Originally Posted by
MPN11
Inter-War, indeed ... as stated. However, I would always associate the Sqn thinking with their WW1 activity ... I guess we will never know, unless someone explores an archive.
It might also reference interwar activity with the 'gifts' being bombs as well as cargo.
216 was formally designated as a bomber transport squadron in the early 1930s, but the aircraft it flew during the period were all intended for use in both the transport and bombing roles, even if 216 - unlike 45 with Arthur Harris at the helm - wasn't (if I remember correctly) tasked with bombing in the early part of the interwar era as it was rather busy doing survey flights, etc in addition to air transport. Thus by 1936, the notion of air delivered 'gifts' being both cargo and bombs was entirely plausible, not least since squadrons did attempt to sneak this sort of in joke past the College of Heralds who had to recommend the badges and mottos to the King.