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No. 74 Squadron
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Formed as a training unit in 1917, No. 74 Squadron was involved in fighter patrols and later ground attack operations, disbanding in 1919. The squadron reformed as a unit in 1935 as a result of the Abyssinian crisis, established at Hornchurch until June 1940.
During May and June 1940, it covered the evacuation from Dunkirk and then participated in the early stages of the Battle of Britain. In January 1941 No. 74 began offensive operations over France and was despatched to the Middle East in April 1942, where it operated as a Maintenance Unit in Palestine and Iraq. It received Hurricanes and operated in Iraq until May 1943, when it was sent to Egypt, tasked with defensive duties and shipping escort patrols. Spitfires were used to support British landings on some of the Aegean islands. No. 74 Squadron remained in the Eastern Mediterranean area until April 1944, when it was returned to the UK in preparation for 'Operation Overlord'.
Equipped with Spitfire IXs, and part of the Air Defence of Great Britain (the re-named Fighter Command), No. 74 covered the actual landings in Normandy and then was involved in combatting V-1 flying bomb attacks on Southern England until July, when it transferred to 2nd Tactical Air Force. In August it moved onto the continent in the fighter-bomber role, also providing fighter escort to No 2 Group's bombers until the end of the war.
Airfields
No. 74 Squadron
flew from.
- RAF Hornchurch, Essex from 3rd September 1939
- RAF Rochford, Essex from 22nd October 1939
- RAF Hornchurch from 29th October 1939
- RAF Rochford from 3rd November 1939
- RAF Hornchurch from 14th November 1939
- RAF Rochford from 2nd December 1939
- RAF Hornchurch from 16th December 1939
- RAF Rochford from 29th December 1939
- RAF Hornchurch from 16th January 1940
- RAF Rochford from 14th February 1940
- RAF Hornchurch from 23rd March 1940
- RAF Rochford from 20th April 1940
- RAF Leconfield, Yorkshire from 27th May 1940
- RAF Rochford from 6th June 1940
- RAF Hornchurch from 26th June 1940
- RAF Wittering, Northamptonshire from 14th August 1940
- RAF Kirton-in-Lisdsey, Lincolnshire from 21st August 1940
- RAF Coltishall, Norfolk from 9th September 1940
- RAF Biggin Hill, Kent from 15th October 1940
- RAF Manston, Kent from 20th February 1941
- RAF Gravesend, Kent from 30th April 1941
- RAF Acklington, Northumberland from 9th July 1941
- RAF Llanbedr, Merioneth from 3rd October 1941
- RAF Long Kesh from 24th January 1942
- RAF Atcham, Salop from 25th March 1942
- RAF Ramat David from 10th April 1942 to 24th April 1944
- RAF North Weald, Essex from 24th April 1944
- RAF Lympne, Kent from 15th May 1944
- RAF Tangmere, Sussex from 3rd July 1944
- RAF Rochford, Essex from 24th July 1944
- RAF Tangmere from 8th August 1944 to 19th August 1944
- Sommervieu, B8 from 19th August 1944
- RAF Colerne, Wiltshire from 1st May 1945
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List of those who served with
No. 74 Squadron
during The Second World War
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