No. 45 Squadron RAF
45 Squadron is a squadron of the Royal Air Force.
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.
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.
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.
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 1950, among others.
1960s onwards
After re-equipping with Canberra B.15s in 1962, the squadron became involved in the Brunei Revolution and the subsequent Confrontation with Indonesia until its resolution in 1966. The squadron disbanded in February 1970 after the UK’s withdrawal from East of Suez.
On 1 August 1972, the squadron was reformed at RAF West Raynham, equipped with Hawker Hunters, as a ground-attack training unit. The squadron disbanded in July 1976 after this role was taken over by the Tactical Weapons Unit.
In January 1984, the squadron number, as No. 45 (Reserve) Squadron, was assigned to the Tornado Weapons Conversion Unit (TWCU) at RAF Honington. In July 1992, the No. 45(R) Squadron identity was transferred to the Multi-Engined Training Squadron (METS) at No. 6 FTS, RAF Finningley while the TWCU was renumbered No. 15(R) Squadron. The new 45(R) Squadron moved to RAF Cranwell in October 1995, and in 2003, replaced its BAe Jetstream T.1s with Beechcraft B200 King Airs operated by Serco.
References
- RAF: 45 Squadron
- Air of Authority: No 41 - 45 Squadron Histories
- 45 Squadron, Justin Museum of Military History
- 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
- 45 Squadron Photograph, Tengah, Singapore, 1950, Justin Museum of Military History.
Photographs, External Links
- http://www.geocities.com/famjustin/Brigandphoto.html Peter Weston Bristol Brigand Photograph Collection, Justin Museum, photographs of 45 Squadron Brigands in Action
- http://www.geocities.com/famjustin/Beauphoto.html Peter Weston Bristol Beaufighter Photograph Collection, Justin Museum, photographs of 45 Squadron Beaufighters in Action
