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- No. 85 Squadron Royal Air Force during the Second World War -


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World War 2 Two II WW2 WWII 1939 1945

No. 85 Squadron Royal Air Force



3rd September 1939 Operational  No. 85 Squadron was formed at Upavon on 1 August 1917 and went to France in May 1918 as an offensive fighter Squadron. It was disbanded in July 1919.

No. 85 Squadron was reformed on the 1st June 1938, when A Flight of 87 Squadron was renumbered at Debden. They flew Gladiator bi-plane fighters until re-equipped with Hurricanes in September 1938. At the outbreak of war the Squadron was one of the few which were immediately considered to be fully operational.



3rd September 1939 Operational

9th September 1939 Move to France

1st November 1939 First victory

6th March 1940 Killed in crash

10th May 1940 Seven Aircraft Shot Down

11th May 1940 Airfield attacked

13th May 1940 Detachment to France

15th May 1940 Missing

16th May 1940 Pilots killed

19th May 1940 Missing

20th May 1940 Three aircraft lost

23rd May 1940 Recalled to Britain

31st May 1940 Action over Belgium

2nd June 1940 Dunkirk

22nd July 1940 Crash

29th July 1940 Battle of Britain

11th August 1940  Ports and ships attacked

19th August 1940 Relocated

26th August 1940  Battle of Britian

28th August 1940 ` Battle of Britain

29th August 1940 Battle of Britain

30th August 1940 Battle of Britain

31st August 1940  Battle of Britain

1st Sept 1940 Air battle over Kent

5th September 1940 Recuperation

23rd October 1940  Retraining

23rd November 1940  Bomber interception

29th December 1940 Fire-storm

1st January 1941 Re-equipped

February 1941 Defiant night fighter

April 1941 Trial flight established

7th April 1941 New aircraft

4th May 1941 Secrecy

July 1942 New aircraft

March 1943 Intruder missions

2nd April 1943 Friendly fire incident

13th May 1943 Relocated

1st May 1944 Bomber escort

21st July 1944 Flying bombs

29th August 1944 Bomber escort

19th October 1944 Friendly fire incident

14th Apr 1945 85 Squadron Mosquito lost

June 1945 


If you can provide any additional information, please add it here.



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Those known to have served with

No. 85 Squadron Royal Air Force

during the Second World War 1939-1945.

    The names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed, please Add a Name to this List

    Records of No. 85 Squadron Royal Air Force from other sources.



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    Want to know more about No. 85 Squadron Royal Air Force?


    There are:2041 items tagged No. 85 Squadron Royal Air Force available in our Library

      These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Second World War.






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