No. 120 Squadron RAF

No. 120 Squadron RAF

No. 120 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force unit formed during the First World War and reconstituted through the Second World War and Cold War, engaging in maritime patrol, anti-submarine warfare, and heavy bomber operations. The squadron operated a succession of aircraft types and took part in operations connected to the Battle of the Atlantic, the Normandy campaign, and postwar maritime reconnaissance. Its service linked it with major RAF commands, Allied naval formations, and strategic events across Europe, the Atlantic, and Asia.

History

Formed in the late stages of the First World War, the unit was reformed in the interwar period and notably reconstituted before the Second World War where it joined RAF Coastal Command, contributing to campaigns against the Kriegsmarine, supporting convoys in the Battle of the Atlantic, and coordinating with the Royal Navy and United States Navy. During the Second World War the squadron shifted roles between bomber support for operations such as the Normandy landings and anti-submarine patrols that intersected with the wider Battle for the Atlantic and the struggle against U-boat wolfpacks. In the immediate postwar period the squadron was involved in maritime surveillance during the early Cold War, working alongside NATO partners including Royal Canadian Air Force and United States Air Force units, and later re-equipped for long-range patrols during heightened tensions exemplified by crises such as the Korean War. The squadron's disbandments and re-formations reflected RAF structural changes under leaders like Arthur Harris and policy shifts influenced by the British government and inter-Allied strategic planning after Yalta Conference-era arrangements.

Aircraft and Equipment

The unit's inventory spanned multiple types: early operations used light bombers such as the Handley Page Hampden, while wartime maritime and long-range roles employed the Consolidated Liberator (B-24)—a variant built by Consolidated Aircraft—and the four-engined Avro Lancaster for heavy tasks allied to RAF Bomber Command sorties. For dedicated anti-submarine and reconnaissance missions the squadron operated the Short Sunderland flying boat and later piston-era maritime types including the Avro Shackleton, which featured extended-range capability derived from experiences with Vickers Wellington and Avro Lancaster designs. Avionics and sensors progressed from basic radio direction-finding sets and visual search equipment to airborne radar such as ASV sets developed alongside research at institutions like Boffin Bay and equipment manufacturers such as Marconi Company. Defensive and offensive armament included depth charges developed from interwar trials and adaptations of ordnance used in Operation Overlord-support sorties.

Operations and Deployments

The squadron carried out extensive anti-submarine patrols in the mid-Atlantic, coordinating with convoy escorts from ships of the Royal Navy and aircraft from the Royal Canadian Air Force and United States Navy. It contributed to escort and interdiction missions that targeted Kriegsmarine U-boat concentrations during events linked to the Second Happy Time and the later intensified convoy defence campaigns such as those protecting HX and ON convoys. Elements supported cross-Channel operations during the Normandy landings, providing reconnaissance and strike abilities that synced with sorties by RAF Fighter Command and strategic moves affecting the Allied Expeditionary Air Force. In the Far East and Mediterranean theatres detachments undertook long-range patrols, cooperating with the Royal Australian Air Force and Royal New Zealand Air Force where Allied maritime risks required combined air-sea approaches similar to operations around Malta and the Bay of Biscay. Postwar tasks included maritime surveillance in Cold War contexts, patrols tied to NATO naval exercises, and participation in search-and-rescue coordination alongside civilian services such as the Air Ministry-linked organizations.

Bases and Stations

Throughout its existence the squadron was stationed at multiple RAF airfields and seaplane bases associated with maritime operations, including locations on the west coast of the UK used for Atlantic patrols and forward locations supporting Mediterranean sorties. Notable RAF stations hosting maritime squadrons and relevant to the unit's deployments included RAF Pembroke Dock, RAF St Eval, RAF Leuchars, and RAF Ballykelly, while detachments operated from seaplane facilities such as RAF Invergordon and staging posts like RAF Gibraltar and bases used for operations linked to the Western Approaches Command. Overseas postings tied the squadron to hubs used by Allied air arms in the Indian Ocean and Pacific littorals, with logistics coordinated through ports such as Liverpool and staging via naval bases including Scapa Flow.

Squadron Insignia and Traditions

The squadron badge and motto reflected maritime heritage and the anti-submarine role, following heraldic conventions approved by the College of Arms and displayed on standards and aircraft fuselages in service with RAF Coastal Command. Traditions included annual commemorations linked to Second World War anniversaries such as VE Day and unit-level ceremonies resonant with commemorative practices of other RAF squadrons like those remembered at the Imperial War Museum and in regimental histories held by the Royal Air Force Museum. The squadron maintained esprit de corps through associations that paralleled groups such as the RAF Association and veterans' charities, preserving logs, operations records, and photographs now curated in archives including the National Archives (UK) and collections at the RAF Museum Hendon.

Category:Royal Air Force squadrons Category:Military units and formations established in 1918