It was first formed in 1918 by combining number 347, 348 and 349 Flights at RAF Cattewater by the Royal Flying Corps during the First World War.

It was reformed for the Second World War, the Berlin Airlift and currently is a Line Training Flight (LTF) squadron based at RAF Cosford, albeit in a non-flying capacity.

[1] All were flying boat flights and the squadron flew anti-submarine patrols until the end of the war, being reduced to a cadre on 15 May 1919.

The Luftwaffe attacked English Channel convoys in an attempt to draw Fighter Command into combat and deplete its strength, attain air superiority, and ostensibly begin an amphibious invasion of England, codenamed Operation Sea Lion.

[3] The following day 238 Squadron experienced its first aerial combat with Flight Lieutenant J.C Kennedy damaged a Junkers Ju 88 from 1(F)/123 [1st staffel, Aufklärungsgruppe 123—Reconnaissance Group 123] on a reconnaissance south of Middle Wallop.

Once again in action with Aufklärungsgruppe 123, this time with 2 staffel, Kennedy shot down Leutnant Weinbauer's Dornier Do 17P over Chesil Beach, killing the crew.

SS Empire Crusader, in the lead, was hit by StG 2 and sank several hours later; four ships were sunk and four were damaged in the attacks.

11 Group RAF identified the convoys and naval base at Isle of Portland as the Germans' main objective for the day.

[28] A mistake by the Observer Corps allowed KG 2 to slip through the net, but their bombing raid against RAF Hornchurch achieved little.

[30] ZG 2 was supposed to provide escort during one these attacks, and in a breakdown of communications, arrived over the target without their Ju 88s, which had been ordered to stand down.

Scarcely six weeks old, and a veteran unit already, the squadron was moved to rest in the quieter South West England.

"[39] The only action of note of the month came on 21 August when a single Ju 88 dropped six bombs on the airfield, destroying one hangar.

[40] Leutnant zur See von Davidson and Mieher were lost with their crews [Luftwaffe coastal airmen sometimes carried Kriegsmarine ranks].

William Tower Perkins was treated for severe burns, and became a founder-member and the first secretary of the Guinea Pig Club, a mutual support and social group for injured aircrew.

There was confusion over what happened to end Leslie's life but an eye witness confirmed that he crashed with his aircraft in the grounds of Kent College Pembury.

Margaret James in her book says that "Term started in September as normally as possible...it was then that the reality of war touched the school most closely when a Brirish Hurricane fighter plane was shot down in the grounds...

The inimitable Miss Barrett, Matron... was first on the spot, and it was she who picked up the shattered remains of the dead pilot and covered the body in a cloth before the stretcher bearers arrived a little later."

The school paid tribute to Leslie Pidd in 2010 at a special commemoration day and the unveiling of a mosaic to remember his sacrifice.

[52] Recent sources state Pidd baled out too low when he hit a tree at low-level during a dogfight—he was the only 238 casualty on 15 September.)

[64] Bann had bailed out over the Isle of Wight, but his parachute did not open and his body fell to earth in Brading Marshes.

Fighter Command performed poorly on the day, claiming four for the loss of 11 Hurricanes four Spitfires and nine pilots killed.

On 5 November 1940 Sergeant J Jeka and Pilot Officer B B Considine became victims of such operations, shot down by Bf 109s near Bournemouth, though both men survived.

[70] 238 were on patrol when attacked by Bf 109s probably belonging to JG 2 and led by Helmut Wick, one of the leading German fighter pilots and at the time of his death, the most successful of the war.

[71] The following day, 238 experienced its last fatality of the year, when Pilot Officer J Tillett, 238 Squadron was killed in action with JG 2.

238 was again operating as a complete unit, flying escort missions and fighter patrols throughout the campaign in the desert until after the Battle of El Alamein.

[citation needed] The squadron was then withdrawn to Egypt for air defence duties and converted to Spitfires in September 1943.

In March 1944, the squadron moved to Corsica for sweeps over Northern Italy and in August covered the Allied landings in Southern France.

In January 1945 it received Dakotas and on 14 February its first wave of ten aircraft left for India where they began supply-dropping and casualty evacuation missions over Burma.

In June the squadron moved to Australia to provide transport support for the British Pacific Fleet as part of No.

In 2007 Line Training Flight (LTF) at RAF Cosford were permitted to use the squadron numberplate as a non-flying unit.