No. 283 Squadron RAF explained

Unit Name:	No. 283 Squadron RAF
Dates:	11 February 1943 – 31 March 1946
Branch:	Royal Air Force
Role:	air-sea rescue
Motto:	Latin Attende et Vigila ("Be alert and on guard")
Identification Symbol:	In front of a Maltese cross, a lifebuoy
Identification Symbol Label:	Squadron Badge
Identification Symbol 2 Label:	Squadron Codes

No. 283 Squadron was a Royal Air Force squadron that served during the Second World War in the air-sea rescue (ASR) mission role while flying Supermarine Walruses and both in ASR and the anti-submarine patrol role while flying Vickers Warwicks.

History

No. 283 Squadron was formed at Algiers on 11 February 1943 as an air-sea rescue squadron. The squadron was equipped with the Supermarine Walrus and was responsible for air-sea rescue along the North African coast. The squadron moved to Palermo in August 1943 to provide cover for the campaign in southern Italy. The squadron re-equipped with the Vickers Warwick in February 1944 and moved to RAF Hal Far, Malta. At the end of the Second World War the squadron disbanded at RAF Hal Far on 31 March 1946.

Aircraft operated

From	To	Aircraft	Version
April 1943	April 1944	Supermarine Walrus	Mks.I & II
March 1944	March 1946	Vickers Warwick	Mk.I

^{[1] [2]}

Squadron bases

From	To	Name
February 1943	May 1943	Hussein Bay, Algiers
May 1943	May 1943	Maison Blanche
May 1943	May 1943	Tingley
May 1943	August 1943	La Sebala
August 1943	December 1943	Palermo
December 1943	December 1943	Ajaccio, Corsica
December 1943	April 1944	Borgo
April 1944	March 1946	RAF Hal Far, Malta

^{[3] [4]}

See also

• List of Royal Air Force aircraft squadrons

References

Bibliography

• Franks, Norman. Beyond Courage: Air Sea Rescue by Walrus Squadrons in the Adriatic, Mediterranean and Tyrrhenian Seas, 1942-1945. London: Grub Street, 2003. .
• Halley, James J. The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth, 1918-1988. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd., 1988. .
• Jefford, C.G. RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive Record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing, 2001. .
• Rawlings, John D.R. Coastal, Support and Special Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London, Jane's Publishing Company Ltd., 1982. .

External links

• Malta Memories with No. 283 Squadron
• No 281 - 285 Squadron Histories
• Squadron bases

Notes and References

1. Halley 1988, p. 347.
2. Jefford 2001, p. 85.
3. Rawlings 1982, p. 252.
4. Franks 2003, p. 181.