Formation and World War I No. 240 Squadron of the
Royal Air Force was formed at
RAF Calshot on 20 August 1918 to provide anti-submarine protection, using its
Short 184s seaplanes and
Felixstowe F2A flying boats. It was disbanded on 15 May 1919.
Reformation and World War II The squadron was re-formed at RAF Calshot on 30 March 1937. It was at initially equipped with
Supermarine Scapas and after a year converted to
Short Singapores, which were followed a year later by the
Saro London, planning to convert later to
Saro Lerwicks, but getting
Supermarine Stranraers in June 1940 instead. During March 1941 these were replaced with
Consolidated Catalinas, to carry out
anti-submarine patrols over the
Atlantic Ocean. It then moved to
India in March 1942 where it flew anti-shipping and submarine patrols from
Red Hills Lake, where it was disbanded on 1 July 1945. The squadron began converting to
Short Sunderland Mk.Vs from 01 August 1945 before moving to
Ceylon in January 1946, where it disbanded on 31 March 1946 at
RAF Koggala.
Post war: Shackletons and Missiles On 1 May 1952 the squadron re-formed again at
RAF Aldergrove and was equipped with
Avro Shackleton Mk.1a maritime reconnaissance aircraft. The squadron moved to
Northern Ireland in June 1952, where it disbanded on 1 November 1958 at
RAF Ballykelly by being renumbered to
203 sqn. The squadron reformed once again on 1 August 1959, as one of 20 Thor Strategic Missile (SM) Squadrons, associated with
Project Emily. The squadron was equipped with three
Thor Intermediate range ballistic missiles, and stationed at
RAF Breighton. 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 with the termination of the Thor Programme in Great Britain, on 8 January 1963. ==Aircraft operated==