No. 18 Squadron of the
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) an ...
operates the
Boeing Chinook from
RAF Odiham. Owing to its heritage as a bomber squadron, it is also known as No. 18 (B) Squadron.
History
First World War
The squadron was formed on 11 May 1915 at
Northolt as part of the
Royal Flying Corps
"Through Adversity to the Stars"
, colors =
, colours_label =
, march =
, mascot =
, anniversaries =
, decorations ...
.
It arrived in
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
on 19 November 1915,
[Jones 1928, p. 147.] principally equipped with the
Vickers FB5 'Gunbus', supplemented by a few
Airco DH.2s and
Bristol Scouts, and operating in the Army cooperation role. By April 1916 the squadron had re-equipped with
FE2bs.
[Rawlings ''Air Pictorial'' September 1964, p. 288.] Victor Huston became a
flying ace
A flying ace, fighter ace or air ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The exact number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an ace is varied, but is usually co ...
piloting one of these. The squadron was heavily deployed during the
Battle of the Somme
The Battle of the Somme (French: Bataille de la Somme), also known as the Somme offensive, was a battle of the First World War fought by the armies of the British Empire and French Third Republic against the German Empire. It took place be ...
, where it was attached to the Cavalry Corps and trained to assist it in the event on any breakthrough,
[Yoxall ''Flight'' 27 January 1956, pp. 109, 111.] but towards the end of the year and into early 1917, was increasingly deployed on night operations as its F.E.2bs became more vulnerable during daylight operations.
The squadron re-equipped with
Airco DH.4s from June 1917,
although operations continued with F.E.2 until at least August 1917
[Jones 1934, pp. 179–180.] as its DH.4s were equipped with the unreliable
RAF 3 engine.
[Bruce 1982, p. 55.] Once these reliability problems were solved, the squadron, began to specialise in long-range attacks, but this changed in March 1918 when the Germans launched
Operation Michael, the opening move of their
Spring Offensive. 18 Squadron was among many units deployed to stop the German attacks, resorting to low level attacks as well as more conventional medium level operations.
[Jones 1934, pp. 312, 324–325, 337, 343–344.] As the Germans switched the focus of their operations northwards in the
Battle of the Lys, the squadron was again heavily involved, and on 12 April, the squadron carried out six separate attacks in the vicinity of
Merville, with 13 pilots flying between them 44 flying hours that day.
[Jones 1934, pp. 381–383.] In September 1918, the squadron began to re-equip with
Airco DH.9As, this process continuing until November that year. By the end of the war, the squadron had claimed 200 air-to-air victories.
Following the
Armistice of 11 November 1918
The Armistice of 11 November 1918 was the armistice signed at Le Francport near Compiègne that ended fighting on land, sea, and air in World War I between the Entente and their last remaining opponent, Germany. Previous armistices ...
that ended the fighting on the Western Front, 18 Squadron moved into Germany in support of the
Occupation of the Rhineland in early 1919, carrying mail between the
British Army of the Rhine and the United Kingdom. The squadron returned to Britain in September 1919 and disbanded at
Weston-on-the-Green on 31 December 1919.
[Rawlings ''Air Pictorial'' September 1964, pp. 288–289.][Halley 1980, pp. 44–45.][Ashworth 1989, p. 68.]
Reformation
The squadron reformed at
RAF Upper Heyford in
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the north west of South East England. It is a mainly rural county, with its largest settlement being the city of Oxford. The county is a centre of research and development, primaril ...
on 20 October 1931, equipped with the
Hawker Hart light bomber.
As well as training for its main role, the squadron participated in the 1932 and 1935
Hendon Air Shows as well as the Royal Review of the Royal Air Force by King
George V
George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until his death in 1936.
Born during the reign of his grandmother ...
at
RAF Mildenhall in July 1935.
[Yoxall ''Flight'' 27 January 1956, p. 111.] In January 1936, the squadron moved to
RAF Bircham Newton in
Norfolk
Norfolk () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in East Anglia in England. It borders Lincolnshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the west and south-west, and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the Nor ...
, with part of the squadron being detached to form
No. 49 Squadron on 10 February. In April 1936, the squadron's Harts were replaced by the improved
Hawker Hind derivative.
The squadron joined the newly established
No. 1 Group RAF in July 1936, and moved back to Upper Heyford in September 1936. 18 Squadron transferred to
2 Group on 1 January 1939,
[Bowyer 1974, p. 479.] re-equipping with
Bristol Blenheim I
monoplane
A monoplane is a fixed-wing aircraft configuration with a single mainplane, in contrast to a biplane or other types of multiplanes, which have multiple planes.
A monoplane has inherently the highest efficiency and lowest drag of any wing con ...
twin-engined bombers in May 1939.
Second World War
On the outbreak of the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...
, No. 18 Squadron along with
57 Squadron comprised No. 70 Wing and was still based at Upper Heyford and equipped with Blenheim Is.
[Bowyer 1974, p. 55.] The wing was allocated for deployment to France as part of the
BEF Air Component, with the role of strategic reconnaissance.
[Yoxall ''Flight'' 10 February 1956, p. 164.][Richards 1953, p. 108.] 18 Squadron reached France by the end of September 1939,
commencing operations in October and re-equipping with Blenheim IVs in February 1940.
When
Germany invaded France and the Low Countries, 18 Squadron took part in bombing missions against German troops as well as their envisioned reconnaissance missions. After the squadron was forced to change airfields three times in three days, it was ordered to evacuate back to England on 19 May, moving to
RAF Watton in Norfolk.
[Yoxall ''Flight'' 10 February 1956, pp. 164–165.]
The squadron was then assigned to anti-shipping duties, but during one raid over France in August 1941, one aircraft dropped a box over St Omer airfield containing an artificial leg. It was a spare for Wing Commander
Douglas Bader. The squadron then moved to North Africa with the Blenheim V and took up day bombing duties. During an unescorted raid on Chouigui airfield in December 1942 led by Wing Commander
Hugh Malcolm
Wing Commander Hugh Gordon Malcolm, VC (2 May 1917 – 4 December 1942) was a Scottish airman and a recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.
...
, his aircraft was shot down and he was posthumously awarded the
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was previousl ...
. During 1943–45, No. 18 Squadron supported the allied advance through Italy before moving to Greece in September 1945, disbanding there on 31 March 1946.
Post war
18 Squadron was reformed in 1953 at RAF Scampton, Lincolnshire and equipped with the Canberra B.2 medium bomber before disbanding again on 1 February 1957.
On 15 December 1958,
No. 199 Squadron RAF
No. 199 Squadron was a Royal Air Force aircraft squadron that operated during the Second World War and later in the 1950s as a radar countermeasures squadron.
History
No. 199 Squadron was formed at Rochford on 1 June 1917 with Royal Aircra ...
, operating Canberras and
Vickers Valiants in the
electronic countermeasure
An electronic countermeasure (ECM) is an electrical or electronic device designed to trick or deceive radar, sonar, or other detection systems, like infrared (IR) or lasers. It may be used both offensively and defensively to deny targeting info ...
s (ECM) role, disbanded, with the Valiant equipped C Flight being redesignated No. 18 Squadron. The squadron's seven Valiants were fitted with an array of powerful jammers to interfere with communications and radar. They were initially employed for training purposes, simulating hostile jamming in
Fighter Command exercises (and occasionally inadvertently jamming TV reception over much of the United Kingdom), but later added a bomber support role. The squadron was disbanded on 31 March 1963, as the RAF's
Vulcan and
Victor bombers were now fitted with effective ECM equipment, while the training role could be performed more economically by smaller aircraft such as the Canberra.
[Halley 1980, pp. 44–45, 202–203.][Brookes 2012, pp. 46–48.]The Squadron was next operational in 1964, equipped with the Westland Wessex HC.2 at RAF Odiham, formed when the Wessex Intensive Flying Trials Unit was disbanded and re-designated No. 18 Squadron.
It moved to
RAF Gütersloh
Royal Air Force Gütersloh, more commonly known as RAF Gütersloh, was a Royal Air Force Germany military airfield, the nearest Royal Air Force airfield to the East/West German border, in the vicinity of the town of Gütersloh. It was constr ...
, Westphalia in support of the
BAOR in Germany in August 1970 but disbanded again on 20 November 1980.
The squadron was reformed on 4 August 1981 as a unit flying
Chinooks HC.1s.
18 Squadron was the only Chinook squadron that took part in
Operation Corporate
The Falklands War ( es, link=no, Guerra de las Malvinas) was a ten-week undeclared war between Argentina and the United Kingdom in 1982 over two British Overseas Territories, British dependent territories in the South Atlantic: the Falkland I ...
during the Falklands War in 1982 with four detached and sent south. All were lost, except one, when the ship carrying them, the ''
Atlantic Conveyor
''Atlantic Conveyor'' was a British merchant navy ship, registered in Liverpool, that was requisitioned during the Falklands War.
She was hit on 25 May 1982 by two Argentine air-launched AM39 Exocet missiles, killing 12 sailors. ''Atlantic ...
'' was sunk after being hit by an
Exocet missile. The remaining aircraft (
Bravo November
''Bravo November'' is the original identification code painted on a British Royal Air Force Boeing Chinook HC6A military serial number ''ZA718''. It was one of the original 30 aircraft ordered by the RAF in 1978 and has been in service ever ...
, ZA718) flew almost continuously until the end of the conflict. Squadron Leader Richard "Dick" Langworthy AFC RAF was awarded the
Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) for his part in the air operations. In August 1983 the squadron returned to Gutersloh.
18 Squadron took part in the UK's deployment to the Gulf following the
Iraqi invasion of Kuwait
The Iraqi invasion of Kuwait was an operation conducted by Iraq on 2 August 1990, whereby it invaded the neighboring State of Kuwait, consequently resulting in a seven-month-long Iraqi military occupation of the country. The invasion and Ira ...
.
After this the squadron was subject to the restructures from the
Options for Change decisions which included the transfer of Gutersloh to the British Army, so December 1992 18 Squadron relocated to
RAF Laarbruch
Royal Air Force , more commonly known as RAF ICAO EDUL (from 1 January 1995 ETUL) was a Royal Air Force station, a military airfield, located in Germany on its border with the Netherlands. The Station's motto was ().
The site now operates ...
. With the further drawing down of the British presence in Germany, 18 Squadron left the continent and returned to Odiham in August 1997.
[
The Chinook HC.2, equivalent to the US Army CH-47D standard, began to enter RAF service in 1993. The squadron's Chinook HC.2s were deployed to ]Iraq
Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq ...
for Operation Telic
Operation Telic (Op TELIC) was the codename under which all of the United Kingdom's military operations in Iraq were conducted between the start of the invasion of Iraq on 19 March 2003 and the withdrawal of the last remaining British forces on ...
.
In 2017, the Squadron participated in Operation Ruman: UK relief effort in the Caribbean after Hurricane Irma. In 2018, Chinook Mk5s drawn from the Squadron formed most of 1310 Flight which was deployed to Mali
Mali (; ), officially the Republic of Mali,, , ff, 𞤈𞤫𞤲𞥆𞤣𞤢𞥄𞤲𞤣𞤭 𞤃𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭, Renndaandi Maali, italics=no, ar, جمهورية مالي, Jumhūriyyāt Mālī is a landlocked country in West Africa. Ma ...
, to support Operation Barkhane-the French-led counter-terrorist operation in the country.
In March 2020, the squadron was awarded the right to emblazon a battle honour on its squadron standard, recognising its role in the War in Afghanistan between 2001 and 2014.
See also
* List of Royal Air Force aircraft squadrons
References
Notes
Bibliography
* Ashworth, Chris. ''Encyclopedia of Modern Royal Air Force Squadrons''. Willingborough, UK: Patrick Stephens Limited, 1989. .
* Bowyer, Michael J. F. ''2 Group R.A.F.: A Complete History, 1936–1945''. London: Faber and Faber, 1974. .
* Brookes, Andrew. ''Valiant Units of the Cold War''. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing, 2012. .
* Bruce, J. M. ''The Aeroplanes of the Royal Flying Corps (Military Wing)''. London: Putnam, 1982. .
* Butterworth, A. ''With Courage and Faith: the Story of No.18 Squadron Royal Air Force''. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd., 1989. .
* Halley. James J. ''The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force''. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd, 1980. .
* Jones, H. A.
The War in the Air: Being the story of the part played in the Great War by the Royal Air Force: Vol. II
'. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1928.
* Jones, H. A.
The War in the Air: Being the story of the part played in the Great War by the Royal Air Force: Vol. IV
'. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1934.
* Rawlings, J. D. R. "History of No. 18 Squadron". '' Air Pictorial'', September 1964, Vol. 26, No. 9. pp. 288–290.
* Thetford, Owen. "By Day and By Night: Part 3". '' Aeroplane Monthly''. August 1992, Vol. 20, No. 8. pp. 16–22. ISSN 0143-7240.
* Richards, Denis. ''Royal Air Force 1939–1945: Volume I: The Fight at Odds''.London: HMSO, 1953.
*
* Thetford, Owen. "By Day and By Night: Hawker Hart and Hind". ''Aeroplane Monthly''. August 1995, Vol. 23, No. 8. pp. 34–43. ISSN 0143-7240.
* Yoxall, John.
No. 18 Squadron: A Bomber Command Squadron with a Remarkable History: Part I
. '' Flight'', 27 January 1956. Vol. 69, No. 2453. pp. 109–111.
* Yoxall, John.
No. 18 Squadron: A Bomber Command Squadron with a Remarkable History: Part II
. ''Flight'', 10 February 1956. Vol. 69, No. 2455. pp. 164–167.
* Yoxall, John.
. ''Flight'', 17 February 1956. Vol. 69, No. 2456. pp. 190–193.
External links
18 Squadron
- RAF Website
RAF Odiham - 18 (B) Sqn
18 (B) Sqn Association
{{RAF squadrons
018 018 may refer to
* Air Canada Flight 018, an airline flight from Hong Kong to Vancouver, Canada, illegally boarded by a Chinese man wearing a disguise in 2010
* Area code 018, a telephone area code in Uppsala, Sweden
* BMW 018, an experimental turb ...
Military units and formations established in 1915
018 squadron
Military units and formations of the United Kingdom in the Falklands War
1915 establishments in the United Kingdom