206 SQUADRON

(Last updated: 23.01.08)

History of the 206

The 206 Squadron was originally formed in 1916 and served in France as a Fighter, Bomber and Reconnaissance Squadron. After the end of the First World War the squadron returned to England and was renumbered No. 47 Squadron on the 1st of February 1920. The expansion of the RAF in the mid 1930's began to produce an increased flow of aircraft and in June 1936, 206 Squadron reformed at RAF Manston as a General Reconnaissance Squadron flying Avro Ansons.

In August 1936 the Squadron was transferred to Coastal Command and in March 1938 presented with its emblem the 'Octopus'. With the outbreak of the Second World War the Squadron consisted of 24 aircraft, some of which were the Anson and some the Lockheed Hudson. By 1942 the Hudsons were being replaced by the Boeing Fortress II and IIA however one of the last tasks for the Hudsons was to take part in the '1,000 Bomber Raids' over Germany (see the link 'Timeline ' and within that '1942' on the left hand side). The Fortress II's and IIA's provided the facility to cover a much greater area than had been previously available and the 206 moved to the Azores to provide convoy protection. 

In April 1944 the 206 moved back to the U.K and they converted to Consolidated Liberators, this replaced the Fortress as it enabled the crews to conduct successful night sorties using radar against the German U-Boats. There were patrol duties over the Norwegian coastal areas that the unit continued for the remainder of the war. With the end of the war in Europe, 206 were tasked with the transport of freight to India and then returning home ex-POW's from the Far East until 206 was disbanded in April 1946. By the end of the war 206 Squadron had destroyed a total of 10 and assisted in the destruction of a further 2 U-Boats.  206 Squadron personnel had received 37 Distinguished Flying Crosses and 13 Distinguished Flying medals, sadly the Squadron had also lost a total of 274 personnel.