With the threat of another German War in the distance, the Squadron was reformed at Northolt in 1937. By 1939 the initial equipment of Gloster Gauntletts was replaced with Hawker Hurricane Mk Is, and the Squadron was ready for battle. The first major battle was Operation Dynamo the evacuation of Dunkirk. Patrols were flown on all the crucial days and on one patrol alone Sergeant Butterfield destroyed two ME 109s, a ME 110 and a Ju 88.

The next six months saw the Squadron in the front line of the Battle of Britain. operating from Exeter and Tangmere, the Squadron recorded 133 enemy aircraft destroyed in this battle. After five months in the North, the squadron left UK on board HMS Furious for "an unknown destination", it was the Western Desert. At this stage the Squadron was split up. A and C Flights remained in North Africa while B Flight moved north into Palastine and operated with No 80 Squadron throughout the Syrian Campaign that concluded with the surrender of the Vichy forces in.July 1941. B Flight won for the Squadron the battle honour "Syria 1941"

By August 1941 the Squadron was reunited again. at Nicosia, Cyprus and both the first German and first Italian aircraft to be destroyed over the island fell to the guns of one of the unit's pilots. Later in 1941 the Squadron left for Egypt leaving only four aircraft in Cyprus for the defence of the island.

Back in the Desert the Squadron's task was the day and night defence of the area. Moving frequently from one desert strip to the next No 213 Squadron provided cover for the retreating 8th Army. These were grim days and the Squadron suffered some of its heaviest losses. However. the tables turned and the end of the summer brought final victory at El Alamein.

FOREWORD

(BY WING COMMANDER M.R.T. CHANDLER)



Two hundred and thirteen Squadron of the Royal Air Force is now fifty years old. The Squadron has seen two world wars during which it won eight battle honours and it has flown such famous aircraft as the Hurricane, the Spitfire and the Sopwith Camel. Before it joined the Royal Air Force the Squadron served in the Royal Navy and it was during this time that it gained its emblem the Hornet.



The Squadron Motto " Irritatus Lacessit Crabro" means "When Aroused the Hornet Strikes"   which is more appropriate than ever before.

Page 1.
Page 2.
A SHORT HISTORY OF No. 213 SQUADRON.

In the July of 1917 the Royal Naval Air Service was operating a flight of Sopwith Camels at St. Pol airfield near Dunkirk. This flight, was initially involved with the bombing of U boat pens and the reconnaissance of enemy shipping. The aircraft and personnel of this Seaplane Defence Flight gained such appreciation from the local population that they were christened "The Hornets.

The Hornets were so successful with operations in the English Channel that on Ist January 1918 the Admiralty granted them squadron status with the number 13.
The famous Sopwith Camel was flown by the Squadron at the time of its formation. Its top speed was 1181/2 mph.
Page 3.
No 13 Squadron RNAS was, however. short lived for on lst April 1918 it was drafted into the new Royal Air Force and renamed No 213. During this changeover and up to the end of the war the squadron valuably contributed to,the eventual victory with low level bombing attacks and air reconnaissance work off the South Belgian coast.  Among other squadrons operating in the same area was No 80 Squadron. In May Flight Lieutenant Graham (the Squadron Commander) and Flight Sub Lieutenant Slatter were mentioned in dispatches in connection with their part in the famous St George's Day raid at Zeebrugge. Forty six years later the battle honour of 'Western Front 1918' was bestowed upon the Squadron. After hostilities in December 1919 the Squadron, who had been resting since that March at Scopwick, Lincolnshire was disbanded.
The Gloster Gauntlet II as flown by the Squadron prior to World War Il.
Page 4.
This aircraft in RAF colours was a captured Ju 87, Stuka. It was flown by the Squadron in the Desert War 1941- 42.
Page 5.
By the Autumn of 1942 the Hurricane was considerably out performed by the latest German fighters and 213 was withdrawn from the front line and were used for eight months in the frustrating but vital role of convey patrol flying.
This photo taken at Idku in 1942 shows a squadron pilot painting the beloved 'sign' on his Hurricane. The code letters AK were used by No 213 throughout the war.
In Mid 1943 the Squadron was back in the Delta as a fighter interceptor unit. It was during this period that the Squadron claimed its 200th victim when a patrol shot down three Ju 88s.
Page 6.
An example of first line servicing at Misurata West airfield on a Hurricane in 1943.
Two rapid re equipments early in 1944 saw the old Hurricanes first replaced by Spitfire Vs and IXs and then by North American Mustang Ills. Shortly after receiving this latter aircraft the unit moved north into the heel of Italy becoming the first squadron of the newly formed Balkan Air Force. Patrols were flown throughout the countries of Yugoslavia, Greece, Bulgaria, Rumania, Albania and Hungary.

Page 7.
This photograph was taken from the Squadron camp overlooking the Biferno river in Italy in December 1944. The C.O., Squadron Leader Vaughan Fowler flying his North American Mustang Ill was returning from a dawn sortie.
The Squadron was operating in a new role as a ground attack unit. Gunning and Bombing vital enemy communications, they forced the withdrawal of German forces to the North. The campaign in South East Europe won the Squadron honours for the seventh time of the War and this ensured its continued existence after victory in 1945.

Page 8.
The Squadron moved to the Middle East once again. Mustang IIIs were replaced by Tempest IIIs. The first four years of peace saw No 213 in the
task of policing the area.
The Hawker Tempest used by the Squadron for just over two years in the middle east. Note the AK Squadron marking. This photo was taken at 15. 000 ft above Khartoum.
Back in Egypt in 1949 the Squadron said goodbye to the internal combustion engine receiving its first De Havilland Vampire Mk 9s. For the next five years from the base at Deversoir the Squadron continued to fly in a ground attack role until it was disbanded in 1954.
Page 9.
A typical scene at Deversoir in Egypt 1950 54. A Vampire V of No 213 Squadron is loaded with ammunition.
Page 10.
With the creation of a new interdictor force under the command of Royal Air Force Germany in 1955. the squadron was reborn once more at Alhorn. Germany. As the first unit of this new force and  the only one to be equipped with the English Electric Canberra B(1)6, the Squadron was soon deeply engaged in developing new techniques and tactics for this role. In 1957, the move south to Bruggen brought the Squadron to its present location and in partnership once again with No 80 Squadron.
The Canberra B(1)6, the Squadron's present aircraft. seen here flying a low level training mission in West Germany.
With a primary role of tactical strike and secondary role of ground attack. the squadron is fully occupied in maintaining a high standard in both spheres.
The unit's connection with the Middle East is still closely maintained by numerous detachments to that area. In July 1961 the Kuwait Crisis found the unit at Sharjah on the Persian Gulf. The Squadron however soon returned to Europe without bloodshed.

On July 15th 1964 Her Royal Highness Princess Margaret presented the Squadron with its well earned squadron standard bearing the eight battle
honours of the last two world wars.
Page 11.
In July 1964 at a joint standard presentation parade with No 80 Squadron, No 213 receive their standard from Her Royal Highness Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon.

Page 12.
Now the Squadron is involved as part of the NATO deterrent and is thus a vital force in the maintenance of world peace.
NO 213 SQUADRON'S STANDARD
Page 13.
No. 213 SQUADRON
COMMANDING OFFICERS

SQUADRON COMMANDER           R.   GRAHAM                        3RD JULY 1917

MAJOR                                        A.G.   TAYLOR                      21ST NOVEMBER 1918 
                                                                                        31ST DECEMBER 1919


SQUADRON LEADER                   J. H.   EDWARDES JONES     3RD MAY 1937

SQUADRON LEADER                   H.D.   McGREGOR                 27TH JUNE 1940

SQUADRON LEADER                   D.S.   MacDONALD                25TH SEPTEMBER 1940

SQUADRON LEADER                   J.   LOCKHART                      3RD DECEMBER 1941

SQUADRON LEADER                   G.V.W.   KETTLEWELL          24TH JANUARY 1942

SQUADRON LEADER                   M.H.   YOUNG, DFC               18TH MAY 1942

SQUADRON LEADER                   P.   OLVER, DFC                   12TH OCTOBER 1942

SQUADRON LEADER                   V.C.   WOODWARD, DFC       3RD JANUARY 1943

SQUADRON LEADER                   S.R.   WHITING, DFC             23RD AUGUST 1943

SQUADRON LEADER                   G.S.   VOS, DFC                    22ND SEPTEMBER 1944

SQUADRON LEADER                   P. E.   VAUGHAN FOWLER, DFC   IOTH DECEMBER 1944

SQUADRON LEADER                   R. S.    NASH, DFC                21ST JANUARY 1946

SQUADRON LEADER*                  M.C.   WELLS                       5TH NOVEMBER 1946

SQUADRON LEADER                   D.C.   COLEBROOK               8TH JANUARY 1947

SQUADRON LEADER                   P3.   KELLEY, DFC                18TH MARCH 1948

SQUADRON LEADER                   D. J. A.   ROE, DSO, DFC      18TH APRIL 1949

SQUADRON LEADER                   D.M.   FINN, DFC                   12TH SEPTEMBER 1951

Page 14.
SQUADRON LEADER                   A. J. H.   KITLEY                    1ST JANUARY 1954

                                                                                        30TH SEPTEMBER 1954

WING COMMANDER                    H.J.   DODSON, AFC              1ST SEPTEMBER 1955

WING COMMANDER                    I.R.   CAMPBELL, AFC           31ST DECEMBER 1957

WING COMMANDER                    P. T.   BAYLEY                       10TH AUGUST 1959

WING COMMANDER                    G.   SLATER, OBE, DSO, DFC16TH JUNE 1961

WING COMMANDER                    R. H.   ARSCOTT                    29TH APRIL 1964

WING COMMANDER                    T. E.   BENSON                      13TH JUNE 1966

WING COMMANDER                    M. R. T.    CHANDLER            1ST JUNE 1968



Page 15.
LOCATIONS


ST POL(DUNKIRK)                              3RD JULY 1917                             FRANCE

BERQUES                                           23RD JANUARY 1918                    FRANCE

STALHILLE                                        27TH NOVEMBER 1918                 BELGIUM

SCOPWICK                                        19TH MARCH 1919                        ENGLAND

                          DISBANDED                                       3IST DECEMBER 1919

NORTHOLT                                         8TH MARCH 1937                         ENGLAND

CHURCH FENTON                               IST JULY 1937                              ENGLAND

WITTERING                                        18TH MAY 1938                             ENGLAND

BIGGIN HILL                                       26TH MAY 1940                            ENGLAND

EXETER                                              18TH JUNE 1940                           ENGLAND

TANGMERE                                         7TH SEPTEMBER 1940                 ENGLAND

LECONFIELD                                      29TH NOVEMBER 1940                 ENGLAND

DRIFFIELD                                         15TH JANUARY 1941                     ENGLAND

CASTLETOWN                                    20TH FEBRUARY 1941                  SCOTLAND

NICOSIA                                             16TH AUGUST 1941                      CYPRUS

ISMAILIA                                            22ND OCTOBER 1941                    EGYPT

IDKU                                                   8TH MARCH 1942                          EGYPT

LG 12                      (GAMBUT WEST)        1ST JUNE 1942                              LIBYA

LG 154                                               30TH JUNE 1942                            EGYPT

KILO 8                                                5TH AUGUST 1942                        LIBYA

LG 85                                                 21ST AUGUST 1942                       LIBYA

LG 172                                               23RD OCTOBER 1942                     LIBYA

LG 20                                                 8TH NOVEMBER 1942                    LIBYA

Page 16.
EL ADEM                                      20TH NOVEMBER 1942                        LIBYA

MARTUBA                                    25TH NOVEMBER 1942                        LIBYA

MISURATA WEST                        23RD JANUARY 1943                            LIBYA

IDKU                                            5TH AUGUST 1943                               EGYPT

EL GAMIL                                   2ND JANUARY 1944                              EGYPT

IDKU                                             3RD MAY 1944                                      EGYPT

BRINDISI                                     3RD JULY. 1944                                    ITALY

BIFERNO                                     12TH JULY 1944                                   YUGOSLAVIA

PRKOS                                        28TH APRIL 1945                                 YUGOSLAVIA

BIFERNO                                     25TH MAY 1945                                    YUGOSLAVIA

BRINDISI                                     26TH JUNE 1945                                   ITALY

RAMAT DAVID                            13TH SEPTEMBER 1945                        PALESTINE

NICOSIA                                      IST OCTOBER 1946                              CYPRUS

SHALLUFA                                  4TH SEPTEMBER 1947                          EGYPT

KHARTOUM                                 22ND OCTOBER 1947                           SUDAN

MOGADISHU                               17TH AUGUST 1948                              SOMALIA

DEVERSOIR                                 21ST OCTOBER 1948                           EGYPT

NICOSIA                                      4TH MARCH 1949                                 CYPRUS

DEVERSOIR                                 21ST APRIL 1949                                 EGYPT

KHARTOUM                                15TH JULY 1949                                    SUDAN

DEVERSOIR                                 5TH AUGUST 1949                               EGYPT

                      DISBANDED                                30TH SEPTEMBER 1954

AHLHORN                                   1ST SEPTEMBER 1955                          GERMANY

BRUGGEN                                   22ND AUGUST 1957                              GERMANY

                                             This booklet was compiled and edited by Flying Officer G.Q. Grumbridgei, May 1968

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