12 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps

No 12 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps, was formed at Netheravon on 14 February 1915, out of a flight of No 1 Squadron. The original intention was that one flight should have Avro 504s and the other, Moranes.

The Avros arrived, but by April of that year, the Squadron was completely equipped with BE 2cs, using the Avros only for training.

Work up for France commenced and on 6 September, 12 Squadron arrived at St Omer to become Headquarters squadron for long-range reconnaissance. It flew its first operation, a photographic reconnaissance mission of the Hanbourdin-Seclin-Lille-Roubaix area, on 9 September.

Three days later, the squadron scored its first 'kill' when, flying an 80 HP Gnome-engined Bristol Scout, Captain Strange, C Flight Commander, drove down a German aircraft over Comines.

Although never intended for armour, as the war escalated the BE2c carried a variety of weapons and soon found a role as a light-medium bomber.

Most of the two-seat aircraft carried a single mounted Lewis Gun for the observer in the front cockpit mounted on pipes designed by Capt. L.A Strange. These became known as "Strange Mounts" and were often in place in different locations. Lieutenant-Colonel L. A. Strange, officer commanding 80th Wing, Royal Air Force author of Recollections of an Airman 1933

Faces of the First World War

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