No. 244 Squadron RAF

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Brief History

No.244 Squadron served in the Middle East for the entire Second World War, first as a patrol and army co-operation squadron and later as an anti-submarine squadron. A large number of its aircrew were Australians. The Squadron was raised on 21 Aug 1939 at RAF Habbaniya in Iraq by re-designating the Communication Flight, Iraq & Persia as 'S' Squadron, which was then on 1 Nov 1940 re-designated as No. 244 Squadron. At that time it was equipped with Vickers Vincent aircraft and it was involved in quelling the Iraqi uprising in May 1941, operating out of an airfield at Basra.

In April 1942 the squadron was re-equipped with Bristol Blenheim aircraft for anti-submarine patrols, and in May it moved to RAF Sharjah at the other end of the Persian Gulf. From here it staged through a range of airfields including Jask, |Ras al Hadd, and Masirah. During this time the squadron's Sgt Chapman had sunk one U Boat, U-244 (some records say it was U-533) in the Gulf of Oman on 16 Oct 1943. The squadron received Vickers Wellington aircraft in February 1944 before it moved to RAF Masirah on an island off Oman's Indian Ocean coast. The unit nickname was 'Petrol Tin Island' from the drums used to supply the fuel for aircraft and vehicle alike. From here it continued anti-submarine patrols until it was disbanded in May 1945. Five AUstralians lost their lives while posted to No. 244 Squadron RAF.

Squadron personnel

• Gerard Henzell Straughan Hemy February - December 1942