No. 173 Squadron

No. 173 Squadron was formed on 9 July 1942 at Heliopolis in Egypt to serve as a communications unit within the RAF’s Middle East theatre, operating under No. 216 Group. The squadron operated a wide variety of aircraft types to fulfil its role, including Lodestars for medium-range routes and lighter types such as Ansons, Arguses, and Proctors for short-range communications duties. By September 1943 the unit had formalised its structure, with ‘A’ Flight handling medium-range tasks and ‘B’ Flight covering shorter hops across the theatre. On 29 February 1944 the squadron was redesignated the Middle East Communications Squadron rather than being disbanded outright, bringing its existence as a numbered unit to a close. The squadron was reformed on 1 February 1953 as a ferry and crew-transfer unit before being finally disbanded on 1 September 1957. Its motto, Quocumque, translates as “Whithersoever”, an apt device for a unit whose purpose was to connect commanders, staff, and aircrews across the vast distances of the Middle East.