The more useful aircraft in its inventory were sent to France under the command of Major G. H. Rayleigh on 16 August 1914, to carry out reconnaissance in support of the British Expeditionary Force.

On 19 August Lieutenant G. W. Mapplebeck flew the squadron's first mission over France, a reconnaissance flight searching for German cavalry in the vicinity of Gembloux, Belgium.

[4][5][6] The contingent in France was reinforced on 20 September by the personnel who had remained behind in England, forming C Flight, equipped with the Maurice Farman MF.11 Shorthorn.

In the Battle of the Somme, the squadron flew contact patrols keeping track of the position of advancing troops at low level, in addition to more regular reconnaissance and artillery spotting missions.

[6][10] In October 1929, the elderly Bristol Fighters were replaced with new Armstrong Whitworth Atlas, purpose-designed for the squadron's army co-operation role.

Following Germany's invasion of France and the Low Countries on 10 May 1940, the squadron was frequently forced to change bases by the approach of the advancing German armies, being withdrawn to the UK on 24 May.

In August 1943, it joined the Second Tactical Air Force in support of the planned invasion of Europe, changing to the pure reconnaissance mission in January, and replacing its Mustangs with the Mosquito PR.XVI and Spitfire PR.XI.

It discarded its Mosquitoes in June, moved to France in August, and briefly supplemented its Spitfires with a few Hawker Typhoons for low-level reconnaissance.

It retained its Spitfires at VE Day, moving to Celle in Germany to carry out survey operations in support of the British Army of Occupation until it was disbanded on 31 August 1945.

The Sabres were discarded in favour of the Hawker Hunter in July 1955, retaining these until the squadron disbanded at RAF Jever on 31 December 1960.

[17] Aircraft operated have included:[18] Approved by King Edward VIII in May 1936, the squadron's badge features a sun in splendour divided per bend by a flash of lightning.

The red and black segmented sun suggests round-the-clock operations (day and night), while the lightning flash is a reference to the unit's early use of wireless telephony for artillery co-operation.