| year
after the end of the War, the Squadron was disbanded reforming on 1
April 1924 at Duxford. The Squadron remained at Duxford throughout
the inter-war years with a succession of fighters: Siskins, Bulldogs
and Gauntlets before the classic Spitfire arrived in August 1938.
The Squadron remained in the UK after the outbreak of war, and was
part of No. 12 Group, Fighter Command, during the Battle of Britain.
Later versions of Spitfires were flown until the arrival of Mustangs
for close-support duties in early 1944. After D-Day, No. 19 briefly
went across the Channel before starting long-range escort duties
with Coastal Command off the coast of Norway.
In March 1946, Spitfires replaced the Mustangs, but
the association was short-lived as Hornets began to arrive later
that year. It wasn't until 1951 that the Squadron received its first
jet aircraft, the Meteor. Hunters replaced these in 1956, before
Lightnings arrived in late 1962 and the Squadron moved to Gutersloh,
Germany. By 1977, the Lightnings had been traded in for Phantoms,
and the Squadron moved to Wildenrath where it remained until the
station closed, and the Squadron disbanded in January 1992. The
numberplate was then assigned to one of the three Hawk squadrons at
RAF Valley; No. 63 (Reserve) Squadron becoming No. 19 (Reserve)
Sqaudron in September 1992.
Motto:
Possunt quia posse videntur - 'They can because they think they
can'.
Badge: Between wings elevated and conjioned in
base, a dolphin heads downward.
Battle Honours: Western Front 1916-1918*, Somme
1916*, Arras, Ypres 1917*, Somme 1918, Lys, Amiens, Hindenburg Line,
Dunkirk*, Home Defence 1940-1942, Battle of Britain 1940*, Channel
and North Sea 1942-1942, Fortress Europe 1942-1944, Dieppe, Normandy
1944*, Arnhem*, France and Germany 1944-1945.
http://www.raf.mod.uk/rafvalley/aboutus/19sqn.cfm |
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