No. 45 Squadron RAF

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Brief History

Formed during World War I at Fort Grange, Gosport on 1 March 1916 and served in France and on the Astro-Italian front, suffering heavy losses. Between the wars it served in Egypt, Iraq and Palestine.

At the start of World War II, 45 Squadron converted to Bristol Blenheims. From mid-1940 it took part in the North African Campaign, attacking Italian aircraft and shipping from bases at Gura in Eritrea and in Palestine, using the later to launch missions against the Vichy French in Syria. In mid 1942 the Squadron was transferred to India and then Burma involved in actions against Japanese forces.

Battle Honours

• Western Front (1916–1917)
• Somme (1916)
• Ypres (1917)
• Italian Front and Adriatic (1917–1918)
• Piave (1917-1918)
• Germany (1918)
• Kurdistan (1922–1924)
• Iraq (1923–1925)
• Egypt and Libya (1940–1942)
• East Africa (1940)
• Syria (1941)
• Burma (1942)
• Arakan (1943–1944)
• Burma (1944–1945)

Unit Personnel

• Charles Douglas Pailthorpe DFC 14 Sep 1941 - March 1942