No. 227 Squadron

No. 227 Squadron had a complex wartime history spanning three distinct operational phases. It was originally formed on 1 April 1918 as a day bomber unit and disbanded after the Armistice, then re-emerged in August 1942 as a Bristol Beaufighter anti-shipping and maritime strike squadron operating from Malta and across the Mediterranean theatre under RAF Middle East Command. By August 1944, its RAF crews had been replaced by South African personnel and the unit was renumbered No. 19 Squadron, South African Air Force. The squadron was reconstituted a final time on 7 October 1944 at RAF Bardney, Lincolnshire, formed around ‘A’ Flight of No. 9 Squadron and ‘B’ Flight of No. 619 Squadron, and assigned to No. 5 Group, Bomber Command, flying Avro Lancasters in the heavy-bomber main force. During this final Lancaster phase the squadron flew 815 operational sorties against 61 targets, losing 15 aircraft at a loss rate of 1.8 per cent. It moved successively to RAF Balderton, RAF Strubby, and RAF Graveley before being disbanded on 5 September 1945.