For much of World War Two, the Spitfires of 118 Sqn escorted bombers and strike aircraft on raids over occupied Europe, seeing action over Dieppe and during the ‘Channel Dash’, as Tom Spencer describes.
Following the successful blunting of the Luftwaffe during the Battle of Britain, Fighter Command underwent further expansion in preparation for its offensive policy of ‘leaning into’ France. One of the new units was 118 Sqn, which formed at Filton near Bristol on February 20, 1941 as part of 10 Gp Fighter Command.
