No. 220 Squadron R.A.F.

No.220 Squadron was formed in September 1918 at Imbros from Nos.475, 476 and 477 Flights for fighter and reconnaissance duties in the Aegean. It flew Camels until disbanded in December 1918 as part of the No.62 Wing operating against the Turks,
On 17 August 1936 No.220 reformed at Bircham Newton as a general reconnaissance unit equipped with Ansons On the outbreak of World War Two it began patrols from Thornaby and by November 1939 had converted to Hudsons. These it used for anti-shipping missions off Norway and the Dutch Coast from May 1940 In April 1941 the squadron moved to northern Scotland for attacks on coastal shipping and harbours in Norway and in November supplied a detachment to operate the surviving Fortresses of No. 90 Squadron in the Middle East for two months. The home-based element of the squadron began conversion to Fortresses in January 1942 and became operational on 29 April from Northern Ireland. In March 1943 No. 220 moved to Benbecula in the Outer Hebrides for seven months before being transferred to the Azores where it began to convert to Liberators in December 1944. For the rest of the war it flew anti-sub marine patrols over the South Atlantic, returning to the UK in June 1945, to join Transport Command. Trooping flights to India began in October and continued till the end of April 1946. On 25 May 1946 No. 220 was disbanded.
On 24 September 1951 the squadron reformed at Kinloss as a maritime reconnaissance unit with Shackletons being renumbered 201 Squadron on 1 October 1958. On 22 July 1959, it was reformed at North Pickenham as a Thor strategic missile squadron disbanding on 10 July 1963.