No. 91 Squadron — Nigeria

No. 91 (Nigeria) Squadron was reformed on 11 January 1941 at RAF Hawkinge in Kent, elevated from No. 421 Reconnaissance Flight and equipped with Spitfires. The Nigeria designation commemorates the contribution made by Nigeria towards the cost of the squadron’s aircraft. Through the first two years of the war the squadron carried out coastal shipping patrols, weather reconnaissance and air-sea rescue work along the south-east English coast, before transitioning to offensive fighter sweeps over occupied France from 1943. In preparation for the Normandy landings in early 1944 the squadron flew armed reconnaissance missions across the invasion area, but was soon pulled back to defend southern England against the V-1 flying bomb offensive, becoming one of the most successful anti-diver units of the campaign. Flying progressively more capable Spitfire marks culminating in the Griffon-engined F.21, the squadron ended the war on long-range bomber escort duties and maritime armed reconnaissance over the German-occupied Netherlands, hunting midget submarines among the last threats to Allied shipping. The squadron was renumbered No. 92 Squadron on 31 January 1947.