No. 210 Squadron RAF
Encyclopedia
No. 210 Squadron was a Royal Air Force
unit established in World War I
. Disbanded and reformed a number of times in the ensuing years, it operated as a fighter squadron during World War I
and as a maritime patrol squadron during the Spanish Civil War
, World War II
and the Cold War
before it was last deactivated in 1971.
(RNAS), when the Royal Air Force
was established on 1 April 1918. No. 10 (Naval) Squadron had been raised on 12 February 1917, flying Nieuport
s and later Sopwith Triplane
s, which were in turn replaced by Sopwith Camel
s in late 1917. One of its pilots was Raymond Collishaw
, the RNAS's highest-scoring ace
and later an Air Vice-Marshal
. The unit remained in Europe after the war, until February 1919. It then returned to the UK and was disbanded on 24 June 1919.
, equipped with the Sopwith Cuckoo
torpedo bomber. It disbanded again on 1 April 1923.
The squadron reformed again on 1 March 1931, equipped with Supermarine Southampton
flying boat
s, operating first from Felixstowe
and then from Pembroke Dock
in June 1931. The squadron converted to the Short Rangoon
in 1935 and was posted to Gibraltar, returning home in August 1936 to be re-equipped with the Short Singapore.
In 1937 the squadron was posted to Algeria
as part of an Anglo-French force charged with countering submarine attacks on neutral shipping during the Spanish Civil War
. The squadron returned home in December 1937 and from June 1938 began equipping with the Short Sunderland
.
began, detachments from No. 210 Squadron were sent to Invergordon
and Sullom Voe
. In July 1940 the squadron moved to RAF Oban
and began to re-equip with the Consolidated Catalina
. The squadron returned to Pembroke Dock in October 1942, with a detachment based at Gibraltar. In April 1943, squadron headquarters moved to RAF Hamworthy
. The Gibraltar detachment was transferred to No. 202 Squadron
on 31 December 1943 and the remainder of the squadron at Hamworthy disbanded.
The squadron reformed the day after at Sullom Voe, when No. 190 Squadron
was renumbered on 1 January 1944. During this time, Flying Officer
John Cruickshank
, a pilot with the squadron, was awarded the Victoria Cross
for flying his aircraft home despite extensive wounds received during an attack on a German U-boat. This was one out of a total of eight German U-boats that fell victim to the Catalina's of 210 squadron. When the war ended 210 sqn flew a month postal runs to Norwegian ports but shortly thereafter officially disbanded on 4 June 1945 at Sullom Voe. The squadron's history however has a flight with the RAF Film Unit along the Norwegian coast as flown as late as on 10 June 1945.
was renumbered. Eventually the other flight of no. 179 sqn ('X') was absorbed later in September 1946. It operated Lancaster GR.3
s from RAF St Eval
until September 1952, then moved to RAF Topcliffe
, re-equipping with Neptune MR.1 aircraft in February 1953. The squadron disbanded at Topcliffe on 31 January 1957.
was renumbered, taking over that squadron's maritime patrol tasks from RAF Ballykelly
, equipped with the Shackleton MR.2
. The tasks included taking part in the UN sanctions against Rhodesia, flown by two detachments from Sharjah in the Trucial States
and Majunga, Madagascar
. This lasted until 31 October 1970, when the Squadron disbanded. On 1 November 1970 the squadron's former detachment at Sharjah reformed as the new 210 sqn, but this lasted not for long, as the squadron disbanded there for the last time at Sarjah on 17 November 1971.
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...
unit established in 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...
. Disbanded and reformed a number of times in the ensuing years, it operated as a fighter squadron during 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...
and as a maritime patrol squadron during the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
, 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 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...
before it was last deactivated in 1971.
World War I
No. 210 Squadron was formed from No. 10 Squadron, Royal Naval Air ServiceRoyal 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), when 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...
was established on 1 April 1918. No. 10 (Naval) Squadron had been raised on 12 February 1917, flying Nieuport
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 later Sopwith Triplane
Sopwith Triplane
The Sopwith Triplane was a British single seat fighter aircraft designed and manufactured by the Sopwith Aviation Company during the First World War. Pilots nicknamed it the Tripehound or simply the Tripe. The Triplane became operational with the Royal Naval Air Service in early 1917 and was...
s, which were in turn replaced by Sopwith Camel
Sopwith Camel
The Sopwith Camel was a British First World War single-seat biplane fighter introduced on the Western Front in 1917. Manufactured by Sopwith Aviation Company, it had a short-coupled fuselage, heavy, powerful rotary engine, and concentrated fire from twin synchronized machine guns. Though difficult...
s in late 1917. One of its pilots was Raymond Collishaw
Raymond Collishaw
Air Vice Marshal Raymond Collishaw CB, DSO & Bar, OBE, DSC, DFC, RAF was a distinguished Canadian fighter pilot, squadron leader, and commanding officer who served in the Royal Naval Air Service and later the Royal Air Force. He was the highest scoring RNAS flying ace and the second highest...
, the RNAS's highest-scoring ace
Flying ace
A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The actual number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an "ace" has varied, but is usually considered to be five or more...
and later an Air Vice-Marshal
Air Vice-Marshal
Air vice-marshal is a two-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force. The rank is also used by the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence and it is sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in...
. The unit remained in Europe after the war, until February 1919. It then returned to the UK and was disbanded on 24 June 1919.
Between the wars
The squadron was reformed on 1 February 1920 from No. 186 SquadronNo. 186 Squadron RAF
No. 186 Squadron of the Royal Air Force was formed on 1 April 1918 at East Retford, providing night pilot training for home defence and on the Western front. On 31 December 1918 it was reformed as an operational shipboard unit aboard...
, equipped with the Sopwith Cuckoo
Sopwith Cuckoo
-See also:-References:*Davis, Mick. Sopwith Aircraft. Ramsbury, Marlborough, Wiltshire: Crowood Press, 1999. ISBN 1-86126-217-5.*Layman, R.D. Naval Aviation In The First World War: Its Impact And Influence. London: Caxton, 2002. ISBN 1-84067-314-1....
torpedo bomber. It disbanded again on 1 April 1923.
The squadron reformed again on 1 March 1931, equipped with Supermarine Southampton
Supermarine Southampton
-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Andrews, C.F. and E.B. Morgan. Supermarine Aircraft since 1914 . London: Putnam, 1987. ISBN 0-85177-800-3....
flying boat
Flying boat
A flying boat is a fixed-winged seaplane with a hull, allowing it to land on water. It differs from a float plane as it uses a purpose-designed fuselage which can float, granting the aircraft buoyancy. Flying boats may be stabilized by under-wing floats or by wing-like projections from the fuselage...
s, operating first from Felixstowe
Felixstowe
Felixstowe is a seaside town on the North Sea coast of Suffolk, England. The town gives its name to the nearby Port of Felixstowe, which is the largest container port in the United Kingdom and is owned by Hutchinson Ports UK...
and then from Pembroke Dock
Pembroke Dock
Pembroke Dock is a town in Pembrokeshire, south-west Wales, lying north of Pembroke on the River Cleddau. Originally a small fishing village known as Paterchurch, the town was greatly expanded from 1814 onwards following the construction of a Royal Naval Dockyard...
in June 1931. The squadron converted to the Short Rangoon
Short Rangoon
|-See also:...
in 1935 and was posted to Gibraltar, returning home in August 1936 to be re-equipped with the Short Singapore.
In 1937 the squadron was posted to Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
as part of an Anglo-French force charged with countering submarine attacks on neutral shipping during the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
. The squadron returned home in December 1937 and from June 1938 began equipping with the Short Sunderland
Short Sunderland
The Short S.25 Sunderland was a British flying boat patrol bomber developed for the Royal Air Force by Short Brothers. It took its service name from the town and port of Sunderland in northeast England....
.
World War II
When 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...
began, detachments from No. 210 Squadron were sent to Invergordon
Invergordon
Invergordon is a town and port in Easter Ross, in Ross and Cromarty, Highland, Scotland.-History:The town is well known for the Invergordon Mutiny of 1931. More recently it was also known for the repair of oil rigs which used to be lined up in the Cromarty Firth on which the town is situated...
and Sullom Voe
Sullom Voe
Sullom Voe is an inlet between North Mainland and Northmavine on Shetland in Scotland. It is a location of the Sullom Voe oil terminal. The word Voe is from the Old Norse vagr and denotes a small bay or narrow creek...
. In July 1940 the squadron moved to RAF Oban
RAF Oban
RAF Oban was a Royal Air Force flying boat base located at the northern end of the island of Kerrera, in Ardantrive Bay west of Oban, Argyll and Bute, Scotland during World War II.-History:...
and began to re-equip with the Consolidated Catalina
PBY Catalina
The Consolidated PBY Catalina was an American flying boat of the 1930s and 1940s produced by Consolidated Aircraft. It was one of the most widely used multi-role aircraft of World War II. PBYs served with every branch of the United States Armed Forces and in the air forces and navies of many other...
. The squadron returned to Pembroke Dock in October 1942, with a detachment based at Gibraltar. In April 1943, squadron headquarters moved to RAF Hamworthy
RAF Hamworthy
RAF Hamworthy was a Royal Air Force Coastal Command seaplane base at Poole Harbour in Dorset, England, from 1939 to 1948. During World War II, it was used by the Royal Air Force, the Royal Navy and BOAC.-RAF units and aircraft:-External links:*...
. The Gibraltar detachment was transferred to No. 202 Squadron
No. 202 Squadron RAF
No. 202 Squadron of the Royal Air Force presently operates the Sea King HAR.3 in the Search and rescue role at three stations in the northern half of the United Kingdom. It was originally formed as one of the first aeroplane squadrons of the RNAS before it became part of the RAF.-Formation and...
on 31 December 1943 and the remainder of the squadron at Hamworthy disbanded.
The squadron reformed the day after at Sullom Voe, when No. 190 Squadron
No. 190 Squadron RAF
No 190 Squadron was a Royal Air Force squadron with a relative short existence, but a very broad career. It served as a trainer squadron during the first World War and as convoy escort, airborne support and transport squadron during World War II....
was renumbered on 1 January 1944. During this time, Flying Officer
Flying Officer
Flying officer is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence...
John Cruickshank
John Cruickshank
John Alexander Cruickshank, VC is a Scottish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces....
, a pilot with the squadron, was awarded the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
for flying his aircraft home despite extensive wounds received during an attack on a German U-boat. This was one out of a total of eight German U-boats that fell victim to the Catalina's of 210 squadron. When the war ended 210 sqn flew a month postal runs to Norwegian ports but shortly thereafter officially disbanded on 4 June 1945 at Sullom Voe. The squadron's history however has a flight with the RAF Film Unit along the Norwegian coast as flown as late as on 10 June 1945.
Lancasters and Neptunes
On 1 June 1946, No. 210 Squadron reformed again when one flight ('Y') of No. 179 SquadronNo. 179 Squadron RAF
No. 179 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force Squadron that was a maritime patrol/anti-submarine warfare unit in World War II.-Formation in World War II:...
was renumbered. Eventually the other flight of no. 179 sqn ('X') was absorbed later in September 1946. It operated Lancaster GR.3
Avro Lancaster
The Avro Lancaster is a British four-engined Second World War heavy bomber made initially by Avro for the Royal Air Force . It first saw active service in 1942, and together with the Handley Page Halifax it was one of the main heavy bombers of the RAF, the RCAF, and squadrons from other...
s from RAF St Eval
RAF St Eval
RAF St Eval was a strategic airbase for the RAF Coastal Command in the Second World War . St Eval's primary role was to provided anti-submarine and anti-shipping patrols off the south west coast of England...
until September 1952, then moved to RAF Topcliffe
RAF Topcliffe
RAF Topcliffe is a Royal Air Force station in North Yorkshire. It is a satellite station of RAF Linton-on-Ouse.Topcliffe opened in September 1940 as a bomber station in RAF Bomber Command and was home to 77 and 102 Squadrons flying the Whitley heavy bomber. There was a decoy site at Raskelf...
, re-equipping with Neptune MR.1 aircraft in February 1953. The squadron disbanded at Topcliffe on 31 January 1957.
On Shackletons
The squadron reformed one more time on 1 December 1958 when No. 269 SquadronNo. 269 Squadron RAF
No. 269 Squadron RAF was a maritime patrol unit of the Royal Air Force that saw service in World War I, World War II, and the Cold War.-World War I:...
was renumbered, taking over that squadron's maritime patrol tasks from RAF Ballykelly
Shackleton Barracks
Shackleton Barracks, Ballykelly, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland, was a British Army base that was originally known as RAF Ballykelly, a Royal Air Force station which opened in 1941...
, equipped with the Shackleton MR.2
Avro Shackleton
The Avro Shackleton was a British long-range maritime patrol aircraft for use by the Royal Air Force. It was developed by Avro from the Avro Lincoln bomber with a new fuselage...
. The tasks included taking part in the UN sanctions against Rhodesia, flown by two detachments from Sharjah in the Trucial States
Trucial States
The Trucial States were a group of sheikhdoms in the Persian Gulf.-General aspects:The sheikdoms included:*Abu Dhabi *Ajman...
and Majunga, Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
. This lasted until 31 October 1970, when the Squadron disbanded. On 1 November 1970 the squadron's former detachment at Sharjah reformed as the new 210 sqn, but this lasted not for long, as the squadron disbanded there for the last time at Sarjah on 17 November 1971.
Aircraft operated
| From | To | Aircraft | Variant |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 1917 | May 1917 | Nieuport 12 Nieuport 12 |-See also:... |
|
| Feb 1917 | May 1917 | 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.... |
|
| Feb 1917 | Jul 1917 | Sopwith Triplane Sopwith Triplane The Sopwith Triplane was a British single seat fighter aircraft designed and manufactured by the Sopwith Aviation Company during the First World War. Pilots nicknamed it the Tripehound or simply the Tripe. The Triplane became operational with the Royal Naval Air Service in early 1917 and was... |
|
| Apr 1918 | Jun 1919 | Sopwith Camel Sopwith Camel The Sopwith Camel was a British First World War single-seat biplane fighter introduced on the Western Front in 1917. Manufactured by Sopwith Aviation Company, it had a short-coupled fuselage, heavy, powerful rotary engine, and concentrated fire from twin synchronized machine guns. Though difficult... |
|
| Feb 1920 | Apr 1923 | Sopwith Cuckoo Sopwith Cuckoo -See also:-References:*Davis, Mick. Sopwith Aircraft. Ramsbury, Marlborough, Wiltshire: Crowood Press, 1999. ISBN 1-86126-217-5.*Layman, R.D. Naval Aviation In The First World War: Its Impact And Influence. London: Caxton, 2002. ISBN 1-84067-314-1.... |
|
| May 1931 | Jul 1935 | Supermarine Southampton Supermarine Southampton -See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Andrews, C.F. and E.B. Morgan. Supermarine Aircraft since 1914 . London: Putnam, 1987. ISBN 0-85177-800-3.... |
Mk.II |
| Jan 1935 | Aug 1935 | Short Singapore | Mk.III |
| Sep 1935 | Aug 1936 | Short Rangoon Short Rangoon |-See also:... |
Mk.I |
| Oct 1935 | Nov 1935 | Saro London Saro London |-See also:-Bibliography:* Green, William. War Planes of the Second World War, Volume Five: Flying Boats. London: Macdonald & Co. Ltd., 1962 . ISBN 0-356-01449-5.... |
Mk.II |
| Oct 1935 | Nov 1935 | Supermarine Stranraer Supermarine Stranraer |-Surviving aircraft:A single intact Stranraer, 920/CF-BXO, survives in the collection of the Royal Air Force Museum London. This aircraft was built in 1940, one of 40 built by Canadian Vickers. In service with the Royal Canadian Air Force, it flew with several squadrons, on anti-submarine patrols,... |
Mk.I |
| Sep 1936 | Nov 1938 | Short Singapore | Mk.III |
| Jun 1938 | Apr 1941 | Short Sunderland Short Sunderland The Short S.25 Sunderland was a British flying boat patrol bomber developed for the Royal Air Force by Short Brothers. It took its service name from the town and port of Sunderland in northeast England.... |
Mk.I |
| Apr 1941 | Mar 1944 | Consolidated Catalina PBY Catalina The Consolidated PBY Catalina was an American flying boat of the 1930s and 1940s produced by Consolidated Aircraft. It was one of the most widely used multi-role aircraft of World War II. PBYs served with every branch of the United States Armed Forces and in the air forces and navies of many other... |
Mks.I and Ib |
| Aug 1942 | Dec 1943 | Consolidated Catalina | Mks.IIa and III |
| Mar 1944 | Jun 1945 | Consolidated Catalina | Mk.IV |
| Jun 1946 | Oct 1952 | Avro Lancaster Avro Lancaster The Avro Lancaster is a British four-engined Second World War heavy bomber made initially by Avro for the Royal Air Force . It first saw active service in 1942, and together with the Handley Page Halifax it was one of the main heavy bombers of the RAF, the RCAF, and squadrons from other... |
ASR.3 |
| Feb 1953 | Jan 1957 | Lockheed Neptune P-2 Neptune The Lockheed P-2 Neptune was a Maritime patrol and ASW aircraft. It was developed for the United States Navy by Lockheed to replace the Lockheed PV-1 Ventura and PV-2 Harpoon, and being replaced in turn with the Lockheed P-3 Orion... |
MR.1 |
| Dec 1958 | Nov 1971 | Avro Shackleton Avro Shackleton The Avro Shackleton was a British long-range maritime patrol aircraft for use by the Royal Air Force. It was developed by Avro from the Avro Lincoln bomber with a new fuselage... |
MR.2 |
Squadron bases
| From | To | Base |
|---|---|---|
| 12 Feb 1917 | 27 Mar 1917 | Saint-Pol-sur-Mer Saint-Pol-sur-Mer Saint-Pol-sur-Mer is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.It is the second-largest suburb of the city of Dunkerque, and is almost encircled by it.-Heraldry:-References:* -External links:*... , Belgium Belgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many... |
| 27 Mar 1917 | 15 May 1917 | Furnes Veurne Veurne is a city and municipality in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the town of Veurne proper and the settlements of Avekapelle, Booitshoeke, Bulskamp, De Moeren, Eggewaartskapelle, Houtem, Steenkerke, Vinkem, Wulveringem, and Zoutenaaie.-Origins in the 15th... , Belgium |
| 15 May 1917 | 4 Oct 1917 | Droglandt, France France The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France... |
| 4 Oct 1917 | 27 Nov 1917 | Leffrinckoucke Leffrinckoucke -Twin towns:Leffrinckoucke is twinned with: Węgorzewo in Poland-References:* Notes... , France |
| 27 Nov 1917 | 31 Mar 1918 | Téteghem Téteghem Téteghem is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.-History:Téteghem is one of the common ending HEM. This suffix meaning house, dwelling, village ... became Ghem. Tete would come from an ancestor's name Tatto, perhaps, or Theodore Theodoric, personified by the giant of the town.... , France |
| 31 Mar 1918 | 9 Apr 1918 | Treizennes, France France The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France... |
| 9 Apr 1918 | 27 Apr 1918 | Liettres Liettres Liettres is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France.-Geography:Liettres is situated some northwest of Béthune and west of Lille, on the D186e2 and D186, bordered by the A26 autoroute.-Population:... , France |
| 27 Apr 1918 | 30 May 1918 | Saint-Omer Saint-Omer Saint-Omer , a commune and sub-prefecture of the Pas-de-Calais department west-northwest of Lille on the railway to Calais. The town is named after Saint Audomar, who brought Christianity to the area.... , France |
| 30 May 1918 | 8 Jul 1918 | Sainte-Marie-Cappel Sainte-Marie-Cappel Sainte-Marie-Cappel is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.The small river Peene Becque has its source in Sante-Marie-Cappel.-Heraldry:-References:*... , France |
| 8 Jul 1918 | 22 Jul 1918 | Téteghem, France |
| 22 Jul 1918 | 23 Oct 1918 | Eringhem Eringhem Eringhem is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.It is located about half way between Dunkirk and Saint-Omer.... , Belgium |
| 23 Oct 1918 | 17 Feb 1919 | Boussières Boussières Boussières is a commune in the Doubs department in the Franche-Comté region in eastern France.-Population:-References:*... , France |
| 17 Feb 1919 | 24 Jun 1919 | RAF Scopwick RAF Digby RAF Digby is a Royal Air Force station which, since March 2005, has been operated by the Ministry of Defence's Joint Service Signals Organisation, part of the Intelligence Collection Group. Formerly a training and fighter airfield, it is currently a tri-service military signals installation located... , Lincolnshire Lincolnshire Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders... |
| 1 Feb 1920 | 1 Apr 1923 | RAF Gosport Gosport Gosport is a town, district and borough situated on the south coast of England, within the county of Hampshire. It has approximately 80,000 permanent residents with a further 5,000-10,000 during the summer months... , Hampshire Hampshire Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force... |
| 1 Mar 1931 | 15 Jun 1931 | Felixstowe Felixstowe Felixstowe is a seaside town on the North Sea coast of Suffolk, England. The town gives its name to the nearby Port of Felixstowe, which is the largest container port in the United Kingdom and is owned by Hutchinson Ports UK... , Suffolk Suffolk Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east... |
| 15 Jun 1931 | 28 Sep 1935 | Pembroke Dock Pembroke Dock Pembroke Dock is a town in Pembrokeshire, south-west Wales, lying north of Pembroke on the River Cleddau. Originally a small fishing village known as Paterchurch, the town was greatly expanded from 1814 onwards following the construction of a Royal Naval Dockyard... , Pembrokeshire Pembrokeshire Pembrokeshire is a county in the south west of Wales. It borders Carmarthenshire to the east and Ceredigion to the north east. The county town is Haverfordwest where Pembrokeshire County Council is headquartered.... , Wales Wales Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²... |
| 28 Sep 1935 | 7 Aug 1936 | RAF Gibraltar RAF Gibraltar Royal Air Force Station Gibraltar, better known as RAF Gibraltar and formally as North Front, is a Royal Air Force station on Gibraltar. No military aircraft are currently stationed there, but there are regular visits... |
| 7 Aug 1936 | 22 Sep 1937 | Pembroke Dock, Pembrokeshire, Wales |
| 22 Sep 1937 | 18 Dec 1937 | Arzeu Arzew Arzew or Arzeu is a port city in Algeria, from Oran. It is the capital of Arzew District, Oran Province.-Antiquity:Like the rest of North Africa, the site of modern-day Arzew was originally inhabited by the Berbers... , Algeria Algeria Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab... |
| 18 Dec 1937 | 29 Sep 1938 | Pembroke Dock, Pembrokeshire, Wales |
| 29 Sep 1938 | 8 Oct 1938 | Tayport Tayport Tayport is located in Fife, Scotland.Te oportet alte ferri - "It is encumbent on you to carry yourself high." This actually a rather terrible pun on:"Tayport at auld Tay Ferry".... , Fife Fife Fife is a council area and former county of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire... , Scotland Scotland Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the... |
| 8 Oct 1938 | 23 Oct 1939 | Pembroke Dock, Pembrokeshire, Wales |
| 23 Oct 1939 | 6 Nov 1939 | Invergordon Invergordon Invergordon is a town and port in Easter Ross, in Ross and Cromarty, Highland, Scotland.-History:The town is well known for the Invergordon Mutiny of 1931. More recently it was also known for the repair of oil rigs which used to be lined up in the Cromarty Firth on which the town is situated... , Ross and Cromarty Ross and Cromarty Ross and Cromarty is a variously defined area in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. There is a registration county and a lieutenancy area in current use... , Scotland |
| 6 Nov 1939 | 24 Nov 1939 | Pembroke Dock, Pembrokeshire, Wales |
| 24 Nov 1939 | 21 May 1940 | Invergordon (Det. at Sullom Voe Sullom Voe Sullom Voe is an inlet between North Mainland and Northmavine on Shetland in Scotland. It is a location of the Sullom Voe oil terminal. The word Voe is from the Old Norse vagr and denotes a small bay or narrow creek... , Shetland, Scotland) |
| 21 May 1940 | 13 Jul 1940 | Pembroke Dock, Pembrokeshire, Wales |
| 13 Jul 1940 | 28 Feb 1942 | RAF Oban RAF Oban RAF Oban was a Royal Air Force flying boat base located at the northern end of the island of Kerrera, in Ardantrive Bay west of Oban, Argyll and Bute, Scotland during World War II.-History:... , Argyll and Bute Argyll and Bute Argyll and Bute is both one of 32 unitary council areas; and a Lieutenancy area in Scotland. The administrative centre for the council area is located in Lochgilphead.Argyll and Bute covers the second largest administrative area of any Scottish council... , Scotland (Dets. at Reykjavík Reykjavík Reykjavík is the capital and largest city in Iceland.Its latitude at 64°08' N makes it the world's northernmost capital of a sovereign state. It is located in southwestern Iceland, on the southern shore of Faxaflói Bay... , Iceland Iceland Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population... , Sullom Voe and Stranraer Stranraer Stranraer is a town in the southwest of Scotland. It lies in the west of Dumfries and Galloway and in the county of Wigtownshire.Stranraer lies on the shores of Loch Ryan on the northern side of the isthmus joining the Rhins of Galloway to the mainland... |
| 28 Feb 1942 | 4 Oct 1942 | Sullom Voe, Shetland, Scotland (Det. at Grasnaya, Russia) |
| 4 Oct 1942 | 21 Apr 1943 | Pembroke Dock, Pembrokeshire, Wales (Det. at Gibraltar) |
| 21 Apr 1943 | 31 Dec 1943 | RAF Hamworthy RAF Hamworthy RAF Hamworthy was a Royal Air Force Coastal Command seaplane base at Poole Harbour in Dorset, England, from 1939 to 1948. During World War II, it was used by the Royal Air Force, the Royal Navy and BOAC.-RAF units and aircraft:-External links:*... , Dorset Dorset Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974... (Det. at Gibraltar) |
| 1 Jan 1944 | 4 Jun 1945 | Sullom Voe, Shetland, Scotland (Det. at Pembroke Dock, Pembrokeshire, Wales) |
| 1 Jun 1946 | 15 Apr 1952 | RAF St Eval RAF St Eval RAF St Eval was a strategic airbase for the RAF Coastal Command in the Second World War . St Eval's primary role was to provided anti-submarine and anti-shipping patrols off the south west coast of England... , Cornwall Cornwall Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of... (Dets. at Ein Shemer Ein Shemer Ein Shemer is a kibbutz in Israel in the Shomron region, surrounded by citrus groves, orchards and fields. It is located just south of Route 65, about 6 km northeast of Hadera, and is in the Menashe Regional Council. The kibbutz was founded in 1927. The kibbutz makes a living from agriculture and... , Israel Israel The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea... , RAF Gibraltar and RAF Luqa RAF Luqa Royal Air Force Luqa was a flying station and location of RAF Mediterranean Command headquarters of the Royal Air Force on the island of Malta during World War II... , 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... |
| 15 Apr 1952 | 26 May 1952 | RAF St Mawgan, Cornwall |
| 26 May 1952 | 15 Apr 1952 | RAF St Eval, Cornwall |
| 10 Sep 1952 | 26 Sep 1952 | RAF Ballykelly, County Londonderry County Londonderry The place name Derry is an anglicisation of the old Irish Daire meaning oak-grove or oak-wood. As with the city, its name is subject to the Derry/Londonderry name dispute, with the form Derry preferred by nationalists and Londonderry preferred by unionists... , Northern Ireland Northern Ireland Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west... |
| 26 Sep 1952 | 31 Jan 1957 | RAF Topcliffe RAF Topcliffe RAF Topcliffe is a Royal Air Force station in North Yorkshire. It is a satellite station of RAF Linton-on-Ouse.Topcliffe opened in September 1940 as a bomber station in RAF Bomber Command and was home to 77 and 102 Squadrons flying the Whitley heavy bomber. There was a decoy site at Raskelf... , North Yorkshire North Yorkshire North Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan or shire county located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial county primarily in that region but partly in North East England. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972 it covers an area of , making it the largest... |
| 1 Dec 1958 | 31 Oct 1970 | RAF Ballykelly, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland (Dets. at Sharjah Sharjah (city) Sharjah is the third largest and most populous city in the United Arab Emirates. It is located along the southern coast of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula.Sharjah is the seat of government of the emirate of Sharjah... , Trucial States Trucial States The Trucial States were a group of sheikhdoms in the Persian Gulf.-General aspects:The sheikdoms included:*Abu Dhabi *Ajman... and Majunga, Madagascar Madagascar The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa... |
| 1 Nov 1970 | 15 Nov 1971 | Sharjah, Trucial States (United Arab Emirates United Arab Emirates The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a... ) |
Commanding officers
| From | To | Name |
|---|---|---|
| Feb 1917 | Apr 1917 | Squadron Commander (S/Cdr.) C. D. Breese Charles Breese Air Vice Marshal Charles Dempster Breese CB AFC RAF was an officer in the Royal Navy and a senior officer in the Royal Air Force in the first half of the 20th century.-Honours:... |
| Apr 1917 | Sep 1917 | S/Cdr. D.C. Bell (acting) |
| Sep 1917 | Apr 1918 | S/Cdr. D.C. Bell |
| Apr 1918 | Oct 1918 | Maj. 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. ... D.C. Bell |
| Oct 1918 | Jun 1919 | Cpt. A.W. Carter, 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... |
| Feb 1920 | Apr 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.A.G. de Courcy |
| Apr 1920 | Sep 1920 | S/Ldr. C. W. H. Pulford Conway Pulford Air Vice Marshal Conway Walter Heath Pulford CB, OBE, AFC was a senior Royal Air Force officer.-Naval career:Pulford began his career in the Royal Navy in 1905 as a Naval Cadet at the Royal Naval College, Osborne... |
| Sep 1920 | Apr 1923 | 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... N.J. Gill |
| Mar 1931 | Mar 1933 | W/Cdr. R. Leckie, 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... , DSC Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom) The Distinguished Service Cross is the third level military decoration awarded to officers, and other ranks, of the British Armed Forces, Royal Fleet Auxiliary and British Merchant Navy and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries.The DSC, which may be awarded posthumously, is... , DFC |
| Mar 1933 | Jul 1933 | W/Cdr. A.T. Harris Sir Arthur Harris, 1st Baronet Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir Arthur Travers Harris, 1st Baronet GCB OBE AFC , commonly known as "Bomber" Harris by the press, and often within the RAF as "Butcher" Harris, was Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of RAF Bomber Command during the latter half of World War... |
| Jul 1933 | May 1934 | W/Cdr. R.H. Kershaw |
| May 1934 | Oct 1935 | S/Ldr. A.F. Lang |
| Oct 1935 | Dec 1938 | W/Cdr. W.N. Plenderlieth |
| Dec 1938 | Jan 1939 | S/Ldr. G.A. Bolland |
| Jan 1939 | Jan 1940 | W/Cdr. W.J. Daddo-Langlois |
| Jan 1940 | Jan 1941 | W/Cdr. F.J. Fressanges Francis Fressanges Air Marshal Sir Francis Joseph Fressanges KBE CB was a senior Royal Air Force officer who became Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief at Far East Air Force.-RAF career:... |
| Jan 1941 | Nov 1941 | W/Cdr. G.G. Barret |
| Nov 1941 | Jun 1942 | W/Cdr. W.H. Hutton |
| Jun 1942 | Jan 1943 | W/cdr. H.B. Johnson |
| Jan 1943 | Nov 1943 | W/Cdr. C.H. Brandon |
| Nov 1943 | Jan 1944 | W/Cdr. S.R. Gibbs, DFC |
| Jan 1944 | Mar 1944 | W/Cdr. P.H. Allington |
| Mar 1944 | Oct 1944 | W/Cdr. L.W. Burgess |
| Oct 1944 | Nov 1944 | S/Ldr. Smallman |
| Nov 1944 | Jun 1945 | W/cdr. R.W. Whittome |
| Jun 1946 | Jan 1947 | S/Ldr. A. Henderson, 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"... |
| Jan 1947 | Oct 1947 | S/Ldr. F.G. Paisley, DFC |
| Oct 1947 | Apr 1949 | S/Ldr. W.D. Hodgkinson, DFC, AFC |
| Apr 1949 | Jun 1951 | S/Ldr. P.R. Casement, DSO, DFC |
| Jun 1951 | Nov 1951 | S/Ldr. P.J. Cundy |
| Nov 1951 | Aug 1952 | S/Ldr. E.F.J. Odoire, DFC, AFC |
| Aug 1952 | Jan 1954 | S/Ldr. H.H. Eccles |
| Jan 1954 | Dec 1955 | S/Ldr. H.R. Kerr, MBE 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... |
| Dec 1955 | Jan 1957 | W/Cdr. J.L. Nunn, DFC |
| Dec 1958 | W/Cdr. J.F. Halton | |
| W/Cdr. J.W. King | ||
| W/Cdr. D.G.F. Palmer | ||
| Oct 1970 | S/Ldr. G. Moule | |
| Nov 1970 | Nov 1971 | S/Ldr. G. Moule |