No . 273 Squadron RAF No . 273 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force Squadron formed as reconnaissance unit in World War I and initially a torpedo bomber and reconnaissance unit in World War II , based out of China Bay , Ceylon ( Sri Lanka ) . In mid 1944the squadron was re - equipped with Spitfire Mk VIII ' s and flew and fought out of airfields in both India and Burma . Following the end of the war , the squadron was moved first to Siam ( Thailand ) , and then later , French Indo - china ( Vietnam ) . It was re - equipped with Spitfire Mk XIV ' s in Nov 1945 . History . Formation and World War I . No . 273 Squadron Royal Flying Corps was formed on 30 July 1918 and operated DH . 4s , DH . 9s and Sopwith Camel s from Burgh Castle on reconnaissance missions . It also operated from Covehithe airfield , previously an RNAS night airfield . The squadron disbanded on 5 July 1919 at Great Yarmouth . Reformation in World War II . The squadron reformed on 1 August 1939 at China Bay in Ceylon as a torpedo bomber squadron operating the Vickers Vildebeest . In March 1942 it equipped with the Fairey Fulmar s and lost an aircraft during the Japanese attack on Ceylon . It re - equipped with Hurricanes in August 1942 and then the Supermarine Spitfire Mk VIII in March 1944 . From March 1944 pilots were given the new Spitfire Mk VIII to fly , and the squadron was moved up to British India to join in the war against the Japanese imperial forces . From May 1944 through to the end of the war , it was recorded that 14 pilots were killed . The period March - early July 1944 , was the period in which the major Japanese attacks ( Operation U - Go ) against Imphal and Kohima were beaten back by Allied Indian and British forces , greatly assisted by the Third Tactical Air Force ( TAF ) . The monsoon rains then followed , so that the next major round of strategic land battles commenced in late 1944 and early 1945 . The Allied 14th Army pushed into Central Burma in January / February 1945 , with their initial principal objectives being Meiktila and Mandalay . Mandalay fell towards the end March 1945 , and the next imperative was the move to capture Rangoon before the monsoon rains started in earnest . Along the coast , 273 Squadron was part of 224 Group RAF ( which in turn was part of the 3 TAF ) . The RAF here was charged to support Commonwealth ground forces belonging to XV Corps , the role of which was to drive Japanese forces out of the coastal Arakan region . During July / August 1944 , 273 Sqn flew out of Chittagong ; and then mainly operated out of Cox ’ s Bazaar from Sept - Dec 1944 . During January 1945 the squadron operated out of the more inland Maughnama . There was constant fighting over this period , this concentrating on ground support operations for the army , but also flying again Japanese Oscars ( based out of Akyab ) , and convoy patrols . At least one pilot was killed over this period . Akyab was evacuated by the Japanese at the end of December 1944 , and Ramree Island was then occupied by Allied forces in February 1945 . From February through to early May , 273 Squadron was based at Ramree Island , where it supported army operations as they moved against Japanese forces further south down the coast . Again this was a period of intense fighting , when at least a further three other pilots were killed . Rangoon was liberated by early May , and 273 Squadron moved into its new base at Mingaladon ( just outside of Rangoon ) in the middle of that month . There was then a six week period of somewhat frustrating operations , taken up mainly with patrolling . The first three weeks of July however involved a further final period of intense fighting however , as Allied army units and the RAF decimated Japanese forces as they attempted to cross the Sittang River , and head back towards Thailand . At least three other pilots were killed during these final operations . In mid - September , 273 Squadron was transferred to Don Muang , Siam ( Thailand ) , and then moved to Tan Son Nhut , French Indo - China ( Vietnam ) at the end of that month . The squadron was re - equipped with Spitfire Mk XIV ’ s in November 1945 , and then finally disbanded ( at Tan Son Nhut ) at the end of January 1946 . Interestingly the story of 273 Squadron does not end there . A squadron badge was designed and submitted to the Air Ministry in Nov 1944 . The design included an ancient Asian fylfot ( swastika ) and a black widow spider , together with the motto ‘ Toujours prêt ’ . Because of the controversial fylfot design , this badge was initially rejected by the RAF , and only accepted , in a modified design , over 50 years later , where it now rests next to No 1 Squadron in the RAF Chapel at St Clement Danes , London .