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The Second
Canberra Era - 1972 to 1991
100
Squadron was reformed at RAF West Raynham on 1st
February 1972, equipped with English Electric
Canberra B2, T4 and T19 aircraft. Wing Commander
Burley assumed command of the reformed
Squadron.
100
Squadron had reformed for what was to be its
second era with Canberra aircraft. This would
turn out to be a 19-year stint in a variety of
demanding roles. 100 Squadron had returned to
‘keeping it going’ and our journey can resume.
Air
Chief Marshall Sir Andrew Humphrey, at the
Stand-Up Parade held at RAF West Raynham on
February 23rd 1972, returned the Squadron
Standard to 100 Squadron; the Standard had been
laid up in St George’s church, Stamford since
1968. This event was exactly 55 years to the day
since the Squadron had come into existence in
1917. Having recently celebrated the 90th
Anniversary of 100 Squadron, it is noteworthy
that since the 23rd February 1972 100
Squadron has continued for a further 25 years in
unbroken active front line role in the Royal Air
Force.
The
re-born Squadron was initially tasked with a
variety of roles including:
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The provision of pairs of
Canberras for training fighter controllers
in Practice Interceptions;
-
Target towing facilities to
give the live interception experience for
student crews from Fighter OCU’s;
-
Playing ‘the enemy’ for
fighter squadrons at home and abroad with
many deployments and detachments;
-
Participation in Air Defence
Exercises where banner targets were used for
fighter pilots to attack using live
ammunition;
-
Participation in maritime
exercises involving navies from the UK, USA
and the Netherlands simulating missiles or
conventional attacks on shipping.
The
maritime exercises established a long lasting
association with 8 Squadron equipped with
Airborne Early Warning Shackletons.
However, the Squadron continued to pay a heavy
price when Canberra WJ610 crashed killing all
crew members. But despite such tragedies, the
Squadron enjoyed their time at West Raynhma
under both Wg Cdr Burley and Wg Cdr
Harcourt-Smith.
1975 saw a major defence review, which resulted
in 85 Squadron merging with 100 Squadron. Then
in January 1976, under the command of Wg Cdr
Harvey, the Squadron moved to RAF Marham. Early
in 1976, 100 Squadron received 2 E15 Canberras,
which had been modified with updated navigation
and radio equipment, plus the aircrews from 98
Squadron. At the time, these additions made 100
one of the largest squadrons in the Royal Air
Force.
During
the remainder of 1976, the Squadron carried out
detachments to Dhahran in Saudi Arabia towing
banner targets for the Royal Saudi Air Force,
and to Stornoway for exercises with NATO
shipping in September. In August 1977, E15 WH
948 caught fire during an air test with the crew
having to eject close to Holt in Norfolk. Both
of the crew survived and there were no civilian
casualties. 1977 brought a detachment to Malta,
and also the 60th Birthday of the
Squadron with many former Squadron members
attending the celebrations.
November 1978 saw the unveiling of the memorial
at Holton le Clay, close to the Squadron’s WWII
base at Waltham. An emotional gathering of
Lancaster veterans witnessed the ceremony with
Wg Cdr Peter le Marquand performing the
unveiling. This was one of his last acts as CO;
he handed command to Wg Cdr Blockey at the end
of the year.
1979
was a busy year with detachments to Akrotiri in
February for target towing exercises with
fighter crews, and to Saxa Vord in March to
carry out a major radar calibration of the Air
Defence Radar. In July, the Squadron deployed to
Stornoway to operate in an anti shipping role;
during this detachment, one crew suffered an
engine failure during the approach and ‘landed’
on the beach then bouncing onto the runway with
no more damage than a burst main tyre and a
slightly bent nose-wheel mudguard!
1980
saw the Squadron continuing to operate in its
various roles with detachments to Akrotiri in
January to be followed by work at Gutersloh and
Leeuwarden. Further E15’s were received and WJ
975, the last T19 was pensioned off to
Marshall’s of Cambridge. The Squadron continued
to pay a heavy price, when B2 WH667 suffered
engine failure during take off from Akrotiri,
and both of the crew lost their lives.
In
January 1981, 7 Squadron merged with 100
Squadron under the command of Wg Cdr Landeryou.
7 Squadron were equipped with TT18 Canberra’s
towing the Rushton target using the Rushton
Winch. The Rushton Winch permitted the towing of
targets on 20000 feet of wire for the training
of Army and RAF Regiment Units firing Rapier
Missiles in a ground to air mode. 13 Squadron
also disbanded with 4 of its PR7 Canberra’s
joining the now very large 100 Squadron.
Concurrent with absorbing new aircraft and
roles, the Squadron also undertook a major
exercise from Ovar, a NATO airfield in northern
Portugal, with the Canberra’s being directed to
their targets by aircraft of the Portuguese air
force.
100
Squadron left Marham and moved to RAF Wyton on 5th
January 1982 where the Squadron aircraft
strength was 7 B2’s, 4 PR7’s, 5 E15’s and 7
TT18’s. After the move to Wyton, the Squadron
flew a philatelic cover for the RAF Museum at
Hendon commemorating the Fe2b. It depicted Fe2bs
taking off from Nancy/Ochey. The Canberra’s
carrying the covers retraced the routes flown 64
years earlier by Lt Williamson, who had flown
the Fe2b’s in 1918, and later he signed special
versions of the covers. The Squadron deployed
to Akrotiri again in February 1982. During this
detachment WK 116 crashed into the sea with both
crew members surviving the accident.
The
first detachment using the ‘Rushton target’ to
Kinloss involved the Squadron flying under radar
control to the Royal Artillery Range off
Benbecula. This was a highly successful
detachment, and resulted in such events becoming
a routine aspect of the tasking for the
Squadron. From April 1982 onwards, the Squadron
flew a large number of sorties within the UK in
support of the Falklands war effort, and
although Squadron PR7’s were prepared for a
Falklands deployment, they were not required. Wg
Cdr Adams took command in August 1982. 1983 saw
further extensions to 100 Squadron’s training
roles with the addition of sleeve targets for
the RN Gunnery School, and the provision of low
level targets for Army Air Defence Units. There
were detachments to Lajes in the Azores
participating in maritime exercises, and also to
Belize via Keflavik, Gander and Bermuda to
flight check the Belize airfield radar and
TACAN. Wg Cdr Mike Purdie took command in
October 1983.
On 14th
December 1984, 100 Squadron received its new
Standard from MRAF Sir Michael Beetham the then
Chief of the Air Staff. Amongst many
distinguished guests, Lt Roy Shillinglaw was
also in attendance. Roy had been a FE2b
Observer in 1918. Also in attendance was Sqn
Ldr Dave (Robbie) Robb from Canada. He told Wg
Cdr Purdie about a reunion of ex-100 Squadron
Canadians held in Mississauga. This meeting
sparked the beginnings of the 100 Squadron
Association. The old Standard was laid up for
the third and final time on 20th October 1985 in
St George’s, Stamford, where it still rests.
During
1985 the Squadron participated in large scale
exercises from bases in Skrydstrup in Denmark,
Lista and Stornoway. Detachments to Warton for
Tornado F2 trials work, and to Akrotiri
providing banner targets for USN F14 Tomcats
operating from USS Nimitz. Also during 1985 the
100 Squadron Association was formed.
In
1986 the Squadron deployed to Akrotiri and
Kinloss, and also took part in a French maritime
exercise based at the French Naval Air Station
of Landisvisiau. The Squadron also deployed to
Machrihanish during August and September for a
further maritime exercise, and in October
undertook a detachment to Bergen/Flesland for a
major exercise involving simulated attacks on
the UK Air Defence System. Wg Cdr Reg
McKendrick was now in Command.
1987
saw the 70th Anniversary of the
Squadron, and in October a Reunion was held at
RAF Wyton with Lt Roy Shillinglaw present. AVM
John Herrington became the first President of
the Association, and the guests were treated to
a magnificent air display. This video made of
that Reunion speaks for itself.
1988
was another very busy year for 100 Squadron. In
addition to carrying out all of the, by now,
routine detachments, the Squadron also deployed
to Keflavik and to Nordholz in Germany. The
Squadron visited Bergen carrying out low-level
simulated attacks against shipping well north of
the Arctic Circle. In August the Squadron
displayed aircraft at the Bilbao air show; this
raised a lot of interest, as this was the first
visit of RAF Canberras to Spain. However, 1988
ended with TT18 WK127 leaving the runway during
a landing at Wyton with the undercart having to
be retracted to avoid collision with the control
tower!
Yet
another busy year followed in 1989 with the
Squadron, again in addition to the routine
deployments to Akrotiri and the Hebrides,
visiting Kinloss to carry out trials into the
use of Canberra’s in Short Range Maritime Patrol
task. This proved to be very popular with the
crews as it afforded the opportunity to fly at
250 feet and investigating every ship in sight!
Also in 1989, Wyton hosted celebrations marking
the 40th Anniversary of the first
Canberra flight with more than 1500 Canberra
aircrew and engineering officers in attendance.
1990
proved to be every bit as busy and interesting
as the previous year, with 100 Squadron’s
capability being stretched even further. The
year contained the familiar detachments to
Akrotiri, the Hebrides and a return to Keflavik
in April. Also in April, 100 Squadron sent 2
Canberra’s to the Royal Netherlands Air Force
base at Valkenburg to take part in the 45th
Anniversary of ‘Operation Manna’. On 29th
April the 2 Canberra’s performing a fly past at
Ypenburg, the site of the Squadron’s first Manna
drop. The waiting crowds gave the Canberra’s a
very warm welcome. Later in 1990 overseas
training flights to the Spanish military air
base at Getafe, Madrid were made on 2 occasions.
In September of 1990 Sqn Ldr Alex Wedderburn
retired after a long and distinguished career in
the RAF. He had flown in almost all of the
Canberra types, and 100 Squadron provided him
with a retirement befitting his contribution to
the RAF. In true 100 Squadron style, Alex had
‘kept it going’. Shortly after this, Wg Cdr
Keith Douglas took over command.
Monday, 18th March 1991 was a black day for both
Wyton and for 100 Squadron. T4 WJ 877 crashed on
take off and exploded on the A141 road. In this
crash Grp Capt McKendrick the Wyton Station
Commander, who had also been CO of 100 Squadron
during the 70th Anniversary Reunion,
was killed. Also killed in the crash were Flt
Lts Adam and Wilkinson. The Squadron continued
to pay the price, and in so doing, lost
excellent airmen.
By June 1991 it was confirmed that the
Canberra’s were to be withdrawn and that 100
Squadron would re-equip with Hawk T1 aircraft
from 1992. By September 1991, only 10 Canberras
remained with 100 Squadron, with the first three
Hawks arriving at Wyton. The final Canberra
deployments were to Montijo near Lisbon, to Leck
and Stavanger and to Birigat in Egypt with the
last detachment to the Hebrides taking place in
December 1991. With
the ending of the second Canberra era for 100
Squadron, it is worth noting that during the
period from January 1972 until December 1991,
the Squadron had operated a total of 48
Canberra’s in a variety of roles.
Adding in the first Canberra era between 1954
and 1959, 100 Squadron had operated the first
jet bomber of the RAF for over 24 years
contributing much to Bomber Command and to the
Royal Air Force. During these 24 years, 100
Squadron had lost many good airmen but, and true
to her traditions, had ‘kept it going’.
100
Squadron’s journey is not yet over. Re-equipping
with Hawk T1 aircraft opens the next part of the
journey of this remarkable Squadron.
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