The crest of 59 Squadron, Royal Air Force. Starting the war as a night reconnaissance squadron flying Bristol Blenheims, it was moved to France in late 1939 to undertake general reconnaissance before being withdrawn to southern England prior to 'Dunkirk' - being mainly based at RAF Thorney Island near Portsmouth. In 1940 its role changed to bombing Channel ports and anti-submarine work, converting to Lockheed Hudsons the following year for anti-shipping strikes before taking a short break when their pilots flew new aircraft to the Far East. This role was resumed in early1942. off the Dutch coast. Later in the year it converted again, to fly Consolidated Liberators, and by December 1942 had converted yet again, to Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses. This was short-lived and by early 1943 it was back in Liberators before being relocated to RAF Aldergrove and Ballykelly in Northern Ireland for duties over the Atlantic until the end of the war. During the war the 59 Squadron used three different squadron codes: TR (1939-1942), I (1943-1944) and WE (1944-1945)
