No.16 Squadron was formed from elements of Nos. 2, 5 and 6 Squadrons at St Omer, France, on 10 February 1915. The unit pioneered the use of wireless to report enemy troop movements during the Battle of Aubers Ridge in May 1915. No.16 was disbanded in 1919. On 1 April 1924, No.16 Squadron reformed at Old Sarum, spending the next ten years attached to the School of Army Co-operation. In May 1938, the Squadron became the first to receive Lysanders, taking them to France at the outbreak of World War II. After returning to the UK in May 1940, the Squadron was tasked with anti-invasion coastal patrols until April 1942. During the preparations for D-Day, reconnaissance Spitfires replaced the squadron's Mustangs, flying both high- and low-level reconnaissance sorties as 2TAF advanced towards Germany. In March 1946 the Squadron inherited No. 56 Squadron's Tempests and moved to Gutersloh. No.16 Squadron re-equipped with ground-attack Vampires in late 1948 and Venoms in 1954 before disbanding in June 1957. A year later, the Squadron was reformed at Laarbruch and was based in Germany until October 1991. No 16 was disbanded at RAF Coltishall on 11 March 2005.
