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No. 70 Squadron RAF

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No. LXX Squadron RAF
Squadron badge
Active
  • 22 Apr 1916 – 2 Jan 1920
  • 1 Feb 1920 – 31 Mar 1946
  • 15 Apr 1946 – 1 Apr 1947
  • 1 May 1948 – 8 Sep 2010
  • 1 Oct 2014 – present
CountryUnited Kingdom
BranchRoyal Air Force
RoleStrategic and tactical air transport
Part ofNo. 2 Group RAF
Home stationRAF Brize Norton
Nickname(s)Usquam
(Latin for 'Anywhere')[1]
AircraftAirbus A400M Atlas C1
Commanders
Current
commander		Wing Commander Calvin Bailey M.B.E.
Insignia
Squadron badge heraldryA demi-wing lion erased. Developed from an unofficial winged lion badge probably derived from the squadron's long dependence on the Napier Lion engine during the 1920s.

No. 70 or LXX Squadron[a] RAF operates the Airbus A400M Atlas C.1, to provide strategic air transport worldwide. It is based at RAF Brize Norton.[2]

History

First World War

The squadron was formed on 22 April 1916 at Farnborough, and was equipped with the Sopwith 1½ Strutter. The squadron was posted to France, and in 1917 re-equipped with Sopwith Camels.[3]

A Sopwith 1½ Strutter #A1924 of 70th Squadron RAF. Wrecked 20 October 1916

During the First World War, the squadron claimed 287 victories, and had as members nineteen aces, including Frank Granger Quigley, John Todd, Frank Hobson, Oscar Heron, Frank Gorringe, Walter M. Carlaw, George Robert Howsam, Clive Franklyn Collett, Alfred Michael Koch, Kenneth Bowman Watson, Noel Webb, Edward Gribben, and Frederic Laurence.[4]

Inter-war years

The squadron briefly disbanded in January 1920, reforming nine days later at Heliopolis, Egypt, by the renumbering of No. 58 Squadron. The squadron was now a bomber-transport unit operating the Vickers Vimy bomber. After transferring to RAF Hinaidi, Iraq in December 1921, the squadron was re-equipped with Vickers Vernons and subsequently by Vickers Victoria in 1926. In addition to providing heavy transport facilities to both air and ground units they were used as air ambulances and were responsible for maintaining the Cairo-Baghdad airmail route.[5] The squadron was commanded by Group Captain Eric Murray DSO MC. In 1929, he flew the first route to the Cape on behalf of Imperial Airways who were seeking routes for the civil flights.[6]

In December 1928, a coup against the Amir of Afghanistan by Habibullah Kalakani supported by Ghilzai peoples led to the first large scale air evacuation, the Kabul Airlift. Over two months Victoria troop-carriers of 70 squadron played central role in the airlift of 586 British and European officials and civilians flying over mountains at a height of up to 10,000 feet (3,000 m) often in severe weather.[7]

Vickers Type 264 Valentia transport

The Vickers Valentia replaced the Victorias in November 1934. 70 squadron is recorded as being based at RAF Habbaniya from 1937–9 and in August 1939, it returned to Egypt.[8]

Second World War

At the outbreak of war in September 1939, No. 70 squadron had just moved to RAF Helwan, in a suburb of Cairo, Egypt. Italy entered the war on 10 June 1940, and on that date the squadron switched to RAF Heliopolis, still in Cairo, and still flying the obsolescent Valentia transport aircraft. On 1 September 1940 the role of the squadron changed when they started to receive modern equipment in the shape of six Vickers Wellington bombers. Later that month they undertook the first bombing mission, beginning operations with an attack on targets in the Dodecanese Islands (Greece).[8][9]

Vickers Wellington bombers in flight

In 1940 A detachment was sent to Tatoi Airport, just north of Athens, in support of Allied forces defending Greece and in 1941 the squadron was involved in the campaign to conquer Vichy-occupied Syria and the Rashid Ali rebellion in Iraq.[10]

70 Squadron relocated frequently in support of the 8th Army's westward advance, first into Libya then Tunisia. In November 1943 it relocated to Djedeida 20 miles west of Tunis, putting industrial targets in the North of Italy within easy reach. Between December 1943 and October 1945 the squadron relocated to Tortorella Airfield, Italy where the Wellingtons were replaced by the long range Liberators.[10]

Post Second World War

Armstrong Whitworth Argosy C.1 of 70 Squadron RAF named Horatius in 1971

The squadron disbanded in April 1947 and was reformed in May 1948, at RAF Kabrit, Egypt when No. 215 Squadron was renumbered No. 70 Squadron. The squadron was equipped with Douglas Dakotas until 1950, when it re-equipped with Vickers Valettas. In 1955, the squadron moved to RAF Nicosia, Cyprus and re-equipped with the Handley Page Hastings, Vickers Valetta and later used the Percival Pembroke twin engined communication aircraft. In 1966 the squadron moved to RAF Akrotiri. While there they won the Lord Trophy at RAF El Adem in competition with five other medium range transport squadrons. After a brief period operating Armstrong Whitworth Argosy C.1s, the squadron began conversion to the Lockheed C-130 Hercules in 1970, and moved to RAF Lyneham in 1975, after 55 years overseas. After 35 years of operating the Hercules C1/C3 from Lyneham, the squadron disbanded in September 2010.[11]

Royal Air Force A400M Atlas of LXX Squadron, taking off from RAF Akrotiri

The squadron reformed on 1 October 2014 and was officially "stood up" on 24 July 2015 by presentation with a new standard by Princess Anne[12] becoming the Royal Air Force's first frontline A400M squadron.[13]

In 2017 the squadron was part of Op Ruman, the humanitarian aid relief after Hurricane Irma.[14]

In August 2021, the squadron was deployed forward Al Minhad Air Base in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, sending two aircraft to assist with Operation Pitting. This was the largest Royal Air Force airlift since the Berlin Airlift,[15] helping to evacuate British Nationals and vulnerable Afghanis from Kabul Airport.[16][17][18]

Battle Honours

First World War Western Front (1916–1918)*, Somme (1916)*, Arras, Ypres (1917), Somme (1918)
Inter-war years Kurdistan (1922-1924), Iraq (1918–1929), Kurdistan (1930–1931), Northern Kurdistan (1932), North West Frontier (1937)
Second World War Mediterranean (1940–1943), Egypt and Libya (1940–1943)*, Greece (1940–1941), Syria (1941), Iraq (1941)*, El Alamein, North Africa (1942–1943)*, El Hamma, Sicily (1943), *Italy (1943–1945)*, Salerno, Anzio and Nettuno, Gustav Line, Gothic Line, South East Europe (1944–1945)*
1946–2011 South Atlantic (1982), Gulf (1991), Iraq (2003–2011)

* Honours marked with an asterisk may be emblazoned on the Squadron Standard

Aircraft operated

[19]

Dates Aircraft Variant Notes
1916–1917 Sopwith 1½ Strutter Single-engined biplane fighter
1917–1919 Sopwith Camel Single-engined biplane fighter
1919 Sopwith Snipe Single-engined biplane fighter
1920 Handley Page 0/400 Twin-engined biplane bomber
1920–1922 Vickers Vimy Twin-engined biplane bomber
1922–1926 Vickers Vernon Twin-engined biplane transport
1924–1926
1926–1934
1928–1934
1930–1935
1931–1935 		Vickers Victoria I
III
IV
V
V 		Twin-engined biplane transport
1935–1940 Vickers Valentia Twin-engined biplane transport
1940–1943
1943–1945 		Vickers Wellington Ic
III
X 		Twin-engined medium bomber
1945–1946 Consolidated Liberator VI Four-engined bomber
1946–1947 Avro Lancaster B1(FE) Four-engined bomber
1948–1950 Douglas Dakota Twin-engined transport
1950–1956 Vickers Valetta C1 Twin-engined transport
1956–1968 Handley Page Hastings C1 and C2 Four-engined transport
1967–1975 Armstrong Whitworth Argosy C1 Four-engined transport
1970–1980 Lockheed Hercules C1 Four-engined transport
1980–2010 Lockheed Hercules C1 and C3 Four-engined transport
2014–present Airbus A400M Atlas C1 Four-engined transport

See also

References

Notes
  1. ^ Pine, L.G. (1983). A dictionary of mottoes (1 ed.). London: Routledge & Kegan Paul. p. 243. ISBN 0-7100-9339-X.
  2. ^ "LXX Squadron | Royal Air Force".
  3. ^ Bruce 1965, p. 6
  4. ^ Shores, Franks & Guest 1990, p. 38
  5. ^ Keith, Claude Hilton (1937). The Flying Years. Page John Hamilton Limited.
  6. ^ Sprigg, T. Stanhope; Sedorski, M. Glen (1933). "1933 Who's Who in British Aviation". London: Airways Publications.
  7. ^ 80th anniversary of RAF`s evacuation of Kabul Archived 26 April 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  8. ^ a b "No. 70 Squadron". RAF Museum. Retrieved 30 June 2019.
  9. ^ "AIR 27/614/1". The National Archives. Retrieved 18 October 2024.
  10. ^ a b "No. 70 Squadron (RAF) during the Second World War". historyofwar.org. 2015. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
  11. ^ "LXX Squadron Stand Down". Royal Air Force. 10 September 2010. Archived from the original on 10 June 2016. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
  12. ^ "LXX Squadron Stand-Up". Royal Air Force. 24 July 2015. Archived from the original on 10 June 2016. Retrieved 6 October 2015.
  13. ^ Patton, Stu (Summer 2017). Hunter, Chris (ed.). "Deterrence at Distance: Air Power and Conventional Deterrence in the Emerging Global Environment". Air Power Review. 20 (2). Shrivenham: Royal Air Force: 156. ISSN 1463-6298.
  14. ^ "Hurricane Irma: UK military provides relief to the Caribbean". GOV.UK. Retrieved 22 September 2021.
  15. ^ "Chief of the Air Staff - Defence and Security Equipment International speech". GOV.UK. 15 September 2021. Retrieved 22 September 2021.
  16. ^ "Afghanistan: 'We didn't think you were going to make it' - RAF pilot reveals near miss on the runway at Kabul airport". Sky News. Retrieved 22 September 2021.
  17. ^ Ministry of Defence (23 August 2021). "In Pictures: the UK Armed Forces at Hamid Karzai International Airport". Medium. Retrieved 22 September 2021.
  18. ^ "Ending evacuation from Afghanistan is 'heartbreaking', UK armed forces chief says". the Guardian. 28 August 2021. Retrieved 22 September 2021.
  19. ^ Jefford (1988), p.46
  1. ^ Although 'LXX' is an archaic term (Roman numerals for '70'), raf.mod.uk will redirect any enquiries for 70 squadron to a page headed 'LXX squadron' (October 2024)
Bibliography
  • Bruce, J.M. (1965). Aircraft Profile No. 31. The Sopwith Camel F.1. Profile Publications.
  • Jefford, C.G. (1988). RAF Squadrons. Airlife Publishing Ltd. ISBN 1-85310-053-6.
  • Moyes, Philip (1964). Bomber Squadrons of the R.A.F. and their Aircraft. London: Macdonald & Co. (Publishers) Ltd.
  • Rawlings, John D.R. (1982). Coastal, Support and Special Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Jane's Publishing Company. ISBN 0-7106-0187-5.
  • Shores, Christopher; Franks, Norman; Guest, Russell (1990). Above The Trenches: A Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the British Empire Air Forces 1915–1920. London: Grub Street. ISBN 0-948817-19-4.
  • Shores, Christopher; Massimello, Giovanni; Guest, Russell (2012). A History of the Mediterranean Air War 1940–1945: Volume One: North Africa: June 1940 – January 1942. London: Grub Street. ISBN 978-1-908117-07-6.
  • Shores, Christopher; Massimello, Giovanni; Guest, Russell; Olynyk, Frank; Bock, Winfried (2012). A History of the Mediterranean Air War 1940–1945: Volume Two: North African Desert February 1942 – March 1943. London: Grub Street. ISBN 978-1-909166-12-7..
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