No. 137 Squadron RAF
Encyclopedia
No. 137 Squadron RAF existed briefly as a day bomber unit in World War I but it never became operational. During World War II it flew as one of the two Whirlwind squadrons before converting to Hurricane Mk.IV
fighter-bombers and later the Hawker Typhoon
in the same role. The squadron was disbanded in August 1945.
s during World War I, but it never became operational. It was formed at Shawbury
on 1 April 1918 and was disbanded there on 4 July 1918, together with 12 other such units. Plans to reinstate the squadron in September as laid out in Air Organisation Memorandum 939 of 13 July 1918 came to nought as Air Organisation Memorandum 999 of 17 August 1918 cancelled these.
The squadron was reformed at Charmy Down
on 20 September 1941 and equipped with the then brand new two-engined Westland Whirlwind four-cannon fighter. The squadron became operational with them on 20 October and flew its first mission (a mandolin) four days afterwards. Unfortunately the new CO, S/Ldr Sample, was killed four days after this in a mid-air collision with a new pilot. Two days later another pilot crashed into the sea. After this bad start, No. 137 became non-operational for a period before resuming with coastal missions on 11 November. On one such mission on 12 February 1941, to escort some destroyers, they met by accident the fighter screen around the Scharnhorst
and the Gneisenau
, losing four pilots in the event.
In June 1943 the by now worn-out Whirlwinds were replaced with Hurricane Mk.IV
fighter-bombers and in July the squadron flew operationally with them again until February 1944 when the Hurricane was exchanged for the more modern and higher performance Hawker Typhoon
. 137 flew this new fighter-bomber operationally from 8 February 1944 until 25 August 1945, when it was disbanded at RAF Warmwell
by being renumbered to 174 Squadron
.
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...
fighter-bombers and later 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...
in the same role. The squadron was disbanded in August 1945.
Formation and World War I
No. 137 Squadron RAF existed briefly as a unit working up to be a day bomber unit on Airco DH.9Airco 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 during World War I, but it never became operational. It was formed at Shawbury
Shawbury
Shawbury is a village and civil parish in the English county of Shropshire. The village is north east of the town of Shrewsbury, north west of Telford and north west of London. The village straddles the A53 between Shrewsbury and Market Drayton...
on 1 April 1918 and was disbanded there on 4 July 1918, together with 12 other such units. Plans to reinstate the squadron in September as laid out in Air Organisation Memorandum 939 of 13 July 1918 came to nought as Air Organisation Memorandum 999 of 17 August 1918 cancelled these.
Second World War
RAF Charmy Down
RAF Station Charmy Down is a former World War II airfield in Somerset, England. The airfield is located approximately north-northeast of Bath; about west of London...
on 20 September 1941 and equipped with the then brand new two-engined Westland Whirlwind four-cannon fighter. The squadron became operational with them on 20 October and flew its first mission (a mandolin) four days afterwards. Unfortunately the new CO, S/Ldr Sample, was killed four days after this in a mid-air collision with a new pilot. Two days later another pilot crashed into the sea. After this bad start, No. 137 became non-operational for a period before resuming with coastal missions on 11 November. On one such mission on 12 February 1941, to escort some destroyers, they met by accident the fighter screen around the Scharnhorst
German battleship Scharnhorst
Scharnhorst was a German capital ship, alternatively described as a battleship and battlecruiser, of the German Kriegsmarine. She was the lead ship of her class, which included one other ship, Gneisenau. The ship was built at the Kriegsmarinewerft dockyard in Wilhelmshaven; she was laid down on 15...
and the Gneisenau
German battleship Gneisenau
Gneisenau was a German capital ship, alternatively described as a battleship and battlecruiser, of the German Kriegsmarine. She was the second vessel of her class, which included one other ship, Scharnhorst. The ship was built at the Deutsche Werke dockyard in Kiel; she was laid down on 6 May 1935...
, losing four pilots in the event.
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...
fighter-bombers and in July the squadron flew operationally with them again until February 1944 when the Hurricane was exchanged for the more modern and higher performance 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...
. 137 flew this new fighter-bomber operationally from 8 February 1944 until 25 August 1945, when it was disbanded at RAF Warmwell
RAF Warmwell
RAF Warmwell was a Royal Air Force station near Warmwell in Dorset, England from 1937 to 1946, located about 5 miles east-southeast of Dorchester; 100 miles southwest of London....
by being renumbered to 174 Squadron
No. 174 Squadron RAF
No. 174 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force Squadron that was a fighter-bomber unit in World War II.-Formation in World War II:The squadron formed in 2 March 1942 at RAF Manston and equipped with Hurricanes and then rocket armed Typhoons in April 1943. It was involved in attacks on shipping and...
.
Commanding officers
| Served from | Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| September 1941 | Sqn/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. Sample, 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... |
|
| November 1941 | Sqn/Ldr H.St.J. Coghlan | |
| May 1943 | Sqn/Ldr J.B. Wray, DFC | |
| December 1943 | Sqn/Ldr J.R. Dennehey, DFC | |
| April 1944 | Sqn/Ldr G. Piltingsrud, DFC | |
| September 1944 | Sqn/Ldr E. T. Brough, DFC | |
| December 1944 | Sqn/Ldr R.G.V. Barraclough | |
| March 1945 | Sqn/Ldr D. Murray, DFC |
Squadron Bases
| Arrival | Base |
|---|---|
| 1 April 1918 | RAF Shawbury RAF Shawbury RAF Shawbury is a Royal Air Force station by the village of Shawbury near Shrewsbury, Shropshire.The station at Shawbury was first used for military flying training in 1917 by the Royal Flying Corps, but it was returned to agricultural use in 1920. In 1938 it was reactivated as a training... |
| 20 September 1941 | RAF Charmy Down RAF Charmy Down RAF Station Charmy Down is a former World War II airfield in Somerset, England. The airfield is located approximately north-northeast of Bath; about west of London... |
| 8 November 1941 | RAF Coltishall RAF Coltishall The former Royal Air Force Station Coltishall, more commonly known as RAF Coltishall , was a Royal Air Force station, a military airbase, North-North-East of Norwich, in the English county of Norfolk, East Anglia, from 1938 to 2006.... |
| 1 December 1941 | RAF Matlaske RAF Matlaske RAF Matlaske was a satellite air station to RAF Coltishall of the Royal Air Force, situated near Matlaske in Norfolk, England. RAF Matlaske opened in 1940 and closed in 1945.-History:... detachments at RAF Snailwell RAF Snailwell RAF Snailwell, Cambridgeshire, located 3 miles north of Newmarket, Suffolk. Also known as Station 361 of the USAAF. The site has now returned to agriculture and paddocks.-Units:* Royal Air Force 268 Squadron* Army Cooperation Command... & RAF Drem RAF Drem RAF Drem is a former RAF station, just north of the village of Drem in East Lothian, Scotland. The motto of the station was Exiit Hinc Lumen which means "Ascend from this Light".... |
| 24 August 1942 | RAF Snailwell RAF Snailwell RAF Snailwell, Cambridgeshire, located 3 miles north of Newmarket, Suffolk. Also known as Station 361 of the USAAF. The site has now returned to agriculture and paddocks.-Units:* Royal Air Force 268 Squadron* Army Cooperation Command... |
| 17 September 1942 | RAF Manston RAF Manston RAF Manston was an RAF station in the north-east of Kent, at on the Isle of Thanet from 1916 until 1996. The site is now split between a commercial airport Kent International Airport and a continuing military use by the Defence Fire Training and Development Centre , following on from a long... |
| 12 June 1943 | RAF Rochford London Southend Airport London Southend Airport or Southend Airport is a regional airport in the district of Rochford within Essex, England.During the 1960s, Southend was the third-busiest airport in the United Kingdom. It remained London's third-busiest airport in terms of passengers handled until the end of the 1970s,... |
| 8 August 1943 | RAF Manston RAF Manston RAF Manston was an RAF station in the north-east of Kent, at on the Isle of Thanet from 1916 until 1996. The site is now split between a commercial airport Kent International Airport and a continuing military use by the Defence Fire Training and Development Centre , following on from a long... |
| 14 December 1943 | RAF Lympne RAF Lympne RAF Lympne was a Royal Air Force station used during the First and Second World Wars. It opened in 1916 by the Royal Flying Corps as an acceptance point for aircraft being delivered to, and returned from, France. It was later designated as a First Class Landing Ground... |
| 2 January 1944 | RAF Colerne RAF Colerne RAF Colerne now known as Colerne Airfield or AEF Colerne is a former World War II RAF Fighter Command and Bomber Command airfield located on the outskirts of the village of Colerne, Wiltshire... |
| 4 February 1944 | RAF Lympne RAF Lympne RAF Lympne was a Royal Air Force station used during the First and Second World Wars. It opened in 1916 by the Royal Flying Corps as an acceptance point for aircraft being delivered to, and returned from, France. It was later designated as a First Class Landing Ground... |
| 1 April 1944 | RAF Manston RAF Manston RAF Manston was an RAF station in the north-east of Kent, at on the Isle of Thanet from 1916 until 1996. The site is now split between a commercial airport Kent International Airport and a continuing military use by the Defence Fire Training and Development Centre , following on from a long... |
| 13 August 1944 | Coulombs Coulombs, Calvados Coulombs is a commune in the Calvados department in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France.-Population:... (B.6) |
| 29 August 1944 | Créton (B.30) |
| 3 September 1944 | Amiens/Glisy Amiens-Glisy Airport Amiens – Glisy Aerodrome is an airport serving Amiens, the capital city of the Somme department in the Picardy region of France... (B.48) |
| 6 September 1944 | Melsbroek Melsbroek Air Base Melsbroek Air Base is a Belgian Air Component facility in Zaventem, Belgium. It is located on the northern side of the same site as Brussels Airport, with which it shares runways and ground and air control facilities.... (B.58) |
| 22 September 1944 | Eindhoven (Welschap) Eindhoven Airport -Facilities:Passenger facilities available include: Exchange office, Lost property office, Luggage lockers, Baby changing area and a Health centre. Wireless internet access is provided free of charge throughout the airport. A business lounge is available too. Major car rental companies have their... (B.78) |
| 13 January 1945 | Helmond Helmond Helmond is a municipality and a city in the province of North Brabant in the southern Netherlands.- Quarters and Neighbourhoods :*Quarter 11 Inner City**Neighbourhood 0 Centrum**Neighbourhood 2 Leonardus**Neighbourhood 3 Heipoort... (B.86) |
| 11 April 1945 | Twente Enschede Airport Twente Enschede Airport Twente is located north from Enschede, a municipality in the Twente region and the Overijssel province of the Netherlands. It has one runway , though one of the current taxiways has been used as a runway... (B.106) |
| 13 April 1945 | Hopsten Hopsten Hopsten is a municipality in the district of Steinfurt, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is situated approximately 15 km northeast of Rheine and 25 km southeast of Lingen.-Gallery:... (B.112) |
| 17 April 1945 | Langenhagen Langenhagen Langenhagen is a town in the Hanover district of Lower Saxony, Germany.-International relations:Langenhagen is twinned with: - Joinville - - Economy :... (B.120) |
| 30 April 1945 | Lüneburg Lüneburg Lüneburg is a town in the German state of Lower Saxony. It is located about southeast of fellow Hanseatic city Hamburg. It is part of the Hamburg Metropolitan Region, and one of Hamburg's inner suburbs... (B.156) |
| 7 May 1945 | RAF Celle RAF Celle The former Royal Air Force Station Celle , more commonly known as RAF Celle , was a Royal Air Force station, a military airbase, in Germany, situated in the south-western suburbs of Celle, Lower Saxony... (B118) |
| 9 May 1945 | Kastrup Copenhagen Airport Copenhagen Airport is the main international airport serving Copenhagen, Denmark and the Oresund Region. It is located on the island of Amager, south of Copenhagen city centre, and west of Malmö city centre on the other side of the Oresund Bridge. The airport lies mainly in the municipality... (B160) |
| 21 June 1945 | Husum (B172) |
| 11 July 1945 | Lübeck Lübeck Airport Lübeck Blankensee Airport , marketed by some airlines as Hamburg Lübeck Airport, is an airport in Germany located south of Lübeck city centre and northeast of Hamburg. The airport serves the Hamburg Metropolitan Area and is second after Hamburg Airport.... (B158) |
| 20 August 1945 | RAF Warmwell RAF Warmwell RAF Warmwell was a Royal Air Force station near Warmwell in Dorset, England from 1937 to 1946, located about 5 miles east-southeast of Dorchester; 100 miles southwest of London.... |