No. 142 Squadron

No. 142 Squadron was originally formed in Egypt in February 1918 and re-formed at RAF Netheravon on 1 June 1934, entering the Second World War equipped with Fairey Battle light bombers as part of the Advanced Air Striking Force sent to France. The squadron flew some of the first offensive bombing sorties of the war on 10 May 1940, attacking German columns during the invasion of the Low Countries, and suffered severe losses in the Meuse bridge attacks before withdrawing to Britain. After converting to Vickers Wellingtons in late 1940, the squadron flew night-bombing operations over Germany and occupied Europe from bases at RAF Binbrook and RAF Grimsby as part of No. 1 Group, Bomber Command. In December 1942 it transferred to North Africa, going on to serve in the Tunisian, Sicilian and Italian campaigns before disbanding at Regine, Italy in October 1944. The squadron promptly re-formed at RAF Gransden Lodge on 25 October 1944, this time equipped with Canadian-built de Havilland Mosquito B. Mk. XXV bombers within No. 8 (PFF) Group’s Light Night Striking Force, flying 1,095 operational sorties before disbanding on 28 September 1945.