No. 2 Armoured Car Company RAF

The Number 2 Armoured Car Company RAF was a military unit of the British Royal Air Force (RAF) which was based at Amman in what was the called the Transjordan. It was the counterpart of No.1 Armoured Car Company RAF, which performed a similar role in Iraq.

On 7 April 1922, "Number 2 Armoured Car Company RAF" was formed at Heliopolis in the Kingdom of Egypt. The company was placed under the command of Squadron Leader M. Copeman.

In the pre-war period, the Company served in Palestine, on Internal Security duties, during the unrest from 1936 to 1939. During the Second World War it was engaged in active service operations in six separate periods of action. It served in the Western Desert on four occasions, was famously part of Habforce during the Iraqi insurgency in the Spring of 1941, and followed this up, as part of Kingcol, by taking part in the Campaign in Syria, in the Summer of 1941. At the end of the war, it returned to Syria, on garrison duties.

Western Desert: The Company served in the Western Desert in the Ground Defence role, protecting the forward Landing Grounds (LG) of the Desert Air Force, on three occasions. In the winter of 1941-1942, toward the end of a very active year, it guarded the advanced landing strips during the British advance and defended the landing-strip ground-party rearguards when Rommel counter-attacked. On this occasion, both RAF Companies were involved. After rest and refit, it was back in the Ground Defence role when Rommel initiated his offensive, defending the airstrips. The final offensive in Africa began in November 1942, again with both RAF Companies involved, and continued across Libya and into Tunisia.

Armoured Reconnaissance unit: The wartime baptism of fire for the unit, however, was as a unit of the Western Desert Force, patrolling the wire to give warning of the impending Italian invasion. Two sections of the Company joined the similarly-equipped, and very hard-pressed, armoured cavalry regiment, the 11th Hussars. On arrival, in September 1940, the Sections were combined to form a Squadron, which was designated as 'D' Squadron of the Hussars. The RAF cars stayed in this role over the winter of 1940-1941, and took part in the halting of the Italian advance, and the subsequent British counter-attack. The RAF cars were involved in the Battle of Bardia and of Beda Fomm. They provided the screen on the great chase to 'cut the corner' and trap the enemy in Cyrenaica. When the Squadron was finally recalled, in February 1942, it had been operationally active for 5 months, and had been as far west as El Agheila.

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