No. 38 Squadron RAF
| No. 38 Squadron RAF | |
|---|---|
38 Squadron crest. A heron volant.
|
|
| Active | July 1916 – July 1919 September 1935 – March 1967 |
| Country |
 United Kingdom
|
| Branch |
 Royal Air Force
|
| Role | Bomber |
| Part of |
No. 3 Group 1939–1940 No. 205 Group 1940–1942 |
| Motto(s) |
Latin: Ante lucem ("Before the dawn") |
| Battle honours |
Home Defence, 1917–1918 Egypt & Libya, 1940–1942 Malta, 1941 Mediterranean, 1941–1943 |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders |
Arthur Harris |
Home Defence, 1917–1918
Western Front, 1918
Channel & North Sea, 1939
Fortress Europe, 1940
Norway, 1940
France & Low Countries, 1940
Invasion Ports, 1940
Ruhr, 1940
German Ports, 1940
No. 38 Squadron of the Royal Air Force was a bomber (and later maritime reconnaissance) squadron formed in 1916 and was disbanded for the last time in 1967.
No.38 Squadron Royal Flying Corps was originally formed at Thetford in early 1916 and shortly after was re-designated as No.25 (Reserve) training squadron. A new No.38 Squadron was formed at Castle Bromwich in July 1916. It was designated as a Home Defence unit for the West Midlands and equipped with B.E.2c aircraft. In September 1916 the squadron was re-equipped with F.E.2b aircraft and the HQ moved to Melton Mowbray. Operations were undertaken from Stamford, Buckminster and Leadenham involving pilot instruction during the day and air defence against possible attacks from Zeppelins by night. For several months in 1916 the squadron was commanded by Captain A. T. Harris, later to become Air Chief Marshal Arthur Harris, C-in-C, RAF Bomber Command and Marshal of the Royal Air Force.
In May 1918 the squadron with its F.E.2b aircraft was designated as a night bomber squadron and transferred to Dunkirk. In its first raid on 13 June 1918 ten of the squadron's aircraft targeted Ostend docks. Over five months of operations the squadron flew 1,591 hours' made 47 raids, dropping nearly 50 tons of bombs mainly on the German canals, railways, dumps and airfields in Belgium. After returning to England without its aircraft, 38 Squadron was disbanded at RAF Hawkinge on 4 July 1919.
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