No. 238 Squadron

No. 238 Squadron was reformed on 16 May 1940 at RAF Tangmere and became operational in early July, initially on Spitfires before converting to Hurricanes. Posted to Middle Wallop under No. 10 Group, it flew convoy-protection and defensive patrols throughout the Battle of Britain, with a detachment at St Eval in Cornwall during the heaviest phase of the fighting. It moved to the Middle East in mid-1941, serving under No. 258 Wing and later No. 243 Wing in the Western Desert. During the pursuit following El Alamein in November 1942, the squadron co-operated with No. 213 Squadron in a raid behind enemy lines that reportedly destroyed nearly 300 vehicles. After converting to Spitfires in September 1943, it operated from Corsica over northern Italy and covered the Allied landings in southern France in August 1944, before disbanding on 31 October 1944. Reformed as a transport squadron with Dakotas in December 1944, it supported the Burma campaign and the British Pacific Fleet before final disbandment in December 1945.