No. 45 Squadron RAF
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45 Squadron is a squadron of the Royal Air Force.
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[edit] World War One
Formed during WWI at Gosport on March 1, 1916 as Number 45 Squadron, the unit was first equipped with Sopwith 1½ Strutters which it was to fly in the Scout role. Deployed to France in October of that year, the Squadron found itself suffering heavy losses due to the quality of its aircraft. This did not change until it transitioned to the Sopwith Camel in mid-1917. Transferred to the Austro-Italian front at the end of 1917, 45 Squadron there engaged in ground attack and offensive patrols until September 1918 when it returned to France. Assigned to the Independent Air Force, 45 Squadron provided long range bomber escort till the end of the war.
[edit] Mid-War Period
In 1919 the Squadron returned to England and disbanded. In April 1921 it reformed at Helwan, Egypt. Assigned Vickers Vernon bomber-transports, the unit provided troop transportation and ground support and mail services through out the Middle East, notably in support of anti-rebel operations in Iraq and the Palestine. During the mid-war years the unit transitioned to DH9As (1927) and Fairey IIIs (1929) and then a combination of Hawker Harts, Vickers Vincents and Fairey Gordons (1935).
At some point the unit adopted the nickname "The Flying Camels". The Squadron Badge is a winged camel, approved by King Edward VIII in October 1936. The badge and nickname derive from the Sopwith used by the unit in WWI and its long service in the Middle East.
[edit] World War Two
At the start of WWII 45 Squadron was assigned Bristol Blenheims and was assigned to the Western Desert where it operated against the Italians and then the Germans until 1942. At that time the unit was deployed to the Burma and India.. Elements of the Squadron based in Burma were on the Irrawaddy river near a place called Pangwe. It is believed that these elements were destroyed by Japanese attack and the few survivors had to make their way as best they could to Calcutta. During its service against the Japanese, 45 Squadron transitioned to Vultee Vengeance dive-bombers and the de Havilland Mosquito.
[edit] Malayan Emergency
After World War II, 45 Squadron served in the Malayan Emergency, flying out of RAF Station Tengah on the island of Singapore. There the unit engaged in ground attack operations against Communist Terrorists (CTs) engaged in a Chinese backed insurgency. Dubbed Operation Firedog, these operations lasted for 12 years until the successful conclusion of the war. The unit also engaged in operations to quell unrest on the Sarawak coast in British North Borneo during this time period. While operating in Malaya the unit initially flew Bristol Beaufighters but then transitioned to the Bristol Brigand (1949/1950) and then the de Havilland Hornet, de Havilland Venom, de Havilland Vampire and English Electric Canberra. The unit also had service aircraft, including the Bristol Buckmaster and the Harvard. Unit commanders during this time included Sqdn. Ldr. E. D. Crew who served from a date uncertain until the rotation to Squadron Leader A. C. Blythe in February of 1950, among others.
[edit] Modern Era
45 Squadron disbanded in 1970, reformed from 1972 to 1976 flying Hawker Hunters and aiding with SEPECAT Jaguar transitioning and training, reformed and served as a Panavia Tornado Weapons Conversion Unit from 1983 to 1992. During this time it participated in Operation Granby in Iraq. In 1992 it was redesignated as a training unit with the Jetstream aircraft, and transitioned to Beech 200 King Airs in 2003. In 2003 45 Squadron participated in Operation Telic in Iraq. No 45 Squadron remains operational as of February 2007.
[edit] Sources
- http://www.geocities.com/milbios/45sqdnraf.html 45 Squadron, Justin Museum of Military History
- http://members.aol.com/famjustin/Westonbio3.html Peter A. Weston, Lancaster Radar/Radio/Navigator, 186 Sqdn, Stradishall, East Anglia (World War Two) / 45 Sqdn (Malaya)/ 209 Sqdn (Korea), RAF, Justin Museum of Military History
- http://www.raf.mod.uk/structure/45squadron.cfm 45 Squadron Website
- http://members.aol.com/famjustin/Weston40.html 45 Squadron Photograph, Tengah, Singapore, 1950, Justin Museum of Military History.
[edit] Photographs, External Links
- http://members.aol.com/famjustin/Brigandphoto.html Peter Weston Bristol Brigand Photograph Collection, Justin Museum, photographs of 45 Squadron Brigands in Action
- http://members.aol.com/famjustin/Beauphoto.html Peter Weston Bristol Beaufighter Photograph Collection, Justin Museum, photographs of 45 Squadron Beaufighters in Action
