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Squadron History – Important Dates

IX(B) SQUADRON – TABULAR HISTORY

 

Date

Event

Station

Commanding

Officer

Aircraft
4 Aug 14 War Declared      
8 Dec 14 IX(B) Sqn formed St Omer Major Musgrave BE2, 2A, 2B, 2C
1 Apr 15 Move & New CO Brooklands Major Dowding Longhorn
23 Jul 15 Move Dover Major Dowding Shorthorn
16 Sep 15 New CO Dover Major Wanklyn Avro 504
12 Dec 15 Move & new Aircraft St Omer Major Wanklyn Bleriot
24 Dec 15 Move Bertangles Major Wanklyn RE5, RE7
29 Dec 15 First Operational Sortie Bertangles Major Wanklyn Scout
25 Mar 16 New CO Bertangles Major Burdett Scout C, BE2C
26 Mar 16 Move Allonville Major Burdett Scout C, BE2C
12 Aug 16 New Aircraft Allonville Major Burdett BE2E
15 Jul 16 Move Chipilly Major Burdett BE2E
3 Sep 16 Move Mourlancourt Major Burdett BE2E
10 Dec 16 New CO Mourlancourt Major Edwards BE2E
14 Apr 17 Move (‘C’ Flt only) Mons-en-Chaussee Major Edwards BE2E
27 Apr 17 Move Nurlu Major Edwards BE2E
7 May 17 New Aircraft Nurlu Major Edwards RE8
29 May 17 Move & New CO Estrees-en-Chaussee Major Hunter RE8
10 Jun 17 Move Proven Major Hunter RE8
16 Nov 17 New CO Proven Major Rodwell RE8
11 Apr 18 Move Calais Major Rodwell RE8
6 Jun 18 Move Agenvillers Major Rodwell RE8
23 Jun 18 First Formation raids Agenvillers Major Rodwell RE8
17 Jul 18 Move Quevauvillers Major Rodwell RE8
15 Aug 18 Move Amiens Major Rodwell RE8
7 Sep 18 Move Proyart Major Rodwell RE8
8 Sep 18 Move Athies Major Rodwell RE8
6 Oct 18 Move Montingnet Farm Major Rodwell RE8
18 Oct 18 Move Premont Farm Major Rodwell RE8
29 Oct 18 Move Tarcienne Major Rodwell RE8
11 Nov 18 Armistice Day Tarcienne Major Rodwell RE8
11 Dec 18 Move Fort Cognelee Major Rodwell RE8
3 Jan 19 New Aircraft Fort Cognelee Major Rodwell Bristol
5 May 19 Move Ludendorf Major Rodwell Bristol
31 Jul 19 Reduced to cadre and posted home Castle Bromwich Major Rodwell Bristol
31 Dec 19 Sqn Disbanded Castle Bromwich Major Rodwell Bristol
1 Apr 24 Sqn Reformed Upavon Flt Lt Gibbs Vimy
30 Apr 24 Move & New CO Manston Sqn Ldr Quinnell Vimy
1 Aug 24 New CO Manston Sqn Ldr Daly Vimy
9 Jan 25 New Aircraft Manston Sqn Ldr Daly Virginia
19 Jan 25 New CO Manston Wg Cdr Guilfoyle Virginia
28 Feb 26 New CO Manston Wg Cdr Gaskell-Blackburn Virginia
29 Dec 26 New CO Manston Wg Cdr Durston Virginia
1927 Bat design adopted for Sqn Badge Manston Wg Cdr Durston Virginia
28 Nov 28 New CO Manston Wg Cdr Strugnell Virginia
26 Nov 30 Move Boscombe Down Wg Cdr Strugnell Virginia
4 Jan 31 New CO Boscombe Down Wg Cdr Stent Virginia
22 Nov 32 New CO Boscombe Down Wg Cdr Sowrey Virginia
27 Feb 33 New CO Boscombe Down Wg Cdr Mylne Virginia
20 Dec 34 New CO Boscombe Down Wg Cdr Cock Virginia
15 Oct 35 Move Andover Wg Cdr Cock Virginia
15 Jan 36 Move Aldergrove Wg Cdr Cock Virginia
24 Jul 36 New Aircraft Aldergrove Wg Cdr Cock Heyford
1 Oct 36 Move Scampton Wg Cdr Cock Heyford
27 Jan 37 King Edward VIII approves Sqn Badge Scampton Wg Cdr Cock Heyford
28 Feb 38 New CO Scampton Wg Cdr Smith Heyford
10 Mar 38 Move Stradishall Wg Cdr Smith Heyford
14 Nov 38 New CO Stradishall Wg Cdr Sanderson Heyford
14 Jan 39 New CO Stradishall Wg Cdr Lloyd Heyford
31 Jan 39 First Wellington arrives Stradishall Wg Cdr Lloyd Wellington
24 Apr 39 Wellingtons  at Operational strength Sradishall Wg Cdr Lloyd Wellington
8-11 Jul 39 Brussels Display Stradishall Wg Cdr Lloyd Wellington
15 Jul 39 Move Honington Wg Cdr Lloyd Wellington
3 Sep 39 War Declared Honington Wg Cdr Lloyd Wellington
4 Sep 39 Sqn Ldr Lamb leads first WW2 mission against ships at Brunsbuttel Honington Wg Cdr Lloyd Wellington
27 Sep 39 New CO Honington Wg Cdr Cole Wellington
18 Dec 39 AC1 Driver (Minnie Driver’s father) earns one of the first DFMs of the war Honington Wg Cdr Cole Wellington
17 Jan 40 New CO Honington Wg Cdr McKee Wellington
19 Jan 40 Leaflet raid on Hamburg, led by CO Honington Wg Cdr McKee Wellington
20 Apr 40 First attack on enemy target Stavanger Honington Wg Cdr McKee Wellington
15 May 40 First of many attacks on Ruhr Valley Honington Wg Cdr McKee Wellington
5 Jun 40 Fg Off Jimmy James shot down over Germany. He escaped on three occasions and was awarded the MC after the war Honington Wg Cdr McKee Wellington
24 Jul 40 New CO Honington Wg Cdr Healy Wellington
23 Sep 40 First raid on Berlin Honington Wg Cdr Healy Wellington
16 Jan 41 New CO Honington Wg Cdr Arnold Wellington
1941 “There’s Always Bloody Something” becomes unofficial Sqn motto Honington Wg Cdr Arnold Wellington
3 May 41 Sgt Fairfax drops IX(B) Sqn’s first 4,000 lbs bomb on Cologne Honington Wg Cdr Arnold Wellington
9 Jun 41 Wg Cdr Arnold flies his damaged aircraft level to allow his crew to bale out. He died in the crash that followed Honington Wg Cdr Arnold Wellington
20 Jun 41 New CO Honington Wg Cdr Wasse Wellington
11 Sep 41 Target: Turin Honington Wg Cdr Wasse Wellington
10 Jan 42 New CO Honington Wg Cdr Inness Wellington
31 Mar 42 First Daylight raid on the Ruhr Honington Wg Cdr Inness Wellington
3 May 42 Fg Off Saul becomes first Sqn member to drop mines Honington Wg Cdr Inness Wellington
27 May 42 New CO Honington Wg Cdr James Wellington
30 May 42 14 x IX(B) Sqn aircraft take part in first 1,000 bomber raid on Cologne Honington Wg Cdr James Wellington
22 Jun 42 New CO Honington Wg Cdr Southwell Wellington
26 Jun 42 16 x IX(B) Sqn aircraft attack Bremen in the last 1,000 bomber raid on Cologne Honington Wg Cdr Southwell Wellington
1 Aug 42 Sgt Hobbs lands after 2458th and last sortie by IX(B) Sqn in Wellingtons Honington Wg Cdr Southwell Wellington
7 Aug 42 New Aircraft, move and change from 3 Group to 5 Group Waddington Wg Cdr Southwell Lancaster
17 Oct 42 Daylight low altitude formation raid against Le Creusot Waddington Wg Cdr Southwell Lancaster
14 Feb 43 Target Milan Waddington Wg Cdr Southwell Lancaster
25 Feb 43 Target Nuremburg Waddington Wg Cdr Southwell Lancaster
15 Mar 43 New CO Waddington Wg Cdr Smith Lancaster
12 Apr 43 New CO Waddington Wg Cdr Burnett Lancaster
14 Apr 43 Move & Target Stuttgart Bardney Wg Cdr Burnett Lancaster
11 Jun 43 Target: Dusseldorf – 19 aircraft Bardney Wg Cdr Burnett Lancaster
28 Jun, 3 & 8 Jul 43 Target: Cologne Bardney Wg Cdr Burnett Lancaster
24, 27 & 29 Jul 43 Target: Hamburg Bardney Wg Cdr Burnett Lancaster
3 Oct 43 Target: Kassel Bardney Wg Cdr Burnett Lancaster
14 Nov 43 New CO Bardney Wg Cdr Porter Lancaster
15 Feb 44 21 x IX(B) Sqn Crews attack Berlin Bardney Wg Cdr Porter Lancaster
6 Jun 44 D Day Bardney Wg Cdr Porter Lancaster
15 Jun 44 New CO Bardney Wg Cdr Bazin Lancaster
21 Jun 44 Target: Gelsenkirchen Bardney Wg Cdr Bazin Lancaster
4 Jul 44 Flying Bomb (V-1) sites attacked: Peenemunde Bardney Wg Cdr Bazin Lancaster
15 Sep 44 First attack on the Tirpitz with Tallboy Bombs Bardney Wg Cdr Bazin Lancaster
15 Oct 44 Target: Sorpe Dam Bardney Wg Cdr Bazin Lancaster
12 Nov 44 Tirpitz sunk by IX(B) at Tromso Fiord Bardney Wg Cdr Bazin Lancaster
1 Jan 45 Target: Dortmund – Ems Canal. Flt Sgt George awarded the VC Bardney Wg Cdr Bazin Lancaster
12 Jan 45 Target: U-boat pens at Bergen Bardney Wg Cdr Bazin Lancaster
22 Feb 45 Target: Altenbaken Viaduct Bardney Wg Cdr Bazin Lancaster
23 Mar 45 Target: Bad Cynhausen Bridge Bardney Wg Cdr Bazin Lancaster
25 Apr 45 Target: Berchtesgaden Bardney Wg Cdr Bazin Lancaster
8 May 45 VE Day Bardney Wg Cdr Bazin Lancaster
18 May 45 New CO Bardney Wg Cdr Dupont Lancaster
3 Jul 45 First Aircraft fitted with H2S Mk 2 Bardney Wg Cdr Dupont Lancaster
6 Jul 45 Sqn Move Waddington Wg Cdr Dupont Lancaster
14 Aug 45 ‘VJ’ Day Waddington Wg Cdr Dupont Lancaster
26 Nov 45 New CO Waddington Wg Cdr Osborn Lancaster
1-8 Jan 46 Sqn Moves overseas to India Salboni Wg Cdr Osborn Lancaster
1-18 Apr 46 Return to UK Binbrook Wg Cdr Osborn Lancaster
19 Apr 46 New Base Binbrook Wg Cdr Osborn Lancaster
1 May 46 New CO Binbrook Sqn Ldr Watkins Lancaster
5 Jun 46 Ex SunbrinzeFirst Peacetime Exercise Binbrook Sqn Ldr Watkins Lancaster
3 Jul 46 Last Lancaster flight Binbrook Sqn Ldr Watkins Lancaster
13 Jul 46 5 Lincolns arrive on Squadron Binbrook Sqn Ldr Watkins Lincoln
13 Dec 46 New CO Binbrook Sqn Ldr Overton Lincoln
24 Jan 47 New CO Binbrook Flt Lt Speed Lincoln
24 Apr 47 New CO Binbrook Sqn Ldr Flynn Lincoln
13 Nov 47 New CO Binbrook Sqn Ldr Wilson Lincoln
3 Apr 48 Detached to Shallufa Binbrook Sqn Ldr Wilson Lincoln
20 Aug 48 New CO Binbrook Sqn Ldr Ostle Lincoln
17 Feb 50 Tirpitz Bulkhead presented to IX(B) & 617 Sqns by CinC Norwegian AF Binbrook Sqn Ldr Ostle Lincoln
17 Aug 50 New CO Binbrook Sqn Ldr Southall Lincoln
31 Aug 51 2 month detachment to Shallufa Binbrook Sqn Ldr Southall Lincoln
1 May 52 Last day of flying piston engined aircraft by IX(B) Binbrook Sqn Ldr Southall Lincoln
10 Jun 52 Sqn Ldr Southall flies Canberra B2 Binbrook Sqn Ldr Southall Canberra B2
24 Nov 52 New CO Binbrook Sqn Ldr Mountford Canberra B2
28 May 53 Sgt Neate and crew became first in RAF to bomb from 45,000 ft Binbrook Sqn Ldr Mountford Canberra B2
15 Jul 53 Royal Flypast Binbrook Sqn Ldr Mountford Canberra B2
29 Jul 54 New CO Binbrook Sqn Ldr Bastard Canberra B2
Sep 55 New Aircraft Binbrook Sqn Ldr Bastard Canberra B6
25 Jan 56 West African tour: Nigeria, Gold Coast, Gambia & Sierra Leone Binbrook Sqn Ldr Bastard Canberra B6
29 Jan 56 6 Aircraft display for the Queen at Lagos Binbrook Sqn Ldr Bastard Canberra B6
25 Feb 56 RTB from African tour via Gibraltar Binbrook Sqn Ldr Bastard Canberra B6
18 Mar 56 Sqn Detachment to Butterworth Binbrook Sqn Ldr Bastard Canberra B6
7 Apr 56 First Operational strike against Malayan Terrorists from Det Base at Butterworth Binbrook Sqn Ldr Bastard Canberra B6
11 Apr 56 Goodwill tour to the Phillipines Binbrook Sqn Ldr Bastard Canberra B6
23 Jun 56 Return to Binbrook Binbrook Sqn Ldr Bastard Canberra B6
9 Oct 56 Sqn Standard presented by ACM Sir Hugh P Lloyd Binbrook Sqn Ldr Bastard Canberra B6
30 Oct 56 Sqn Detachment to RNAS Hal Far, Malta for Suez Operation. Targets: Abusuior, Kasfaret & Cairo Binbrook Sqn Ldr Bastard Canberra B6
10 Jan 57 New CO Binbrook Wg Cdr Horsley Canberra B6
Apr 57 First Sunspot detachment to Luqa with bombing at Malta, El Adem, and Tarhuna (south of Idris, Tripoli) Binbrook Wg Cdr Horsley Canberra B6
17 Feb 58 New CO Binbrook Wg Cdr Stanton Canberra B6
Oct 58 All aircraft modified for LABS Binbrook Wg Cdr Stanton Canberra B6
Feb 59 Split Sunspot, Half Sqn to Luqa other half to Idris Binbrook Wg Cdr Stanton Canberra B6
2 Jun 59 Move Coningsby Wg Cdr Stanton Canberra B6
15 Dec 59 New Co and start of QRA Coningsby Wg Cdr Bayley Canberra B6
27 Apr 61 New CO Coningsby Wg Cdr Murley Canberra B6
13 Jul 61 Disbanded Coningsby Wg Cdr Murley Canberra B6
1 Mar 62 Sqn reformed Coningsby Wg Cdr Stevens  
17 Apr 62 First Vulcan B2 arrives Coningsby Wg Cdr Stevens Vulcan B2
30 May 63 Vulcan XL 388 ‘Mayflower III’ flown by Sqn Ldr Dick from Boston UK to Boston USA with greetings from the British Mayor to his American counter part Coningsby Wg Cdr Stevens Vulcan B2
31 Mar 64 New CO Coningsby Wg Cdr Maugham Vulcan B2
20 Jul 64 New CO Coningsby Wg Cdr Baker Vulcan B2
7 Oct 64 New CO Coningsby Wg Cdr Harris Vulcan B2
10 Nov 64 Move Cottesmore Wg Cdr Harris Vulcan B2
May 65 New CO Cottesmore Wg Cdr Pollington Vulcan B2
17 Dec 66 New CO Cottesmore Wg Cdr Christie Vulcan B2
27 Jun 68 New CO Cottesmore Wg Cdr Sewell Vulcan B2
26 Feb 69 Move Akrotiri Wg Cdr Sewell Vulcan B2
20 Jun 70 New CO Akrotiri Wg Cdr Dick Vulcan B2
7-14 Jul 70 Visit of Harry Denton & Crew Akrotiri Wg Cdr Dick Vulcan B2
19 Jun 72 New CO Akrotiri Wg Cdr Howie Vulcan B2
30 Aug 72 Flight commemorating the 30th Anniversary of the formation of The Pathfinder Force. Akrotiri Wg Cdr Howie Vulcan B2
14 Nov 73 Squadron crew visit The Cheshire Clinic, Asmara Akrotiri Wg Cdr Howie Vulcan B2
15 Aug 73 Sqn Ldr Davies’s crew provided a radio link between the Commander British Forces in Cyprus and The Turkish General Staff during the invasion of Cyprus. Akrotiri Wg Cdr Howie Vulcan B2
8 Dec 74 IX(B) Squadron Diamond Jubilee Akrotiri Wg Cdr Howie Vulcan B2
15 Jan 75 Squadron returns to UK Waddington Wg Cdr Howie Vulcan B2
24 Jan 75 New CO Waddington Wg Cdr Mather Vulcan B2
15 Nov 75 Squadron crew collect the Lincoln copy of The Magna Carta from Castle AFB, California. Waddington Wg Cdr Mather Vulcan B2
29 Dec 76 New CO Waddington Wg Cdr Turner Vulcan B2
29 Jul 77 Squadron takes part in The Royal Review of the RAF at Finningley Waddington Wg Cdr Turner Vulcan B2
22 Aug 77 Flt Lt Nelson’s crew take part in the first USAF exercise RED FLAG flown by RAF crews Waddington Wg Cdr Turner Vulcan B2
5 Jul 78 Flt Lt Tanner’s crew win the Blue Steel trophy in STC Bombing Competition Waddington Wg Cdr Turner Vulcan B2
14 Oct 78 Squadron presented with portrait of FS George Thompson VC. Waddington Wg Cdr Turner Vulcan B2
11 Dec 78 New CO Waddington Wg Cdr Prideaux Vulcan B2
24 Nov 79 Painting of Lancaster WS-Y presented to the Squadron by Scottish and Newcastle Breweries in the company of Flt Lt Tweddle and  crew      
20 Feb 80 Wg Cdr Prideaux completed 3000 hours on Vulcans Waddington Wg Cdr Prideaux Vulcan B2
19 Oct 80 IX(B) Squadron Association and Squadron members attended the dedication of the Bardney Memorial to Squadron aircrew who were killed in the war. Waddington Wg Cdr Prideaux Vulcan B2
19 Dec 80 New CO Waddington Wg Cdr Mayes Vulcan B2
25 Jul 81 Vulcan Silver Jubilee Celebrations Waddington Wg Cdr Mayes Vulcan B2
4 Jan 82 Wg Cdr Mayes commands the last RED FLAG detachment by Vulcans Waddington Wg Cdr Mayes Vulcan B2
29 Apr 82 Ceremonies for the handover to IX(B) Squadron Tornado Waddington Wg Cdr Mayes Vulcan B2
1 Jun 1982 IX(B) Sqn becomes the first NATO Squadron to equip with Tornado Honington Wg Cdr Gooding Tornado GR1
9 Nov 1982 IX(B) Sqn Tornado flies to Cyprus and back non-stop (4300nm) to prove the range and capability of the aircraft Honington Wg Cdr Gooding Tornado GR1
1 Oct 1983 First Goose Bay Det for Tornado Honington Wg Cdr Gooding Tornado GR1
1 Feb 1985 First Exercise Green Flag Honington Wg Cdr Gooding Tornado GR1
18 Apr 1985 New CO Honington Wg Cdr Ferguson Tornado GR1
 1 Oct 1986 Sqn move to RAF Bruggen Bruggen Wg Cdr Ferguson Tornado GR1
18 Dec 1987 New CO Bruggen Wg Cdr Wright AFC Tornado GR1
8 Dec 1989 New CO Bruggen Wg Cdr Evans Tornado GR1
3 Jan 1991 IX(B)Sqn deploy to Dhahran, Saudi Arabia in preparation for Gulf War 1 Bruggen Wg Cdr Evans Tornado GR1
17 Jan 1991 OC IX(B) leads the Sqn in attacks against Iraq, armed with JP233 runway denial mines on night low level attack on Wadi Al Khirr airfield Bruggen Wg Cdr Evans Tornado GR1
16 Mar 1991 OC IX(B)leads Sqn home Bruggen Wg Cdr Evans Tornado GR1
 6 Mar 1992 New CO Bruggen Wg Cdr White Tornado GR1
18 Feb 1994 New CO Bruggen Wg Cdr Peach Tornado GR1
1 May 1998 Sqn upgrades to Tornado GR4 Bruggen Wg Cdr Peach Tornado GR4
10 Aug 1998 New CO Bruggen Wg Cdr McAlpine DFC Tornado GR4
22 Feb 1999 New CO Bruggen Wg Cdr Bagwell Tornado GR4
17 Jul 2001 Sqn moves to Marham Marham Wg Cdr Bagwell Tornado GR4
6 Aug 2001 New CO Marham Wg Cdr Watson Tornado GR4
26 Jan 2004 New CO Marham Wg Cdr SC Evans Tornado GR4
26 Jun 2006 New CO Marham Wg Cdr Waddington Tornado GR4
6 Oct 2008 New CO Marham Wg Cdr Hay Tornado GR4
 Jan 2009 Sqn Introduces DMS Brimstone Marham Wg Cdr Hay Tornado GR4
1 Jan 2009 Sqn Deploys on OP TELIC Marham Wg Cdr Hay Tornado GR4
1 Jan 2010 Sqn Deploys to Afghanistan Marham Wg Cdr Hay Tornado GR4
12 Nov 2010 New CO Marham Wg Cdr Turk  DFC Tornado GR4
19 Mar 2011 Op Ellamy strikes in Libya Marham Wg Cdr Turk  DFC Tornado GR4
28 Mar 2013 New CO Marham Wg Cdr Snaith Tornado GR4
06 Mar 2015 New CO Marham Wg Cdr Sharrocks Tornado GR4
12 Jan 2017 New CO Marham Wg Cdr Heeps Tornado GR4
06 Feb 2019 Last Tornado returns from Operations Marham Wg Cdr Heeps Tornado GR4
14 March 2019 Last UK Tornado Sortie Marham Wg Cdr Heeps Tornado GR4
01 April 2019 Squadron Disbanded Marham Wg Cdr Heeps Tornado GR4
01 April 2019 Squadron Reformed/New CO/New Aircraft Type Lossiemouth Wg Cdr Batt Typhoon