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Squadron Formation 1917
100 Squadron was formed from
squadrons in the Home Defence Wing, for the purpose of night
bombing, at Farnborough in February 1917 under the command of
Major M G Christie CMG., DSO., MC. who commanded 100 Squadron
until December 1917. The squadron embarked for France on 21st
March 1917 from Southampton bound for Le Havre. From Le Havre
the squadron personnel were moved, via Rouen, to St Andre
aerodrome where the Fe2b aircraft arrived on 28th March. On 1st
April the squadron moved to Izel le Hameau as a part of 3
Brigade.
World War I 1917 to
1918
The first offensive operation
was against Douai Aerodrome on the night of the 5th/6th April
when the squadron attacked with 18 aircraft. This aerodrome was
home to the 'Richtofen Circus' the cream of the German Flying
Corps. This was the first night bombing raid ever conducted, and
the raids achieved good results with several hangars being
destroyed and the aerodrome being evacuated. Richtofen spoke
highly of the bravery of the attacking squadron. The squadron
supported the Battle of Vimy Ridge and Arras during April and
May targeting railway junctions, convoys and German troops on
roads. Aerodromes were also attacked in an attempt to gain
mastery of the air. The squadron remained at Izel le Hameau
until 16th May. Then orders were received to move to Trexennes
close to Aire and St Omer, where the squadron undertook
operations against German aircraft attacking the steel factory
at Iseberges. German troops shelled the airfield and groundcrew
were killed whilst servicing the aircraft. In June 1917 the
squadron supported the Battle of Messines.
Throughout July, August and
September of 1917, the squadron undertook night bombing
operations with very few casualties. This work was in support of
the third Battle of Ypres The squadron instituted an 'Operations
Room' containing maps, charts and target photographs, where
pilots and crews would receive briefings prior to combat
operations.
Night bombing operations
would commence just before dark with the FE2b's being wheeled
out of the hangars, loaded up with bombs, and got into line of
flights ready to be taxied out to the flare path. Pilots and
observers would climb aboard and on the order to start engines,
the squadron would roar into life with aircraft taking off in
turn. The average time per sortie was around 2 hours with a
de-briefing after landing.
After the third Battle of
Ypres, on the 2nd October 1917 orders were received to move to
Ochey some 7 miles from Neufchateau, with Toul 9 miles to the
north and Nancy 14 miles to the north-east. The squadron
commenced operations from Ochey by carrying out a raid on
Marlenbach Junction. However, the Germans quickly retaliated by
carrying out raids on Ochey damaging squadron aircraft, ground
equipment and vehicles. Additionally, the German raids caused
extensive damage to hangars and other facilities.
On 29th March 1918, the
squadron moved again; this time to Villesneux which was west of
Chalons-Sur Marne. The stay at this airfield was short, and the
squadron moved back to Ochey on 12th May 1918. Lt Col Christie
had handed over command to Major W J Tempest DSO., MC. on
December 11th 1917, and Major Tempest handed over command to
Major C G Burge OBE. on 12th June 1918.
On 10th August 1918, the
squadron moved to a new Independent Force airfield Xaffavillers
and said goodbye to the Fe2b's when it was re-equipped with the
new Handley-Page aircraft. The squadron was the first to be
incorporated into the new Independent Air Force, and it was then
organised into two flights of 5 aircraft to each flight. This
airfield was some 15 miles from the front line, and the German
air force raided on 19th August setting fire to a petrol
dump.100 Squadron carried out raids on German cities during the
period up to November 1918. The squadron was the first to bomb
Germany and the targets included Frankfort, Mannheim, Offenberg,
Kaiserslautern, Karlsruhe, Saarbrucken, Ehrange and Trier.
On 11th November the
armistice occurred and all bombing ceased. The work of 100
Squadron was at an end, and the squadron departed for Ligescourt
on 16th November, flying via Vezelise, St Dizier, Sezanne,
Meaux, Clermont, Amiens and Abbeville where it arrived on 22nd
November to await orders for the move back to the UK.
The Battle Honours for 100
Squadron were Vimy April 1917; Arras April to May 1917; Messines
June 1917; 3rd Battle of Ypres culminating in the Battle of
Passchendale July to October 1917; Amiens April 1918; St Michel
September 1918; Argonne October to November 1918.
Independent Force
The Squadron became part of
Independent Force, which was commanded by Major General Hugh
Trenchard, in June 1918. 100 Squadron attacked the Metz - Sablon
railway triangle on 5th June 1918 to celebrate this event.
During the month of June 1918, 100 Squadron were very active
attacking many targets with their FE 2b's in support of the
ground offensive as the German army literally 'ran out of
steam'.
On 10th August the Squadron
said goodbye to the FE 2b's and re-equipped with the
Handley-Page 0-400, which was the main heavy bomber of WWI. The
HP 0-400 had a top speed of 97mph and could carry a bomb load of
2000 pounds. On 25th August one of the new 0-400's crashed on
take off; as Lt Roy Shillinglaw reported "...it failed to make
height...when it struck one of the trees with its starboard
wing....I knew the bombs would go off - they did...[and]...the
blast blew back the trees...[killing]...eight
men...[with]...fifteen injured."
Between September and
November 1918, as the war drew to a close, 100 Squadron attacked
many targets in Germany itself including Kaiserslautern,
Saarbrucken, Mannheim and Frankfurt am Main. Wg Cdr Brookes has
commented that the Squadron was the first to bomb Germany, and
that the last RAF aircraft to return from a raid as the
cease-fire came into effect also belonged to 100 Squadron.
During WWI, 100 Squadron
carried out 213 raids, dropped 185 tons of bombs, fired 450 000
rounds of ammunition and brought down 5 enemy aircraft. Bravery
awards to Squadron personnel included 8 MC's, 8 DFC's and 3
MSM's. At the end of hostilities Trenchard, writing to Major
Burge, the last war-time CO, said "...100 Squadron...started
with a splendid name and within a few weeks I was counting on it
as one of my best weapons for hitting the enemy....I can only
say that it was 'one of the great squadrons' of the war. I was
very proud to have had the honour to command such an efficient
squadron."
Immediately after the
Armistice, 100 Squadron was ordered north awaiting orders to
return to the United Kindgom. By June 1919, Major Burge knew
that 100 Squadron would be retained in the newly formed RAF with
a peace time role, and he wrote to Squadron personnel sending
his good wishes. He concluded by urging all who served with 100
Squadron to "Keep up the good name of '100', carry through its
traditions, 'KEEP IT GOING', and play the game."
The Inter-War Years 1918
to 1933
The Squadron remained in
France based at St Inglevert, south west of Calais where it took
over the aircraft of 207 Squadron. It was not until September
1919 that 100 returned to the UK and was posted to Baldonnel, Co
Dublin as part of 11 (Irish) Group, flying Bristol Fighters on
propaganda leaflet dropping missions against Sinn Fein.
In
February 1920, Major Burge handed over command to Sqn Ldr, the
Honourable, L. J. E. Twistleton-Wykeham-Fiennes, who remained in
command until November. Sqn Ldr J. V. Steel OBE assumed command
for a short time until 19th February 1921 when Sqn Ldr F. Sowrey
took over.
On 4th
February 1922, the Squadron was posted to Spitalgate near
Grantham in Lincolnshire and
re-equipped with Avro 504Ks and DH9As to become a training
unit. In March 1922, four Vickers Vimy aircraft were received
and ′D′ Flight was formed. Pilots were trained on the 504s and
DH9As before transferring to the Vimy after just 5 hours solo
flying!
In
1923-24, the RAF expanded again, and in May 1924, 100 Squadron -
now under the command of Sqn Ldr H. F. A. Gordon, moved to
Eastchurch in Kent to re-equip with Fairey Fawns - a light
bomber, and was officially designated 100 (Bomber) Squadron
forming part of the new UK-based, day bomber force.
In June
1925, 100 Squadron had the distinction of leading four squadrons
at the Hendon Air Pageant.
By 1926,
100 Squadron was back at Spitalgate, under the command of Sqn
Ldr L. T. N. Gould, were it resumed routine training and bombing
exercises.
Between
August and December 1926, the Squadron re-equipped again with
Hawker Horsley day bombers.
For three
months each year, 100 Squadron was detached to Weston Zoyland in Somerset for exercises in air firing and
bombing practice. Additionally, ′C′ Flight operated as a target
towing facility for anti-aircraft gunners at Watchet.
This
period has been described as the hey-day of unrestricted flying
for the RAF. Wg Cdr Brookes describes an occasion in 1927: “… a
motorist, ignoring all danger signals and confused by the fact
that the airfield was unfenced and level with the road, parked
his car under the approach path of a Horsley. The irate pilot
swung round and chased the petrified motorist down the road in
his aeroplane!”
In January
1928, the Squadron moved to Bicester in Oxfordshire where, in
addition to its normal training, the Squadron provided
formations of Horsleys to act as targets for fighter squadrons
and provided the bomber force in mock attacks against fighter
bases such as Tangmere. In October 1928, the Squadron came 7th
in the Lawrence Minot Bombing Competition. In January 1929, Sqn
Ldr Gould handed command to Sqn Ldr W. B. Farrington. Among the
tasks the Squadron undertook was the testing of experimental W/T
equipment and trials of Direction Finding and R/T fixing. The
Squadron also tested the new Hawker Hart and Avro Antelope
aircraft.
The
Squadron moved again in November 1930 to Donibristle in
Fife , where the Horsleys were converted to carry
2150 lb torpedoes. For the next two years, the Squadron
regularly made practice torpedo attacks on Royal Navy shipping
entering or leaving the Firth of Forth. The Horsley’s
conversion from day bomber to torpedo bomber was not a success,
and the RAF issued a specification for an aircraft specially
designed for the role. The outcome was the Vickers Vildebeest.
In January
1931, Sqn Ldr L. G. LeB Croke assumed command of 100 Squadron
and remained in post until November 1935. In November 1932, the
Squadron was the first to be re-equipped with the new
Vildebeests and, in 1933, was officially designated 100
(Torpedo) Bomber Squadron.
The next
move for 100 was to
Singapore , and on 8th
December 1933, with the Vildebeests packed in crates, the
Squadron departed for the Far East in the SS Pampura from London docks. Christmas 1933 was spent on
board ship in dock in Aden . By 5th January
1934, 100 Squadron was settling into its new quarters at
Seletar, where it remained for the next eight years.
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