No. 46 Squadron RAF

Defunct flying squadron of the Royal Air Force

No. 46 Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Air Force, formed in 1916, was disbanded and re formed three times before its last disbandment in 1975. It served in both World War I and World War II.

No. 46 Squadron was formed at Wyton aerodrome on 19 April 1916, from a nucleus trained in No. 2 Reserve Squadron; it moved to France in October of that year equipped with Nieuport two seater aircraft. The squadron undertook artillery co operation, photography, and reconnaissance operations until May 1917, when it took on a more offensive role after rearming with the Sopwith Pup. It was based at the aerodrome at La Gorgue from 12 May to 6 July 1917. The change from a corps to a fighter squadron came at a moment when Allied air superiority was being seriously challenged by Germany, in particular through the introduction of the "circuses" formed and led by Manfred von Richthofen. Operating under the 11th Army Wing, the squadron was intensively engaged and had many combats with the enemy. In July 1917, No. 46 Squadron returned to Sutton's Farm (later Hornchurch) in Essex, for the defence of London, which had been heavily raided by Gotha bombers a short time before; no enemy aircraft penetrated its patrol area. The squadron returned to France at the end of August. In addition to offensive patrol work, the unit undertook extensive ground strafing and did close support work in the attack on Messines Ridges. In November 1917, the squadron was equipped with Sopwith Camels, From 26 June, it was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Louis Strange. The wing specialised in large scale attacks on enemy airfields. In October and November, the squadron was heavily involved in attacks during the German Great Retreat, during the weeks before the signing of the Armistice. Towards the end of January 1919, the squadron was reduced to a cadre, and in February it was returned to England early; it was disbanded on 31 December. During the war, 46 Squadron claimed 184 air victories, creating 16 aces. Donald MacLaren joined the squadron in November 1917. MacLaren was credited with shooting down 48 aeroplanes and six balloons, making him one of the top aces of World War I;

The squadron was re formed at Kenley under the RAF expansion scheme in 1936 by equipping B flight of No. 17 Squadron RAF as a full squadron. Gloster Gauntlets were the first airplanes to be allocated, and with these craft normal peacetime training activities were carried out. Wing Commander Bunny Currant, a future ace, joined the squadron as a sergeant pilot. Wing Commander Ian Gleed DSO DFC, another future ace, was posted the squadron as his first assignment after earning his wings on Christmas Day 1936.

The outbreak of war found 46 Squadron at RAF Digby, equipped with Hawker Hurricanes. Action with the enemy came quickly when, at the end of October 1939, Squadron Leader Barwell, Pilot Officer Plummer and F/Sgt Edward Shackley attacked a formation of 12 Heinkel 115s, destroying one each, and scattering the remainder. The next six months were uneventful, consisting in the main of providing air cover for the shipping convoys steaming along the East Coast; a few enemy aircraft were sighted but no contacts were made. In May 1940, the squadron was selected to form part of the Expeditionary Force in Norway, which had been invaded by the Germans on 9 April. The Hurricanes were embarked on and, despite doubts that a Hurricane could take off from a carrier flight deck in a flat calm, they all took to the air without difficulty, thanks to the efforts of the ship's engineers, who managed to get the Glorious up to a speed of 30 knots. No. 46 Squadron assembled at Bardufoss and began operation on 26 May; patrols were maintained over the land and naval forces at Narvik without respite, some of the pilots going without sleep for more than 48 hours. Conditions on the ground were very basic with poor runways and primitive servicing and repair facilities. Many air combats took place, and in its brief campaign in Norway the squadron accounted for at least 14 enemy aircraft, besides probably destroying many others. On 7 June the squadron was ordered to evacuate Norway immediately and, on the night of 7 through 8 June, the Hurricanes were successfully flown back to Glorious — a dangerous procedure as none of the aircraft were fitted with deck arrester hooks. The ground parties embarked on and SS Monarch of Bermuda and reached the UK safely, but the squadron's aircraft and eight of its pilots were lost when Glorious was sunk by German warships on 9 June 1940. The two pilots who survived were the Squadron Commander, Squadron Leader (later Air Chief Marshal) "Bing" Cross, and the Flight Commander, Flight Lieutenant (later Air Commodore) "Jamie" Jameson.

The squadron re formed at RAF Digby, becoming operational once again at the end of June, and for the next two months it was occupied in uneventful convoy and defensive patrols before moving south to Stapleford Tawney, the satellite of RAF North Weald, for the defence of London during the Battle of Britain. The Luftwaffe's main effort at the time was against coastal objectives and shipping off the coast of Essex and Kent. The squadron, now consisting of novice pilots and without any experienced command after its decimation in Norway, suffered heavy casualties during continuous action against far superior numbers of enemy bombers and escorting fighters. But the enemy sustained such shattering losses amongst their long range bomber forces that they had to change their tactics. The attacking forces began to fly their fighter bombers at very high altitudes and to make use of every possible patch of cloud cover. Interception became difficult, and the squadron had to change its tactics too – principally maintaining patrols at heights between 20,000 and 30,000 feet. On the 11th November 1940, No. 46 Squadron, whilst on patrol over the town of Foulness, encountered some 50 Italian bombers and fighters; nine of them were destroyed, with no casualties or damage to the squadron, and the remainder of the Italians scattered in disorder. The squadron claimed 34 aircraft destroyed July to December 1940, but lost 26 aircraft itself, with 16 pilots killed and three badly wounded. After the Battle of Britain ended. the squadron engaged in convoy patrols, interspersed with escort duty to medium bombers in their attack on objectives in occupied France.

The airmen arrived at RAF Stoney Cross at the beginning of January 1945 and began operation under Transport Command. Equipped with the Short Stirling, they manned service to the Far East between Stoney Cross and RAF Arkonam via Poona and between Stoney Cross and Dum Dum via Palam. With the end of the war in August 1945, flights were first confined to India and the Middle East and then, with Dakotas replacing the Stirlings at the beginning of 1946, passengers and freight were carried mostly to Rome, Berlin, Warsaw, and Vienna.

The squadron moved to RAF Manston in October 1946 and to Abingdon in December. From July 1948, the squadron was almost exclusively engaged on the Berlin Airlift; it operated at first from Wunsdorf, carrying food, and later from Fassberg and Lübeck, carrying coal. It returned to RAF Oakington in August 1949 and resumed its normal transport role until it disbanded on 20 February 1950.

The squadron once again re formed, this time at RAF Odiham on 15 August 1954 as a night fighter unit equipped with Meteor NF12s and 14s. Training began almost immediately, but it took until the end of October for the squadron to reach a strength of 12 NF12 or 14s and one Meteor 7 for training and categorisation. When Wing Commander Birchfield took over as commanding officer from Squadron Leader Ross, the manpower situation was improving, but mechanical transport shortages caused problems for the squadron, whose dispersal was on the opposite side of the airfield from the rest of the station. By June 1955, the squadron had received "some Meteor 8s for target towing" and its strength had reached 48 officers and 110 airmen. By August, when the squadron went to Acklington for its armament practice station, there were 16 aircraft.

In January 1956, the unit began converting to Javelins, and the first arrived in February, together with eight Meteor NF 11s: the NF 12s were sent off to No. 72 Squadron RAF. By May, all squadron pilots had converted and 15 Javelins were held; eight were earmarked for intensive flying trials whose target was 1,000 hours in two months – a feat believed by some to be impossible, but achieved in fact by "a wartime spirit." On 15 June, the squadron lost its commanding officer, Wing Commander Birchfield, in a Javelin crash. He was replaced by Wing Commander Harold ("Harry") E. White DFC** AFC (subsequently appointed CBE on retiring as an Air Commodore in 1978). Over the years, the squadron continued to train by participating in many exercises such as Halyard, Cold Wing, Kingpin Adex, Ciano and Bombex, and it took part in various trials, including those of new pressure suits and helmets. The problem of poor serviceability and lack of spares continued when the Mk 2 Javelins replaced the Mk 1s in 1957. Two Mk6 Javelins were briefly used during the 1958 display season due to shortage of serviceable Mk 2s. In April 1959, the squadron sent six Javelins for an exchange visit to the French Air Force 1/30 Squadron at Tours, whilst the French sent Sud Aviation Vautour aircraft to Odiham. In June the squadron won the Ingpen Trophy after being third in 1957 and second in 1958. On 30 June 1961, the squadron was disbanded again.

On 1 September 1966, the squadron again was re formed, this time at RAF Abingdon as a transport unit. The first Hawker Siddeley Andover CMk1 aircraft arrived in December, and the squadron was tasked with transport support and tactical transport, for which the Andover's ability to "kneel" – to allow vehicle entry at a shallow angle via the rear ramp – was an asset. Over the years, the squadron acquired expertise in aero medical evacuation, short take off and landing, route flying and parachute and one ton container drops. In addition to carrying equipment, vehicles, passengers or paratroops, the Andover could be fitted in a VIP role and carried Cabinet Ministers including (the late) John Davies, Julian Amery and Lord Carrington and was used for the parachute jump of HRH Prince Charles into Studland Bay during his RAF training in July 1971. It also carried out various trials with voice broadcast and long range ferry tanks. The latter became a regular item of equipment and enabled the short range Andover to fly long distances, such as Gander to Abingdon direct in well under eight hours. The detachment took part in exercises in Libya, Cyprus, the Middle East, and Norway, as well as in the UK and Germany. It won the Lord VC Trophy in 1968 and again in 1971, when it also won the No. 14 Air Dispatch Trophy. In July 1968, the squadron supported Exercise Icy Mountains in Greenland, re supplying it, and finally recovering the team. In March 1969, three aircraft were deployed to Coolidge, Antigua, to help with the Anguillan crisis. The deployment continued, albeit later at a reduced scale, until early 1971 and led to the Caribbean Trainers. The squadron was the first in the RAF to have a German exchange officer, and exchange visits were made between 46 Squadron and LTG 63 at Ahlhorn and Hohn in Germany. In August 1969, the unit became involved in Northern Ireland duties – in particular, personnel transport – and on 13 October the same year, it was presented with its standard by King Olav V of Norway in commemoration of the squadron's 1940 Norwegian operation. In September 1970, the squadron moved to RAF Thorney Island and began a period of extended worldwide activity by taking part in a large Far East reinforcement exercise, Bersatu Padu. In 1971 it began a two aircraft detachment at Masirah (and added SAR to its many roles). In November 1971 and February 1972, it took part in Exercise Cold Stream with the Italian Air Force at Pisa and in Exercise Sun Pirate in Puerto Rico. While flying the RAF Falcons on 8 April 1972, the Royal Air Force Parachute Team, one of Sqn 46's Andover, XS 609, crashed on takeoff at Siena, Italy, killing four passengers. Twice a year, the squadron took part in Exercise MACDROP at RAF Machrihanish, in which Andovers were employed in parachute dropping with the Parachute Regiment, and SAS. In January and December 1974, unit aircraft supported Royal Engineers in Exercise Mirza – four month civil aid programmes whose main task was the construction of bridges in Sudan. Finally, in March 1975 the closure of RAF Thorney Island and the dissolution of the squadron was announced. An immediate reduction in the number of aircraft and a drastic reduction in flying hours followed. On 31 August 1975 the squadron standard was laid up in Chichester Cathedral, and the unit was disbanded. A number of Andovers were converted to flight calibration duties with No. 115 Squadron RAF at RAF Benson, two went to Boscombe Down and one (XS641) was shifted to photo reconnaissance role to provide the U. K.'s asset for the Open Skies Treaty. Later 10 Andovers were sold to the Royal New Zealand Air Force

The squadron is unique in the Royal Air Force because it is the only one to have held reunions since 1917. The squadron's Association has held annual Reunion Dinners continuously since 1917. The 100th consecutive Reunion was held in the Officers' Mess, RAF Benson, on 3 June 2017.

+ Aircraft operated by No. 46 Squadron from 1916 to 1975 Model Service datesNieuport 12 Apr 1916 – Apr 1917BE2c Nov 1916 – Apr 1917 BE2e Feb 1917 – Apr 1917Pup Apr 1917 – Nov 1917Camel Nov 1917 – Feb 1919Gauntlet II Sep 1936 – Feb 1939Hurricane I Feb 1939 – Dec 1940Hurricane IIA Dec 1940 – May 1941Hurricane IIC May 1941 – Jun 1941Beaufighter I May 1942 – Jul 1942Beaufighter VI May 1942 – Dec 1944Beaufighter X Apr 1944 – Jul 1944Mosquito XII Apr 1944 – Jul 1944Stirling V Feb 1945 – Feb 1946Dakota III, IV Feb 1946 – Feb 1950Meteor NF 12 Aug 1954 – Mar 1956Meteor NF 14 Aug 1954 – Mar 1956Javelin FAW 1 Mar 1956 – Nov 1957Javelin FAW 2 Aug 1957 – Jun 1961Javelin FAW 6 Jun 1958 – Oct 1958Andover CMk1 Dec 1966 – Aug 1975

+Bases for No. 46 Squadron from formation to disbandment Location Assignment datesWyton Aerodrome Apr 1916 – Oct 1916 Boisdinghem May 1917 – May 1917 La Gorgue May 1917 – Jul 1917 Bruay Jul 1917 – Jul 1917 Sutton's Farm Jul 1917 – Aug 1917 Ste Marie Cappel Aug 1917 – Sep 1917 (Izel) Le Hameau Sep 1917 – May 1918 Liettres May 1918 – Jun 1918Serny Jun 1918 – Aug 1918 Poulainville Aug 1918 – Sep 1918 Cappy Sep 1918 – Oct 1918 Athies Oct 1918 – Oct 1918 Busigny Oct 1918 – Nov 1918 Baizieux Nov 1918 – Feb 1919 Rendcomb Feb 1919 – Feb 1919 (disbanded) Re formed out of 'B' Flt, No. 17 Sqn, Kenley 3 September 1936RAF Kenley Sep 1936 – Nov 1937 RAF Digby Nov 1937 – Nov 1939 RAF Acklington Nov 1939 – Jan 1940 RAF Digby Jan 1940 – May 1940 May 1940 – May 1940 Skaanland May 1940 – May 1940 Bardufoss May 1940 – Jun 1940 Jun 1940 – Jun 1940 RAF Digby Jun 1940 – Sep 1940 RAF Stapleford Tawney Sep 1940 – Nov 1940 RAF North Weald Nov 1940 – Dec 1940 RAF Digby Dec 1940 – Feb 1941 RAF Church Fenton Feb 1941 – Mar 1941 RAF Sherburn in Elmet Mar 1941 – May 1941 En route Egypt May 1941 – Jul 1941 Abu Sueir Jul 1941 – Sep 1941 Kilo 17 17 September 1941 – May 1942 Idku May 1942 – Dec 1944 RAF Stoney Cross Jan 1945 – Oct 1946 RAF Manston Oct 1946 – Dec 1946 RAF Abingdon Dec 1946 – Aug 1949 RAF Oakington Aug 1949 – Feb 1950 (disbanded) RAF Odiham Aug 1954 – Jul 1959 RAF Waterbeach Jul 1959 – Jun 1961 (disbanded) RAF Abingdon Sep 1966 – Sep 1970RAF Thorney Island Sep 1970 – Aug 1975 (disbanded)

+ Rank Name Date of commandMajor G. E. Todd April 1916 Major E. L. Conran May 1916Major L. Dawes May 1916Major P. Babington July 1916 Major R. H. S. Mealing December 1917 Major A. H. O'Hara WoodJuly 1918 Major G. Allen October 1918Squadron Leader M. F. Calder September 1936 Squadron Leader P. R. Barwell June 1937Squadron Leader K. B. B. Cross October 1939 Squadron Leader J. R. Maclachlan June 1940 Squadron Leader A. R. Collins October 1940Squadron Leader L. M. Gaunce October 1940Squadron Leader A. C. RabagliatiDecember 1940 Wing Commander G. A. Reid May 1942Wing Commander T. P. K. Scade October 1943 Wing Commander R. W. Dennison June 1944 Squadron Leader G. E. Robertson August–November 1944(Temp Command) Wing Commander B. A. Coventry January 1945Wing Commander S. G. Baggott December 1945 Wing Commander G. Dutton March 1946 Wing Commander G. Burges July 1946 Squadron Leader E. Moody October 1947Squadron Leader A. G. SalterApril 1948Squadron Leader A. Reece August 1949 Squadron Leader D. F. C. Ross August 1954(on re forming) Wing Commander F. E. W. Birchfield March 1955Wing Commander H. E. White DFC ** AFCJune 1956Wing Commander F. B. Sowrey May 1958Wing Commander D. B. Wills June 1960Squadron Leader M. T. Rayson September 1966(on re forming)Squadron Leader J. B. Gratton December 1967Squadron Leader D. O. Crwys Williams January 1970 Wing Commander F. A. Mallett February 1971Wing Commander J. A. Scambler April 1973Wing Commander S Hitchen March 1975