History of No 247 Squadron Royal Air Force

Motto: "Rise from the east"

Badge: In front of a sun a lion, crowned, bearing a scroll. No 247 Squadron was the China-British gift squadron in World War Two and also served for a long time in Devon and Cornwall. China is represented by the characters on the scroll, meaning 'Hurricane', Devon by the demi-lion and Cornwall by the sun.

No 247 Squadron was formed on 20 August 1918 from Nos 336, 337 and 338 Flights at the former Royal Naval Air Station, Felixstowe, and for the remaining months of the war its flying boats flew patrols over the North Sea. On 22 January 1919 the squadron disbanded.

On 21 July 1940, the Fighter Flight, Sumburgh, was transferred to Roborough for the defence of Plymouth and became 247 Squadron on 1 August. It flew Gladiators on defensive patrols, mainly at night until they were replaced by Hurricanes at the end of the year. Convoy patrols and day and night air defence of the area occupied the squadron until September 1941, when it began intruder missions over north-west France with longe-range Hurricanes IIBs. It remained in south-west England until September 1942 when it moved to the Midlands and in January 1943 began to convert to Typhoons.

Joining the newly formed Second TAF during the summer of 1943, No.247 took part in sweeps over northern France and in April 1944, took a course in rocket firing in preparation for its Army support during the invasion. On 20 June it began to operate from airstrips in Normandy and followed the breakout to reach the Netherlands by the end of September. Armed reconnaissance sweeps were flown over Germany for the rest of the war, the main targets being enemy transport, railways and barges. On 13 April 1945, the squadron moved to its first German base and remained in Germany until transferred back to the UK in August to convert to Tempests IIs. It did not have these for long before it was selected to be the first Vampire squadron in March 1946, and in June No.247 moved to Odiham, its home base for next eleven years. In April 1952 re-equipment with Meteors began and these gave place to Hunters fron June 1955. On 31 December 1957, the squadron was disbanded.

No.247 reformed on 1 July 1960 at Carnaby as a Bloodhound ground to air missile squadron, disbanding on 31 December 1963.

Thank you the the RAF Website for this information