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SQUADRON

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Originally appearing in Volume V25, Page 743 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.
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SQUADRON , a military and See also:

naval See also:term for a See also:body of mounted troops or a detachment of See also:war vessels. The word is derived from squadra, a square, as a military term, according to See also:Florio, applied to a " certain See also:part of a See also:company of souldiers of 20 0: 25 whose See also:chief e was a See also:corporal," and so called no doubt as being formed on See also:parade or in See also:battle See also:array in squares. Squadra, square, is derived from the See also:Low Latin exquadrare, an intensive See also:form of quadrare (quadrus, four-cornered, quattuor, four). In military usage the term "squadron" is applied to the See also:principal See also:units into which a See also:cavalry See also:regiment is divided, corresponding to the company in an See also:infantry See also:battalion. The normal See also:modern See also:division of a cavalry regiment is into four squadrons of two to four troops each, this squadron numbering 120 to 200 men (see CAVALRY). In naval usage a squadron is a See also:group of vessels either as forming one of the divisions of a See also:fleet or as a See also:separate detachment under a See also:flag officer despatched on See also:special service. In military use, "squad" (a shortened form of " squadron ") is used of any small detachment of men detailed for See also:drill, fatigue or other See also:duty.

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