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No. 72 Squadron
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Number 72 Squadron formed at Netheravon, July 1917, was based in Basrah, disbanding in September 1919.
No 72 (Basutoland) Squadron was reformed 22nd February 1937, when 'B' Flight of No 1 Squadron at Tangmere was increased to squadron strength. It flew Gladiators at Church Fenton until April 1939 when Spitfires were delivered. At the outbreak of WWII, No. 72 was in the north of England on air defence and convoy protection. The squadron moved south to support the evacuation at Dunkirk in June 1940. During the Battle of Britain, No 72 spent the early days at Acklington as part of No 13 Group, before moving south during September to aid the main defence force. In September 1942, the Squadron moved to Gibraltar to support the Tunisian campaign before moving on to Malta in June 1943 with the updated Spitfire IX, used to support the Allied Eighth Army as it advanced through Sicily. In 1944 it was in Corsica, then moved to France. With German surrender the squadron moved to Austria. It was disbanded there in December 1946.
Airfields
No. 72 Squadron
flew from.
- RAF Church Fenton, Yorkshire from 3rd September 1939
- RAF Leconfield, Yorkshire from 17th October 1939
- RAF Church Fenton from 1st November 1939
- RAF Drem, East Lothian from 1st December 1939
- RAF Leconfield, Yorkshire from 12th January 1940
- RAF Church Fenton from 13th January 1940
- RAF Acklington, Northumberland from 2nd March 1940
- RAF Gravesend, Kent from 1st June 1940
- RAF Acklington from 5th June 1940
- RAF Biggin Hill, Kent from 31st August 1940
- RAF Croydon, Surrey from 1st September 1940
- RAF Biggin Hill from 12 September 1940
- RAF Leconfield, Yorkshire from 13th October 1940
- RAF Coltishall, Norfolk from 20th October 1940
- RAF Leuchars, Fife from 29th November 1940
- RAF Acklington, Northumberland from 15th December 1940
- RAF Gravesend, Kent from 8th July 1941
- RAF Biggin Hill, Kent from 26th July 1941
- RAF Gravesend from 20th October 1941
- RAF Biggin Hill from 22nd March 1942
- RAF Lympne, Kent from 30th June 1942
- RAF Biggin Hill from 7th July 1942
- RAF Morpeth, Northumberland from 4th August 1942
- RAF Ayr, Ayrshire from 12th August 1942
- RAF Ouston, Northumberland from 26th September 1942 to 8th November 1942
- RAF Maison Blanche from 8th November 1942
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List of those who served with
No. 72 Squadron
during The Second World War
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