Bristol F2B Aircraft Art by Robert Taylor.

Ociores acrierosque aquilis - Swifter and keener than eagles

Formed at Netheravon on 14 February 1915 from a nucleus provided by No. 7 Squadron, No. 11 Squadron claims to be the first RFC unit specifically equipped as a scout unit. By the time the squadron moved to St Omer, France in July, it was equipped with the Vickers 'Gunbus' and was quickly pressed into action. Second Lieutenant G. S. M. Insall of the squadron being awarded a Victoria Cross for an action on 7 November 1915 in which he forced down and destroyed a German Aviatik observation aircraft.and destroying it with a well-aimed incendiary bomb, his aircraft was then damaged by ground fire. After force landing the aircraft, Insall and his observer/gunner repaired a fuel leak and flew back to base the following morning. In May 1917, the squadron became involved in offensive patrols, and joined the Army of Occupation after the Armistice, returning to the UK in late 1919 prior to disbanding shortly after. No. 11 Squadron numbered 19 flying aces in its ranks during the war. Among them were Victoria Cross winner Lionel Rees, as well as Andrew Edward McKeever, future Air Commodore John Stanley Chick, Eugene Coler, Albert Ball VC, Frederick Libby, Ronald Maudit, John Quested, Herbert Sellars, Donald Beard, Stephen Price, Hugh Hay, and Thomas Frederick Stephenson Reformed at Andover in January 1923, the Squadron spent short periods on communications and day bombing duties before moving to Risalpur, India and equipping with Wapitis and the a modified version of the Hart bomber. By the time war broke out in 1939, the Squadron had received Blenheims, and was transferred to Aden at the outset of the East Africa campaign. Following action in variety of operations, No. 11 Squadron moved to Colombo, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), in early 1942 and was involved in a number of unsuccessful attacks on Japanese ships. During 1943, the Squadron moved to Burma (now Myanmar) and used its newly arrived Hurricane ground-attack aircraft in support of the XIVth Army. With the surrender of Japan in August 1945, the Squadron moved to Japan as part of the Commonwealth occupation forces, remaining there until disbanded in February 1948. Reformed in Germany during October 1949, the Squadron spent several short periods with fighters of the period, Mosquitos, Vampires and Venoms until again disbanding during 1957, only to reform yet again in January 1959 with Meteor night fighters. Three years later, Javelins replaced the Meteors and these remained on strength until once again No. 11 Squadron was disbanded in 1966. Reforming in early 1967 with Lightnings, the Squadron spent the next 17 years flying this aircraft, until disbanding in May 1988, prior to reforming at Leeming three months later with the Tornado F3. In Oct 2005, after another period of 17 years, the Squadron once again disbanded. XI Squadron reformed at RAF Coningsby on 29 Mar 07 as the second frontline Typhoon squadron to form. As multi-role lead squadron, it spearheads the development of Typhoon’s air-to-surface capability. The Squadrons Battle honours are Western Front 1915–1918, Loos, Somme 1916, Arras, Cambrai 1917, Somme 1918, Amiens, Hindenburg Line, North-West Frontier 1930–1931, North-West Frontier 1935–1939, East Africa 1940, Egypt and Libya 1940–1942, Greece 1941, Syria 1941, Ceylon April 1942, Arakan 1943–1944, North Burma 1943–1944, Manipur 1944, Burma 1944–1945.

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