History
Motto:
Danger is our opportunity.
Badge: A mongoose passant.
On 10 May
1941, No. 124 reformed at Castledown with eighteen Spitfire Is and
became operational in defence of the naval base at Scapa Flow on 29
June. In October 1941 it converted to Spitfire IIBs and in mid-November,
left these behind when the Squadron moved to Biggin Hill where it took
over Spitfire Vs. The Squadron began convoy patrols and and then started
flying escort missions over France. At the end of July 1942 the Squadron
became operational with high-altitude Spitfire VIs and at the end of
December it moved to Drem for four weeks. No. 124 returned south in
January 1943 receiving Spitfire VIIs in March, detachments being sent to
airfields in the West Counrty for high-altitude interceptions. In March
1944 the Squadron joined No. 141 Airfield at Church Fenton as part of
Second TAF and flew escort missions for USAAF B-17s over France until
the invasion. In July 1944, it converted to Spitfire IXs and in August
it returned to Fighter Command for escort duties from the UK. In
February 1945 No. 124 began attacks on V-2 sites in the Netherlands
supplemented by shipping reconnaissance missions, flying its last
operation on 25 April 1945.
(Source
and (c):
Royal Air Force)
RAF Squadron crest
© Crown Copyright is reproduced with the
permission of the Controller of Her
Majesty’s Stationery Office
Casualties of the squadron, buried
in the Netherlands.
