 | This article'slead sectionmay be too short to adequatelysummarize the key points. Please consider expanding the lead toprovide an accessible overview of all important aspects of the article.(June 2021) |
| No. 161 Squadron RAF | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Active | 9 May 1918 - 17 August 1918 15 February 1942 – 2 June 1945 |
| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Branch |  Royal Air Force |
| Motto | Liberate[1] |
| Insignia | |
| Squadron badge heraldry | An openfetterlock |
| Squadron codes | MA Feb 1942 - 1945 JR Apr 1944 - 1945 (Lysander Flight only) |
No. 161 (Special Duties) Squadron was a highly secretive unit of theRoyal Air Force, performing missions as part of theRoyal Air Force Special Duties Service. It was tasked with missions of theSpecial Operations Executive (SOE) and theSecret Intelligence Service (SIS) during theSecond World War. Their primary role was to drop and collect secret agents and equipment into and from Nazi-occupied Europe. The squadron had a secondary role in acting as theKing's Flight, where it was responsible for transporting royal family members.
The squadron was formed atRAF Newmarket on 15 February 1942 from138 Squadron’sLysander flight and a flight ofWhitleys andWellingtons.[2] These were combined with pilots and aircraft from the King’s Flight to create the second SD squadron.[3] The unit was commanded byEdward Fielden, an experienced pilot who had been the CO of the King’s Flight. He inherited two very experienced officers in Guy Lockhart and “Sticky” Murphy from 138.[4] 161's A Flight was made up of six Lysanders, with Guy Lockhart as its commanding officer. A Flight undertook the pick-up operations. The squadron's B Flight flew two-engine Whitleys and Wellingtons, and did agent parachute drops and supply drop missions.
In April 1942 the squadron joined 138 Squadron atRAF Tempsford inBedfordshire. It remained there for the duration of its service. In November 1942 the B Flight's Whitleys were replaced with the four-engine Halifax.[5]
Following the end of the war in Europe, the squadron was disbanded 2 June 1945.[6]
Several types of aircraft were used by the squadron in the course of their duties.
The Lysanders and Hudsons were used for the landing and collection of agents, while the other types were used for parachuting agents and supplies.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
This aircraft and the remains of the pilot were discovered 53 years, to the day, after it went missing on an operation.
| Formations and units |
| ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Branches and components | |||||||
| Reserve forces | |||||||
| Equipment | |||||||
| Personnel | |||||||
| Appointments | |||||||
| Symbols and uniform | |||||||
| Associated civil organisations | |||||||
 | This article about a specificBritish military unit is astub. You can help Wikipedia byadding missing information. |
 | This RAF article is astub. You can help Wikipedia byadding missing information. |