No. 113 Squadron RAF
No. 113 Squadron RAF: The Crusader Squadron
No. 113 Squadron RAF served the United Kingdom in the Royal Air Force with a long and varied history. It began in 1917 in Egypt as a corps reconnaissance and army cooperation unit, taking over duties from another unit and flying missions over Palestine during World War I. After the war the squadron was renumbered to No. 208 and disbanded in 1920.
The squadron reformed in 1937 at RAF Upper Heyford as a day bomber unit, starting with Hawker Hind aircraft. In 1938 it moved to the Middle East, switching to Bristol Blenheim aircraft in 1939. Early in World War II, No. 113 took part in attacks on Italian targets, including El Adem airbase and Tobruk, and then moved to Greece in 1941, where it was forced to evacuate after the German invasion. Bombing operations in North Africa resumed in mid-1941.
A notable operation occurred in November 1941 during the Crusader period. From a temporary Libyan airfield behind enemy lines, the squadron attacked Axis supply lines in the rear. The mission faced German resistance but was considered a success, and the unit later moved to safer airfields in Egypt.
When the war expanded to Asia, the squadron was redeployed to Burma. It carried out bombing missions against Bangkok in January 1942 and attacked Japanese targets while suffering heavy casualties. Some members from Australia’s air force served with No. 113 during this time. In 1943 the squadron changed to ground-attack work with Hurricanes, later flying Thunderbolts before it was finally disbanded in October 1945.
Postwar, the squadron was briefly reformed through renumbering and again in 1947 for transport duties with Halifax and Dakota aircraft, before being disbanded in 1948. In 1959 No. 113 (SM) Squadron was created for Project Emily, operating Thor intermediate-range missiles in a British strategic role. The squadron was kept at high readiness during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962 and was disbanded in 1963 as the Thor program ended in Britain.
Unit details at a glance:
- Country/branch: United Kingdom, Royal Air Force
- Roles over time: army cooperation, bomber, fighter, transport, and missile operation
- Motto: Velox et vindex ("Swift to vengeance")
- Notable missions: Sinai and Palestine Campaign, World War II operations in North Africa and Greece, Burma and Bangkok bombing raids, and later the Thor missile program during the Cold War.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 21:54 (CET).