No. 200 Squadron RAF
| No. 200 Squadron RAF | |
|---|---|
 No. 200Squadron badge | |
| Active | July 1917 – 13 June 1919 May 1941 – April 1945 |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Branch | Royal Air Force |
| Motto(s) | Latin:In loco parentis "We act as guardians"[1] |
| Equipment | Lockheed Hudson Consolidated Liberator |
| Insignia | |
| Squadron Badge heraldry | In front of afountain,aPegasus. |
No. 200 Squadronof theRoyal Air Forceoperated during theFirstandSecond World War.The squadron was first formed in mid-1917 and during the First World War, it undertook a training role, before being disbanded in mid-1919. It was re-formed in 1941, and operated maritime patrol aircraft firstly from the United Kingdom, and then west Africa until early 1944 when it moved to India. In April 1945, the squadron was disbanded, having been renumberedNo. 8 Squadron RAF.
First World War
[edit]No. 200 Training Squadron Royal Flying Corps was formed at East Retford on 17 June 1917, it operated theRoyal Aircraft Factory F.E.2in the night flying training role.[2]It was disbanded on 13 June 1919 at the end of the war.[3]
Second World War
[edit]The squadron was formed on 25 May 1941 from a section ofNo. 206 Squadron RAFatRAF Bircham NewtoninNorfolk,the firstLockheed HudsonIVpatrol bombersfor the squadron arrived at the beginning of June. Later in the month the squadron deployed toRAF Gibraltarand then to theGambia,where it flew convoy protection missions out ofRAF Jeswang,moving toRAF Yundumin 1943 and re-equipping with the four-enginedConsolidated Liberator Vbombers.[2]
Detachments of the squadron also flew from several other West African airfields in this period.[4]
In March 1944, the squadron redeployed toMadrasin India as part of South East Asia Command. It only carried out a few missions from Madras before moving to Bengal for special duties, mainly supplying and delivering guerrilla parties into Burma and Malaya. In April 1945 it was renumbered asNo. 8 Squadron RAFand 200 Squadron was disbanded.[2][4]
Victoria Cross
[edit]In August 1943,Flying OfficerLloyd Allan Triggwas awarded theVictoria Crossfor an action in which his aircraft sankU-468,a Germansubmarine.Flying out ofBanjul,the Liberator V he piloteddepth-chargedthe submarine, taking heavy anti-aircraft fire in the process and crashing into the ocean with the loss of all crew. The only survivors of the engagement were seven German crewmen, who commended the bravery of the aircrew, making this one of the few Victoria Crosses to have been awarded on the recommendation of an enemy officer (and the only VC to be awardedsolelyon enemy testimony).[5]
Aircraft operated
[edit]- 1941–1942Lockheed HudsonIV[4]
- 1942–1943Lockheed HudsonIII and IIIA[4]
- 1942–1943Lockheed HudsonVI[4]
- 1943–1944Consolidated Liberator V[4]
- 1944–1945Consolidated Liberator VI[4]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]Citations
[edit]- ^Pine, LG (1983).A Dictionary of mottoes.London: Routledge & K. Paul. p.109.ISBN0-7100-9339-X.
- ^abcHalley 1969, p. 126
- ^Sturtivant & Hamlin 2007,p. 281.
- ^abcdefgJefford 1988,p. 67.
- ^Ashcroft 2007, pp. 346–348
Bibliography
[edit]- Ashcroft, M. (2007) [2006].Victoria Cross Heroes.Headline Review.ISBN978-0-7553-1633-5.
- Jefford, C. G. (1988).RAF Squadrons. A comprehensive record of the movement and equipment of all RAF squadrons and their antecedents since 1912.Shrewsbury,UK: Airlife.ISBN1-85310-053-6.
- Halley, J. J. (1969).Royal Air Force Unit Histories, Volume 1 Nos 1 to 200 Squadron.Air-Britain(Historians).
- Sturtivant, R.; Hamlin, J. (2007).Royal Air Force flying training and support units since 1912.UK: Air-Britain (Historians).ISBN978-0851-3036-59.
External links
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