Support to the RAF since 1940

What was to become 7644 Squadron was the brainchild of Lord Beaverbrook in 1940. The Government of the time identified the need to keep the public informed about the war, giving the hard facts, but also introducing Servicemen and women telling their own stories. It was realised that the reporters covering the stories needed to be guided by people with dual expertise.

Lord Beaverbrook's idea was to find information experts with a Service background or interest and ask them to become officers in each of the Armed Forces. Almost everyone who was approached volunteered and so the first specialist public relations (PR) unit in the RAF Volunteer Reserves (RAFVR) was formed.

After the war, the RAF recognised the benefits of maintaining a small number of journalists in uniform. After being part of other units, these PR specialists became 7644 (VR) Public Relations Squadron RAuxAF when the RAFVR and the RAuxAF were amalgamated on 5 April 1997.

In recent years, squadron members have taken part in operations around the world. In the Gulf War, the Kosovo campaign, Sierra Leone, Afghanistan, and Operation Telic (the Iraq War), squadron officers have been deployed acting as advisers to senior officers as well as working in and running UK and multinational press information centres.

In peacetime, the squadron's 19 members work to provide extensive training and media relations support. 7644 Squadron RAF Reserves is proud to bring its unique set of skills in media operations to work alongside colleagues throughout the RAF and NATO.