 1 September 1919 30 October 1939 – 31 July 1945 1 September 1946 – 11 February 1949 14 July 1952 – 16 November 1957 1 December 1959 – 30 June 1964.
Country	United Kingdom
Allegiance	Rhodesia
Branch	Royal Air Force
Nickname(s)	Rhodesia
Motto(s)	Shona: Hlabezulu ("The stabber of the sky")
Insignia
Squadron Badge	A bateleur eagle volant
Squadron Codes	UO (Jan 1940 – Jul 1942) ZH (Jul 1942 – Jul 1945) FX (Sep 1946 – Feb 1949) L (Jul 1952 – 1953) A (1953–1955 )

No. 266 (Rhodesia) Squadron RAF was a squadron of the Royal Air Force.

The squadron was formed from No's 437 and 438 Flights at Mudros, Greece on 27 September 1918 to carry out anti-submarine patrols in that area, flying Short 184s and 320s along with Felixtowe F.3s. In February 1919 it was transferred to the Caucasus on HMS Engadine. It operated from Petrovsk and from HMS Aladar Youssanoff and Orlionoch as part of the British Caspian Flotilla. It was withdrawn on 27 August 1919 and disbanded on 1 September 1919 at Novorossisk.

The squadron was reformed on 30 October 1939 at RAF Sutton Bridge as a fighter squadron. The squadron was one of the Rhodesian gift squadrons and was named 266 (Rhodesia) Squadron in honour of the gift. Originally it was equipped with the Fairey Battle light bomber, but soon after in January 1940 it received the Supermarine Spitfire and became a fighter squadron. It was in action over Dunkirk in early June and fought in the Battle of Britain. To rest the squadron it was moved north to RAF Wittering to carry out patrols over France.

In January 1942 the squadron moved to RAF Duxford and re-equipped with the Hawker Typhoon. The squadron changed role to fighter-bomber in support of the Normandy invasion and flew also armed reconnaissance missions in support of the invasion forces. The squadron moved along with the fighting forces and was disbanded at Hildesheim, Germany on 31 July 1945.