No. 169 Squadron

No. 169 Squadron was formed on 15 June 1942 at RAF Twinwood Farm, initially equipped with North American Mustang Mk.Is drawn from No. 613 Squadron, and tasked with tactical reconnaissance and coastal ground-attack work under Army Co-operation Command. After operating from RAF Duxford and then Middle Wallop, the squadron disbanded on 30 September 1943, only to re-form the very next day at RAF Ayr in an entirely new role as a Mosquito night-intruder unit. In December 1943 it joined No. 100 Group, Bomber Command — the specialist electronic-warfare and bomber-support group — and moved to RAF Little Snoring before settling at RAF Great Massingham in June 1944, where it remained until disbandment. Flying successive marks of the de Havilland Mosquito, crews ranged over occupied Europe targeting Luftwaffe night fighters both ahead of the main bomber stream and over enemy airfields, directly reducing the threat to Bomber Command’s heavies. The squadron carried the motto “Hunt and destroy” and stood down on 10 August 1945, having served throughout the second half of the war in one of Bomber Command’s most demanding specialist roles.