No. 185 Squadron Royal Air Force

No 185 Squadron was formed in East Fortune in October 1918 as a torpedo-bomber squadron, with the intention that it would be used for air attacks on the German high seas fleet. However it did not see any active war service and was disbanded in April 1919.
It was re-formed at Abingdon in 1938 as a bomber squadron and at the start of WWII was based at Cottesmore in a training role equipped with the Handley Page Hereford (a variant of the Hampden). In April 1940, No 185 was absorbed into No 14 OTU.
A new No 185 Squadron began to form immediately as a bomber squadron but was disbanded on 17th May 1940.
The squadron was reformed again on the 12th May 1941 in Malta from 'C' Flight of No 261 Squadron as a Hurricane fighter squadron for the defence of the island. The squadron took part in the 1942 air battles over Malta, suffering heavy losses. By the end of the year it was re-equipped with new Spitfires. After the seige of Malta was lifted No 185 flew sweeps over Sicily, supporting the Allied invasion of Sicily in July 1943, and then operating a detachment there to provide air defence.
In February 1944 the squadron operated from Gottaglie in italy in a fighter-bomber ground attack role, mostly attacking targets in Albania. It then moved to Perugia supporting the Allied advance north through Italy, reaching the Austrian border by the end of hostilitoes. No 185 was disbanded in August 1945.

Airfields No. 185 Squadron flew from:

RAF Cottesmore, from 25th August 1939 to 5th April 1940 (reserve bomber squadron with No 5 Group. Handley Page Hampden I, Hereford I)

Hal Far, Malta from 12th May 1941 (Hawker Hurricane I, IIA, IIB)
Qrendi from 5th June 1943 (Spitfire VB, VC)
Hal Far from 23rd September 1943 (Spitfire VC, IX)

detachments to Grottaglie and Brindisi (Italy) for short periods between 21st February and 2nd August 1944;
detachment at Palermo 1st April to 12th June 1944;
detachment at Catonia 12th June to 3rd August 1944.

Perugia, Italy, from 3rd August 1944 (Spitfire VIII, IX)
Loreto from 23rd August 1944
Fano from 4th September 1944
Borghetto from 17th September 1944
Fano from 7th October 1944
Peretola (Florence) from 17th November 1944
Pontedera from 1st January 1945
Bolgna from 26th April 1945
Villafranca from 30th April 1945
Campoformido from 16th May 1945
disbanded 14th August 1945

1st January 1940 Pilot killed in training

5th April 1940 Squadron redesignated

27th April 1941 Aircraft for the defence of Malta delivered

12th May 1941 New Fighter Squadron formed on Malta

14th May 1941 Messerschmitts bomb Malta

21st May 1941 Hurricanes arrive on Malta

6th June 1941 Hurricanes delivered to Malta

9th July 1941 Offensive sorties to Sicily

25th July 1941 Hurricanes claim 5 Italian aircraft over Malta

1st Septenber 1941 Gladiator used on weather recce

4th September 1941 Italian Bombers shot down

27th September 1941 Hurri-bombers deployed from Malta

30th September 1941 Hurricane pilot missing off Sicily

1st October 1941 Squadron Leader killed

4th October 1941 Flying accident off Malta

25th October 1941 Hurricane lost attacking bombers

2nd November 1941 Offensive sweep

9th November 1941 Hurricane missing off Malta

21st November 1941 Three air raids on Malta

6th December 1941 Search for missing Wellington

December 1941 Gladiator crashed on landing

21st December 1941 Hurricane pilot killed over Malta

29th December 1941 4 Hurricane pilots killed over Malta

3rd January 1942. Night intruders

22nd February 1942 Malta suffers heavy bombing

23rd February 1942 Raid intercepted

17th March 1942 Six air raids on Malta

18th March 1942 Defence of Malta

22nd March 1942 Malta Hurricane missing

23rd March 1942 Heavy convoy losses

24th March 1942 Ground staff killed in bomb raids

2nd April 1942 Spitfires lost on first sortie

9th April 1942 Bombers damaged

10th April 1942 MC Awards

18th April 1942 Aircraft destroyed on the ground

20th April 1942 New Spitfires on Malta destroyed

21st April 1942 Airfields attacked

22nd April 1942 Four pilots killed defending Malta

28th April 1942 Three pilots killed in air raid on Malta

9th May 1942 More Spitfires delivered to Malta

10th May 1942

11th May 1942 Enemy bombers suffer heavy losses

12th May 1942 Heavy losses for little benefit

14th May 1942 3 Spitfire pilots killed over Malta

16th June 1942 Pilots rescued by launch

7 July 1942 Nine Spitfires lost in combat

2nd August 1942 Food and fuel shortages

4th August 1942 First day of R&R

17th August 1942 More pilots arrive

27th August 1942 Pilot crash landed on Sicily

5th September 1942 Offensive operations from Malta

13th September 1942 Pilot killed in flying accident

10th October 1942 Airfield on Malta bombed

11th October 1942 Malta blitz

12th October 1942 Bombers target airfields

13th October 1942 Endless air raids

16th October 1942 Heavy air raids over Malta

17th October 1942 Blitz on Malta continues

18th October 1942 Ineffective raids

25th October 1942 Air raids on Malta resume

26th October 1942 Three air raids on Malta but no losses

2nd November 1942 Air raids avoid interception

19th November 1942 Three Spitfires lost at sea

22nd November 1942 Spitfire Pilot killed off Sicily

25th November 1942 Sicilian Airfields attacked

1st December 1942. New fighter-bomber role

7th December 1942 Spitfire missing over Malta

18th January 1943. Railway targets

8th February 1943 Sweeps over Sicily

28th February 1943. Spitfires attack submarine off Sicily

1st March 1943 Rescued by high speed launch

2nd March 1943 New pilots get operational experience

3rd March 1943 Varied duties

20th March 1943 Pilots shot down near Sicily

5th April 1943 Power station on Sicily bombed

6th May 1943 Varied operations

11th May 1943 Escort to Liberator bombers

12th May 1943 Spitfire pilot killed on Sicily

25th May 1943 Pilot crashed and killed on Malta

1st June 1943 New C/O posted to Spitfire Squadron

5th June 1943 Relocated on Malta

2nd July 1943 Pilot missing off Sicily

4th July 1943 Air-Sea search unsuccessful

5th July 1943 Bomber escort to Sicily

6th July 1943 Airfield on Sicily bombed

7th July 1943 Escort for heavy bombers

8th July 1943 Escort to USAAF bombers

9th July 1943 Dog-fight over Sicily

10th July 1943 Air cover for invasion

11th July 1943 Air cover over invasion forces

12th July 1943 Shipping cover

1st August 1943 First R&R for over 2 years

7th August 1943 Pilot shot down off Malta but rescued

20th August 1943 Attack on Capri

23rd September 1943 Airbase on Malta closed

1st October, 1943 Spitfire Pilot died of injuries

19th October 1943. Pilot killed in flying practice

1st November 1943 Personnel depart

6th December 1943 C.O. survives crash

8th December 1943 Spitfire Squadron busy on Malta

21st December 1943 Squadron on Malta back at full strength

25th December 1943 Fruitless search

30th December 1943 New C.O.

23rd January 1944 Pilot located and rescued

2nd February 1944 Operations to Corfu

21st February 1944 Attack on Albania

27th February 1944 Pilot killed in Albania

24th March 1944 Detachment at Brindisi

26th March 1944 Decoys

1st April 1944 Detachment to Palermo

6th April 1944. Pilots granted leave

16th April 1944 New C.O.

25th April 1944 Raid on Albania

27th April 1944 Radar station bombed

28th April 1944 Pilot baled out over Albania

29th April 1944 Pilot lost over Albania

1st May 1944. C.O. returns to duty

9th May 1944. Bridge bombed in Albania

11th May 1944 Four armed sweeps over Albania

12th May 1944 Sweeps over Albania

20th May 1944 Pilot lost over Albania returns

24th May 1944. Aircraft movements

12th June 1944 Detachment relocated

17th June 1944 Detachment reunited

21st June 1944 Air Force Day Parade

30th June 1944 Eenmy aircraft attacked over Malta

1st July 1944 Mobilisation and postings

22nd July 1944 185 Squadron's Last defence scramble from Malta

25th July 1944 Move to Italy

26th July 1944 Squadron on the move

29th July 1944 Party at sea

1st August 1944 Squadron divided

3rd August 1944 New operational base

7th August 1944 Operational from Perugia

10th August 1944 Stores arrive in Italy

13th August 1944 On the move

16th August 1944 Squadron reunited

23rd August 1944. Pilot killed in accident

24th August 1944. Bomber escort duty

25th August 1944. Escort provided for Winston Churchill

1st September 1944. Five sorties - one pilot missing

4th September 1944. Bridges bombed

12th September 1944. Spitfire disintegrated - pilot killed

13th September 1944 Close support operations

14th September 1944 Railway targets

17th September 1944 Change of command

18th September 1944 South African Spitfire pilot killed

22nd September 1944 C.O. posted

25th September 1944 Cab-rank operations in Italy

2nd October 1944 Operations stopped by bad weather

24th October 1944. Bombing and leaflet dropping sorties

1st November 1944. Sickness

3rd November 1944 Move postponed

4th November 1944 Bombs dropped at third attempt

5th November 1944 Very busy day

11th November 1944 Tiger Tanks bombed

12th November 1944 Air sea rescue duties

13th November 1944 Villas in Florence requisitioned

16th November 1944. 36 sorties despite shortage of ground crew

17th November 1944 Squadron moves to Florence

19th November 1944 New operating area

2nd December 1944. Operations in support of 5th Army

11th December 1944. Operational tours completed

25th December 1944. Dinner in the mess

30th December 1944 Various targets attacked

1st January 1945 New operating base

17th January 1945 Attack on oil refinery

20th January 1945 Gun positions attacked

27th January 1945 Food and equipment dump bombed

29th January 1945 Four missions

31st January 1945 Busy month for Spitfire Squadron

4th February 1945 Mixed missions for Spitfires

8th February 1945 Spitfires escape ack-ack

10th February 1945 Cab-rank duties

11th February 1945 Storage depot bombed

13th February 1945 Ammo dump and tank repair depot bombed

15th February 1945 Tank depot attacked

16th February 1945 Defensive fighter ops

19th February 1945 Armed recces

21st February 1945 Variety of targets bombed

22nd February 1945 Hay carts bombed

23rd February 1945 Spitfire pilot baled out

24th February 1945 Cab-rank duties

26th February 1945 Italian towns bombed

27th February 1945 Flak

28th February 1945 Considerable effort by Spitfire Squadron

8th March 1945 Inaccurate bombing

9th March 1945 Mixed results from bombing

21st March 1945 Enemy positions deserted

22nd March 1945 Spitfire pilot missing

29th March 1945. Bombing targets

31st March 1945 Oilfield attacked

2nd April 1945. German jet fighters escape pursuit

4th April 1945. Pilot lost on test flight

4th April 1945. German HQ Bombed

12th April 1945. Pilot killed attacking coastal guns

15th April 1945. 185 Squadron record 11 missions in one day.

22nd April 1945. Busy but unsuccessful day

23rd April 1945. 185 Squadron new record of 15 missions in one day

25th April 1945. Little enemy action. Move to new bnase

26th April 1945. No enemy movement

30th April 1945. Spitfire Squadron in Italy relocated

3rd May 1945. Free drinks

4th May 1945. Recce over Austria

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