No. 119 Squadron

No. 119 Squadron was reformed on 13 March 1941 at RAF Bowmore in Scotland, from a flight that had been operating Imperial Airways Short flying boats transferred to the RAF, and served throughout the war under Coastal Command. In its first incarnation the squadron flew Short S.26 and S.23 class flying boats and Consolidated Catalinas on maritime patrol duties from Bowmore, Pembroke Dock, and Lough Erne, before re-equipping briefly with Short Sunderlands; it was disbanded in April 1943 as the flying-boat role was consolidated elsewhere. The squadron was reformed on 19 July 1944 at RAF Manston by redesignation of a flight of No. 415 Squadron RCAF, this time equipped with Fairey Albacores for low-level anti-shipping operations in the southern North Sea. Operating under the code letters NH, the squadron hunted German E-boats and R-boats along the Dutch and Belgian coast, establishing forward detachments at Belgian airfields including B.83 Knocke-Het Zoute from October 1944. Early in 1945 the unit re-equipped with ASV radar-equipped Fairey Swordfish Mk.IIIs, which proved effective against German midget submarines, with three destroyed before the squadron flew its final sortie on 8 May 1945 and disbanded at Bircham Newton on 25 May 1945.