No. 45 Squadron RAF

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No. 45 Squadron RAF
No. 45 Squadron RAF badge.png
Squadron badge
Active
  • 1916–1918 (RFC)
  • 1918–1919
  • 1921–1927
  • 1927–1970
  • 1972–1976
  • 1984–1992
  • 1992 – present
CountryFlag of the United Kingdom (1-2).svg United Kingdom
BranchEnsign of the Royal Air Force.svg  Royal Air Force
Type Flying squadron
RoleMulti-engine pilot and rear crew training
Part of
Station RAF Cranwell
Nickname'Flying Camels'
MottosPer ardua surgo
(Latin for 'Through difficulties I arise')
Aircraft Embraer Phenom T1
Insignia
Roundel RAF 45 Sqn.svg

Number 45 Squadron is a flying squadron of the Royal Air Force which was established on 1 March 1916 as part of the Royal Flying Corps. The Squadron currently provides advanced flying training for all of the RAF's Multi-Engine Pilots using the Embraer Phenom T1, and also provides basic and advanced training for all RAF Mission Aircrew and Airborne Specialists (aircrew WSO and WSOPs) using a large array of air and ground-based training devices. The Squadron operates under the command of No. 3 Flying Training School at RAF Cranwell, Lincolnshire.

Contents

History

First World War

Formed during World War I at Fort Grange, Gosport on 1 March 1916 as Number 45 Squadron, the unit was first equipped with Sopwith 1½ Strutters which it was to fly in the Scout role. Deployed to France in October of that year, the Squadron suffered heavy losses due to the quality of its aircraft, continuing until it transitioned to the Sopwith Camel in July 1917. Transferred to the Austro-Italian front at the end of 1917, 45 Squadron there engaged in ground attack and offensive patrols until September 1918 when it returned to France and joined the Independent Force. [1]

A group of Sopwith Camel aircraft of No. 45 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps, deployed at Istrana Airfield in December 1917 Istrana, Members of No. 45 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps, standing in front of a Sopwith Camel aircraft on the airfield.jpg
A group of Sopwith Camel aircraft of No. 45 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps, deployed at Istrana Airfield in December 1917

During the course of the war, some thirty flying aces served in the squadron's ranks. They included future Air Vice-Marshal Matthew Frew, Cedric Howell, Geoffrey Hornblower Cock, future Air Commodore Raymond Brownell, John C. B. Firth, Kenneth Barbour Montgomery, Mansell Richard James, Norman Macmillan, Peter Carpenter, Richard Jeffries Dawes, Norman Cyril Jones, Ernest Masters, Henry Moody, Thomas F. Williams, William Wright, James Dewhirst, James Belgrave, Edward Clarke, Alfred Haines, Thomas M. Harries, Alan Rice-Oxley, Earl Hand, Arthur Harris, Charles Gray Catto, John Pinder, [2] and future Group Captain Sidney Cottle. [3]

Inter-war period

The squadron returned to England in February 1919 and disbanded in December 1919. In April 1921 it reformed at RAF Helwan, Egypt. Assigned Vickers Vernon bomber-transports, the unit provided troop transportation and ground support and mail services throughout the Middle East, notably in support of anti-rebel operations in Iraq and Palestine. The unit transitioned to DH9As in 1927, to Fairey IIIs in 1929 and to Fairey Gordons in 1935. At some point the unit adopted the nickname "The Flying Camels". The Squadron Badge is a winged camel, approved by King Edward VIII in October 1936. The badge and nickname derive from the Sopwith used by the unit in World War I and its long service in the Middle East. [4]

Second World War

At the start of World War II, 45 Squadron converted to Bristol Blenheims. From mid-1940 it took part in the North African Campaign and on 11 June was one of three squadrons that participated in the Allies' first attack on the Regia Aeronautica (Italian air force) base at El Adem: 18 Italian aircraft were destroyed or damaged on the ground, for the loss of three British aircraft. [5] The following day, the squadron participated in an attack on shipping at Tobruk, damaging the Italian cruiser San Giorgio. [6]

During late 1940 the squadron supported Allied ground forces in the East African Campaign, while based at Gura, in Eritrea. During its time at Gura, the squadron suffered losses – on 2 October two Blenheims were shot down by an Italian ace, sergeant-major Luigi "Gino" Baron; among the aircrew killed was 45 Squadron's CO, Sqn. Ldr. John Dallamore. [7] His successor was acting Sqn Ldr Patrick Troughton-Smith. [8]

Between June and August 1941, the squadron was based at RAF Aqir in Palestine, from where it was involved in operations against Vichy French forces in Lebanon. During an attack on Beirut on 10 July, three of the squadron's Blenheims were shot down by Vichy French D-520 fighters. While the crew of one Blenheim attempted to bail out, only the pilot, Sgt. Wilton-Jones, survived; he was captured, badly burned and hospitalised in Tripoli, Lebanon. Despite the heavy losses, the mission was regarded as a success. A ceasefire was declared at one minute past midnight on 12 July and the Allies assumed control of the hospital on 16 July. [9]

From mid-1942 the unit was deployed to Burma and India, for service against the Japanese. Three aircraft from the Squadron participated in the first Allied bombing raid against Bangkok. [10]

Malayan Emergency

A No. 45 Squadron Briston Beaufighter is loaded with rockets for use against communist forces in Malaysia in 1950 Armourers of the Royal Air Force attach rockets to a Bristol Beaufighter aircraft of 45 Squadron prior to its flying a strike operation on a communist terrorist target in the Malayan jungle.jpg
A No. 45 Squadron Briston Beaufighter is loaded with rockets for use against communist forces in Malaysia in 1950

After the Second World War, No. 45 Squadron served in the Malayan Emergency, based at RAF Station Tengah on the island of Singapore. There the unit engaged in ground attacks against pro-independence guerrillas belonging to the Malayan National Liberation Army, the armed wing of the Malayan Communist Party. Operation Firedog lasted for 12 years until the conclusion of the war. The unit also engaged in operations to quell unrest on the Sarawak coast in British North Borneo during this time. While operating in Malaya the unit flew Bristol Beaufighters. [11] From 1955 the squadron was based at RAF Butterworth in Malaya, flying de Havilland Venoms under the command of Squadron Leader Geoffrey Cooper. [12]

1960s to 1980s

After re-equipping with English Electric Canberra B.15s in 1962, the squadron became involved in the Brunei Revolution and the subsequent confrontation with Indonesia until its resolution in 1966. The squadron disbanded on 13 January 1970 after the UK's withdrawal from East of Suez. [1]

Several English Electric Canberra B.15 operated by No. 4 Squadron at RAF Tengah, Singapore in 1963 45SqnB15s.jpg
Several English Electric Canberra B.15 operated by No. 4 Squadron at RAF Tengah, Singapore in 1963

On 1 August 1972, the squadron was reformed at RAF West Raynham, Norfolk, equipped with Hawker Hunter FGA.9s, as a ground-attack training unit. The squadron disbanded in July 1976 at RAF Wittering after this role was taken over by the Tactical Weapons Unit. [1]

In January 1984, the squadron number, as No. 45 (Reserve) Squadron, was assigned to the Tornado Weapons Conversion Unit (TWCU) at RAF Honington, Suffolk. As a 'Shadow Squadron' or war reserve, the squadron's war role was as a fully operational unit composed mainly of instructors, and assigned strike and other duties by SACEUR in support of land forces on the Continent resisting a Soviet assault on Western Europe. It would strike at targets assigned by SACEUR beyond the forward edge of the battlefield, deep within enemy-held areas, first with conventional weapons and later with tactical nuclear weapons if a conflict escalated to that level. The squadron's 26 Tornado aircraft were allocated 39 WE.177 nuclear bombs. [13]

On 1 April 1992, the unit was disbanded and the TWCU title dropped, its aircraft and personnel becoming No. 15 (Reserve) Squadron whilst maintaining the same training role. [14]

1992 onwards

Two Embraer Phenom T1 of No. 45 Squadron at RAF Cranwell in April 2018 45 (R) Squadron, Embraer Phenom 100 MOD 45164824.jpg
Two Embraer Phenom T1 of No. 45 Squadron at RAF Cranwell in April 2018

On 1 July 1992, the No. 45(R) Squadron identity was resurrected and adopted by the Multi-Engined Training Squadron (METS) at No. 6 FTS, RAF Finningley. [15] The new No. 45(R) Squadron moved to RAF Cranwell, Lincolnshire, in October 1995, and in 2003, replaced its BAe Jetstream T1 with the Beechcraft B200 King Air serviced by Serco. In 2018, the squadron converted to the Embraer Phenom T1. [16]

Heritage

The squadron's badge features a winged camel, commemorating the Sopwith Camel used by the squadron for a large part of the First World War, and the squadron's long association with the Middle East. It was approved by King Edward VIII in October 1936. [17]

The squadron's motto is Per ardua surgo ( Latin for 'Through difficulties I arise'). [18]

Battle honours

No. 45 Squadron de Havilland Venoms at RAF Butterworth, Malaya, in the mid-1950s 45Sqn10.jpg
No. 45 Squadron de Havilland Venoms at RAF Butterworth, Malaya, in the mid-1950s

No. 45 Squadron has received the following battle honours. Those marked with an asterisk (*) may be emblazoned on the squadron standard. [19]

See also

References

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 "No.45 Squadron". Royal Air Force Museum. Archived from the original on 29 June 2019. Retrieved 29 June 2019.
  2. ↑ Shores, Franks & Guest 1990, pp. 34–35
  3. ↑ Shores, Franks & Guest 1990, p. 122
  4. ↑ "RAF Badges - Nos 1 - 100 Squadrons". Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 29 June 2019.
  5. ↑ Playfair, Vol. I, page 112.
  6. ↑ Playfair, Vol. I, pages 110, 112.
  7. ↑ Håkan Gustavsson, 2015, "Biplane fighter aces, Italy, Sergente Maggiore Luigi 'Gino' Baron", Biplane Fighter Aces from the Second World War (4 June 2015). (See also the Italian language Wikipedia article on Gino Baron.)
  8. ↑ "Patrick Troughton-Smith". Unit Histories. Retrieved 29 June 2019.
  9. ↑ "No. 45 Squadron (RAF) during the Second World War". www.historyofwar.org.
  10. ↑ Air fighting, Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 8, 10 January 1942, Page 7
  11. ↑ "Armourers of the Royal Air Force attach rockets to a Bristol Beaufighter aircraft of 45 Squadron prior to its flying a strike operation on a communist terrorist target in the Malayan jungle". Imperial War Museum. Retrieved 29 June 2019.
  12. ↑ "Air Commodore Geoffrey Cooper - obituary". The Telegraph. 16 February 2015. Retrieved 30 June 2019.
  13. ↑ "RAF nuclear frontline Order-of-Battle 1984" . Retrieved 13 September 2013.
  14. ↑ March, Peter R. (1998). Brace by Wire to Fly-By-Wire – 80 Years of the Royal Air Force 1918–1998. RAF Fairford: Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund Enterprises. p. 158. ISBN   1-899808-06-X.
  15. ↑ "No 45 Squadron". Air of Authority. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  16. ↑ "1st Phenom flight under military register for UK military flying training system". Royal Air Force. Archived from the original on 29 June 2019. Retrieved 29 June 2019.
  17. ↑ "45 Sqn". RAF Heraldry Trust. Retrieved 20 June 2026.
  18. ↑ Pine, L.G. (1983). A dictionary of mottoes (1 ed.). London: Routledge & Kegan Paul. p.  170. ISBN   0-7100-9339-X.
  19. ↑ "45 Squadron". Royal Air Force. 20 June 2026. Retrieved 20 June 2026.

Bibliography

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