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- No . 1 Squadron Royal Air Force during the Second World War -


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World War 2 Two II WW2 WWII 1939 1945

No . 1 Squadron Royal Air Force



   No 1 Squadron of the RAF was the former No 1 Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps, but traces its foundation back to 1878 and the establishment of the No.1 Balloon Company of the Royal Engineers at Chatham. During the first world war the Squadron was initially a reconnaissance unit in France, but in 1917 it became the first dedicated bomber squadron. After the war the Squadron spent periods of time in the North West Frontier (now Parkistan) and in Baghdad. On return to Britain in 1928 the Squadron was based at RAF Tangmere in Sussex as a Home Defence Fighter Squadron.

At the start of the second world war the Squadron had recently been equipped with the Hurricane Mk1 and was almost immediately deployed to the RAF Advanced Air Striking Force in France and based at Berry-au-Bac north-west of Paris.

Air bases at which No.1 Squadron was based during WW2:

  • 17 August 1928-29 September 1939: Tangmere
  • 9-29 September 1939: Octeville (France)
  • 29 September-9 October 1939: Norrent Fontes
  • 9 October 1939-11 April 1940: Vassincourt
  • 11-19 April 1940: Berry-au-Bac
  • 19 April-10 May 1940: Vassincourt
  • 10-17 May 1940: Barry-ac-Bac
  • 17-18 May 1940: Conde-Vraux
  • 18 May-3 June 1940: Anglure
  • 3-14 June 1940: Chateaudun
  • 14-17 June 1940: Rouen-Boos
  • 17-18 June 1940: St. Nazaire
  • 18-23 June 1940: Northholt (U.K.)
  • 23 June-1 August 1940: Tangmere
  • 1 August-9 September 1940: Northolt
  • 9 September-15 December 1940: Wittering
  • 15 December 1940-5 June 1941: Northolt
  • 5 January-7 April 1941: Kenley
  • 7 April-1 May 1941: Croydon
  • 1 May-1 June 1941: Redhill
  • 1-14 June 1941: Kenley
  • 14 June-1 July 1941: Redhill
  • 1 July 1941-8 July 1942: Tangmere
  • 8 July 1942-9 February 1943: Acklington
  • 9 February-15 March 1943: Biggin Hill
  • 15 March 1943-15 February 1944: Lympne
  • 15 February-3 April 1944: Martlesham Heath
  • 3 April 144-22 April 1944: North Weald (Re-equipped with Spitfires)
  • 22-29 April 1944: Ayr
  • 29 April-20 June 1944: Predannack
  • 20-22 June 1944: Harrowbeer
  • 22 June-11 July 1944: Detling
  • 11 July-10 August 1944: Lympne
  • 10 August-18 December 1944: Detling
  • 18 December 1944-8 April 1945: Manston
  • 8 April-14 May 1945: Coltishall
  • 14 May-23 July 1945: Ludham



 

30th Aug 1939 Orders

4th Sep 1939 Ground Party

5th Sep 1939 Dispersal

6th Sep 1939 Grounded

7th Sep 1939 Advance Party

8th Sep 1939 On the Move

9th Sep 1939 Demonstration

10th Sep 1939 Patrols

11th Sep 1939 Move

12th Sep 1939 Move

13th Sep 1939 Trenches

14th Sep 1939 Trenches

15th Sep 1939 Guns Tested

16th Sep 1939 Poor Weather

17th Sep 1939 Poor Weather

18th Sep 1939 Training

19th Sep 1939 Recconaissance

20th Sep 1939 Training

21st Sep 1939 Training

22nd Sep 1939 Quiet

23rd Sep 1939 Transport

24th Sep 1939 Aircraft

25th Sep 1939 Recconaissance

26th Sep 1939 Advance Party

27th Sep 1939 Preparations

28th Sep 1939 On the Move

29th Sep 1939 On the Move

30th Sep 1939 On the Move

30th Oct 1939 Aircraft Shot Down

2nd March 1940 Hurricane lost

12th May 1940 Losses on Bombing missions

12th May 1940 Maastricht bridges

13th May 1940 Three aircraft lost

14th May 1940 Three aircraft lost

15th May 1940 Pilots safe

17th May 1940 Airfield bombed

18th May 1940 Aircraft lost

19th May 1940 Two aircraft lost

19th May 1940 Bombers brought down

25th May 1940 Anti-aircraft fire

26th May 1940 Hurricane lost

5th June 1940 Two Hurricanes destroyed

14th June 1940 Air-cover for evacuating troops

17th June 1940 Enemy Attack

18th June 1940 Evacuated from France  With the enemy vanguard almost within striking distance, No.1 Squadron was evacuated on the 18th June, the last RAF unit to leave France. After a few days at Northolt, it returned to RAF Tangmere.



18th June 1940 Evacuated from France

1st August 1940 Relocated

11th August 1940  Ports and ships attacked

15th Aug 1940 Eagle Day

15th August 1940  Airfields attacked

16th August 1940 Aftermath of Eagle Day

1st Sept 1940 Air battle over Kent

3rd September 1940 Aircraft missing

6th September 1940 Battle of Briatin

7th Sept 1940 Battle of Britain

9th Sept 1940 Moved for respite

15th Dec 1940 Back to the front line

30th June 1941 Circus 27

1st January 1942 Little operational work

3rd January 1942 Commission granted

4th January 1942 Return from training

7th January 1942 Commission granted

10th January 1942 Crash landing at Tangmere

11th January 1942 Posting out as non effective sick

13th January 1942 Engineer Duties Posting

21st January 1942 Aircraft scrambled but no enemy activity

22nd January 1942 Scrambled but recalled

24th January 1942 Hurricane crash after caught in slipstream

30th January 1942 2 enemy aircraft attacked as well as a Goods train

2nd March 1942 Crash on night patrol

1st May 1942 Night Intruder attacks on trains

2nd May 1942 Train attacks

3rd May 1942 Motor boat and trains attacked

4th May 1942 Enemy aircraft and searchlights destroyed

5th May 1942 Tanker lorry and trains attacked

6th May 1942 Intruder missions with no activity

7th May 1942 No activity on Night Intruder mission

8th May 1942 Searchlights were seen but no flak

9th May 1942 Bad weather and poor visibility

21st May 1942 2 Aircraft on Intruder mission

24th May 1942 Havoc Co-op patrol

29th May 1942 Trains and signal box attacked

30th May 1942 Enemy aircraft and trains attacked

31st May 1942 4 Trains attacked on night intruder mission

1st June 1942 Enemy aircraft and Goods Trains attacked

2nd June 1942 DO217 shot down and a JU88 damaged

3rd June 1942 2 x DO 217`s destroyed and 2 DO 217`s damaged

4th June 1942  1 x He 111 Destroyed and 1 x DO 217 Destroyed and 1 x DO 217 claimed as damaged

5th June 1942 Heartiest congratulations on your squadrons last night’s success.

6th June 1942 Searchlight co-operation

7th June 1942 Formation flying

8th June 1942 Intruder missions by 6 Hurricane IIc

9th June 1942 Anew battery of 6 search lights noticed

10th June1942 Cannon tests by Hurricanes

11th June 1942 Havoc co-operation and cine gun practice

12th June 1942 2 Hurricanes IIb aircraft arrived

13th June 1942 ZZ Practice and formation flying

14th June1942 Intruder operations with no activity

15th June 1942 Attempted interception with Havoc`s

16th June 1942 Air firing and squadron formation flying

17th June 1942 No activity whilst on Intruder operations

18th June 1942 Search light co-operation, squadron formation and aerodrome attacks

19th June 1942 Practice aerodrome attacks

20th June 1942 Training taking place

21st June 1942 Searchlight and practice attacks

22nd June 1942 1 x unidentified twin engine aircraft claimed as damaged

23rd June 1942 Practice attacks with Army co-operation

24th June 1942 Intruder attacks on goods trains

25th June 1942 Two aircraft carried out Turbinlite interceptions

26th June 1942 1 Hurricane 11c W/O G Scott Canadian lost

27th June 1942 The AOC in C has been graciously please to award a Bar to the DFC to F/LT Kuttelwascher of No 1 Squadron

28th June 1942 Two pilots carried out operational Turbinlite interceptions<

29th June 1942 E Boat`s attacked

30th June 1942 5 Goods trains disabled

8th July 1942 Re-equipped for new role

30th June 1943 Pilot seriouslty injured by flak

22nd April 1944 Cover

7th January 1944 Noball attack cancelled

4th February 1944 Difficult day with nothing achieved

22nd June 1944 Defence of London

18th December 1944 In action over France

14th May 1945 Channel Islands

15th September 1945 Flypast


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Those known to have served with

No . 1 Squadron Royal Air Force

during the Second World War 1939-1945.

The names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed, please Add a Name to this List

Records of No . 1 Squadron Royal Air Force from other sources.



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Want to know more about No . 1 Squadron Royal Air Force?


There are:2150 items tagged No . 1 Squadron Royal Air Force available in our Library

  These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Second World War.


John Heron Lowes 5001 Squadron

John Lowes, 5001 Airfield Construction Squadron

John Heron met his second wife Christy Sarah Morrison, who was from the Isle of Harris and was managing the NAAFI, while serving at RAF Dyce, they were later together at RAF Acklington (I don't know if that was by design or coincidence, but expect it was the former). They married in late 1947 and were happily married for 29 years when John passed away in early 1977.

An Airfield Construction Squadron consisted of every known trade or profession involved in the building and construction industry. There would also be certain R.A.F. trades attached to a Flight or Squadron, e.g. cooks, clerks, medical, etc. This was essential under wartime conditions, when a flight or squadron arrived on a station to carry out a project or to repair bomb damage. The A.C. Squadrons with the Plant Squadrons and the Mechanical & Electrical Squadrons served in many locations in the period 1941 to 1946.

Andy Stuart



F/O J J R Campbell 1 Squadron

J Campbell served with 1 Squadron




P/O C L Bolster 1 Squadron (d.29th Mar 1943)

C Bolster served with 1 Squadron




Flt.Sgt. E. S.G. Sweeting No. 1 Squadron

Flt.Sgt. E.S.G. Sweeting was a pilot who flew Hurricanes and was based at RAF Tangmere.




P/O. B Kratkoruky 1 Squadron (d.15th Mar 1940)

B Kratkoruky  served with  1 Squadron




Lt. Victor Mundell 1 Squadron

My father-in-law, Victor Mundell, was a Spitfire pilot and was shot down in Tripolitania on the 16th of April 1943. Landing in a cactus field where he was captured by local Arabs, who later sold him to the Germans for a bag of flour. He was taken to Stalag Luft 3 and was a penguin during the building of the tunnels for the Great Escape, but did not make the list for escape. We don't know which compound he was in or what happened in the last months of the war but he arrived in England on the 9/5/1945.

We would be interested to hear from anyone else who had relatives in the SAAF in Stalag Luft 3

Chris Mundell







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