No. 237 Squadron RAF

No. 237 Squadron was a Royal Air Force aircraft squadron. During the Second World War the unit was formed from No. 1 Squadron Southern Rhodesian Air Force for operations in North Africa.

History
No. 237 Squadron was formed at RAF Cattewater in August 1918 from Nos 420, 421, 422 and 423 flights of the Royal Naval Air Service. The squadron operated the Short 184 on coastal and anti-submarine patrols in the English Channel until it was disbanded at the end of the First World War on the 14 May 1919.

The squadron was re-formed as No. 237 (Rhodesia) Squadron on 22 April 1940 when No. 1 Squadron Southern Rhodesia Air Force was taken into Royal Air Force control. It operated a number of Hawker biplanes and was based on the Abyssinian border as part of the East African Campaign (World War II) a defence against the movement of Italian troops moving down from the North. In the Autumn of 1940 the squadron moved into Sudan for operations in Eritrea and added Westland Lysanders and Gloster Gladiators to the unit strength. In May 1941 the squadron moved to Egypt and re-equipped with the Hawker Hurricane, it was tasked with tactical reconnaissance duties in the Western Desert. In May 1942 the squadron moved to Iraq as a defence against any German invasion and then moved to Libya in the air defence role.

The squadron re-equipped with the Supermarine Spitfire (Mark VCs first then Mark IXs) and moved to Corsica to fly operations over Southern France and Northern Italy. It eventually moved to Italy where it operated until is was re-numbered as 93 Squadron and disbanded on 1 January 1946.

Notable members
Ian Smith who was later Prime Minister of Rhodesia was assigned to the squadron in World War II, and was shot down over Italy.