No. 167 Squadron — Gold Coast

No. 167 (Gold Coast) Squadron RAF was first constituted in November 1918 at Bircham Newton as a heavy bomber unit, but disbanded in 1919 before seeing operational service. It was reformed on 6 April 1942 at RAF Scorton as a fighter squadron, equipping with Supermarine Spitfire Vs to provide defensive cover for the naval anchorage at Scapa Flow and flying convoy patrols off the Scottish coast. By late 1942 the unit had moved south to East Anglia, carrying out intruder sorties over the Low Countries and reconnaissance sweeps searching for enemy shipping. The squadron had by this point acquired a large contingent of Dutch pilots, and on 12 June 1943 it was renumbered No. 322 (Dutch) Squadron to formalise that national identity. No. 167 reformed a second time on 1 October 1944 at RAF Holmsley South as a transport unit within No. 110 Wing, Transport Command, operating Vickers Warwicks and later Avro Ansons on scheduled services to Allied bases in Europe and West Africa. It continued in that role until final disbandment on 1 February 1946 at RAF Blackbushe.