No. 1 Squadron RAF
Encyclopedia
No. 1 Squadron is a squadron
of the Royal Air Force
. It operated the Harrier GR9
from RAF Cottesmore
until 28 January 2011.
The squadron motto is In omnibus princeps (Latin for "first in all things"), appropriate for the RAF's oldest squadron and one that has been involved in almost every major British military operation since World War I
. This includes World War II
, Suez
, Falklands War
, Gulf War
, Kosovo War
and Operation Telic
(Iraq).
, Woolwich as part of the Balloon Section
. On 1 April 1911 the Air Battalion
of the Royal Engineers
was created. The battalion initially consisted of two companies, with No. 1 Company, Air Battalion taking responsibility for lighter than air
flying. The first Officer Commanding was Captain E M Maitland
.
On 13 May 1912, with the establishment of the Royal Flying Corps
, No. 1 Company of the Air Battalion was redesignated No. 1 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps. No. 1 Squadron was one of the original three Royal Flying Corps squadrons. Maitland continued as the new squadron's Officer Commanding and he was promoted to major several days after the establishment of the squadron. On 1 May 1914, Major Charles Longcroft
was appointed as the new squadron commander. Apart from a few weeks as a supernumerary in August and September 1914, Longcroft continued as the squadron commander until January 1915. It was also in May that the squadron airships were handed over to the Navy as it had been decided that the Navy would take over all airship activity.
The squadron was reformed as an aircraft squadron in August 1914, and equipped with a mixture of Avro 504
s and Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.8
s, crossed over to France on 7 March 1915. It operated mainly in the reconnaissance role, with a few single seat fighters for escort purposes. It retained Morane Parasols for reconnaissance, until becoming a dedicated fighter squadron on 1 January 1917, flying Nieuport 17
s and Nieuport 27.
The obsolete Nieuports were replaced by more modern S.E.5a
s in January 1918. On incorporation into the RAF on 1 April 1918 the squadron kept its numeral; No 1 Squadron of the Royal Naval Air Service
(RNAS) was displaced to become No. 201 Squadron RAF
.
No. 1 Squadron had among its ranks no fewer than 31 flying aces. They included:
future Air Commodore
Philip Fullard,
Percy Jack Clayson
,
William Charles Campbell
,
Louis Fleeming Jenkin
,
Tom Hazell,
Harold Albert Kullberg
,
Gordon Olley
,
Robert A. Birkbeck
,
Guy Borthwick Moore
,
William Wendell Rogers
,
Charles Lavers,
William Rooper
,
Edwin Cole
,
future Air Vice Marshal Quintin Brand,
Eustace Grenfell
,
Harry Rigby
, and
Francis Magoun.
in the North West Frontier
of India (now part of Pakistan), flying the Sopwith Snipe
. and from January 1920. It moved to Hinaidi near Baghdad
in Iraq in May 1921, to carry out policing duties, retaining its Snipes, although it also received one Bristol Jupiter
engined Nieuport Nighthawk
for evaluation. It remained in Iraq, carrying out strafing
and bombing against hostile tribal forces until November 1926 when it was disbanded.
In early 1927 it was reformed at Tangmere
, Sussex
as a Home Defence Fighter Squadron, equipped with the Armstrong Whitworth Siskin
. After receiving the Hawker Fury
Mk.1 in February 1932, the squadron gained a reputation for aerobatics, giving displays throughout the United Kingdom and at the Zurich
International Air Meeting in July 1937, where its display impressed but it was clear that it was outclassed by the German Messerschmitt Bf 109
and Dornier Do 17
also displayed at Zurich. The squadron re-equipped with the Hurricane Mk.I
in October 1938.
in September 1939 the Squadron was deployed to France as part of the RAF Advanced Air Striking Force
. In October it flew over enemy territory for the first time and soon claimed its first victory, shooting down a Dornier Do 17
on 31 October. Further successes were made during the Phoney War, until the Battle of France
erupted in May 1940. Within a week the squadron was bombed out of its base at Berry-au-Bac
, north-west of Paris. A series of retreats followed, ending only when the Squadron evacuated from France on 18 June, with a return to Tangmere on 23 June. (The autobiographical book Fighter Pilot by Paul Richey, a pilot with 1 Squadron during the Battle of France, is widely regarded as a classic of air warfare literature.)
In August 1940, the squadron entered the Battle of Britain
and was heavily engaged until 9 September, when the Squadron was transferred to 12 Group
, and was sent to RAF Wittering
to refit, rest and recuperate.
It returned to 11 Group
in early 1941 and was employed in fighter sweeps and bomber escort duties. In February, it began "Rhubarb" (low-level sweeps over occupied territory) and night flying missions, and was re-equipped with the Hurricane IIA. The Squadron carried out night intruder patrols until July 1942, when it was re-equipped with the Hawker Typhoon
fighter-bomber and relocated to RAF Acklington
, Northumberland
where it reverted to daytime operations.
The Squadron was equipped with the Spitfire IX
in April 1944, and in June began anti-V1
patrols, shooting down 39 flying bombs. Missions were also flown over the Falaise Gap, strafing targets of opportunity. Later in the year it reverted to bomber escort duties, based at Haldegham. It was involved in supporting Operation Market Garden
: the parachute drops into Holland, and later in support of the Allied counter-offensive in the Ardennes. The squadron dropped 250 lb bombs on to 'Key Points' (KPs), directed by radar to counter the adverse weather conditions. In May 1945 it converted to the Spitfire Mk.XXI, but these were only used operationally to cover landings on the Channel Islands
.
.
In October 1948 Major Robin Olds
, USAF, under the U.S. Air Force/Royal Air Force exchange program was posted in and flying the Gloster Meteor
jet fighter, he eventually served as commander of the Squadron at RAF Station Tangmere
, the first non-commonwealth
foreigner to command an RAF unit. During his time with 1 Sqn he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross
.
The Squadron was then equipped with the Hawker Hunter F.5
, which were flown from RAF Akrotiri
, Cyprus
during the 1956 Suez Crisis
. The squadron disbanded on 23 June 1958. However, on 1 July 1958 the squadron was reformed by re-numbering No. 263 Squadron RAF
at RAF Stradishall
. It then moved to RAF Waterbeach
from where, flying the Hunter FGA.9, it operated in the ground attack role as part of No. 38 Group RAF
. The Squadron continued in this role for the next eight years, operating out of Waterbeach and then RAF West Raynham
.
Flight Lieutenant
Alan Pollock of No. 1 Sqn was responsible for the infamous and very unofficial flying display
on the 50th anniversary of the RAF in 1968.
Under the command of Squadron Leader Bryan Baker, the squadron became the world's first operator of a V/STOL
aircraft with the arrival of the Hawker Siddeley Harrier in 1969, declared operational the following year. A detachment from No. 1 Squadron was deployed to the British Fleet during the Falklands War
, operating from HMS Hermes
and flying ground attack missions against Argentine forces. It replaced its first generation Harriers with Harrier IIs from 23 November 1988, being declared fully operational on the Harrier GR.5 on 2 November 1989. During the Kosovo war the Squadron flew over 800 sorties as part of NATO's Operation Allied Force
.
No. 1 Squadron left the "home of the Harrier" at RAF Wittering
for RAF Cottesmore
on 28 July 2000. Cottesmore became home to all operational RAF Harrier squadrons – No. 20 (Reserve) Squadron
, later renumbered as No. 4 (R) Squadron, the Harrier Operational Conversion Unit
remained at Wittering.
One outcome of the Strategic Defence and Security Review
by the coalition government in 2010 was the decision to take the RAF's Harriers out of service almost immediately. All Harrier units, including No .1 Squadron, ceased Harrier flying on 15 December 2010, and 1 Sqn formally disbanded on 28 January 2011.
class="wikitable">
Date appointed
Name
7 May 1947
F/Lt. N H D Ramsey (acting)
15 July 1947
S/Ldr. T R Burne, DSO, DFC
4 February 1949
Major R Olds
USAF
1 October 1949
S/Ldr. T R Burne, DSO, DFC
10 January 1950
Major D F Smith USAF
18 August 1950
S/Ldr. J L W Ellacombe, DFC & Bar
21 November 1952
S/Ldr. R B Morison, DFC
27 July 1953
S/Ldr. D I Smith
1 December 1953
S/Ldr. F W Lister, DSO, DFC
1 June 1955
F/Lt. H Irving (acting)
8 August 1956
S/Ldr. R S Kingsford
5 July 1958
S/Ldr. L de Garis, AFC
1 December 1958
S/Ldr. J J Phipps
1 January 1961
S/Ldr. P V Pledger
1 January 1963
S/Ldr. F L Travers-Smith
28 December 1964
S/Ldr. D C G Brook
1 November 1966
S/Ldr. G. Jones
20 September 1968
S/Ldr. L A B Baker
10 April 1969
W/Cdr.
J A Mansell
21 May 1969
S/Ldr. L A B Baker
4 August 1969
W/Cdr. D Allison
October 1969
S/Ldr. L A B Baker
1 January 1970
W/Cdr. K W Hayr
, AFC
6 January 1972
W/Cdr. E J E Smith, OBE
3 December 1973
W/Cdr. P P W Taylor, AFC
9 July 1976
W/Cdr. J G Saye
17 July 1978
W/Cdr. R B Duckett, AFC
26 March 1981
W/Cdr. P T Squire, DFC, AFC
23 December 1983
W/Cdr. J D L Feesey, AFC
13 June 1986
W/Cdr. I M Stewart
3 October 1988
W/Cdr. I R Harvey MBE
, BSc
17 May 1991
W/Cdr. C C N Burwell, MBE
29 April 1994
W/Cdr. D Walker
, AFC, BSc
18 March 1996
W/Cdr. M A Leakey, BSc
26 November 1997
S/Ldr. I Cameron (acting)
9 January 1998
W/Cdr. A Golledge, DSO, BSc
26 October 1999
W/Cdr. S M Bell, BSc
Squadron (aviation)
A squadron in air force, army aviation or naval aviation is mainly a unit comprising a number of military aircraft, usually of the same type, typically with 12 to 24 aircraft, sometimes divided into three or four flights, depending on aircraft type and air force...
of the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
. It operated the Harrier GR9
RAF Harrier II
The British Aerospace/McDonnell Douglas Harrier II is a second-generation vertical/short takeoff and landing jet aircraft used previously by the Royal Air Force and, between 2006–2010, the Royal Navy. Derived from the McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II, which was a development of the Hawker...
from RAF Cottesmore
RAF Cottesmore
RAF Cottesmore was a Royal Air Force station in Rutland, England, situated between Cottesmore and Market Overton. The station housed all the operational Harrier GR9 squadrons in the Royal Air Force, and No 122 Expeditionary Air Wing...
until 28 January 2011.
The squadron motto is In omnibus princeps (Latin for "first in all things"), appropriate for the RAF's oldest squadron and one that has been involved in almost every major British military operation since World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. This includes World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Suez
Suez Crisis
The Suez Crisis, also referred to as the Tripartite Aggression, Suez War was an offensive war fought by France, the United Kingdom, and Israel against Egypt beginning on 29 October 1956. Less than a day after Israel invaded Egypt, Britain and France issued a joint ultimatum to Egypt and Israel,...
, Falklands War
Falklands War
The Falklands War , also called the Falklands Conflict or Falklands Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the disputed Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands...
, Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
, Kosovo War
Kosovo War
The term Kosovo War or Kosovo conflict was two sequential, and at times parallel, armed conflicts in Kosovo province, then part of FR Yugoslav Republic of Serbia; from early 1998 to 1999, there was an armed conflict initiated by the ethnic Albanian "Kosovo Liberation Army" , who sought independence...
and Operation Telic
Operation Telic
Operation TELIC was the codename under which all British military operations in Iraq were conducted between the start of the Invasion of Iraq on 19 March 2003 and the withdrawal of the last remaining British forces on 22 May 2011...
(Iraq).
1878 to 1918
No. 1 Squadron's origins go back to 1878 when its predecessor, No. 1 Balloon Company, was formed at the Royal ArsenalRoyal Arsenal
The Royal Arsenal, Woolwich, originally known as the Woolwich Warren, carried out armaments manufacture, ammunition proofing and explosives research for the British armed forces. It was sited on the south bank of the River Thames in Woolwich in south-east London, England.-Early history:The Warren...
, Woolwich as part of the Balloon Section
School of Ballooning
The School of Ballooning was a training and test centre for British Army experiments with balloons and airships. It was established at Chatham in Kent in 1888. The School moved to Stanhope Lines, Aldershot in 1890 when a balloon section and depot were formed as permanent units of the Royal...
. On 1 April 1911 the Air Battalion
Air Battalion Royal Engineers
The Air Battalion Royal Engineers was the first flying unit of the British Armed Forces to make use of heavier-than-air craft. It evolved into the Royal Flying Corps which in turn evolved into the Royal Air Force.-Establishment:...
of the Royal Engineers
Royal Engineers
The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers , and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army....
was created. The battalion initially consisted of two companies, with No. 1 Company, Air Battalion taking responsibility for lighter than air
Lighter than air
Lighter than air refers to gases that are buoyant in air because they have densities lower than that of air .Some of these gases are used as lifting gases in lighter-than-air aircraft, which include free balloons, moored balloons, and airships, to make the whole craft, on average, lighter than air...
flying. The first Officer Commanding was Captain E M Maitland
Edward Maitland (aviator)
Air Commodore Edward Maitland Maitland CMG DSO AFC FRGS was an early military aviator who served in the Air Battalion of the Royal Engineers, the Royal Flying Corps, the Royal Naval Air Service and the Royal Air Force....
.
On 13 May 1912, with the establishment of the Royal Flying Corps
Royal Flying Corps
The Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery co-operation and photographic reconnaissance...
, No. 1 Company of the Air Battalion was redesignated No. 1 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps. No. 1 Squadron was one of the original three Royal Flying Corps squadrons. Maitland continued as the new squadron's Officer Commanding and he was promoted to major several days after the establishment of the squadron. On 1 May 1914, Major Charles Longcroft
Charles Longcroft
Air Vice Marshal Sir Charles Alexander Holcombe Longcroft KCB, CMG, DSO, AFC was a pilot and squadron commander in the Royal Flying Corps who went on to become a senior commander in the Royal Air Force.-Early years:...
was appointed as the new squadron commander. Apart from a few weeks as a supernumerary in August and September 1914, Longcroft continued as the squadron commander until January 1915. It was also in May that the squadron airships were handed over to the Navy as it had been decided that the Navy would take over all airship activity.
Avro 504
The Avro 504 was a World War I biplane aircraft made by the Avro aircraft company and under licence by others. Production during the War totalled 8,970 and continued for almost 20 years, making it the most-produced aircraft of any kind that served in World War I, in any military capacity, during...
s and Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.8
Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.8
|-See also:-References:*Bruce, J.M. British Aeroplanes 1914-18. London:Putnam, 1957.*Bruce, J.M. The Aircraft of the Royal Flying Corps . London:Putnam, 1982. ISBN 0 370 30084 x....
s, crossed over to France on 7 March 1915. It operated mainly in the reconnaissance role, with a few single seat fighters for escort purposes. It retained Morane Parasols for reconnaissance, until becoming a dedicated fighter squadron on 1 January 1917, flying Nieuport 17
Nieuport 17
|-Specifications :-See also:-Bibliography:* Bruce, Jack. "Those Classic Nieuports". Air Enthusiast Quarterly. Number Two, 1976. Bromley, UK:Pilot Press. pp. 137–153....
s and Nieuport 27.
The obsolete Nieuports were replaced by more modern S.E.5a
Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5
The Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5 was a British biplane fighter aircraft of the First World War. Although the first examples reached the Western Front before the Sopwith Camel and it had a much better overall performance, problems with its Hispano-Suiza engine, particularly the geared-output H-S...
s in January 1918. On incorporation into the RAF on 1 April 1918 the squadron kept its numeral; No 1 Squadron of the Royal Naval Air Service
Royal Naval Air Service
The Royal Naval Air Service or RNAS was the air arm of the Royal Navy until near the end of the First World War, when it merged with the British Army's Royal Flying Corps to form a new service , the Royal Air Force...
(RNAS) was displaced to become No. 201 Squadron RAF
No. 201 Squadron RAF
No. 201 Squadron of the Royal Air Force, until March 2010, operated the Nimrod MR2, based at RAF Kinloss, Moray. It is the only squadron affiliated with Guernsey, in the Channel Islands. This affiliation started in 1935 and is commemorated in the museum on Castle Cornet. Its history goes even...
.
No. 1 Squadron had among its ranks no fewer than 31 flying aces. They included:
future Air Commodore
Air Commodore
Air commodore is an air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
Philip Fullard,
Percy Jack Clayson
Percy Jack Clayson
Percy Jack Clayson MC, DFC was a British Flying Ace in World War I credited with twenty-nine victories.-Background:Clayson was born in Deptford, London on 7 June 1896...
,
William Charles Campbell
William Charles Campbell
Captain William Charles Campbell, Distinguished Service Order, Military Cross with Bar , was a World War I fighter pilot of Scots heritage who was credited with 23 victories. Serving with No. 1 Squadron during 1917, he was a notable balloon buster, being the first British ace to down five enemy...
,
Louis Fleeming Jenkin
Louis Fleeming Jenkin
Captain Louis Fleeming Jenkin, Military Cross & Bar, was a First World War flying ace credited with 22 victories.-Early life and service:...
,
Tom Hazell,
Harold Albert Kullberg
Harold Albert Kullberg
Captain Harold Albert Kullberg was a World War I flying ace credited with 19 aerial victories. Though he scored his victories with the Royal Air Force, Kullberg was an American citizen. He was rejected for training as an American pilot because he was too short. Nothing daunted, he then joined the...
,
Gordon Olley
Gordon Olley
Flying Officer Gordon Percy Olley MM was a First World War flying ace who later formed his own airline, Olley Air Services. He was the first pilot to fly a million miles in total.-Early years:...
,
Robert A. Birkbeck
Robert A. Birkbeck
Captain Robert Alexander Birkbeck, DFC, was a World War I flying ace credited with 10 aerial victories.-World War I service:Birkbeck received Royal Aero Club certificate No. 3157 on 23 June 1916 to become a pilot. He was appointed a temporary probationary second lieutenant on 4 March 1917. He...
,
Guy Borthwick Moore
Guy Borthwick Moore
Captain Guy Borthwick Moore was a World War I flying ace credited with ten aerial victories.Moore lived in Vancouver and attended the University of British Columbia from 1913–1916, gaining a BA. He was an oarsman and a rugby player. He became a lieutenant in the Irish Fusiliers of Canada in 1916,...
,
William Wendell Rogers
William Wendell Rogers
Captain William Wendell Rogers was a World War I flying ace credited with nine aerial victories. He singlehandedly shot down a Gotha G bomber.Rogers was appointed a Flying Officer on 25 April 1917...
,
Charles Lavers,
William Rooper
William Victor Trevor Rooper
Captain William Victor Trevor Rooper was a World War I flying ace credited with eight aerial victories. He became Xavier Dannhuber's seventh victim.Rooper joined 1 Squadron in the summer of 1917. He became a Flight Commander in mid-September.-Reference:...
,
Edwin Cole
Edwin Cole (aviator)
Lieutenant Edwin Stuart Travis Cole was a World War I flying ace credited with eight aerial victories.-World War I service:On 14 December 1915, Cole earned Aviator's Certificate No. 2160 on Caudron Biplanes at the Ruffy-Baumann School in Hendon. On 21 July 1916, he was appointed to the Royal Flying...
,
future Air Vice Marshal Quintin Brand,
Eustace Grenfell
Eustace Grenfell
Major Eustace Osborne Grenfell was an early flying ace of World War I. He was credited with eight victories. He went on to make a career of the Royal Air Force...
,
Harry Rigby
Harry Rigby (aviator)
Captain Harry Alexander Rigby was a World War I flying ace credited with six aerial victories.Rigby was commissioned in the Royal Flying Corps on 22 May 1916. He joined 40 Squadron on 1 August, but left a month later due to illness. Subsequently, he joined 1 Squadron on 2 February 1918, being...
, and
Francis Magoun.
Between the wars
The squadron returned to the UK from France in March 1919, being formally disbanded on 20 January 1920. On the next day it reformed at RisalpurRisalpur
Risalpur is a city in Nowshera District, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, on the Nowshera-Mardan Road. It is nearly 45 km from Peshawar and 15 km from Mardan and is located at 34°4'52N 71°58'21E. In a basin some 1014 feet above sea level, it is bounded on the south and west by the Kabul and...
in the North West Frontier
North-West Frontier Province
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa , formerly known as the North-West Frontier Province and various other names, is one of the four provinces of Pakistan, located in the north-west of the country...
of India (now part of Pakistan), flying the Sopwith Snipe
Sopwith Snipe
The Sopwith 7F.1 Snipe was a British single-seat biplane fighter of the Royal Air Force . It was designed and built by the Sopwith Aviation Company during the First World War, and came into squadron service a few weeks before the end of that conflict, in late 1918.The Snipe was not a fast aircraft...
. and from January 1920. It moved to Hinaidi near Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
in Iraq in May 1921, to carry out policing duties, retaining its Snipes, although it also received one Bristol Jupiter
Bristol Jupiter
The Bristol Jupiter was a British nine-cylinder single-row piston radial engine built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company. Originally designed late in World War I and known as the Cosmos Jupiter, a lengthy series of upgrades and developments turned it into one of the finest engines of its era.The...
engined Nieuport Nighthawk
Nieuport Nighthawk
The Nieuport Nighthawk was a British fighter aircraft developed by the Nieuport & General Aircraft company for the Royal Air Force towards the end of the First World War. Although ordered into production before the aircraft first flew, it did not enter large scale service with the RAF owing to...
for evaluation. It remained in Iraq, carrying out strafing
Strafing
Strafing is the practice of attacking ground targets from low-flying aircraft using aircraft-mounted automatic weapons. This means, that although ground attack using automatic weapons fire is very often accompanied with bombing or rocket fire, the term "strafing" does not specifically include the...
and bombing against hostile tribal forces until November 1926 when it was disbanded.
In early 1927 it was reformed at Tangmere
RAF Tangmere
RAF Tangmere was a Royal Air Force station famous for its role in the Battle of Britain, located at Tangmere village about 3 miles east of Chichester in West Sussex, England. American RAF pilot Billy Fiske died at Tangmere and was the first American aviator to die during World War II...
, Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
as a Home Defence Fighter Squadron, equipped with the Armstrong Whitworth Siskin
Armstrong Whitworth Siskin
The Armstrong Whitworth Siskin was a British biplane single-seat fighter aircraft of the 1920s produced by Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft. The Siskin was one of the first new RAF fighters to enter service after the First World War; it was noted for its aerobatic qualities.-Design and development:The...
. After receiving the Hawker Fury
Hawker Fury
The Hawker Fury was a British biplane fighter aircraft used by the Royal Air Force in the 1930s. It was originally named the Hornet and was the counterpart to the Hawker Hart light bomber.-Design and development:...
Mk.1 in February 1932, the squadron gained a reputation for aerobatics, giving displays throughout the United Kingdom and at the Zurich
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
International Air Meeting in July 1937, where its display impressed but it was clear that it was outclassed by the German Messerschmitt Bf 109
Messerschmitt Bf 109
The Messerschmitt Bf 109, often called Me 109, was a German World War II fighter aircraft designed by Willy Messerschmitt and Robert Lusser during the early to mid 1930s...
and Dornier Do 17
Dornier Do 17
The Dornier Do 17, sometimes referred to as the Fliegender Bleistift , was a World War II German light bomber produced by Claudius Dornier's company, Dornier Flugzeugwerke...
also displayed at Zurich. The squadron re-equipped with the Hurricane Mk.I
Hawker Hurricane
The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force...
in October 1938.
Second World War
On the outbreak of World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in September 1939 the Squadron was deployed to France as part of the RAF Advanced Air Striking Force
RAF Advanced Air Striking Force
Before the Second World War it had been agreed between the United Kingdom and France that in case of war, the light bomber force of the Royal Air Force would move to bases within France from which it could operate against targets in Nazi Germany. To achieve this, the RAF Advanced Air Striking Force...
. In October it flew over enemy territory for the first time and soon claimed its first victory, shooting down a Dornier Do 17
Dornier Do 17
The Dornier Do 17, sometimes referred to as the Fliegender Bleistift , was a World War II German light bomber produced by Claudius Dornier's company, Dornier Flugzeugwerke...
on 31 October. Further successes were made during the Phoney War, until the Battle of France
Battle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
erupted in May 1940. Within a week the squadron was bombed out of its base at Berry-au-Bac
Berry-au-Bac
Berry-au-Bac is a commune in the department of Aisne in Picardy in northern France.-References:*...
, north-west of Paris. A series of retreats followed, ending only when the Squadron evacuated from France on 18 June, with a return to Tangmere on 23 June. (The autobiographical book Fighter Pilot by Paul Richey, a pilot with 1 Squadron during the Battle of France, is widely regarded as a classic of air warfare literature.)
In August 1940, the squadron entered the Battle of Britain
Battle of Britain
The Battle of Britain is the name given to the World War II air campaign waged by the German Air Force against the United Kingdom during the summer and autumn of 1940...
and was heavily engaged until 9 September, when the Squadron was transferred to 12 Group
No. 12 Group RAF
No. 12 Group of the Royal Air Force was a command organization that exisited over two separate periods, namely the end of World War I when it had a training function and from just prior to World War II until the early 1960s when it was tasked with an air defence role.No. 12 Group was first formed...
, and was sent to RAF Wittering
RAF Wittering
RAF Wittering is a Royal Air Force station within the unitary authority area of Peterborough, Cambridgeshire. Although Stamford in Lincolnshire is the nearest town, the runways of RAF Wittering cross the boundary between Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire....
to refit, rest and recuperate.
It returned to 11 Group
No. 11 Group RAF
No. 11 Group was a group in the Royal Air Force for various periods in the 20th century, finally disbanding in 1996. Its most famous service was during 1940 when it defended London and the south-east against the attacks of the Luftwaffe during the Battle of Britain.-First World War:No. 11 Group was...
in early 1941 and was employed in fighter sweeps and bomber escort duties. In February, it began "Rhubarb" (low-level sweeps over occupied territory) and night flying missions, and was re-equipped with the Hurricane IIA. The Squadron carried out night intruder patrols until July 1942, when it was re-equipped with the Hawker Typhoon
Hawker Typhoon
The Hawker Typhoon was a British single-seat fighter-bomber, produced by Hawker Aircraft. While the Typhoon was designed to be a medium-high altitude interceptor, and a direct replacement for the Hawker Hurricane, several design problems were encountered, and the Typhoon never completely satisfied...
fighter-bomber and relocated to RAF Acklington
RAF Acklington
The former Royal Air Force Station Acklington, commonly known as RAF Acklington, was a Royal Air Force airfield airbase situated near Acklington, in Northumberland, England....
, Northumberland
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
where it reverted to daytime operations.
The Squadron was equipped with the Spitfire IX
Supermarine Spitfire
The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s...
in April 1944, and in June began anti-V1
V-1 flying bomb
The V-1 flying bomb, also known as the Buzz Bomb or Doodlebug, was an early pulse-jet-powered predecessor of the cruise missile....
patrols, shooting down 39 flying bombs. Missions were also flown over the Falaise Gap, strafing targets of opportunity. Later in the year it reverted to bomber escort duties, based at Haldegham. It was involved in supporting Operation Market Garden
Operation Market Garden
Operation Market Garden was an unsuccessful Allied military operation, fought in the Netherlands and Germany in the Second World War. It was the largest airborne operation up to that time....
: the parachute drops into Holland, and later in support of the Allied counter-offensive in the Ardennes. The squadron dropped 250 lb bombs on to 'Key Points' (KPs), directed by radar to counter the adverse weather conditions. In May 1945 it converted to the Spitfire Mk.XXI, but these were only used operationally to cover landings on the Channel Islands
Channel Islands
The Channel Islands are an archipelago of British Crown Dependencies in the English Channel, off the French coast of Normandy. They include two separate bailiwicks: the Bailiwick of Guernsey and the Bailiwick of Jersey...
.
Post war
In 1946 the Squadron returned to Tangmere and took delivery of its first jet aircraft, the Gloster MeteorGloster Meteor
The Gloster Meteor was the first British jet fighter and the Allies' first operational jet. It first flew in 1943 and commenced operations on 27 July 1944 with 616 Squadron of the Royal Air Force...
.
In October 1948 Major Robin Olds
Robin Olds
Robin Olds was an American fighter pilot and general officer in the U.S. Air Force. He was a "triple ace", with a combined total of 16 victories in World War II and the Vietnam War. He retired in 1973 as a brigadier general....
, USAF, under the U.S. Air Force/Royal Air Force exchange program was posted in and flying the Gloster Meteor
Gloster Meteor
The Gloster Meteor was the first British jet fighter and the Allies' first operational jet. It first flew in 1943 and commenced operations on 27 July 1944 with 616 Squadron of the Royal Air Force...
jet fighter, he eventually served as commander of the Squadron at RAF Station Tangmere
RAF Tangmere
RAF Tangmere was a Royal Air Force station famous for its role in the Battle of Britain, located at Tangmere village about 3 miles east of Chichester in West Sussex, England. American RAF pilot Billy Fiske died at Tangmere and was the first American aviator to die during World War II...
, the first non-commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
foreigner to command an RAF unit. During his time with 1 Sqn he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
.
The Squadron was then equipped with the Hawker Hunter F.5
Hawker Hunter
The Hawker Hunter is a subsonic British jet aircraft developed in the 1950s. The single-seat Hunter entered service as a manoeuvrable fighter aircraft, and later operated in fighter-bomber and reconnaissance roles in numerous conflicts. Two-seat variants remained in use for training and secondary...
, which were flown from RAF Akrotiri
RAF Akrotiri
Royal Air Force Station Akrotiri, more commonly known as RAF Akrotiri , is a large Royal Air Force station, on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus. It is located in the Western Sovereign Base Area, one of two areas which comprise Akrotiri and Dhekelia, a British Overseas Territory, administered as a...
, Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
during the 1956 Suez Crisis
Suez Crisis
The Suez Crisis, also referred to as the Tripartite Aggression, Suez War was an offensive war fought by France, the United Kingdom, and Israel against Egypt beginning on 29 October 1956. Less than a day after Israel invaded Egypt, Britain and France issued a joint ultimatum to Egypt and Israel,...
. The squadron disbanded on 23 June 1958. However, on 1 July 1958 the squadron was reformed by re-numbering No. 263 Squadron RAF
No. 263 Squadron RAF
No 263 Squadron was an Royal Air Force fighter squadron formed in Italy towards the end of World War I. After being disbanded in 1919 it reformed in 1939 flying mainly strike and heavy fighter aircraft until becoming No 1 Squadron in 1958.-First World War:...
at RAF Stradishall
Stradishall
Stradishall is a village and civil parish in the Borough of St Edmundsbury in the English county of Suffolk.The Royal Air Force operated an airfield near Stradishall, RAF Stradishall, which was operational between 1938 and 1970. The former airfield is now the site of two category C prisons: HMP...
. It then moved to RAF Waterbeach
Waterbeach
Waterbeach is a large fen-edge village located 6 miles north of Cambridge in Cambridgeshire in England, and belongs to the administrative district of South Cambridgeshire. The parish covers an area of 23.26 km².- Village :...
from where, flying the Hunter FGA.9, it operated in the ground attack role as part of No. 38 Group RAF
No. 38 Group RAF
No 38 Group RAF was formed on 6 November 1943 from nine squadrons as part of Fighter Command. It was finally disbanded on 1 April 2000.-History:...
. The Squadron continued in this role for the next eight years, operating out of Waterbeach and then RAF West Raynham
RAF West Raynham
RAF West Raynham was a Royal Air Force station located west of the village of West Raynham in Norfolk, England. It opened in the 1930s and closed in 1994. During the Second World War, RAF Bomber Command operations from RAF West Raynham claimed 86 aircraft. The site was sold by the Ministry of...
.
Flight Lieutenant
Flight Lieutenant
Flight lieutenant is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many Commonwealth countries. It ranks above flying officer and immediately below squadron leader. The name of the rank is the complete phrase; it is never shortened to "lieutenant"...
Alan Pollock of No. 1 Sqn was responsible for the infamous and very unofficial flying display
Hawker Hunter Tower Bridge incident
The Hawker Hunter Tower Bridge incident was an aviation incident that occurred on 5 April 1968 when an RAF Hawker Hunter pilot performed unauthorised stunt manoeuvres at Tower Bridge, London, and elsewhere, to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the Royal Air Force and as a...
on the 50th anniversary of the RAF in 1968.
The Harrier
V/STOL
Vertical and/or short take-off and landing is a term used to describe aircraft that are able to take-off or land vertically or on short runways. Vertical takeoff and landing describes craft which do not require runways at all...
aircraft with the arrival of the Hawker Siddeley Harrier in 1969, declared operational the following year. A detachment from No. 1 Squadron was deployed to the British Fleet during the Falklands War
Falklands War
The Falklands War , also called the Falklands Conflict or Falklands Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the disputed Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands...
, operating from HMS Hermes
HMS Hermes (R12)
HMS Hermes was a Centaur-class British aircraft carrier, the last of the postwar conventional aircraft carriers commissioned into the Royal Navy.-Construction and modifications:...
and flying ground attack missions against Argentine forces. It replaced its first generation Harriers with Harrier IIs from 23 November 1988, being declared fully operational on the Harrier GR.5 on 2 November 1989. During the Kosovo war the Squadron flew over 800 sorties as part of NATO's Operation Allied Force
Operation Allied Force
The NATO bombing of Yugoslavia was NATO's military operation against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia during the Kosovo War. The strikes lasted from March 24, 1999 to June 10, 1999...
.
No. 1 Squadron left the "home of the Harrier" at RAF Wittering
RAF Wittering
RAF Wittering is a Royal Air Force station within the unitary authority area of Peterborough, Cambridgeshire. Although Stamford in Lincolnshire is the nearest town, the runways of RAF Wittering cross the boundary between Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire....
for RAF Cottesmore
RAF Cottesmore
RAF Cottesmore was a Royal Air Force station in Rutland, England, situated between Cottesmore and Market Overton. The station housed all the operational Harrier GR9 squadrons in the Royal Air Force, and No 122 Expeditionary Air Wing...
on 28 July 2000. Cottesmore became home to all operational RAF Harrier squadrons – No. 20 (Reserve) Squadron
No. 20 Squadron RAF
No. 20 Squadron of the Royal Air Force was until March 2010, the OCU for the BAE Harrier GR9, and T12, operating from RAF Wittering...
, later renumbered as No. 4 (R) Squadron, the Harrier Operational Conversion Unit
Operational Conversion Unit
An Operational Conversion Unit is a unit within an air force whose role is to support preparation for the operational missions of a specific aircraft type by providing trained personnel. OCUs teach pilots how to fly an aircraft and which tactics best exploit the performance of their aircraft and...
remained at Wittering.
One outcome of the Strategic Defence and Security Review
Strategic Defence and Security Review
The Strategic Defence and Security Review was announced by the newly formed Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government of the United Kingdom in May 2010, and published on 19 October 2010...
by the coalition government in 2010 was the decision to take the RAF's Harriers out of service almost immediately. All Harrier units, including No .1 Squadron, ceased Harrier flying on 15 December 2010, and 1 Sqn formally disbanded on 28 January 2011.
Aircraft operated
Year of introduction- Avro 504Avro 504The Avro 504 was a World War I biplane aircraft made by the Avro aircraft company and under licence by others. Production during the War totalled 8,970 and continued for almost 20 years, making it the most-produced aircraft of any kind that served in World War I, in any military capacity, during...
−1915-1916 - B.E.8Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.8|-See also:-References:*Bruce, J.M. British Aeroplanes 1914-18. London:Putnam, 1957.*Bruce, J.M. The Aircraft of the Royal Flying Corps . London:Putnam, 1982. ISBN 0 370 30084 x....
– 1915-1916 - Morane Parasol – 1915-1916
- Nieuport 17Nieuport 17|-Specifications :-See also:-Bibliography:* Bruce, Jack. "Those Classic Nieuports". Air Enthusiast Quarterly. Number Two, 1976. Bromley, UK:Pilot Press. pp. 137–153....
– 1916-1917 - Nieuport 27 – 1917-1918
- SE5aRoyal Aircraft Factory S.E.5The Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5 was a British biplane fighter aircraft of the First World War. Although the first examples reached the Western Front before the Sopwith Camel and it had a much better overall performance, problems with its Hispano-Suiza engine, particularly the geared-output H-S...
– 1918-1920 - Sopwith SnipeSopwith SnipeThe Sopwith 7F.1 Snipe was a British single-seat biplane fighter of the Royal Air Force . It was designed and built by the Sopwith Aviation Company during the First World War, and came into squadron service a few weeks before the end of that conflict, in late 1918.The Snipe was not a fast aircraft...
– 1920-1927 - Armstrong Whitworth SiskinArmstrong Whitworth SiskinThe Armstrong Whitworth Siskin was a British biplane single-seat fighter aircraft of the 1920s produced by Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft. The Siskin was one of the first new RAF fighters to enter service after the First World War; it was noted for its aerobatic qualities.-Design and development:The...
– 1927-1933 - Hawker FuryHawker FuryThe Hawker Fury was a British biplane fighter aircraft used by the Royal Air Force in the 1930s. It was originally named the Hornet and was the counterpart to the Hawker Hart light bomber.-Design and development:...
– 1933-1937 - Hawker HurricaneHawker HurricaneThe Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force...
– 1937-1943 - Hawker TyphoonHawker TyphoonThe Hawker Typhoon was a British single-seat fighter-bomber, produced by Hawker Aircraft. While the Typhoon was designed to be a medium-high altitude interceptor, and a direct replacement for the Hawker Hurricane, several design problems were encountered, and the Typhoon never completely satisfied...
– 1943-1944 - Supermarine SpitfireSupermarine SpitfireThe Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s...
– 1944-1950 - Gloster MeteorGloster MeteorThe Gloster Meteor was the first British jet fighter and the Allies' first operational jet. It first flew in 1943 and commenced operations on 27 July 1944 with 616 Squadron of the Royal Air Force...
– 1950-1957 - Hawker HunterHawker HunterThe Hawker Hunter is a subsonic British jet aircraft developed in the 1950s. The single-seat Hunter entered service as a manoeuvrable fighter aircraft, and later operated in fighter-bomber and reconnaissance roles in numerous conflicts. Two-seat variants remained in use for training and secondary...
– 1957-1970 - Hawker Siddeley Harrier – 1970-2010
Commanding officers
According to Halley, Shaw and Franks & Connor| class="wikitable"> | Date appointed | Name |
|---|---|---|
| 13 May 1912 | Major E M Maitland Edward Maitland (aviator) Air Commodore Edward Maitland Maitland CMG DSO AFC FRGS was an early military aviator who served in the Air Battalion of the Royal Engineers, the Royal Flying Corps, the Royal Naval Air Service and the Royal Air Force.... |
|
| 1 May 1914 | Major C A H Longcroft Charles Longcroft Air Vice Marshal Sir Charles Alexander Holcombe Longcroft KCB, CMG, DSO, AFC was a pilot and squadron commander in the Royal Flying Corps who went on to become a senior commander in the Royal Air Force.-Early years:... (MiD) |
|
| 28 January 1915 | Major W G H Salmond Geoffrey Salmond Air Chief Marshal Sir William Geoffrey Hanson Salmond KCB, KCMG, DSO , commonly known as Sir Geoffrey Salmond, was a senior commander in the Royal Flying Corps during World War I. Remaining in the Royal Air Force after the War, he held senior appointments in the Middle East, Great Britain and India... |
|
| 19 August 1915 | Major P B Joubert de la Ferté Philip Joubert de la Ferté Air Chief Marshal Sir Philip Bennet Joubert de la Ferté KCB, CMG, DSO was a senior commander in the Royal Air Force during the 1930s and the Second World War.-RAF career:... |
|
| 24 November 1915 | Major G F Pretyman, DSO Distinguished Service Order The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September... |
|
| 24 December 1916 | Major G C St P de Dombasle | |
| 20 June 1917 | Major A Barton-Adams (MiD) | |
| 3 August 1918 | Major W E Young, DFC | |
| 21 January 1920 | S/Ldr. Squadron Leader Squadron Leader is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure. In these... J O Andrews, DSO, MC Military Cross The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries.... & Bar Medal bar A medal bar or medal clasp is a thin metal bar attached to the ribbon of a military decoration, civil decoration, or other medal. It is most commonly used to indicate the campaign or operation the recipient received the award for, and multiple bars on the same medal are used to indicate that the... |
|
| 18 September 1920 | S/Ldr. J B Graham, MC, AFC Air Force Cross (United Kingdom) The Air Force Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom Armed Forces, and formerly also to officers of the other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying, though not in active operations against the enemy"... |
|
| 10 November 1922 | S/Ldr. G G A Williams | |
| 8 October 1923 | S/Ldr. E O Grenfell, MC, DFC Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom) The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against... , AFC |
|
| 25 May 1924 | S/Ldr. E D Atkinson Edward Dawson Atkinson Captain Edward Dawson Atkinson was a World War I flying ace credited with a total of 10 aerial victories, won while serving in three different squadrons during World War I. He would serve postwar until invalided out of the Royal Air Force. He then turned to a business career.-Early life:Atkinson... , DFC, AFC |
|
| 19 April 1926 | S/Ldr. C.N. Lowe | |
| 11 April 1927 | S/Ldr. E D Atkinson, MC, DFC, AFC | |
| 19 March 1928 | S/Ldr. E O Grenfell, MC, DFC, AFC | |
| 27 July 1931 | S/Ldr. C B S Spackman, DFC & Bar | |
| 21 November 1933 | S/Ldr. R W Chappell, MC | |
| 1 October 1934 | S/Ldr. C.W. Hill | |
| 31 January 1936 | F/Lt. Flight Lieutenant Flight lieutenant is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many Commonwealth countries. It ranks above flying officer and immediately below squadron leader. The name of the rank is the complete phrase; it is never shortened to "lieutenant"... T N McEvoy Theodore McEvoy Air Chief Marshal Sir Theodore Neuman McEvoy KCB CBE RAF was a senior Royal Air Force officer during World War II who held high command in the 1950s and early 1960s. His last appointment was as Air Secretary.... (acting) |
|
| 1 December 1936 | S/Ldr. C.W. Hill | |
| 12 April 1937 | S/Ldr. F R D Swain, AFC | |
| 15 January 1938 | S/Ldr. I A Bertram | |
| 17 April 1939 | S/Ldr. P J H Halahan, DFC | |
| 24 May 1940 | S/Ldr. D A Pemberton, DFC | |
| 10 November 1940 | S/Ldr. M H Brown, DFC | |
| 23 April 1941 | S/Ldr. R E P Brooker, DFC | |
| 3 November 1941 | S/Ldr. J A F MacLachlan James MacLachlan James MacLachlan DSO, DFC and Czech War Cross was a British World War II flying ace, famous for returning to operations with an artificial left arm, following the loss of the limb during combat over Malta.- Early life :... , DSO, DFC & Bar |
|
| 31 July 1942 | S/Ldr. R C Wilkinson, OBE Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions... , DFM Distinguished Flying Medal The Distinguished Flying Medal was a military decoration awarded to personnel of the Royal Air Force and the other services, and formerly also to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active... & Bar |
|
| 30 May 1943 | S/Ldr. A Zweigbergh | |
| 3 April 1944 | S/Ldr. J Checketts Johnny Checketts Wing Commander John "Johnny" Milne Checketts, DSO, DFC was a World War II Flying ace.-Birth and education:... , DSO, DFC |
|
| 29 April 1944 | S/Ldr. H P Lardner-Burke, DFC & Bar | |
| 11 January 1945 | S/Ldr. D G S R Cox, DFC & Bar | |
| 21 April 1945 | S/Ldr. R S Nash, DFC | |
| 9 January 1946 | S/Ldr. H R Allen, DFC | |
| 26 October 1946 | S/Ldr. C H MacFie, DFC |
Robin Olds
Robin Olds was an American fighter pilot and general officer in the U.S. Air Force. He was a "triple ace", with a combined total of 16 victories in World War II and the Vietnam War. He retired in 1973 as a brigadier general....
USAF
Wing Commander (rank)
Wing commander is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries...
J A Mansell
Kenneth Hayr
Air Marshal Sir Kenneth William Hayr KCB, KBE, AFC & Bar was a former Deputy Commanding-in-Chief Strike Command and Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff .-Early Life and Flying Career:...
, AFC
Ian Michael Stewart
Air Vice Marshal Ian Michael Stewart CB is a former senior commander in the Royal Air Force who became Air Secretary.-RAF career:Stewart joined the Royal Air Force in 1969 and went on to be Station Commander at RAF Gutersloh and to command the Harrier Field Force in Germany...
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, BSc
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
David Walker (RAF officer)
Air Marshal David Walker CB CBE AFC is a Royal Air Force officer. He is currently Deputy Commander, Allied Joint Force Command at Brunssum, in the Netherlands, having previously served for over three years as Deputy Commander, Allied Air Component Command at Ramstein in Germany. Prior to that...
, AFC, BSc