Aircraft Code: ZY | Motto: “Rise From The East”

No. 247 Squadron arrived at RAF Exeter in May 1942, equipped with Hawker Hurricane Mk I fighters, and remained until September of that year. Though its presence at Exeter was relatively brief, the squadron’s roots ran deep in the South West, having been formed in 1940 and operating continuously across Devon and Cornwall until 1943.

Initial operations commenced at Roborough, Plymouth, before the unit rotated through key Cornish airfields including RAF St Eval, Portreath, and Predannack. A detachment was first sent to RAF Exeter from December 1941 to May 1942, with the full squadron relocating there from May to September 1942 to support defensive and coastal patrol duties.

The squadron bore the distinctive title “China British” in honour of generous donations made by British communities residing in the foreign concessions along China’s coast. This unique heritage was reflected in the squadron’s badge, which featured a scroll inscribed with the Chinese characters Cheu Feng—translating to “fierce wind” or “hurricane”—and the evocative motto “Rise From The East.”

Flying under the aircraft code ‘ZY’, No. 247 Squadron embodied both regional resilience and international solidarity, contributing to the defence of Britain’s southern approaches during a critical phase of the war.