WWII – Mauritius Squadron – Flight Sgt John William Brooks DFC DFM in his Hurricane Jet – 1942
(Courtesy: Eugenie Brooks – his daughter)
This part of history is somewhat unfamiliar, but during the second World War (1939 – 1945), the No. 174 (Mauritius) Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force Squadron that was a fighter-bomber unit in World War II.
The squadron formed on the 2nd March 1942 at RAF Manston and equipped with Hurricanes and then rocket armed Typhoons in April 1943. It was involved in attacks on shipping and V-1 flying bomb launch sites from several bases in the UK. The squadron moved to Camilly, France after D-Day and then withdrew back to the UK, before joining the allied advance across Europe. The Squadron disbanded in Germany on 8 April 1945 upon renumbering as No. 137 Squadron RAF, then reformed for two further brief periods and was equipped with Tempests in September 1945 before final disbandment at on 31 March 1946 at Faßberg, Germany.
In the above picture shared by her daughter Eugenie Brooks, Flight Sergeant John William Brooks DFC DFM is pictured sitting in his hurricane around 1942. He was based at Manston, Kent in 174 Squadron. 174 Squadron was called the Mauritius Squadron due to the fact that the money raised to buy all the hurricanes came from the good people of Mauritius. This generous act was never forgotten by the Sergeant.
Flight Sgt John William Brooks DFC DFM – WW2 Hurricane – 1942 (Courtesy: Engenie Brooks)
