No. 107 Squadron RAF
Encyclopedia
No. 107 Squadron RAF was a bomber unit in the RAF in both World War I
and World War II
and during the Cold war
was operational on Thor Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile
s.
Though already formed at Catterick
, Salisbury
as a day bomber unit on 8 October 1917), no. 107 squadron wasn't equipped with aircraft till 15 May 1918, when it received Airco DH.9
s, which it took to the Western Front
on 3 June of that year. The squadron became at first part of the 13th wing of the 3rd brigade, working up to operational status. Thereafter it was transferred to the 51st wing of the 9th brigade and it began operations from Drionville. Its main targets were enemy airfields, base areas and communication lines, which it continued to attack until the Armistice. The squadron's most successful raid was made on Saponay
on 21 July 1918, where a large ammunition dump was hit. From the squadron's airfield, 20 miles away at Chailly
, the reflection of the explosions and fire could be seen going on all the evening and throughout the night. Another notable raid was that made on the Aulnoye railway station and junction on 1 October 1918. Returning to Hounslow Heath Aerodrome
in March 1919, it disbanded there on 30 June of that same year.
on 10 August 1936 as a light bomber squadron, equipped with Hawker Hind
s. These were replaced by Blenheim Mk.I
s from August 1938 which gave way in their turn to Blenheim Mk.IVs in May 1939. It was with four of this aircraft that no. 107 took part in the RAF's first bombing raid of the war against enemy ships in the German port of Wilhelmshaven
on 4 September 1939, the day after war was declared on Germany. The raid was no success: of the four aircraft despatched only one returned - and with its bomb load still intact as it hadn't been able to locate the enemy. The first British Prisoner of war
in World War II was Sergeant George Booth, a navigator with 107 Squadron. He was captured when his Bristol Blenheim was shot down over the German coast on that 4 September 1939.
In April 1940 the squadron carried out attacks on German forces engaged in the invasion of Norway
and after the invasion of France and the Low Countries
in May 1940 began attacking enemy columns and communications. Following the Dunkirk evacuation the squadron became engaged with attacking invasion barges and shipping concentrations in the Channel ports. In one of these attacks the new Commanding Officer, Wing Commander Basil Embry
was shot down. He had taken over the squadron shortly after the disastrous first war mission in September 1939 and had taught the squadron the need for a tight formation for mutual defence which served the squadron time and again. The adventurous story of his escape from captivity eventually reached book form.
and stationed at RAF Leuchars
. Its duties while in Coastal Command were various: shipping strikes, convoy duties, coastal patrols, submarine searches and attacks on enemy airfields and harbours. These were quite hazardous as the squadron lost two COs during these operations, Wing Commander Cameron in April and Wing Commander Birch on 4 May 1941.
the squadron took up its low-level daylight raids again until August of that year, when the aircraft of the unit and their pilots -the air detachment of the squadron- were sent to Malta
. From there anti-shipping missions were carried out along the Axis' north-south convoy routes, around the Italian coast, Sicily
, and along the North African coast. However, after the Italian and German airforces strengthened the air defence of Sicily in December, 1941, and began round-the-clock bombing of the Malta airfields, the air detachment was withdrawn and disbanded at Luqa
on 12 January 1942. Losses among the squadron had been so heavy - 90% of all original and replacement crews were killed in action during the Malta operations - that at one time the squadron was commanded by a sergeant, I.G. Broom. It was not the last time this man was in command of a RAF unit, he ended his career as Air Marshal Sir Ivor Broom.
, Norfolk
and on 5 January 1942, it received Douglas Boston trainers and new aircrews, and began converting them onto this aircraft. The squadron began flying daylight operations again in March 1942 and these were continued until February 1944, when the squadron received Mosquito Mk.VI
s and switched to night intruder operations instead with these. In November the squadron moved onto the continent, flying from Cambrai
and later from Melsbroek
. The squadron continued to fly in the night intruder role to the end of war, when it ook up the duty of training in the light bomber role. Remaining in Germany as part of the British Air Forces of Occupation (BAFO) after the war, it was disbanded on 4 October 1948 at Wahn
by being renumbered to No. 11 Squadron RAF. (Though some sources claim 15 September 1948)
When the Thor Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile
were employed in the UK each operating missile squadron was originally meant to control three sites. 107 squadron so started out in September 1958 by being the 'C' flight of the first RAF Thor missile unit, No. 77 Squadron RAF
. The flight was stationed at RAF Tuddenham
. By June 1959 the flights had reached squadron strength and in September 1959 it was decided that such sites should carry their own identities, 'C' flight of 77 squadron was thus redesignated to No. 107(SM) Squadron RAF, to be effective from 22 July 1959, making no. 107 squadron one of the twenty RAF squadrons that reached operational status using the Thor missile
.
This new incarnation of no. 107 squadron did not last long though. The upcoming ICBM missiles soon made the Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile obsolete, and in 1962 the Minister of Defence announced the phase-out of the Thor missiles. The squadron therefore disbanded once again, at Tuddenham on 10 July 1963.
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...
and 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...
and during the Cold war
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
was operational on Thor Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile
PGM-17 Thor
Thor was the first operational ballistic missile of the U.S. Air Force . Named after the Norse god of thunder, it was deployed in the United Kingdom between 1959 and September 1963 as an intermediate range ballistic missile with thermonuclear warheads. Thor was in height and in diameter. It was...
s.
Formation and World War I
RAF Catterick
RAF Catterick is a former Royal Air Force airfield located near Catterick, North Yorkshire in England.-History:Catterick airfield first opened in 1914 as a Royal Flying Corps aerodrome with the role of training pilots and to assist in the defence of the North East of England...
, Salisbury
Salisbury
Salisbury is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England and the only city in the county. It is the second largest settlement in the county...
as a day bomber unit on 8 October 1917), no. 107 squadron wasn't equipped with aircraft till 15 May 1918, when it received Airco DH.9
Airco DH.9
The Airco DH.9 - also known after 1920 as the de Havilland DH.9 - was a British bomber used in the First World War...
s, which it took to the Western Front
Western Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
on 3 June of that year. The squadron became at first part of the 13th wing of the 3rd brigade, working up to operational status. Thereafter it was transferred to the 51st wing of the 9th brigade and it began operations from Drionville. Its main targets were enemy airfields, base areas and communication lines, which it continued to attack until the Armistice. The squadron's most successful raid was made on Saponay
Saponay
Saponay is a commune in the Aisne department in Picardy in northern France....
on 21 July 1918, where a large ammunition dump was hit. From the squadron's airfield, 20 miles away at Chailly
Chailly
Chailly is a neighbourhood in the city of Lausanne, Switzerland. Located in the north of the city, it is populated by many young people, and is rich in different cultures....
, the reflection of the explosions and fire could be seen going on all the evening and throughout the night. Another notable raid was that made on the Aulnoye railway station and junction on 1 October 1918. Returning to Hounslow Heath Aerodrome
Hounslow Heath Aerodrome
Hounslow Heath Aerodrome was a grass airfield, operational 1914-1920. It was situated in the London borough of Hounslow, and in 1919 was the location from which the first scheduled daily international commercial air services took place.-1909-1914:...
in March 1919, it disbanded there on 30 June of that same year.
Reformation and World War II
No. 107 squadron was reformed at RAF AndoverRAF Andover
Andover Airfield is a former Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force station. The ICAO code for the airfield is EGWA and the IATA code is ADV...
on 10 August 1936 as a light bomber squadron, equipped with Hawker Hind
Hawker Hind
-See also:-Bibliography:* Crawford, Alex. Hawker Hart Family. Redbourn, Hertfordshire, UK: Mushroom Model Publications Ltd., 2008. ISBN 83-89450-62-3....
s. These were replaced by Blenheim Mk.I
Bristol Blenheim
The Bristol Blenheim was a British light bomber aircraft designed and built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company that was used extensively in the early days of the Second World War. It was adapted as an interim long-range and night fighter, pending the availability of the Beaufighter...
s from August 1938 which gave way in their turn to Blenheim Mk.IVs in May 1939. It was with four of this aircraft that no. 107 took part in the RAF's first bombing raid of the war against enemy ships in the German port of Wilhelmshaven
Wilhelmshaven
Wilhelmshaven is a coastal town in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated on the western side of the Jade Bight, a bay of the North Sea.-History:...
on 4 September 1939, the day after war was declared on Germany. The raid was no success: of the four aircraft despatched only one returned - and with its bomb load still intact as it hadn't been able to locate the enemy. The first British Prisoner of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
in World War II was Sergeant George Booth, a navigator with 107 Squadron. He was captured when his Bristol Blenheim was shot down over the German coast on that 4 September 1939.
In April 1940 the squadron carried out attacks on German forces engaged in the invasion of Norway
Operation Weserübung
Operation Weserübung was the code name for Germany's assault on Denmark and Norway during the Second World War and the opening operation of the Norwegian Campaign...
and after the invasion of France and the Low Countries
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...
in May 1940 began attacking enemy columns and communications. Following the Dunkirk evacuation the squadron became engaged with attacking invasion barges and shipping concentrations in the Channel ports. In one of these attacks the new Commanding Officer, Wing Commander Basil Embry
Basil Embry
Air Chief Marshal Sir Basil Edward Embry GCB, KBE, DSO & Three Bars, DFC, AFC, RAF, was a senior Royal Air Force commander...
was shot down. He had taken over the squadron shortly after the disastrous first war mission in September 1939 and had taught the squadron the need for a tight formation for mutual defence which served the squadron time and again. The adventurous story of his escape from captivity eventually reached book form.
In Coastal Command
Between 3 March 1941 and till May 1941, the squadron was on loan to RAF Coastal CommandRAF Coastal Command
RAF Coastal Command was a formation within the Royal Air Force . Founded in 1936, it was the RAF's premier maritime arm, after the Royal Navy's secondment of the Fleet Air Arm in 1937. Naval aviation was neglected in the inter-war period, 1919–1939, and as a consequence the service did not receive...
and stationed at RAF Leuchars
RAF Leuchars
RAF Leuchars is the most northerly air defence station in the United Kingdom. It is located in Leuchars, Fife, on the east coast of Scotland, near to the university town of St Andrews.-Operations:...
. Its duties while in Coastal Command were various: shipping strikes, convoy duties, coastal patrols, submarine searches and attacks on enemy airfields and harbours. These were quite hazardous as the squadron lost two COs during these operations, Wing Commander Cameron in April and Wing Commander Birch on 4 May 1941.
To Malta
On return to RAF Bomber CommandRAF Bomber Command
RAF Bomber Command controlled the RAF's bomber forces from 1936 to 1968. During World War II the command destroyed a significant proportion of Nazi Germany's industries and many German cities, and in the 1960s stood at the peak of its postwar military power with the V bombers and a supplemental...
the squadron took up its low-level daylight raids again until August of that year, when the aircraft of the unit and their pilots -the air detachment of the squadron- were sent to Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
. From there anti-shipping missions were carried out along the Axis' north-south convoy routes, around the Italian coast, Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
, and along the North African coast. However, after the Italian and German airforces strengthened the air defence of Sicily in December, 1941, and began round-the-clock bombing of the Malta airfields, the air detachment was withdrawn and disbanded at Luqa
Luqa
Ħal Luqa is a village located in the south east of Malta. It is an old town that has a dense population, typical of the Maltese Islands. The population of Ħal Luqa is 6,028 . There is a church in its main square dedicated to St. Andrew. The traditional feast of St...
on 12 January 1942. Losses among the squadron had been so heavy - 90% of all original and replacement crews were killed in action during the Malta operations - that at one time the squadron was commanded by a sergeant, I.G. Broom. It was not the last time this man was in command of a RAF unit, he ended his career as Air Marshal Sir Ivor Broom.
Bostons and Mosquitoes
In the meantime the rest of the squadron, forming the ground echelon, had remained at Great MassinghamGreat Massingham
Great Massingham is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk.It has a primary school , a village shop, a pub , a village hall and a church . It is also notable for the number of ponds in the village - two large ones in the village centre and more in the outskirts...
, Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
and on 5 January 1942, it received Douglas Boston trainers and new aircrews, and began converting them onto this aircraft. The squadron began flying daylight operations again in March 1942 and these were continued until February 1944, when the squadron received Mosquito Mk.VI
De Havilland Mosquito
The de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito was a British multi-role combat aircraft that served during the Second World War and the postwar era. It was known affectionately as the "Mossie" to its crews and was also nicknamed "The Wooden Wonder"...
s and switched to night intruder operations instead with these. In November the squadron moved onto the continent, flying from Cambrai
Cambrai
Cambrai is a commune in the Nord department in northern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department.Cambrai is the seat of an archdiocese whose jurisdiction was immense during the Middle Ages. The territory of the Bishopric of Cambrai, roughly coinciding with the shire of Brabant, included...
and later from Melsbroek
Brussels Airport
Brussels Airport is an international airport northeast of Brussels, Belgium. The airport is partially in Zaventem and partially in the Diegem area of Machelen, both located in the Flemish Region of Belgium.Brussels Airport currently consists of 54 contact gates, and a total of 109 gates...
. The squadron continued to fly in the night intruder role to the end of war, when it ook up the duty of training in the light bomber role. Remaining in Germany as part of the British Air Forces of Occupation (BAFO) after the war, it was disbanded on 4 October 1948 at Wahn
Wahn
Wahn may refer to :Places:* Wahn, Cologne, city part of Cologne, GermanyPeople:* Ian Wahn , a Canadian politicianOther:* love of this life and hatred of death, according to the glossary of Islamic terms in Arabic...
by being renumbered to No. 11 Squadron RAF. (Though some sources claim 15 September 1948)
On Thor missiles
PGM-17 Thor
Thor was the first operational ballistic missile of the U.S. Air Force . Named after the Norse god of thunder, it was deployed in the United Kingdom between 1959 and September 1963 as an intermediate range ballistic missile with thermonuclear warheads. Thor was in height and in diameter. It was...
were employed in the UK each operating missile squadron was originally meant to control three sites. 107 squadron so started out in September 1958 by being the 'C' flight of the first RAF Thor missile unit, No. 77 Squadron RAF
No. 77 Squadron RAF
No. 77 Squadron RAF was formed on 1 October 1916 at Edinburgh, and was equipped with B.E.2 and B.E.12 aircraft. The squadron disbanded at RAF Turnhouse on June 13, 1919....
. The flight was stationed at RAF Tuddenham
Tuddenham
Tuddenham is a village and civil parish in the Forest Heath district of Suffolk in eastern England. In 2005 it had a population of 450.Between 1943 and 1963, RAF Tuddenham was a Royal Air Force airfield close to the village...
. By June 1959 the flights had reached squadron strength and in September 1959 it was decided that such sites should carry their own identities, 'C' flight of 77 squadron was thus redesignated to No. 107(SM) Squadron RAF, to be effective from 22 July 1959, making no. 107 squadron one of the twenty RAF squadrons that reached operational status using the Thor missile
Project Emily
Project Emily was the deployment of American-built PGM-17 Thor Intermediate-range ballistic missiles in the United Kingdom between 1959 and 1963....
.
This new incarnation of no. 107 squadron did not last long though. The upcoming ICBM missiles soon made the Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile obsolete, and in 1962 the Minister of Defence announced the phase-out of the Thor missiles. The squadron therefore disbanded once again, at Tuddenham on 10 July 1963.
Aircraft operated
| From | To | Aircraft | Variant |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 1918 | Jun 1919 | Airco DH.9 Airco DH.9 The Airco DH.9 - also known after 1920 as the de Havilland DH.9 - was a British bomber used in the First World War... |
|
| Sep 1936 | Sep 1938 | Hawker Hind Hawker Hind -See also:-Bibliography:* Crawford, Alex. Hawker Hart Family. Redbourn, Hertfordshire, UK: Mushroom Model Publications Ltd., 2008. ISBN 83-89450-62-3.... |
Mk.I |
| Aug 1938 | May 1939 | Bristol Blenheim Bristol Blenheim The Bristol Blenheim was a British light bomber aircraft designed and built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company that was used extensively in the early days of the Second World War. It was adapted as an interim long-range and night fighter, pending the availability of the Beaufighter... |
Mk.I |
| May 1939 | Jan 1942 | Bristol Blenheim | Mk.IV |
| Jan 1942 | Feb 1944 | Douglas Boston | Mks.III, IIIa |
| Feb 1944 | Sep 1948 | De Havilland Mosquito De Havilland Mosquito The de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito was a British multi-role combat aircraft that served during the Second World War and the postwar era. It was known affectionately as the "Mossie" to its crews and was also nicknamed "The Wooden Wonder"... |
Mk.VIb |
| Jul 1959 | Jul 1963 | Thor Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile PGM-17 Thor Thor was the first operational ballistic missile of the U.S. Air Force . Named after the Norse god of thunder, it was deployed in the United Kingdom between 1959 and September 1963 as an intermediate range ballistic missile with thermonuclear warheads. Thor was in height and in diameter. It was... |
SM.75 |
Commanding officers
| From | To | Name |
|---|---|---|
| May 1918 | September 1918 | Major Major Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ... J.R. Howett |
| September 1918 | June 1919 | Major H. Gordon Dean |
| August 1936 | October 1937 | 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"... E.A. Healy |
| October 1937 | June 1939 | 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... V.Q. Blackden |
| June 1939 | August 1939 | S/Ldr. Bear |
| August 1939 | September 1939 | W/Cdr. Wing Commander (rank) Wing commander is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries... E.F. Haylock |
| September 1939 | May 1940 | W/Cdr. B.E. Embry Basil Embry Air Chief Marshal Sir Basil Edward Embry GCB, KBE, DSO & Three Bars, DFC, AFC, RAF, was a senior Royal Air Force commander... |
| May 1940 | September 1940 | W/Cdr. L.R. Stokes |
| September 1940 | January 1941 | W/Cdr. J.W. Duggan |
| January 1941 | April 1941 | W/Cdr. W.E. Cameron |
| April 1941 | May 1941 | W/Cdr. Birch |
| May 1941 | July 1941 | W/Cdr. Petley |
| July 1941 | July 1941 | W/Cdr. Booth |
| July 1941 | October 1941 | W/Cdr. Harte |
| October 1941 | December 1941 | Sgt. Sergeant Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent.... I.G. Broom (acting) |
| December 1941 | January 1942 | W/Cdr. Dunlevie |
| January 1942 | September 1942 | W/Cdr. L.H. Lynn |
| September 1942 | December 1942 | W/Cdr. D.H. Dutton |
| December 1942 | February 1943 | W/Cdr. A.C.P. Carver |
| February 1943 | April 1943 | W/Cdr. I.J. Spencer |
| April 1943 | October 1943 | W/Cdr. R.G. England |
| November 1943 | July 1944 | W/Cdr. M.E. Pollard |
| July 1944 | April 1945 | W/Cdr. W.J. Scott |
| April 1945 | July 1946 | W/Cdr. W.C. Maher |
| August 1946 | December 1946 | W/Cdr. D.P. Hanafin |
| December 1946 | June 1947 | W/Cdr. B. Kemp |
| June 1947 | October 1948 | W/Cdr. Banning Lover |
| July 1959 | January 1961 | S/Ldr. R.P. Flood |
| January 1961 | July 1963 | S/Ldr. H.G. Norton |