No. 151 Squadron RAF

No. 151 Squadron RAF
Active 12 Jun 1918 - 10 Sep 1919
4 Aug 1936 - 10 Oct 1946
15 Sep 1951 - 19 Sep 1961
1 Jan 1962 – 25 May 1963
Country United Kingdom United Kingdom
Branch Royal Air Force
Size squadron
Motto(s) French: Foy pour devoir
(Translation: "Fidelity unto duty"[1] or "Faith for duty"[2] or "Fidelity into duty"[3])
Commanders
Notable
commanders		 Edward Mortlock "Teddy" Donaldson
Insignia
Squadron Badge heraldry On a hurt, an owl affrontée wings elevated, alighting on a seax
The owl represents No. 151 Squadron's role of night-fighting whilst the seax comes from the arms of Essex in which county the squadron was formed[3][4]
Squadron Codes TV (Sep 1938 - Dec 1938)
GG (Dec 1938 - Sep 1939)
DZ (Sep 1939 - Oct 1946)

No. 151 Squadron was a squadron of the Royal Air Force.

History

World War I

No. 151 squadron was founded at Hainault Farm in Essex on 12 June 1918, and was equipped with Sopwith Camel aircraft. During the five months in which 151 Squadron had taken part in hostilities overseas, the total number of hours flown by night was 1443 hrs 26 mins.

Sixteen enemy aircraft were destroyed at night on the Allies side of the lines, and five were destroyed on the enemy side and confirmed. Another five were unconfirmed, thus making a total of twenty six successful engagements. Of the enemy aircraft destroyed, twenty two were AEGs, Friedrichshafen or Gothas, with two engines and carrying a crew of three or more. Two were giant P 52’s with five engines carrying a crew of up to eight or nine.

During all the numerous combats there were very few occasions when the guns jammed or caused trouble, reflecting the devotion to duty of Lt Eggar and his gunnery staff.

Too much cannot be said for the NCOs and men of the Squadron. The long hours from dawn to dusk and the urgent necessity of getting all machines serviceable during the daytime was evidence of their keen spirit and esprit de corps, and nothing was more gratifying to a pilot on landing after a successful combat than to hear the rousing cheers of the NCOs and men of his Flight, echoed by the Squadron, that greeted him."
— George Kelsey on www.151squadron.org, [4]

The squadron was disbanded on 10 September 1919. Though it had no aces among its members, future Air Vice Marshal Quintin Brand came close; he scored his final four victories while in the squadron.[5]

World War II

On 4 August 1936 the squadron was reformed at RAF North Weald from 'B' Flight of 56 Squadron, as a fighter squadron, flying Gloster Gauntlets. In December 1938 these were exchanged for Hawker Hurricanes, when the squadron came under Squadron Leader Edward Mortlock Donaldson. It operated throughout the Second World War, flying with Hawker Hurricanes, Boulton Paul Defiants and later de Havilland Mosquitoes, disbanding on 10 October 1946 at RAF Weston Zoyland.

After World War II

151 Squadron Gloster Meteor NF.11 night fighter in September 1955

The squadron was reformed again at RAF Leuchars, Scotland on 15 September 1951 as a night fighter unit, initially operating De Havilland Vampire NF.10s and later Gloster Meteor NF.11s. It disbanded on 19 September 1961.

On 1 January 1962 the Signals Development Squadron at RAF Watton was redesignated as No. 151 Squadron operating a variety of aircraft on development and training duties. It was joined by the pilots and ground crew from the disbanded No. 97 (Strategic Missile) Squadron from RAF Hemswell on 25 May 1963.

On 18 September 1981 151 Squadron reformed at RAF Chivenor as part of number 2 TWU operating BAE Hawk T1 & T1A aircraft. When 2 TWU became 7 FTS in 1992 151 Squadron was disbanded and its duties taken over by 92 Squadron.

Aircraft operated

Aircraft operated by no. 151 Squadron RAF, data from[6][7][8]
From To Aircraft Version
June 1918 February 1919 Sopwith Camel
August 1936 March 1939 Gloster Gauntlet Mk.II
December 1938 June 1941 Hawker Hurricane Mk.I
December 1940 October 1941 Boulton Paul Defiant Mk.I
June 1941 January 1942 Hawker Hurricane Mk.IIc
September 1941 July 1942 Boulton Paul Defiant Mk.II
April 1942 July 1943 de Havilland Mosquito Mk.II
July 1943 March 1944 de Havilland Mosquito Mk.XII
August 1943 August 1943 de Havilland Mosquito Mk.VI
December 1943 September 1944 de Havilland Mosquito Mk.XIII
July 1944 September 1944 de Havilland Mosquito Mk.VI
August 1944 October 1946 de Havilland Mosquito Mk.XXX
February 1952 August 1953 de Havilland Vampire NF.10
March 1953 October 1955 Gloster Meteor NF.11
September 1955 June 1957 de Havilland Venom NF.3
June 1957 September 1961 Gloster Javelin FAW.5
January 1962 April 1963 Avro Lincoln B.2
January 1962 May 1963 Handley Page Hastings C.1 & C.2
January 1962 May 1963 Vickers Varsity T.1
January 1962 May 1963 English Electric Canberra B.2
September 1981 September 1992 BAE Hawk T.1 & T.1A

Squadron bases

Bases and airfields used by no. 151 Squadron RAF, data from[7][8][9]
From To Location Remark
12 June 1918 16 June 1918 Hainault Farm Squadron formed
16 June 1918 21 June 1918 Marquise, Pas-de-Calais, France
21 June 1918 25 June 1918 Fontaine-sur-Maye, France
25 June 1918 2 July 1918 Famechon, Somme, France
2 July 1918 8 September 1918 Fontaine-sur-Maye, France
8 September 1918 24 October 1918 Vignacourt, France
24 October 1918 5 December 1918 Bancourt, France
5 December 1918 21 February 1919 Liettres, France
21 February 1919 10 September 1919 RAF Gullane, Scotland Squadron disbanded
4 August 1936 13 May 1940 RAF North Weald Squadron reformed
28 February 1940 12 May 1940 RAF Martlesham Heath Detachment
12 May 1940 17 May 1940 RAF Martlesham Heath Complete squadron
17 May 1940 18 May 1940 RAF Manston
18 May 1940 20 May 1940 Vitry-en-Artois, France
20 May 1940 29 August 1940 RAF North Weald
29 August 1940 1 September 1940 RAF Stapleford Tawney
1 September 1940 28 November 1940 RAF Digby
28 November 1940 6 December 1940 RAF Bramcote
6 December 1940 30 April 1943 RAF Wittering
22 April 1941 25 January 1942 RAF Coltishall Detachment
30 April 1943 16 August 1943 RAF Colerne
16 August 1943 17 November 1943 RAF Middle Wallop
17 November 1943 24 March 1944 RAF Colerne
24 March 1944 7 October 1944 RAF Predannack
7 October 1944 19 November 1944 RAF Castle Camps
19 November 1944 1 March 1945 RAF Hunsdon
1 March 1945 17 May 1945 RAF Bradwell Bay
17 May 1945 1 June 1945 RAF Predannack
1 June 1945 8 July 1946 RAF Exeter
8 July 1946 10 October 1946 RAF Weston Zoyland Squadron disbanded
15 September 1951 17 June 1957 RAF Leuchars Squadron reformed
17 June 1957 15 November 1957 RAF Turnhouse
15 November 1957 19 September 1961 RAF Leuchars Squadron disbanded
1 January 1962 25 May 1963 RAF Watton Squadron reformed and renumbered
18 September 1981 4 August 1992 RAF Chivenor Shadow Squadron reformed and disbanded

Commanding officers

data from[4][10]
From To Name
Jun 1918 Jul 1918 Maj M Green, DSO, MC
Jul 1918 Feb 1919 Maj C J Q Brand, DSO, MC, DFC
Aug 1936 Nov 1938 Sqn Ldr W V Hale
Dec 1938 Aug 1940 Sqn Ldr E M Donaldson, DSO, DFC
Aug 1940 Sep 1940 Sqn Ldr J A G Gordon
Sep 1940 Sep 1940 Sqn Ldr G King
Sep 1940 Dec 1940 Sqn Ldr West
Dec 1940 Oct 1941 Sqn Ldr Adams, DFC
Oct 1941 Feb 1942 Sqn Ldr McDougall
Feb 1942 Mar 1943 Wg Cdr I S Smith, DFC
Mar 1943 May 1943 Wg Cdr D V Ivins
May 1943 Oct 1943 Wg Cdr S P Richards, AFC
Oct 1943 Dec 1944 Wg Cdr G H Goodman DSO, DFC
Dec 1944 1946 Sqn Ldr J A Wright DFC
1946 Sqn Ldr P S Q Andersen
1951 1953 Sqn Ldr D Boyle
1953 1956 Sqn Ldr D B Ainsworth
May 1956 Oct 1956 Sqn Ldr I Cosby
Oct 1956 Mar 1958 Sqn Ldr Boardman
Mar 1958 Oct 1958 Sqn Ldr J W Frost
Oct 1958 Jan 1961 Sqn Ldr L C P Martin
Jan 1961 Sep 1961 Sqn Ldr D O Luke
Sep 1981 Dec 1983 Sqn Ldr R Bealer
Jan 1983 Feb 1983 Sqn Ldr D Sharp
Feb 1983 Nov 1984 Sqn Ldr J A Hall
Nov 1984 Jan 1987 Sqn Ldr R F Burroughs
Jan 1987 1992 Sqn Ldr G P H Croasdale

References

Notes

  1. ↑ Halley 1988, p. 223.
  2. ↑ mikeduggan.tripod.com
  3. 1 2 Rawlings 1978, p. 287.
  4. 1 2 3 http://www.151squadron.org.uk/
  5. ↑ http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/safrica/brand.php Retrieved on 7 March 2010.
  6. ↑ Rawlings 1978, pp. 289–290.
  7. 1 2 Halley 1988, p. 224.
  8. 1 2 Jefford 2001, p. 65.
  9. ↑ Rawlings 1978, pp. 288–289.
  10. ↑ Rawlings 1978, p. 290.

Bibliography

  • Halley, James J. The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth, 1981-1988. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd., 1988. ISBN 0-85130-164-9.
  • Jefford, Wing Commander C.G., MBE,BA,RAF (Retd). RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive Record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing, 2001. ISBN 1-84037-141-2.
  • Rawlings, John D.R. Coastal, Support and Special Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Jane's Publishing Company Ltd., 1982. ISBN 0-7106-0187-5.
  • Rawlings, John D.R. Fighter Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Macdonald and Jane's (Publishers) Ltd., 1978. ISBN 0-354-01028-X.
  • Robinson, Anthony. RAF Squadrons in the Battle of Britain. London: Arms and Armour Press Ltd., 1987 (republished 1999 by Brockhampton Press, ISBN 1-86019-907-0.).
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