View source for No. 23 Squadron RAF

{{Short description|Defunct flying squadron of the Royal Air Force}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2015}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2015}}
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{{Infobox military unit
| unit_name = No. 23 Squadron RAF
| native_name =
| image = 23 Squadron RAF.jpg
| image_size = 150px
| alt =
| caption = [[Heraldic badges of the Royal Air Force|Squadron badge]]
| dates = {{hlist|1915–1918 ([[Royal Flying Corps|RFC]])|1918–1919|1925–1945|1946–1975|1975–1988|1988–2009}}
| disbanded = {{End date|2009|10|2|df=yes}}
| country = {{flag|United Kingdom}}
| allegiance = 
| branch = {{air force|United Kingdom}}
| type =
| role = <!-- or | specialization = -->
| size =
| command_structure =
| garrison =
| garrison_label = Station
| nickname =
| patron =
| motto = {{Language with name/for|la|Semper Aggressus|Always on the attack}}
| colors = <!-- or | colours = -->
| colors_label = <!-- or | colours_label = -->
| march =
| mascot =
| anniversaries =
| equipment =
| equipment_label = Aircraft
| battles =
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| website =
<!-- Commanders -->
| current_commander =
| commander1 =
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<!-- Insignia -->
| identification_symbol = [[File:RAF 23 Sqn.svg|150px]]
| identification_symbol_label = Post-1950 roundel
| identification_symbol_2 = MS (Sep 1938–Sep 1939)<br/>YP (Sep 1939–May 1945 and Sep 1946–April 1951)<br/>EA–EZ (Nov 1988 – Feb 1994)
| identification_symbol_2_label = Tail codes
}}
'''No. 23 Squadron''' is a dormant squadron of the [[Royal Air Force]]. Prior to its disbandment in October 2009, it operated the [[E-3 Sentry|Boeing E-3D Sentry AEW1]] aircraft from [[RAF Waddington]], [[Lincolnshire]].

==History==

===First World War (1915–1919)===
No. 23 Squadron of the [[Royal Flying Corps]] was formed at [[Fort Grange]], [[HMS Sultan (shore establishment)|Gosport]] on 1 September 1915, commanded by [[Louis Strange]] and equipped with a mixture of aircraft types. A detachment operating the [[Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2|Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2c]] was deployed to [[RAF Hornchurch|Sutton's Farm airfield]] to act as night fighters to oppose raids by German [[Zeppelin]] airships, but there were no successful interceptions.<ref name="Famous p29-0">Halley 1971, pp. 29–30.</ref> The squadron moved to France on 16 March 1916 flying the [[Royal Aircraft Factory FE2|Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2b]] two-seat [[pusher configuration|pusher]] fighter. The squadron used the F.E.2b on close-escort duties and to fly standing patrols to engage hostile aircraft wherever they could be found, helping to establish [[air superiority]] in the build-up to the [[Battle of the Somme]].<ref name="Famous p30-1">Halley 1971, pp. 30–31.</ref>

By the end of the year the F.E.2b was obsolete, and the squadron started to receive [[Spad S.VII]] single-seat fighters in February 1917, with its last F.E.2 withdrawn in April 1917.<ref name="Famous p31-2">Halley 1971, pp. 31–32.</ref> The squadron flew its SPADs both on offensive fighter patrols over the [[Front line|frontline]] and low-level [[strafing]] attacks against German troops.<ref name="Famous p32">Halley 1971, p. 32.</ref> In December 1917, it replaced its SPAD S.VII with the more powerful and heavier armed [[Spad S.XIII]].<ref name="Famous p32"/> 

[[Charles Kingsford Smith]], Australian Aviation pioneer was assigned to the squadron in July 1917. During his time at the squadron he shot down four German fighters before being shot down himself, he would go on to hold a training role within the squadron.<ref>{{Citation |last=Howard |first=Frederick |title=Kingsford Smith, Sir Charles Edward (1897–1935) |work=Australian Dictionary of Biography |url=https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/kingsford-smith-sir-charles-edward-6964 |access-date=2022-12-04 |place=Canberra |publisher=National Centre of Biography, Australian National University |language=en}}</ref>

The squadron converted to [[Sopwith Dolphin]]s in April 1918 until it disbanded just after the war on 31 December 1919.<ref name="Lewis Squad p22">Lewis 1959, p.22.</ref> 

It numbered nineteen [[Flying ace|flying aces]] among its ranks during the war, including: [[William Kennedy-Cochran-Patrick]];  [[Douglas McGregor (aviator)|Douglas U. McGregor]]; [[James William Pearson|James Pearson]]; [[Clive W. Warman]]; [[Frederick J. Gibbs|Frederick Gibbs]]; [[Conn Standish O'Grady]]; [[Herbert Drewitt]]; [[James Fitz-Morris]]; [[Harold Albert White]]; [[Alfred Edwin McKay]]; [[Harry Compton]]; and [[Arthur Bradfield Fairclough]].<ref>Shores, Franks & Guest 1990, p. 32</ref>

===Interwar period (1925–1938)===
No. 23 Squadron was re-formed on 1 July 1925 at [[RAF Henlow]] in Bedfordshire, flying the [[Sopwith Snipe]],<ref name="RAF 23 Squad">"[http://www.raf.mod.uk/organisation/23squadron.cfm RAF – 23 Squadron] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110114184339/http://www.raf.mod.uk/organisation/23squadron.cfm |date=14 January 2011 }}" ''Organisation''. Royal Air Force. Retrieved 15 November 2008.</ref> under command of the First World War air ace [[Raymond Collishaw]]. The squadron re-equipped with the more modern [[Gloster Gamecock]] fighter in May 1926,<ref name="Famous p32"/> and moved to [[RAF Kenley]] in Surrey in February 1927.<ref name="Halley80 p52">Halley 1980, p. 52.</ref>

In April 1931, the squadron partly re-equipped with [[Bristol Bulldog]]s, another single seat fighter, while continuing to operate the Gamecock. Both the Gamecock and Bulldog were outperformed by the [[Hawker Hart]] light bomber which had recently entered service with the RAF, and in June 1931, the squadron received a single Hart for evaluation as a two seat fighter. The evaluation was a success, and a flight of six fighter variants of the Hart, designated the Hart Fighter replaced the squadrons remaining Gamecocks from October that year.<ref name="Famous p32,6,1">Halley 1973, pp. 32, 36, 41.</ref><ref name="Halley80 p51-2">Halley 1980, pp. 51–52.</ref><ref name="mason p234">Mason 1992, p. 234.</ref> [[File:Hawker Demon ExCC.jpg|thumb|left|[[Hawker Demon|Hawker Demons]] of No. 23 Squadron]]The squadron moved to [[RAF Biggin Hill]] in Greater London September 1932 and by April 1933, was fully equipped with Hart fighters, which by then were known as [[Hawker Demon]]s.<ref name="Halley80 p52" /><ref name="Famous p36">Halley 1973, p. 36.</ref>

The [[Abyssinia Crisis]] in September 1935 led to the squadron being stripped of both aircraft and men in order to reinforce squadrons that were temporarily deployed overseas, with the squadron inventory dropping to a single aircraft in March 1936 before returning to full strength.<ref name="Famous p36"/> It moved to [[RAF Northolt]] in Greater London in December 1936, moving again in May 1938, this time to [[RAF Wittering]] in Cambridgeshire.<ref name="Halley80 p52"/> The squadron replaced its obsolete Demon [[biplane]]s in December 1938 with the [[Bristol Blenheim]] twin-engine [[monoplane]], another bomber converted to a fighter.<ref name="Famous p36"/>
===Second World War (1939–1945)===
On the outbreak of the [[Second World War]] the squadron, still equipped with Blenheims, became a [[night-fighter]] squadron.<ref name="Famous p36"/> The squadron scored its first victory of the war on 18 June 1940, when a German [[Heinkel He 111]] was shot down over [[Cley next the Sea]], Norfolk, with another He 111 being shot down the same night, although two Blenheims were lost to return fire from German bombers. As the Blenheim was too slow and lightly armed to be an effective night fighter, the squadron began to operate in the [[Intruder (air combat)|night intruder]] role in December 1940, attacking German bombers as they returned to their airfields in France.
[[File:American Aircraft in Royal Air Force Service 1939-1945- Douglas Db-7 Havoc. CH2665.jpg|thumb|A [[A-20 Havoc|Douglas Havoc]] of the type operated by No. 23 Squadron during the 1940s.]]
From March 1941 the squadron replaced its Blenheims with the American [[A-20 Havoc|Douglas Havoc]], which were supplemented by the Boston III variant of the Havoc in February 1942.<ref name="Famous p36" />

In July 1942, the squadron re-equipped with the more capable [[de Havilland Mosquito]]. The squadron transferred to the [[Mediterranean]] in December 1942, flying from [[RAF Luqa]] in [[Malta]]. It attacked enemy airfields and railway targets in Tunisia, [[Sicily]] and other areas of Italy throughout 1943, moving to [[Sardinia]] in December 1943, which allowed targets in Southern France to be attacked.<ref name="Famous p38-9">Halley 1973, pp. 38–39.</ref> In June 1944, the squadron returned to England, operating from [[RAF Little Snoring]] in Norfolk as part of [[No. 100 Group RAF|No. 100 Group]]. The role of the group was bomber support; to disrupt the [[Luftwaffe]]'s attempts to stop the British bomber offensive, with No. 23 Squadron being tasked with low level night intruder operations against German night fighters. In addition to its normal night time operations, the squadron also carried out daylight bomber escort missions.<ref name="Famous p39">Halley 1973, p. 39.</ref> 

[[Douglas Bader]] was a member of No. 23 Squadron when he crashed carrying out low level [[aerobatics]], losing his legs in the process. He went on to become one of the highest scoring flying aces of the RAF in the Second World War. [[Air Officer Commanding]] [[Peter Wykeham|Sir Peter Wykeham]] was credited with shooting down at least fifteen hostile aircraft at various theatres of the war.<ref>{{cite web |title=Royal Air Force: 2nd Tactical Air Force, 1943–1945 |url=http://www.rafweb.org/Biographies/Wykeham.htm |access-date=12 February 2013 |publisher=[[Imperial War Museum]]}}</ref> He was later promoted to [[Air Marshal]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Air Marshal Sir Peter Wykeham (33211) |url=http://www.rafweb.org/Biographies/Wykeham.htm |access-date=12 February 2013 |work=Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation}}</ref> Following the end of the war, the squadron disbanded on 25 September 1945.<ref name="RAF 23 Squad" /><ref name="Halley80 p51">Halley 1980, p. 51.</ref>

===Cold War (1946–1990s)===
No. 23 Squadron was reformed on 1 September 1946 as a night fighter squadron operating the [[de Havilland Mosquito]].<ref name="RAF 23 Squad"/> It received jet aircraft in the form of the [[de Havilland Vampire|de Havilland Vampire NF.10]] in 1953, replacing them with the [[de Havilland Venom|de Havilland Venom NF.2]] in June 1954.<ref name="Lewis Squad p22"/> The squadron acquired the Venom NF.3 in 1957.<ref>Jefford 1988, p. 32.</ref>[[File:McDonnell F-4M Phantom XV408 23.N Finn 30.7.77 edited-2.jpg|thumb|A No. 23 Squadron [[McDonnell Douglas Phantom in UK service|McDonnell Douglas Phantom FGR.]]2 wearing the unit's eagle symbol in 1977|left]]
The squadron converted to the [[Gloster Javelin]] all-weather fighter in 1957, beginning a long period operating in the air defence role. The squadron has a strong heritage in the air defence role, operating the [[Gloster Javelin]], [[English Electric Lightning]], [[McDonnell Douglas Phantom in UK service|McDonnell Douglas Phantom]] and the [[RAF Tornado F3|Panavia Tornado F3]].  

[[Wing commander|Wing Commander]] [[Alan Owen (RAF officer)|Alan 'Red' Owen]] was the squadron's commanding officer between May 1962 and October 1964. He had been one of the RAF's most successful night fighter pilots during the Second World War, credited with destroying at least fifteen enemy aircraft.<ref>{{cite news |date=15 April 2010 |title=Wing Commander Alan "Red" Owen |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/military-obituaries/air-force-obituaries/7594928/Wing-Commander-Alan-Red-Owen.html |access-date=1 April 2021 |newspaper=The Telegraph}}</ref> 

The squadron first acquired Phantoms on 1 November 1975 at [[RAF Coningsby]] in Lincolnshire, before moving to [[RAF Wattisham]] in Suffolk for just under ten years. 

In October 1983<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.subbrit.org.uk/sites/wattisham-mk2-bloodhound-missile-site/|title=Wattisham Mk2 Bloodhound Missile Site – Subterranea Britannica|website=www.subbrit.org.uk}}</ref> the squadron deployed to [[Port Stanley Airport]], [[Falkland Islands]] after they were liberated from [[Argentina]], arriving there on 1 November. They remained here until 31 October 1988 when its duty was assumed by [[No. 1435 Flight RAF|No. 1435 Flight]]. 
[[File:Panavia Tornado F3, UK - Air Force AN1766963.jpg|thumb|A [[Panavia Tornado ADV|Panavia Tornado F3]] of No. 23 Squadron in 1991]]
The squadron reformed on 1 November 1988 at [[RAF Leeming]] in Yorkshire with the Panavia Tornado F3 which it operated until 26 February 1994, when the unit was disbanded.<ref name="RAF 23 Squad" /><ref>Jefford 2001, p. 35.</ref>
The squadron assumed the [[Airborne early warning and control|airborne early warning]] role upon reformation in April 1996, sharing the RAF's [[Boeing E-3 Sentry|Boeing E-3D Sentry AEW1]] fleet with [[No. 8 Squadron RAF|No. 8 Squadron]] at [[RAF Waddington]] in Lincolnshire.<ref name="RAF 23 Squad" /> Flying a majority of control and surveillance sorties over the Balkans, the unit received a battle honour for its direct support during [[Operation Agricola]], the British involvement in the Kosovo War in 1999.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Royal Air Force (Hansard, 18 December 2002) |url=https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/written-statements/2002/dec/18/royal-air-force |access-date=2025-01-01 |website=api.parliament.uk}}</ref> 

=== 21st century (2000s) ===
The squadron disbanded on 2 October 2009, when it amalgamated with No. 8 Squadron.<ref name="RAF 23 Squad" />

At the Air & Space Power Conference on 17 July 2019, it was announced that No. 23 Squadron would reform as the RAF's first squadron dedicated to the [[Space domain awareness|space domain]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Jennings |first=Gareth |date=17 July 2019 |title=RAF announces AEW&C, space, ‘drone’ test squadrons |url=https://www.janes.com/article/89925/raf-announces-aew-c-space-drone-test-squadrons |work=IHS Janes |location=London |access-date=18 July 2019 |archive-date=18 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190718021705/https://www.janes.com/article/89925/raf-announces-aew-c-space-drone-test-squadrons |url-status=dead }}</ref> Subsequently, the RAF decided against using dormant historic RAF squadrons for space operations and instead formed new [[United Kingdom Space Command#Structure|space squadrons]], with No. 23 Squadron remaining dormant.<ref>{{Cite web |date=18 September 2024 |title=Location of No 23 Squadron RAF – Freedom of Information Request |url=https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/location_of_no_23_squadron_raf/response/2766212/attach/html/3/20240916%20FOI%20Response%20D%20Mandelli%2023%20Sqn%20Space%20Command%2015681.pdf.html |access-date=20 September 2025 |website=WhatDoTheyKnow}}</ref>

==Aircraft operated==
[[File:EE Lightning F.6 XS938 23.E Leuchars 17.07.70 edited-3.jpg|thumb|right|A No. 23 Squadron [[English Electric Lightning|English Electric Lightning F.6]] at its [[RAF Leuchars]] base in 1970]]
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
* [[Bleriot XI]]
* [[Caudron G.III]]
* [[Farman MF.11|Farman MF.11 Shorthorn]]
* [[Avro 504]]
* [[Martinsyde S1]]
* [[Royal Aircraft Factory BE.2|Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2c]]
* [[Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2|Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2b]]
* [[Martinsyde G.100]]
* [[SPAD S.VII]]
* [[SPAD S.XIII]]
* [[Sopwith Dolphin]]
* [[Sopwith Snipe]]
* [[Gloster Gamecock]]
* [[Bristol Bulldog]]
* [[Hawker Hart]]
* [[Hawker Demon]]
* [[Bristol Blenheim]]
* [[A-20 Havoc|Douglas Havoc I]]
* [[A-20 Havoc|Douglas Boston III]]
* [[de Havilland Mosquito]]
* [[De Havilland Vampire|de Havilland Vampire NF.10]]
* [[de Havilland Venom]]
* [[Gloster Javelin]]
* [[English Electric Lightning]]
* [[McDonnell Douglas Phantom in UK service|McDonnell-Douglas Phantom FGR2]]
* [[RAF Tornado F3|Panavia Tornado F3]]
* [[E-3 Sentry|Boeing E-3D Sentry AEW1]]
{{Div col end}}

== Heritage ==
The [[Heraldic badges of the Royal Air Force|squadron's badge]] features an [[eagle]] preying on a [[falcon]]. It was approved by [[King George VI]] in April 1937 and is based on a design used informally prior to approval.<ref>{{Cite web |title=23 Sqn |url=https://www.rafht.co.uk/index.php/2016/06/09/23-sqn/ |access-date=20 September 2025 |website=RAF Heraldry Trust}}</ref>

The squadron's motto is {{Language with name/for|la|Semper Aggressus|Always on the attack}}.<ref>Rawlings 1978, p. 58.</ref>

== Battle honours ==
[[File:An_E-3D_Sentry_of_23_Squadron_RAF_Waddington_MOD_45140454.jpg|thumb|An [[Boeing E-3 Sentry|E-3D Sentry AEW1]] with No. 23 Squadron markings in 2002. The Sentry saw active service during the [[Kosovo War]] of 1999]]
No. 23 Squadron has received the following [[RAF squadron standards and battle honours|battle honours]]. Those marked with an asterisk (*) may be emblazoned on the [[RAF squadron standards and battle honours|squadron standard]].<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=23 Squadron |url=http://www.raf.mod.uk/organisation/23squadron.cfm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150508121556/http://www.raf.mod.uk/organisation/23squadron.cfm |archive-date=8 May 2015 |access-date=20 September 2025 |website=Royal Air Force |language=en}}</ref>
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
* Home Defence (1916)*
* [[Western Front (World War I)|Western Front]] (1916–1918)
* [[Battle of the Somme|Somme]] (1916)
* [[Battle of Arras (1917)|Arras]] (1917)
* [[Battle of Passchendaele|Ypres]] (1917)*
* [[Second Battle of the Somme (1918)|Somme]] (1918)*
* Channel & North Sea (1939–1940)*
* [[Fortress Europe]] (1940–1944)
* [[North African Campaign|North Africa]] (1943)*
* [[Allied invasion of Sicily|Sicily]] (1943)
* [[Italian Campaign (World War II)|Italy]] (1943–1944)*
* [[Battle of Anzio|Anzio & Nettuno]] (1944)*
* [[Western Front (World War II)#1944–1945: The Second Front|France & Germany]] (1944–1945)*
* Ruhr (1944–1945)
* [[NATO bombing of Yugoslavia|Kosovo]] (1999)
* [[Operation Telic|Iraq]] (2003)
{{div-col-end}}

== See also ==
* [[List of Royal Air Force aircraft squadrons]]

==Notes==
{{Reflist}}

==Bibliography==

* Foster, Peter. "Farewell No.23 Squadron". ''[[Aviation News]]'', 11–24 March 1994, Vol. 22, No. 19. pp.&nbsp;884–887, 891, 899.
* Halley, James J. ''Famous Fighter Squadrons of the RAF: Volume 1''. Windsor, Berkshire, UK: Hylton Lacey Publishers Ltd., 1971. {{ISBN|0-85064-100-4}}.
* Halley, James J. ''The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force''. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air Britain (Historians) Ltd., 1980. {{ISBN|0-85130-083-9}}
* Halley, James J. ''The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth 1918–1988''. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air Britain (Historians) Ltd., 1988. {{ISBN|0-85130-164-9}}.
* Jefford, C.G. ''RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912''. Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing, 1988 (second edition 2001). {{ISBN|1-85310-053-6}}.
* Lewis, Peter. ''Squadron Histories: R.F.C, R.N.A.S and R.A.F., 1912–59''. London: Putnam, 1959.
* Mason, Francis K. ''The British Fighter since 1912''. Annapolis, Maryland, USA:Naval Institute Press, 1992. {{ISBN|1-55750-082-7}}.
* Rawlings, John. ''Fighter Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft''. London: Macdonald and Jane's Publishers Ltd., 1969 (second edition 1976). {{ISBN|0-354-01028-X}}.
* Shores, Christopher; Franks, Norman & Guest, Russell. ''Above The Trenches: A Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the British Empire Air Forces 1915–1920''. London: Grub Street, 1990. {{ISBN|0-948817-19-4}}.

==External links==

* {{commons category-inline}}

{{RAF squadrons}}
{{Royal Air Force}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:No. 23 Squadron Raf}}
[[Category:Royal Flying Corps squadrons|023]]
[[Category:Military units and formations established in 1915]]
[[Category:Royal Air Force night fighter units]]
[[Category:Royal Air Force aircraft squadrons|023 Squadron]]
[[Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 2009]]