No 14 Squadron

RAF Bruggen
30 Jun 1970 - 30 Nov 1975

No. 14 Squadron formed at Shoreham on 3 February 1915 from a nucleus provided by No. 3 Reserve Squadron, and worked up on a variety of types before departing for the Middle East in November. It was tasked with Army co-operation duties in Egypt, Palestine and Arabia, and carried out a series of detachments around the region as hot spots occurred. In November 1917, the Squadron received RE8s and concentrated on reconnaissance duties until recalled the UK in 1919 and disbanded in February of that year.

Reformed in Palestine a year later, the Squadron remained in the region throughout the Inter-War years, flying Bristol Fighters and on various duties including air policing, photo survey and many long-distance 'flag waving' flights around the region. Fairey IIIFs and Gordons replaced these in the early 1930s and by the start of World War II No. 14 squadron was flying Wellesley bombers. With the expected advance of Axis forces through Africa, the Squadron began bombing targets in Eritrea in June 1940 before re-equipping with Blenheims and a flight of Gladiators by the end of the year. These were used until the summer of 1942 when Marauders were taken on strength and used in the anti-shipping role. During mid-1944, the Squadron moved to Chivenor and flew Wellingtons in the anti-submarine role. This continued until June 1945, when the Squadron moved to Banff in Scotland and traded its Wellingtons for Mosquitos.

With an administrative disbandment (for one day), the No. 14 Squadron reformed at Wahn in Germany with Mosquito bombers, and continued with these until Vampires arrived in 1951, supplemented two years later by Venoms. In 1955, No. 14 Squadron became a fighter unit and received Hunters for this role. With another short disbandment in 1962, the Squadron re-formed at Wildenrath with Canberras in the strike role until June 1970 when Phantoms arrived. Jaguars replaced these aircraft in the fighter/attack role in 1975 whilst the Squadron was at Bruggen and remained on strength until 1985 when Tornado GR1s replaced them. In January 2001 they moved to Lossiemouth.

14 Squadron was disbanded on the 1st of June 2011. It was agreed that 14 Squadron’s numberplate should be passed to a new unit in the Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) role. The unit has been operating as part of 5 Squadron at RAF Waddington. The new 14 Squadron, operates the Beechcraft Shadow R1 aircraft.