33 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the Airbus Helicopters Puma HC.2 from RAF Benson, Oxfordshire.

From 12 March, Pat Pattle, the leading Commonwealth flying ace, was in command until he was killed in action on 20 April.

[6] The squadron returned to support the Army in the Western Desert, including at the Battle of El Alamein, trading its Hurricanes for Supermarine Spitfires in December 1943.

[9] It flew fighter support on D-Day (6 June 1944), then moved to France with 2nd TAF in October 1944, when it concentrated on ground-attack operations.

It re-equipped with the Hawker Tempest in December, returning to action from Gilze-Rijen in February 1945, flying fighter sweeps in North West Europe.

[10] From 1949 to 1970, 33 Squadron spent much of its time in the Far East, based at Kai Tak, Hong Kong, until sent to Kuala Lumpur in Malaya, flying their Tempests in ground attack missions against Communist guerrillas during the Malayan Emergency.

It re-equipped with twin-engined de Havilland Hornets in 1951, disbanding in March 1955, having flown 6,150 sorties during its stay in Malaya.

[17] A court-martial of the co-pilot stated that "the officers on this board are shocked at the lack of professional standards displayed by those responsible for the aircraft.

[19] On 11 October 2015, one personnel member of the squadron was killed in an accident in Kabul, Afghanistan, whilst landing at the NATO Training and Support Mission HQ.

The Flight Lieutenant's CO commented saying "He died tragically doing a job he loved and flying an aircraft he had personally invested so much time developing.

A loving husband, his loyalty and devotion to his friends, work colleagues and the job was unequalled and his memory and contribution will live on.