No. 194 Squadron RAF
Introduction '''194 Squadron RAF''', though formed as a training unit in Egypt and ended as a casualty evacuation unit in Malaya, was for most of its active service life a RAF transport squadron that flew in South East Asia.
History ===Formation and World War I===Formed as a training squadron in No. 20 Group (or No. 32 Group) at RAF El Amiriya in Egypt on 9 August 1917, it disbanded on 21 July 1918 into No. 16 Training Depot Station.===World War II===Squadron Lockheed HudsonNo. 194 Squadron was reformed at RAF Lahore, Punjab on 13 October 1942 as a transport unit equipped with Hudsons. It maintained mail and passenger routes in India until it became an airborne forces squadron in September 1943.Douglas Dakotas had started to arrive in May and, with the departure of the last Hudsons in September, No. 194 began paratroop training. In February 1944, supply-dropping flights to Chindit army units in Burma began and continued for the rest of the war. In January 1945 a casualty evacuation flight was attached to the squadron and Stinson Sentinels were used to pick up casualties form small jungle strips. After the end of the war, the squadron was engaged in general transport duties until disbanding at Mingladon on 15 February 1946.The squadron badge commonly used by the squadron depicted a flying elephant and the Squadron had adopted the motto ‘The Friendly Firm’ and although their entire fleet of aircraft carried this crest throughout the Burma campaign, Royal Charter never officially recognized it (That same crest can be seen on all three books about the squadron).===Post-war===On 1 February 1953, No. 194 reformed for a second time at Sembawang in Malaya from the Casualty Evacuation Flight with Westland Dragonfly HC.2 helicopters for co-operation with security forces in Malaya. Bristol Sycamore HC.14s were received in October 1954, but it was June 1956 before the last Dragonfly left. On 3 June 1959, the squadron merged with No. 155 Squadron RAF to become No. 110 Squadron RAF.
Aircraft operated +Aircraft operated by no. 194 Squadron RAF from From  To  Aircraft  Version August 1917  July 1918  Airco DH.6, Avro 504 and Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2   October 1942  September 1943  Lockheed Hudson  Mk.VI May 1943  February 1946  Douglas Dakota  Mks.I, III Dec 1944  February 1946  Douglas Dakota  Mk.IV January 1945  September 1945  Stinson Sentinel  Mk.I February 1953  June 1956  Westland Dragonfly  HC.2 October 1954  June 1959  Bristol Sycamore  HC.14
Squadron bases +Bases and airfields used by no. 194 Squadron RAF, data from From  To  Base  Remark 9 August 1917  21 July 1918  RAF El Amiriya, Egypt  13 October 1942  18 February 1943  RAF Lahore, Punjab  Dets. at RAF Tezpur, Assam and RAF Dum Dum, West Bengal 18 February 1943  18 September 1943  RAF Palam, Delhi  18 September 1943  8 February 1944  RAF Basal, Punjab  Det. at RAF Chaklala, Rawalpindi, Punjab 8 February 1944  9 February 1944  RAF Comilla, Bengal  9 February 1944  1 September 1944  RAF Agartala, Tripura  Det. at RAF Imphal, Manipur 1 September 1944  2 November 1944  RAF Imphal, Manipur  2 November 1944  10 December 1944  RAF Basal, Punjab  10 December 1944  19 March 1945  RAF Agartala, Tripura  Det. at RAF Imphal, Manipur and from January 1945 to September 1945 at RAF Kangla, Manipur and Monywa, Sagaing Division, Burma 19 March 1945  21 August 1945  Akyab, Arakan, Burma  Dets. at Monywa, Sagaing Division, Burma; Wangjing, Manipur and Meiktila, Mandalay, Burma 21 August 1945  15 February 1946  RAF Mingaladon, Burma  2 February 1953  1 May 1953  RAF Sembawang, Singapore  Det. at RAF Kuala Lumpur, Malaya 1 May 1953  3 June 1959  RAF Kuala Lumpur, Malaya  Merged here with 155 Sqn to form 110 Sqn
Commanding officers +Officers commanding no. 194 Squadron RAF, data from From  To  Name October 1942  June 1944  W/Cdr. A.C. Pearson June 1944  December 1944  W/Cdr. R.T. Chisholm December 1944  June 1945  W/Cdr. R.C. Crawford June 1945  August 1945  S/Ldr. P.M. Bristow August 1945  February 1946  W/Cdr. D. Penman, DSO, DFC February 1953  1955  S/Ldr. G.R.G. Henderson, AFC 1955  1957  S/Ldr. C.R. Turner, AFC 1957  June 1959  S/Ldr. F. Barnes
References ;Notes;Bibliography* Briscoe, Deryk A. (ed.) ''The Friendly Firm Remembers: Stories by the members of the 194 Squadron in South East Asia''. Victoria, British Columbia, Canada: Windrush Marketing, 2000..* Delve, Ken. ''The Source Book of the RAF''. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing, 1994..* Halley, James J. ''The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth 1918–1988''. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air Britain (Historians) Ltd., 1988..* Jefford, Wing CommanderC.G. ''RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912''. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing, 1988 (second edition 2001). . * Rawlings, John D.R. ''Coastal, Support and Special Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft''. London: Jane's Publishing Company Ltd., 1982..* Russell, Wilfrid. ''The Friendly Firm – A history of 194 Squadron, Royal AIr Force''. London, 194 Squadron RAF Association, 1972. * Sturtivant, Ray with John Hamlin. '' RAF Flying Training and Support Units since 1912''. Staplefield, West Sussex, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd., 2007..* Williams, Flight Lieutenant Douglas. ''194 Squadron Royal AIr Force – 'The Friendly Firm' (Burma Campaign)''. Braunton, Devon, UK: Merlin Books Ltd., 1987..
External links *  The History of the Burma Star Association