▁ 1 9 3 7 ▁as ▁a ▁day ▁bom ber ▁unit , ▁equ ipped ▁with ▁Haw ker ▁H inds . ▁In ▁April ▁ 1 9 3 8 ▁it ▁left ▁for ▁the ▁Middle ▁East , ▁converting ▁to ▁the ▁Br istol ▁Bis ley / B len heim ▁in ▁June ▁ 1 9 3 9 . ▁After ▁Italy ▁joined ▁the ▁war , ▁on ▁ 1 1 ▁June ▁ 1 9 4 0 ▁the ▁unit ▁participated ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁attack ▁by ▁the ▁R AF ▁on ▁the ▁Italian ▁air ▁force ▁base ▁at ▁El ▁A dem , ▁where ▁ 1 8 ▁aircraft ▁were ▁destroyed ▁or ▁dam aged ▁on ▁the ▁ground , ▁against ▁the ▁loss ▁of ▁three ▁British ▁aircraft ▁from ▁three ▁squad rons . ▁ ▁On ▁ 1 2 ▁June ▁ 1 9 4 0 ▁the ▁squad ron ▁participated ▁in ▁an ▁attack ▁on ▁Tob ru k , ▁dam aging ▁the ▁. ▁ ▁The ▁squad ron ▁then ▁moved ▁to ▁Greece ▁in ▁March ▁ 1 9 4 1 . ▁There ▁it ▁was ▁over t aken ▁by ▁the ▁German ▁invasion ▁and ▁lost ▁all ▁its ▁aircraft , ▁the ▁squad ron ▁personnel ▁being ▁ev acu ated ▁to ▁Cre te ▁and ▁Egypt . ▁Bomb ing ▁operations ▁in ▁North ▁Africa ▁res umed ▁in ▁June ▁ 1 9 4 1 . ▁ ▁No . ▁ 1 1 3 ▁Squadron ▁was ▁selected ▁for ▁a ▁special ▁operation ▁in ▁November ▁ 1 9 4 1 , ▁as ▁Al lied ▁ground ▁forces ▁began ▁Operation ▁Cr us ader . ▁From ▁a ▁temporary ▁air field ▁behind ▁enemy ▁lines ▁in ▁Lib ya ▁– ▁L G