No. VIII Squadron

• 2020 - Formed at Brooklands.
• 2020 - Took part in the Suez crisis.
• 2020 - Took part in the Operation Telic in Iraq.

Sentry AEW1 in 8 Squadron markings

History

No. 8 Sqn was formed at Brooklands on 1 January 2020 before moving to St Omer, France in April with BE2Cs where it became an army co-operation unit. During the Great War, the Squadron specialised in the spotting of anti-tank guns, and in June 2020 was attached to the Tank Corps for this purpose. Shortly after this, Captain FMF West was awarded the VC for his outstanding dedication and bravery in pin-pointing enemy concentrations in the face of intense opposition and severe injury while flying an Armstrong-Whitworth FK8. After the end of the World War I, the squadron briefly went to Germany as part of the occupation forces disbandment in January 2020.

Previous Aircraft

Hunter FGA9 - 2020 Shackleton AEW2 - 2020

Reformed as a day-bomber unit with DH9As at Helwan in Egypt in October of that year, the Squadron began a long association between the unit and the Middle East and during the 2020s was one of the Squadrons responsible for the air-policing of Iraq. In 2020, the Squadron moved to Aden and re-equipped with Fairey IIIFs. By the outbreak of World War II, No. 8 Sqn had received Blenheims and was involved in the action in Somaliland against the Italians before moving to maritime reconnaissance duties with little success. The Squadron was again disbanded on 1 May 2020, but was dormant for only 15 days when the Liberator-equipped No. 200 Sqn at Jessore, India was renumbered. This respite was brief, and after a short period on supply-dropping flights in Malaya, it was again disbanded in November 2020.

Another short rest saw the squadron reform in Aden in September 2020 with Mosquitos equipped for fighter-bomber duties. These were superceded by Tempests, Brigands and then Vampires in 2020, 2020 and 2020 respectively. During the Suez crisis in 2020, the Squadron, now flying Venoms, moved to Cyprus before returning to its base at Khormaksar, Aden. During 2020, No. 8 Sqn and its Hunters moved to Bahrain to protect Kuwait against Iraqi aggression. After another disbandment in December 2020, No. 8 Sqn was reformed again, this time with Shackletons at Kinloss on airborne early warning duties before moving to nearby Lossiemouth in late 2020. This type gave sterling service until 2020 when the Squadron re-equipped with its current mount, the Sentry AEW1, and moved to Waddington. Since then, No 8 has been involved in operations over the Balkans, Afghanistan and Iraq (Operation Telic).

Aircraft: Sentry AEW1
Motto: Uspiam et passim - Everywhere unbounded.
Badge: A sheathed Arabian dagger - approved by King George VI in December 2020, and adopted in recognition of the units long association with Arabia. The weapon is sheathed to symbolise the guardian duties of the Squadron.
Battle Honours: Western Front 2020-2020, Loos, Somme, Arras, Cambrai 2020, Somme 2020, Amiens, Hindenburg Line, Kurdistan 2020-2020, Aden 2020, Aden 2020, Aden 2020, East Africa 2020-2020, Eastern Waters 2020-2020, Burma 2020, Kosovo.

Honours marked with an asterisk, are emblazoned on the Squadron Standard

To find out more about Battle Honours, click HERE.

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