No. 1 Squadron RAF Totally Explained

Everything about No 1 Squadron Raf totally explained

No. 1 (F) Squadron is a squadron of the Royal Air Force. It currently operates the Harrier GR7 from RAF Cottesmore.
The squadron motto is In omnibus princeps (first in all things), appropriate for the RAF's oldest squadron and one that has been involved in almost every major British military operation since World War I. This includes World War II, Suez, Falklands War, Gulf War, Kosovo War and Operation Telic (Iraq).

History

1911 to 1918

On 1 April 1911 the Air Battalion of the Royal Engineers was created. The battalion initially consisted of two companies, with No. 1 Company, Air Battalion taking responsibility for lighter than air flying. The first Officer Commanding was Captain E M Maitland.
On 13 May 1912, with the establishment of the Royal Flying Corps, No. 1 Company of the Air Battalion was redesignated No. 1 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps. No. 1 Squadron was one of the original three Royal Flying Corps squadrons. Maitland continued as the new Squadron's Officer Commanding and he was promoted to major several days after the establishment of the squadron. On 1 May 1914, Major Charles Longcroft was appointed as the new squadron commander. Apart from a few weeks as a supernumerary in August and September 1914, Longcroft continued as the squadron commander until January 1915.(External Link

) On incorporation into the RAF on 1 April 1918 the squadron kept its numeral; No 1 Squadron of the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) was displaced to become No. 201 Squadron RAF.

Between the wars

The squadron returned to the UK from France in March 1919, flying the Nieuport Nighthawk and Sopwith Snipe from January 1920. From early 1921 until November 1926 the squadron was stationed in Iraq carrying out policing duties. In early 1927 it returned to Tangmere, Sussex, was reformed as a Home Defence Fighter Squadron, and equipped with the Armstrong Whitworth Siskin. After receiving the Hawker Fury Mk.1 in February 1932, the squadron gained a reputation for aerobatics, giving displays throughout the world. The squadron re-equipped with the Hurricane Mk.I in October 1938.

Second World War

On the outbreak of World War II in September 1939 the Squadron was deployed to France as part of the RAF Advanced Air Striking Force. In October it flew over enemy territory for the first time and soon claimed its first victory, shooting down a Dornier Do 17. Further successes were made during the Phoney War, until the Battle of France erupted in May 1940. Within a week the squadron was bombed out of its base at Berry-au-Bac, north-west of Paris. A series of retreats followed, ending only with a return to Tangmere on 23rd June. In August 1940 it entered the Battle of Britain and was heavily engaged until 9th September, when the Squadron was transferred to 12 Group, and was sent to RAF Wittering to refit, rest and recuperate.
It returned to 11 Group in early 1941 and was employed in fighter sweeps and bomber escort duties. In February, it began "Rhubarb" (low-level sweeps over occupied territory) and night flying missions, and was re-equipped with the Hurricane IIA. The Squadron carried out night intruder patrols until July 1942, when it was re-equipped with the Hawker Typhoon fighter-bomber and relocated to RAF Acklington, Northumberland where it reverted to daytime operations.
The Squadron was equipped with the Spitfire XI in April 1944, and in June began anti-V1 patrols, shooting down 39 flying bombs. Later in the year it reverted to bomber escort duties. In May 1945 it converted to the Spitfire Mk.21, but these were only used operationally to cover the landings on the Channel Islands.

Post war

In 1946 the Squadron returned to Tangmere and took delivery of its first jet aircraft, the Gloster Meteor.
   In October 1948 Major Robin Olds, USAF, under the U.S. Air Force/Royal Air Force exchange program was posted in and flying the Gloster Meteor jet fighter, he eventually served as commander of the Squadron at RAF Station Tangmere, the first non-commonwealth foreigner to command an RAF unit. During his time with 1 Sqn he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.
   The Squadron was then equipped with the Hawker Hunter F.5, which were flown from RAF Akrotiri, Cyprus during the 1956 Suez Crisis.
   The squadron disbanded on 23 June 1958. However, on 1 July 1958 the squadron was reformed by re-numbering No. 263 Squadron RAF at RAF Stradishall. It then moved to RAF Waterbeach from where, flying the Hunter FGA9, it operated in the ground attack role as part of 38 Group. The Squadron continued in this role for the next eight years, operating out of Waterbeach and then RAF West Raynham. Flt Lt Alan Pollock of No. 1 Sqn was responsible for the infamous and very unofficial flying display on the 50th anniversary of the RAF in 1968.
   The squadron became the world's first operator of a STOVL aircraft with the arrival of the Hawker Siddeley Harrier in 1969, declared operational the following year.
   During the Kosovo war the Squadron flew over 800 sorties as part of NATO's Operation Allied Force.
   No. 1 Sqn left the "home of the Harrier" at RAF Wittering for RAF Cottesmore on July 28 2000. Cottesmore is now home to all operational RAF Harrier squadrons - No. 20 (Reserve) Squadron, the Harrier Operational Conversion Unit remained at Wittering.

Aircraft operated

Year of introduction

Further Information

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