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No. 6 Squadron RAF
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No. 6 Squadron RAF
Number 6 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the Eurofighter Typhoon FGR.4 at RAF Lossiemouth. It was previously equipped with the SEPECAT Jaguar GR.3 in the close air support and tactical reconnaissance roles, and was posted to RAF Coltishall, Norfolk until April 2006, moving to RAF Coningsby until disbanding for the first time in its history on 31 May 2007. The squadron officially reformed as a Typhoon squadron on 6 September 2010. No. 6 Squadron is unique in having two Royal standards, having been awarded its second one by King Abdullah I of Jordan in October 1950 due to its long period of service in the Middle East.
The squadron was formed on 31 January 1914, at Farnborough Aerodrome as No. 6 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps. Its first squadron commander was Major John Becke. The squadron had an initial aircraft inventory of two Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2s and two Farmans, with the squadron also initially incorporating a flight operating man-lifting kites. The squadron, equipped with a mixture of B.E.2s, Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.8s and Farmans crossed the English Channel in October 1914 to support IV Corps in its attempt to prevent the Germans from capturing Antwerp. In November, the squadron joined the newly formed 2nd Wing of the RFC, with the role of supporting the Second and Third Corps, taking part in the First Battle of Ypres.
In February 1915, 9 Squadron, an experimental unit equipped with radio equipped aircraft, was split up, with one flight of aircraft going to 6 Squadron and the other to 2 Squadron. The new flight replaced 6 Squadron's existing C Flight, which together with flights from 2 Squadron and 5 Squadron, was used to form 16 Squadron. In March 1915, the squadron received two Martinsyde S.1 scouts, to escort the squadrons aircraft, and these were later supplemented by Bristol Scouts in the escort role, while the main part of the squadron used the B.E.2.
On 25 July 1915, Captain Lanoe Hawker, flying a Bristol Scout, attacked three German aircraft in succession. The first aerial victory for Hawker that day occurred after he emptied a complete drum of bullets from his aircraft's single Lewis machine gun into a German aircraft which went spinning down. The second victory saw a German aircraft driven to the ground damaged, and the third saw a German aircraft – an Albatros C.I of FFA 3 – burst into flames and crash. For this feat he was awarded the Victoria Cross.
The squadron was deployed directing artillery during the Actions of the Bluff near Ypres in February 1916 and the Actions of St Eloi Craters in March–April that year. During the Battle of the Somme from July to November 1916, the squadron carried out bombing attacks, including night bombing operations, against targets in the Ypres salient to prevent the Germans transferring troops to the Somme front. In May 1917, the squadron re-equipped with Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.8s. The squadron took part in the Battle of Messines in June 1917, artillery spotting during the preparatory bombardment, and then flying contact patrols. Later that year, the squadron took part in the Battle of Passchendaele, In September 1917, the squadron supported the British Second Army during the Battle of the Menin Road Ridge. In November 1917, the squadron was pulled out of the line and attached to V Corps, which was being held in reserve to exploit a potential breakthrough in the front, and was used to give training on cooperation between aircraft and ground forces to infantry, artillery and staff officers. As the squadron had posted away most of its observers, it was not drafted into action during the German spring offensive from March 1918, being sent to Le Crotoy to be out of the way of the offensive, while its commanding officer, Archibald James, was employed in finding airfields for the squadrons of the RFC (and RAF) as they were forced to relocate owing to the German advance.
While most of the squadron continued in its training duties, one flight was attached to the Cavalry Corps when the pressure from the German offensive died down, and in July 1918, the squadron reunited as an operational unit under the command of Major George Pirie in support of the Cavalry Corps. The squadron took part in the Battle of Amiens in August 1918, and the Battles of Bapaume and the Scarpe at the end of the month. The squadron continued to fly in support of the Cavalry Corps until the end of the war.
Following the Armistice, the squadron was initially employed for communications and photographic duties in France, before being transferred to Iraq, arriving in July 1919, continuing to operate the R.E.8. Operating in the army co-operation role, the squadron received Bristol Fighters in July 1920, which it used against the Iraqi Revolt that broke out that year, bombing rebel forces. In 1924, the squadron was part of a large force of aircraft deployed against Kudish revolts led by Mahmud Barzanji, bombing the city of Sulaymaniyah. On 14 September 1924, 6 Squadron Bristol Fighters attacked two Turkish cavalry columns that had crossed into Iraq, dispersing the columns. In 1925, the squadron carried out further operations against forces led by Mahmud. In 1927, the squadron supported operations against Ahmed Barzani which resulted in the occupation of Barzan by Iraqi Levies, and the retreat of Ahmed Barzani to the hills.
In October 1929, 6 Squadron moved to RAF Ismailia in Egypt, with a detachment at RAF Ramleh, Mandatory Palestine. In April 1931, the squadron's role was re-assigned to that of a bomber squadron, while from June that year, it started to receive more modern Fairey Gordons, with the last Bristol Fighters being withdrawn by June 1932. In October 1935, the squadron reequipped with Hawker Hart bombers, with an additional flight receiving Hawker Demons (a fighter version of the Hart), and the squadron's Gordons being transferred to 14 and 47 Squadrons. The Demons were not kept for long, being transferred to 29 Squadron in January 1936. The outbreak of the 1936–1939 Arab revolt in Palestine in 1936 saw the whole of the squadron move to Ramleh, carrying out operations ranging from dropping leaflets and escorting trains and road convoys to bombing and strafing hostile forces. The main body of the squadron returned to Egypt in November 1936, with fighting in Palestine reducing. A resurgence of violence in Palestine saw the squadron return to Ramleh in November 1937, From January 1938, the squadron's Harts were replaced by Hawker Hardys (another, General Purpose, variant of the Hart), with the squadron continuing to be heavily deployed against the revolt through the rest of 1938 and well into 1939.
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No. 6 Squadron RAF
Number 6 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the Eurofighter Typhoon FGR.4 at RAF Lossiemouth. It was previously equipped with the SEPECAT Jaguar GR.3 in the close air support and tactical reconnaissance roles, and was posted to RAF Coltishall, Norfolk until April 2006, moving to RAF Coningsby until disbanding for the first time in its history on 31 May 2007. The squadron officially reformed as a Typhoon squadron on 6 September 2010. No. 6 Squadron is unique in having two Royal standards, having been awarded its second one by King Abdullah I of Jordan in October 1950 due to its long period of service in the Middle East.
The squadron was formed on 31 January 1914, at Farnborough Aerodrome as No. 6 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps. Its first squadron commander was Major John Becke. The squadron had an initial aircraft inventory of two Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2s and two Farmans, with the squadron also initially incorporating a flight operating man-lifting kites. The squadron, equipped with a mixture of B.E.2s, Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.8s and Farmans crossed the English Channel in October 1914 to support IV Corps in its attempt to prevent the Germans from capturing Antwerp. In November, the squadron joined the newly formed 2nd Wing of the RFC, with the role of supporting the Second and Third Corps, taking part in the First Battle of Ypres.
In February 1915, 9 Squadron, an experimental unit equipped with radio equipped aircraft, was split up, with one flight of aircraft going to 6 Squadron and the other to 2 Squadron. The new flight replaced 6 Squadron's existing C Flight, which together with flights from 2 Squadron and 5 Squadron, was used to form 16 Squadron. In March 1915, the squadron received two Martinsyde S.1 scouts, to escort the squadrons aircraft, and these were later supplemented by Bristol Scouts in the escort role, while the main part of the squadron used the B.E.2.
On 25 July 1915, Captain Lanoe Hawker, flying a Bristol Scout, attacked three German aircraft in succession. The first aerial victory for Hawker that day occurred after he emptied a complete drum of bullets from his aircraft's single Lewis machine gun into a German aircraft which went spinning down. The second victory saw a German aircraft driven to the ground damaged, and the third saw a German aircraft – an Albatros C.I of FFA 3 – burst into flames and crash. For this feat he was awarded the Victoria Cross.
The squadron was deployed directing artillery during the Actions of the Bluff near Ypres in February 1916 and the Actions of St Eloi Craters in March–April that year. During the Battle of the Somme from July to November 1916, the squadron carried out bombing attacks, including night bombing operations, against targets in the Ypres salient to prevent the Germans transferring troops to the Somme front. In May 1917, the squadron re-equipped with Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.8s. The squadron took part in the Battle of Messines in June 1917, artillery spotting during the preparatory bombardment, and then flying contact patrols. Later that year, the squadron took part in the Battle of Passchendaele, In September 1917, the squadron supported the British Second Army during the Battle of the Menin Road Ridge. In November 1917, the squadron was pulled out of the line and attached to V Corps, which was being held in reserve to exploit a potential breakthrough in the front, and was used to give training on cooperation between aircraft and ground forces to infantry, artillery and staff officers. As the squadron had posted away most of its observers, it was not drafted into action during the German spring offensive from March 1918, being sent to Le Crotoy to be out of the way of the offensive, while its commanding officer, Archibald James, was employed in finding airfields for the squadrons of the RFC (and RAF) as they were forced to relocate owing to the German advance.
While most of the squadron continued in its training duties, one flight was attached to the Cavalry Corps when the pressure from the German offensive died down, and in July 1918, the squadron reunited as an operational unit under the command of Major George Pirie in support of the Cavalry Corps. The squadron took part in the Battle of Amiens in August 1918, and the Battles of Bapaume and the Scarpe at the end of the month. The squadron continued to fly in support of the Cavalry Corps until the end of the war.
Following the Armistice, the squadron was initially employed for communications and photographic duties in France, before being transferred to Iraq, arriving in July 1919, continuing to operate the R.E.8. Operating in the army co-operation role, the squadron received Bristol Fighters in July 1920, which it used against the Iraqi Revolt that broke out that year, bombing rebel forces. In 1924, the squadron was part of a large force of aircraft deployed against Kudish revolts led by Mahmud Barzanji, bombing the city of Sulaymaniyah. On 14 September 1924, 6 Squadron Bristol Fighters attacked two Turkish cavalry columns that had crossed into Iraq, dispersing the columns. In 1925, the squadron carried out further operations against forces led by Mahmud. In 1927, the squadron supported operations against Ahmed Barzani which resulted in the occupation of Barzan by Iraqi Levies, and the retreat of Ahmed Barzani to the hills.
In October 1929, 6 Squadron moved to RAF Ismailia in Egypt, with a detachment at RAF Ramleh, Mandatory Palestine. In April 1931, the squadron's role was re-assigned to that of a bomber squadron, while from June that year, it started to receive more modern Fairey Gordons, with the last Bristol Fighters being withdrawn by June 1932. In October 1935, the squadron reequipped with Hawker Hart bombers, with an additional flight receiving Hawker Demons (a fighter version of the Hart), and the squadron's Gordons being transferred to 14 and 47 Squadrons. The Demons were not kept for long, being transferred to 29 Squadron in January 1936. The outbreak of the 1936–1939 Arab revolt in Palestine in 1936 saw the whole of the squadron move to Ramleh, carrying out operations ranging from dropping leaflets and escorting trains and road convoys to bombing and strafing hostile forces. The main body of the squadron returned to Egypt in November 1936, with fighting in Palestine reducing. A resurgence of violence in Palestine saw the squadron return to Ramleh in November 1937, From January 1938, the squadron's Harts were replaced by Hawker Hardys (another, General Purpose, variant of the Hart), with the squadron continuing to be heavily deployed against the revolt through the rest of 1938 and well into 1939.
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