No. 245 Squadron — Northern Rhodesian

No. 245 (Northern Rhodesian) Squadron was reformed at RAF Leconfield on 30 October 1939, initially equipped with Bristol Blenheims and Fairey Battles before re-equipping with Hurricane fighters in March 1940. During the Dunkirk evacuation the squadron flew a detachment from RAF Hawkinge, but by July 1940 it had been posted to RAF Aldergrove in Northern Ireland, where it spent the Battle of Britain period on home defence duties rather than the hard-pressed front line over southern England. From late 1941 onwards the squadron rotated through several British stations before beginning conversion to the Hawker Typhoon in January 1943, transforming it from a pure fighter unit into a potent ground-attack force. Allocated to the newly formed 2nd Tactical Air Force in June 1943 and assigned to No. 83 Group, the squadron moved to RAF Westhampnett and began attacking enemy transport, airfields, and logistics targets in preparation for the invasion of France. It crossed to the Continent on 27 June 1944, following the Allied armies through France, the Low Countries, and into Germany whilst employing rocket projectiles against ground targets. The squadron disbanded at Schleswig in northern Germany on 10 August 1945, its motto — Fugo Non Fugio, “I put to flight, I do not flee” — a fitting epitaph for six years of fighter and ground-attack operations.