Originally established in September 1915, No. 22 Squadron has a proud history of service across both World Wars, operating a variety of aircraft around the globe. After being disbanded at the end of WWII in 1945, the squadron was reformed in 1955 as a short-range Search and Rescue (SAR) unit. In 1956, C Flight was based at RAF Valley, operating the Westland Whirlwind. The Whirlwind served as the backbone of the SAR force for two decades until it was replaced by the more capable twin-engine Westland Wessex in 1976. Since its establishment at Valley, the Flight has flown over 6,000 life-saving rescue missions.
