161 Squadron RAF WW2

No 161 Squadron is one of my favorite units in WW2, These pilots took to the air and dropped MI6 and OSS , or Jedburgs behind enemy lines, armed with nothing more than a Webley pistol. They were pretty brave dudes. The unit  was formed as a day bomber unit on 1 June 1918, but was disbanded on 4 July 1918 to provide personnel for other units.

On 15 February 1942, No.161 reformed at New market from pilots and ground crews from the No 138 Squadron and the King's Flight. It joined with No 138 in dropping supplies and agents over occupied Europe and took over the landing and pick-up operations for which it used Lysanders, Havocs and Hudsons. Only a few sorties were flown with the Havoc, and many of these were as convoy escorts under the control of Fighter or Coastal Command. Halifaxes were received in November 1942 and in September 1944, it began using Stirlings with which it continued it's covert tasks until on the 2 June 1945 the squadron disbanded.