AN RAF squadron which served in both the First and Second World Wars has held a reunion in York.

No 77 Squadron Royal Flying Corps was originally formed at the height of the First World War but disbanded in 1919.

In 1937, as the Second World War loomed, the squadron was reformed in Finningley, South Yorkshire, and by the time the war broke out, it had moved to RAF Driffield in East Yorkshire.

The squadron flew Armstrong Whitley twin engine bombers, and dropped propaganda leaflets over Germany in a bid to persuade the German population to reject the Nazi regime. During the war, the squadron also flew anti-submarine patrols, before moving to RAF Elvington in 1942 with Handley Page Halifax bombers.

More than 5,863 bombing sorties, 862 men and 210 aircraft were lost during the war, and in May 1945 the squadron was transferred to Transport Command and moved to RAF Broadwell in Oxfordshire, dropping food in India, and repatriating thousands of prisoners of war back to Europe.

The squadron operated missiles during the Cold War in the 1950s and 1960s as part of the NATO strike force, until July 10, 1963, when the squadron disbanded again.

A reunion of the 77 Squadron Association has been held at the Yorkshire Air Museum in Elvington, and Ian Reed, museum director, said the unit “in some ways, is one of the forgotten squadrons, despite quite an interesting history that included service in the Berlin Airlift and manning the Thor missiles during the height of the Cold War”.

At one point, the squadron was also commanded by an Air Gunner, ‘Lofty’ Lowe - which Mr Reed said was unusual for Air Force squadrons, whose commanding officers are usually taken from pilot or officer ranks.

Mr Reed said: “The fascinating 77 Squadron Memorial Room and exhibition can be seen at the museum, within the original wartime buildings, where the brave young aircrews and operations staff once trod.”

“With such a diverse and illustrious history, who knows when the Squadron may be re-formed once again, allowing personnel to once again to proudly serve under the Squadron motto ‘Esse Potius Quam Videri’ – ‘To Be, rather than Seem’.”