No. 230 Squadron RAF

No. 230 Squadron RAF
Squadron badge
Active	20 August 1918 – 1 April 1923 1 December 1934 – 28 February 1957 1 September 1958 – 3 December 1971 1 January 1972 – 30 April 1992 4 May 1992 – present
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	Royal Air Force
Type	Flying squadron
Role	Helicopter medium-lift support
Part of	Joint Helicopter Command
Home station	Medicina Lines
Motto(s)	Kita chari jauh (Malay for 'We search far') [1] [2]
Aircraft	Westland Puma HC2
Engagements	Home Waters (1918)* Mediterranean (1940–1943)* Egypt and Libya (1940–1943)* Greece (1940–1941)* Malta (1940–1942)* Eastern Waters (1943–1945)* North Burma (1944)* Burma (1945)* Gulf (1991) Iraq (2003–2011)* * Honours marked with an asterisk may be emblazoned on the Squadron Standard [3]
Insignia
Squadron badge heraldry	In front of a palm tree eradicated, a tiger passant guardant. [1] [2] The badge commemorates the squadron's association with Malaya, the travellers palm being a reference to the long flights undertaken and the tiger is said to have been inspired by the labels on the bottles on the local Singaporean beer. [4] Approved by King George VI in February 1937.
Squadron codes	FV (Apr 1939 – Sep 1939) [5] NM (Sep 1939 – Jan 1943) [6] DX (1942 – Dec 1942) [7] 4X (Apr 1946 – Apr 1951) [8] B (Apr 1951 – 1956) [9] 230 (1956 – Feb 1957) D (Carried on Pumas whilst at Odiham) [10]

Number 230 Squadron is an RAF squadron, currently based at Medicina Lines, Brunei, operating the Westland Puma HC2. ^[11] The squadron was part of Royal Air Force Germany, operating the Puma HC.1 there from 1980. Following the drawdown at the end of the Cold War, the squadron disbanded on 30 April 1992. This was short-lived however and the squadron reformed at RAF Aldergrove on 4 May 1992, again with the Puma HC.1.

The squadron is well experienced in night flying; almost a third of flights are undertaken after dark. The 2004 Future Capabilities chapter of the UK Defence White Paper, Delivering Security in a Changing World announced a plan to reduce the squadrons Puma force by 6 helicopters. It was announced in late 2008 that the squadron was to move to RAF Benson by 2010. The Squadron re-equipped with Puma HC Mk2 in 2014 following removal from service of the Puma HC Mk1. ^[12]

History

Short Singapore III flying boat of 230 squadron at Alexandria, mid-1930s.

First formation

No. 230 Squadron was formed on 20 August 1918 at Felixstowe, consisting of three Flights. No.327 and 328 Flight used Felixstowe F.2 and F.2A flying boats and Fairey IIIs for maritime reconnaissance, whilst No.487 Flight flew Sopwith Camels on escort duties. At the end of World War I the squadron was retained as one of the few RAF coastal units. In 1920 the squadron got Felixstowe F.5 flying boats, and it moved to RAF Calshot in May 1922, where on 1 April 1923 it was renumbered to 480 Flight RAF. ^[13]

First reformation

On 1 December 1934 No. 230 Squadron was reformed at RAF Pembroke Dock with Short Singapore flying boats. The Squadron used the Singapore till 1938, serving from Aboukir, Alexandria, Lake Timsah and after a short return to the UK, RAF Seletar. On 22 June 1938 the first Short Sunderland flying boat arrived, ^[14] the aircraft the Squadron would be equipped with for the next 20 years, in fact until 28 February 1957 when the Squadron was disbanded at Pembroke Dock. ^[15]

Second reformation

On 1 September 1958 No. 215 Squadron RAF at Dishforth was renumbered 230 Squadron, flying Scottish Aviation Pioneer light transport aircraft in support of the Army. ^[2] In November that year, the squadron moved to RAF Nicosia in Cyprus as a response to the Cyprus Emergency, flying reconnaissance operations against EOKA Greek Cypriot nationalist guerrillas as well as its normal communications duties. The squadron returned to Britain in April 1959, with its new base being RAF Upavon. ^[16] In 1960, the squadron supplemented its Pioneers with larger Scottish Aviation Twin Pioneer aircraft, and in May that year the squadron moved to RAF Odiham. ^[17] In September 1960, the squadron's 'A' Flight was detached to British Cameroon, flying internal security patrols as the colony prepared for the 1961 British Cameroons referendum. The flight returned to its parent formation in September 1961. ^{[2] [16]} Westland Whirlwind HAR.10 helicopters began to arrive in June 1962, becoming the squadron's standard equipment by the end of the year. ^[2]

In January 1963 No.230 Squadron moved to RAF Gütersloh, West Germany, with a detachment at Nicosia. The squadron returned to Odiham in December 1964 before being transferred to Borneo, due to the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation in February 1965. In October 1966 the squadron again returned to Odiham, resuming its detachment at Nicosia. ^[16] In November 1971 began to convert to the Westland Puma HC.1 at RAF Odiham. On 14 October 1980, the squadron moved back to RAF Gütersloh, West Germany where they remained until being disbanded and reformed at RAF Aldergrove, Northern Ireland in April 1992. ^[13]

230 sqn was one of two Northern Ireland based squadrons of the Royal Air Force, the other being 72 Squadron (equipped with Westland Wessex HC2s). 230 Squadron's 18 Puma aircraft were rotated with No. 33 Squadron's 15 Pumas to even out flight hours amongst the fleet (Northern Ireland based helicopters had a much higher operational tempo). The main role of the squadron was tactical transport of the Security Forces, including the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC), Police Service of Northern Ireland and the British Army. ^[18]

On 17 November 2009, 230 Squadron eventually left Northern Ireland for RAF Benson in Oxfordshire (together with 33 Squadron from RAF Odiham) after 17 years in the province. ^[19]

A Westland Puma of 230 Squadron

Kabul accident

On 11 October 2015, one member of the squadron was killed in an accident in Kabul, Afghanistan, whilst landing at the NATO Training and Support Mission HQ. A Ministry of Defence spokesman said the crash was "an accident and not the result of insurgent activity". ^[20] The crewman was named a day later, and was repatriated back to the UK on the 20th. The Flight Lieutenant's CO commented saying "A man with exceptionally high standards, he was never afraid to remind anyone when he felt they could have done better. However, this advice was always delivered with his characteristic wry smile and good humour. The Support Helicopter Force has lost not only an outstanding operator but a good friend to so many...his lasting legacy will be the professionalism and courage he passed onto all who flew with him. A loving husband and father, our thoughts are with his wife and children at this most difficult of times." ^[21] A post mortem found he died of severe head injuries. The inquest was adjourned indefinitely until the conclusion of separate inquiries being undertaken by the Ministry of Defence were completed. ^[22]

The squadron was awarded a new squadron standard in February 2019 by RAF Benson's Honorary Air Marshal, Prince Michael of Kent. The standard, the third to be awarded to the squadron, is made of silk and features the battle honours awarded to the unit since its formation. ^[23]

On 18 May 2023, No. 230 Squadron relocated from RAF Benson to Medicina Lines, Brunei. ^[11]

Aircraft operated

Aircraft operated by No. 230 Squadron RAF ^{[16] [24] [25] [26]}

From	To	Aircraft	Version	Notes
August 1918	March 1919	Curtiss H.12	H.16	[27]
September 1918	December 1918	Sopwith Camel		No. 487 Flight
October 1918	June 1921	Fairey III	B, C	Nos. 327 and 328 Flight
August 1918	April 1923	Felixstowe F.2	A, F.3	Nos. 327 and 328 Flight
January 1920	April 1923	Felixstowe F.5
April 1935	November 1938	Short Singapore	Mk.III
June 1938	January 1943	Short Sunderland	Mk.I
June 1941	March 1942	Dornier Do 22	K	Ex-Royal Yugoslav Navy no. 2 squadron
June 1941	March 1942	Rogožarski SIM-XIV	H	Ex-Royal Yugoslav Navy no. 2 squadron [28]
December 1941	January 1943	Short Sunderland	Mk.II
April 1942	March 1945	Short Sunderland	Mk.III
January 1945	February 1957	Short Sunderland	Mk.V
September 1958	March 1960	Scottish Aviation Pioneer	CC.1
January 1960	December 1962	Scottish Aviation Twin Pioneer	CC.1/CC.2
June 1962	December 1971	Westland Whirlwind	HAR.10
October 1971	December 2012	Westland Puma	HC.1
March 2013	present	Westland Puma	HC.2

Squadron bases

Bases and airfields used by No. 230 Squadron RAF ^{[16] [24] [25] [29]}

From	To	Base	Remark
20 August 1918	7 May 1922	RAF Felixstowe, Suffolk
7 May 1922	1 April 1923	RAF Calshot, Hampshire
1 December 1934	2 October 1935	RAF Pembroke Dock, Pembrokeshire, Wales	Air echelon left 23 September 1935
23 September 1935	2 October 1935	En route to Egypt
2 October 1935	24 October 1935	RAF Aboukir, Egypt
24 October 1935	25 November 1935	RAF Alexandria/Maryut, Egypt
25 November 1935	1 December 1935	Lake Timsah, Egypt
1 December 1935	7 August 1936	Alexandria/Maryut, Egypt	Air echelon left 30 July 1936
30 July 1936	3 August 1936	En route to UK
3 August 1936	14 October 1936	RAF Pembroke Dock, Pembrokeshire, Wales
14 October 1936	8 January 1937	En route to Far East
8 January 1937	13 February 1940	RAF Seletar, Malaya
15 October 1939	27 October 1939	Penang/Gelugor, Malaya	Detachment
27 October 1939	30 October 1939	Trincomalee, Ceylon	Detachment
30 October 1939	23 November 1939	RAF Colombo, Ceylon	Detachment
23 November 1939	13 February 1940	RAF Koggala, Ceylon	Detachment
13 February 1940	2 May 1940	RAF Koggala, Ceylon
2 May 1940	6 May 1940	En route to Egypt
6 May 1940	19 June 1941	Alexandria/Maryut, Egypt
12 December 1940	18 April 1941	Skaramagas, Greece	Detachment
19 June 1941	3 July 1942	RAF Aboukir, Egypt
3 July 1942	28 July 1942	Kasfareet/Fanara (Great Bitter Lake), Egypt
28 July 1942	9 January 1943	RAF Aboukir, Egypt
9 January 1943	7 February 1944	Dar es Salaam, Tanganyika Territory
1 June 1943	7 November 1943	RAF Aboukir, Egypt	Detachment
7 February 1944	17 April 1945	RAF Koggala, Ceylon
17 April 1945	23 May 1945	RAF Akyab, Burma
23 May 1945	1 August 1945	RAF Rangoon, Burma
1 August 1945	1 December 1945	Red Hills Lake, Madras, British India
1 December 1945	15 April 1946	RAF Seletar, Singapore
15 April 1946	10 August 1946	RAF Pembroke Dock, Pembrokeshire, Wales
10 August 1946	16 September 1946	RAF Castle Archdale (Lower Lough Erne), County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland
16 September 1946	16 February 1949	RAF Calshot, Hampshire
4 July 1948	18 December 1948	Finkenwerder, Hamburg, West-Germany	Detachment Berlin airlift
16 February 1949	28 February 1957	RAF Pembroke Dock, Pembrokeshire, Wales
1 September 1958	27 November 1958	RAF Dishforth, North Yorkshire
27 November 1958	7 April 1959	RAF Nicosia, Cyprus
7 April 1959	1 May 1959	RAF Dishforth, North Yorkshire
1 May 1959	30 May 1960	RAF Upavon, Wiltshire
30 May 1960	14 January 1963	RAF Odiham, Hampshire
September 1960	September 1961	Mamfe, Cameroon	Detachment
14 January 1963	1 January 1965	RAF Gütersloh, West-Germany	Detachment at Nicosia, Cyprus
1 January 1965	10 March 1965	RAF Odiham, Hampshire
10 March 1965	14 November 1966	Labuan, Malaysia
14 November 1966	25 November 1966	En route to UK
25 November 1966	10 March 1969	RAF Odiham, Hampshire	Detachment at Nicosia, Cyprus
10 March 1969	3 December 1971	RAF Wittering, Cambridgeshire	Detachment at Nicosia, Cyprus
1 October 1971	1 January 1972	RAF Odiham	Training as No.230 Sqn (Puma Echelon)
1 January 1972	14 October 1980	RAF Odiham, Hampshire
14 October 1980	30 April 1992	RAF Gütersloh, West-Germany	Dets. at Belize and Northern Ireland
November 1990	April 1991	Ras-Al-Ghar, Saudi Arabia	Detachment for Operation Granby
4 May 1992	17 November 2009	RAF Aldergrove, County Antrim
August 1995	October 1995	Bosnia	Detachment
17 November 2009	18 May 2023	RAF Benson, Oxfordshire
18 May 2023 [11]	present	Medicina Lines, Brunei

See also

• List of RAF squadrons

References

Notes

1. Rawlings 1982, p. 156.
2. Halley 1988, p. 297.
3. Barrass, M. B. (2015). "No. 226–230 Squadron Histories". Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 14 October 2015.
4. Warner 2004, pp. 34–36.
5. Bowyer and Rawlings 1979, p. 14.
6. Bowyer and Rawlings 1979, p. 76.
7. Bowyer and Rawlings 1979, pp. 31–32.
8. Bowyer and Rawlings 1979, p. 116.
9. Bowyer and Rawlings 1979, p. 126.
10. Flintham and Thomas 2003, p. 199.
11. "Last week, on the 18th May, 230 Squadron officially re-mustered in Brunei marking its return to South East Asia". RAF Benson (Facebook). 24 May 2023. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
12. "Job cuts over RAF Aldergrove exit". BBC News. 24 April 2008. Retrieved 26 March 2011.
13. "230 Squadron". RAF Museum. Retrieved 30 June 2019.
14. Rawlings 1969, p. 242.
15. Rawlings 1969, p.244.
16. Rawlings 1982, p. 157.
17. Halley 1988, pp. 297–298.
18. "The final flights from Aldergrove". BBC. 12 October 2008. Retrieved 30 June 2019.
19. Air International January 2010, p.7.
20. "RAF helicopter crash: Five Nato staff die in Afghanistan". BBC News. Retrieved 29 August 2016.
21. "Flight Lieutenants Alan Scott and Geraint Roberts have died – Fatality notice – GOV.UK". gov.uk. Retrieved 29 August 2016.
22. "UPDATE: Inquest into deaths of two RAF Benson airmen opens". Herald Series. Retrieved 29 August 2016.
23. "RAF Benson's 230 Squadron Receive New Standard". Forces Network. 8 February 2019. Retrieved 24 February 2019.
24. Halley 1988, p. 298.
25. Jefford 2001, pp. 76–77.
26. Warner 2004, p. 174.
27. Jefford 2001, p. 76.
28. Warner 2004, p. 171.
29. Warner 2004, pp. 182–184.

Bibliography

• Bowyer, Michael J.F. and John D.R. Rawlings. Squadron Codes 1937–56. Cambridge, UK: Patrick Stephens Ltd., 1979. ISBN   0-85059-364-6.
• Deller, Alan W. The Kid Glove Pilot: A Personal Account of Flying Sunderlands in World War Two. Newtownards, County Down, Northern Ireland: Colourpoint Books, 2004. ISBN   1-904242-20-0.
• Docherty, Tom. Hunt Like a Tiger: 230 Squadron at War, 1939–45. Bognor Regis, West Sussex, UK: Woodfield Publishing, 2003. ISBN   1-903953-37-5.
• Flintham, Vic and Andrew Thomas. Combat Codes: A Full Explanation and Listing of British, Commonwealth and Allied Air Force Unit Codes since 1938. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing Ltd., 2003. ISBN   1-84037-281-8.
• Halley, James J. The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air Britain (Historians) Ltd., 1980. ISBN   0-85130-083-9.
• Halley, James J. The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth, 1918–1988. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air Britain (Historians) Ltd., 1988. ISBN   0-85130-164-9.
• Jefford, C.G. RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive Record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury: Airlife Publishing, 2001. ISBN   1-84037-141-2.
• "Operation Tiger 9". Air International , January 2010, Vol. 78, No. 1. p. 7.
• Rawlings, J.D.R. "History of 230 Squadron". Air Pictorial, July 1969. Vol. 31 No.7. pp. 242–244.
• Rawlings, John D.R. Coastal, Support and Special Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Jane's Publishing Company Ltd., 1982. ISBN   0-7106-0187-5.
• Warner, Guy. No. 230 Squadron Royal Air Force "Kita chari jauh – We search far". Newtownards, County Down, Northern Ireland: Colourpoint Books, 2004. ISBN   1-904242-33-2.

External links

• 230 Squadron
• History of No.'s 226–230 Squadrons at RAF Web
• 230 "Tiger" Squadron Air Training Corps
• 230 Squadron at Helicopter History site