No. 113 Squadron RAF

No. 113 Squadron began service in 1917 with the Egyptian Expeditionary Force commanded by General Edmund Allenby. The squadron was a unit of the Royal Flying Corps (now known as the Royal Air Force) took over duties of trench reconnaissance from No. 1 Squadron and served during the Sinai and Palestine Campaign as a reconnaissance, army cooperation, bomber, fighter, transport and missile operation squadron during its existence.

Formation in World War I as reconnaissance unit
No. 113 Squadron was formed on 1 August 1917 at RAF Ismailia, Egypt as a corps reconnaissance and army co-operation unit. In September it began tactical reconnaissance and artillery spotting missions over Palestine, where it remained until the end of World War I. The squadron returned to Egypt on 16 February 1919 and a year later it was disbanded by being renumbered to No. 208 Squadron RAF on 1 February 1920.

Reformation as bomber squadron in World War II
No. 113 reformed at RAF Upper Heyford on 18 May 1937 as a day bomber unit, equipped with Hawker Hinds. In April 1938 it left for the Middle East, converting to Blenheim's in June 1939. After Italy joined the war, on 11 June 1940 the unit participated in the first attack by the RAF on the Italian air force base at El Adem, where 18 aircraft were destroyed or damaged on the ground, against the loss of three British aircraft from 3 squadrons. On 12 June 1940 the squadron participated in an attack on Tobruk, damaging the Italian cruiser San Giorgio. The squadron then moved to Greece in March 1941. There it was overtaken by the German invasion and lost all its aircraft, the Squadrons personnel being evacuated to Crete and Egypt. Bombing operations began again in June 1941.

After the outbreak of war in the Far East the squadron, which was under command of Wing Commander Reginald Stidolph DFC, a Rhodesian, was moved to Burma. The squadron arrived at on 7 January 1942 and immediately participated in the first allied bombing attack on Bangkok. A second raid was made on 24 January.

The squadron attacked Japanese columns until it was evacuated to Calcutta in March. From Assam No. 113 bombed Japanese communications and airfields until it converted to Hurricanes in March 1943. These were used for ground-attack duties being replaced by Thunderbolts in April 1945 which were flown until the Squadron was disbanded on 15 October 1945.

Post war reformations as a transport squadron
On 1 September 1946 No. 620 Squadron RAF at Aqir was renumbered to No. 113 squadron RAF and was engaged in transport duties with Halifax A.7s until disbanded on 1 April 1947. The Squadron reformed on 1 May 1947 at RAF Fairford now flying Douglas Dakotas alongside Halifax A.9s, being disbanded on 1 September 1948.

On Thor missiles
The squadron was reformed – as 113(SM) Sqn. – on 22 July 1959 as one of 20 Strategic Missile (SM) squadrons associated with Project Emily. The squadron was equipped with three Thor Intermediate range ballistic missiles, based at RAF Mepal.

In October 1962, during the Cuban missile crisis, the squadron was kept at full readiness, with the missiles aimed at strategic targets in the USSR. The squadron was disbanded on 10 July 1963, with the termination of the Thor Program in Britain.