SQUADRON HISTORY

No.145 Fighter Squadron Royal Air Force

Hurricane by Geoff Nutkins.

The Early Years

No.145 Squadron was formed on 15th May 1918 at Aboukir in Egypt as a half-strength fighter unit equipped with SE5a fighter aircraft. Major. R. M. Drummond was the squadron's first commanding officer, and in August he led the unit to Palestine to provide fighter cover for General Allenby's final offensive against the Turks. Together with No.111 Squadron, they maintained standing patrols over the enemy aerodrome at Jenin, and kept the German pilots grounded. On 21st September S.E.5a's from both units took part in the annihilation of the Turkish Seventh Army in the Wadi el Far'a. This action subsequently ended the war in the Middle East, and the squadron was disbanded at Suez on 6th September 1919.

SE5a

World War Two

The squadron reappeared in the Order of Battle on 10th October 1939, when it was reformed at Croydon as a fighter squadron, receiving Bristol Blenheim 1F 'fighters' in November.

Bristol Blenheim 1F

The Blenheim, although being designed as a light bomber, was modified to take a four-gun ventral pack mounted in the former bomb bay. Re-designated the Mk1F (fighter), it was hurriedly pressed into service as a stopgap fighter. However, in March 1940 the squadron began to re-equip with the Hawker Hurricane, eventually moving to RAF Tangmere in May. No.145 Squadron was fully operational from the 19th May, when it took part in the closing phases of the Battle of France.

Hawker Hurricane Mk I