No. 6 Squadron RAF

Number 6 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the Eurofighter Typhoon FGR.4 at RAF Lossiemouth.^[4] It was previously equipped with the SEPECAT Jaguar GR.3 in the close air support and tactical reconnaissance roles, and was posted to RAF Coltishall, Norfolk until April 2006, moving to RAF Coningsby until disbanding for the first time in its history on 31 May 2007. The squadron officially reformed as a Typhoon squadron on 6 September 2010.^[5] No. 6 Squadron is unique in having two Royal standards, having been awarded its second one by King Abdullah I of Jordan in October 1950 due to its long period of service in the Middle East.

No. 6 Squadron RAF
Squadron badge
Active	31 January 1914 (1914-01-31) – 1 April 1918 (RFC) 1 April 1918 – 31 May 2007 (RAF) 6 September 2010 – present
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	Royal Air Force
Type	Flying squadron
Role	Multi–role combat
Part of	No. 1 Group (Air Combat)
Home station	RAF Lossiemouth
Nickname(s)	'The Flying Tin Openers'^[1]
Motto(s)	Oculi Exercitus (Latin for 'The eyes of the army')^[2]
Aircraft	Eurofighter Typhoon FGR.4
Battle honours	Western Front (1914–1918)* Neuve Chappelle (1915)* Ypres (1915)* Loos (1915) Somme (1916)* Ypres (1917) Amiens (1918) Hindenburg Line (1918) Iraq (1919–1920) Kurdistan (1922–1924) Palestine (1936–1939) Egypt and Libya (1940–1943)* El Alamein* (1942) El Hamma Italy (1944–1945)* South-East Europe (1944–1945) Gulf (1991)* Bosnia (1995)* * Honours marked with an asterisk may be emblazoned on the Squadron Standard
Commanders
Current commander	Wing Commander N J Rees
Insignia
Squadron tail badge
Squadron badge heraldry	An eagle, wings elevated, preying on a serpent. The use of the Royal Regiment of Artillery's red lightning bolt on a light background, was adopted in recognition of the squadron's close cooperation with the Royal Artillery during the First World War.^[3] The badge was approved by King George VI in January 1938.
Roundel
Aircraft codes	EA–EZ (Present)

History

First World War

 

Lanoe Hawker's Bristol Scout C 1611, flown by Hawker on 25 July 1915 in his Victoria Cross-earning engagement.

The squadron was formed on 31 January 1914, at Farnborough as No. 6 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps. Its first squadron commander was Major John Becke.^[6] The squadron had an initial aircraft inventory of two Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2s and two Farmans, with the squadron also initially incorporating a flight operating man-lifting kite.^[7] The squadron, equipped with a mixture of B.E.2s, Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.8s and Farmans crossed the English Channel in October 1914 to support IV Corps in its attempt to prevent the Germans from capturing Antwerp.^[8][9] In November, the squadron joined the newly formed 2nd Wing of the RFC, with the role of supporting the Second and Third Corps.^[10]

On 25 July 1915, Captain Lanoe Hawker attacked three German aircraft in succession. The first aerial victory for Hawker that day occurred after he emptied a complete drum of bullets from his aircraft's single Lewis machine gun into a German aircraft which went spinning down. The second victory saw a German aircraft driven to the ground damaged, and the third saw a German aircraft – an Albatros C.I of FFA 3 – burst into flames and crash. For this feat he was awarded the Victoria Cross.^[11]

Inter-war years

 

Hawker Hardy aircraft operating from RAF Ramleh airfield in the 1930s

Following the Armistice, the squadron transferred to Iraq, arriving in July 1919. Operating in the army co-operation role in Northern Iraq, it was equipped with Bristol Fighters. It was later re-equipped with Fairey Gordons and assumed the bomber role, Hawker Harts replacing these in 1935.^[12]

Second World War

 

No. 6 Squadron Hawker Hurricane Mk.IId BP188 over the Western Desert during 1942.

The squadron relocated to Palestine in 1938, reverting to the army co-operation role with Hawker Hardys, adding Gloster Gauntlets and Westland Lysanders.^[13] When hostilities with Italy broke out in June 1940, the squadron deployed one flight of aircraft to Egypt to work with the army, with the remainder of the squadron remained in Palestine.^[14] Between September 1940 and September 1943 the squadron saw action in the tank-busting, 40 mm cannon-firing Hawker Hurricane Mk. IID, over the Western Desert.^[13]

In the spring of 1944, the squadron moved to a coastal field south-east of Termoli, Italy. The squadron flew Hurricane Mk.IVs equipped with rocket projectiles. Moored Axis ships were attacked at Yugoslav harbours and the Dalmatian islands. They were strongly defended by anti-aircraft gunners on Siebel ferries with their multiple guns, as the ships were being used to supply the German forces. Squadron detachments were also made to Bastia in Corsica, Araxos near Patras in Greece, Brindisi, and near Ancona. A fixed 44-gallon extra petrol tank under the port wing increased the Hurricanes' duration to almost three hours at 160 mph (260 km/h) cruising speed. The airfield on Vis (island) was extensively used as an advanced base from May 1944 to February 1945, usually to top up tanks before each armed reconnaissance.^[15][16]

Post-Second World War/Cold War

In July 1945, the squadron moved to Palestine where it cooperated with the police, patrolling the Kirkuk-to-Haifa oil pipeline to prevent terrorist attacks. The squadron remained in the Middle East until 1969. During this period, the squadron went from being equipped with Hurricanes (and for a brief period four Spitfires due to a lack of available Hurricanes) to Hawker Tempest Mk. VIs and subsequently de Havilland Vampire FB.5s.^[17]

In January 1950, the squadron moved to RAF Habbaniya in Iraq with many moves back and forth between RAF Habbaniya and RAF Shaibah in Iraq, RAF Abu Sueir and RAF Deversoir in the Suez Canal Zone, RAF Nicosia in Cyprus, RAF Mafraq and RAF Amman in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and detachments throughout the Middle East. While visiting Amman on 15 October 1950, No. 6 Squadron was awarded a Royal Standard by King Abdullah I of Jordan in recognition of the squadron's service in the Middle East since 1919.^[18] The squadron continued its close relationship with Jordan throughout the early 1950s, with both King Talal and King Hussein. During this period, it continued to operate Vampires FB.5s and FB.9s(1952) and two twin-seat Gloster Meteor T.7s until it re-equipped with de Havilland Venom FB.1 in February 1954 and the Venom FB.4 in June 1955.^[19]

On 6 April 1956, after a brief period back at RAF Habbaniya in Iraq the squadron returned to Cyprus and operated from RAF Akrotiri.^[20] From there it attacked Egyptian airfields during the Suez Crisis. In 1957, the squadron again re-equipped, this time with English Electric Canberras, which it continued to operate from Akrotiri until 1969.^[21]

 

A No. 6 Squadron SEPECAT Jaguar GR.3 over northern Iraq during 2000.

Having been located outside of the UK for 50 years, the squadron returned in 1969 and was the first to receive the Phantom FGR.2 at RAF Coningsby the same year, before re-equipping with the Jaguar GR.1 and T.2 at RAF Lossiemouth in 1974. The squadron then moved to RAF Coltishall, being declared operational in the tactical nuclear role with twelve aircraft and eight WE.177 nuclear bombs until 1994, when the squadron's nuclear role was terminated and the weapons withdrawn.^[22][23]

Post-Cold War

The squadron continued at RAF Coltishall in its non-nuclear role until Coltishall closed on 1 April 2006, and the squadron moved to RAF Coningsby. The squadron's aircraft were deployed to the Gulf as part of Operation Granby (Gulf War), for which it received battle honours, and later as part of the Northern No-Fly-Zone. The squadron deployed to Italy for operations over Bosnia from 1993.^[24]

The squadron was the last to fly the SEPECAT Jaguar, and was disbanded on 31 May 2007. The Jaguar's intended replacement in RAF service was the Eurofighter Typhoon. The RAF announced that No. 6 Squadron was to be the fourth operational front-line squadron equipped with the Typhoon and the first with Tranche 2 aircraft, initially scheduled to reform in 2008 at RAF Leuchars in Fife. However, this was delayed until 2010, with the squadron reforming at RAF Leuchars on 6 September 2010, when a closed standing-up ceremony was performed to mark the squadron's reforming, including the arrival of the new Typhoon aircraft in 6 Squadron colours from RAF Coningsby.^[4] It has taken over the role of Quick Reaction Alert for the north of the United Kingdom from No. 111 Squadron RAF, the RAF's last Panavia Tornado F.3 squadron, in March 2011.^[4][25] In November 2011 four Typhoons from No. 6 Squadron flew to RMAF Butterworth to participate in aerial wargames for the 40th anniversary of the Five Power Defence Arrangements.^[26][27] In August 2013, several Typhoons from No. 6 were exercising with HMS Dragon and US fighters in the Gulf.^[28] In June 2014, the squadron began to move to its new home in RAF Lossiemouth.^[29]

The squadron participated in the 2018 missile strikes against Syria during the Syrian Civil War.^[30]

In March 2020, the squadron was awarded the right to emblazon a battle honour on its squadron standard, recognising its role in Bosnia during 1995.^[31]

Aircraft operated

 

Two Eurofighter Typhoons FGR.4 of No. 6 Squadron carry Paveway II training rounds en route to the Cape Wrath range in Scotland during March 2013.

Aircraft operated included:

• Farman MF.7 "Long Horn" and MF.11 "Short Horn" (1914)
• Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2 variants (1914)
• Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.8 (1918)
• Bristol Scout (1915)
• Bristol F2B "Brisfit" (to 1931)
• Fairey Gordon
• Gloster Gauntlet
• Hawker Hart (1935)
• Hawker Demon (1935)
• Hawker Hardy (1938)
• Westland Lysander
• Gloster Gladiator
• Hawker Hurricane (1941)
• Hawker Hurricane IID — Famous "Tankbusting" variant (1942–1944)
• Hawker Hurricane IV — Ground Attack variant (1944–1946)
• Bristol Blenheim
• Supermarine Spitfire (1946)
• Hawker Tempest (1946–1949)
• de Havilland Vampire (1949)
• de Havilland Venom FB.4
• English Electric Canberra B.2, B.15, B.16 (1957–1969)
• McDonnell Douglas F-4M Phantom FGR.2 (1969–1974)
• SEPECAT Jaguar GR.3 (1974–2007)
• Eurofighter Typhoon FGR.4 (2007 – present)^[4]

Commanding officers

List of commanding officers^[32][33]

From	To	Name
February 1914	March 1915	Major John Becke^[6]
March 1915	December 1915	Major Gordon Shephard^[34]
December 1915	September 1916	Major Reginald Mills, MC AFC^[35]
September 1916	June 1917	Major Arthur Barratt, MC^[36]
June 1917	July 1918	Major Archibald James, MC
July 1918	February 1920	Major George Pirie, MC^[37]
13 February 1920	31 March 1920	S/Ldr W Sowrey^[38]
May 1920	April 1922	S/Ldr E A B Rice
April 1922	January 1924	S/Ldr Edye Rolleston Manning, DSO MC
January 1924	November 1925	S/Ldr D S K Crosbie, OBE
November 1925	November 1926	S/Ldr D F Stevenson, DSO, MC^[39]
November 1926	January 1928	S/Ldr Cyril Lowe, MC DFC
January 1928	February 1930	S/Ldr Claude Hilton Keith
February 1930	February 1931	S/Ldr C R Cox, AFC
February 1934	January 1937	S/Ldr Herbert Massey, DSO, MC^[40]
February 1940	September 1940	S/Ldr William Neil McKechnie,
September 1940	April 1941	S/Ldr E R Weld
April 1941	February 1942	S/Ldr P Legge
February 1942	January 1943	W/Cdr R C Porteous, DSO
January 1943	May 1943	S/Ldr D Weston-Burt, DSO
May 1943	May 1944	W/Cdr A E Morrison-Bell, DFC
May 1944	August 1944	S/Ldr J H Brown, DSO, DFC
August 1944	November 1944	S/Ldr R H Langdon-Davies, DFC
November 1944	July 1946	S/Ldr R Slade-Betts, DFC
August 1946	December 1946	S/Ldr C E Mould
December 1946	November 1947	S/Ldr C K Gray, DFC
November 1947	July 1950	S/Ldr Denis Crowley-Milling, DSO DFC & Bar
July 1950	November 1952	S/Ldr P A Kennedy, DSO, DFC, AFC
November 1952	October 1954	S/Ldr E J Roberts
October 1954	November 1956	S/Ldr P C Ellis, DFC
November 1956	July 1957	S/Ldr G P Elliott
May 1969	August 1970	W/Cdr David Harcourt-Smith
August 1970	December 1972	W/Cdr J E Nevill
December 1972	June 1974	W/Cdr B W Lavender
June 1974	Jul 1975	W/Cdr R J Quarterman
Jul 1975	Dec 1977	Wg Cdr N R Hayward
Dec 1977	Mar 1980	Wg Cdr G B Robertson
Mar 1980	Aug 1982	Wg Cdr M N Evans
Aug 1982	Dec 1984	Wg Cdr D W Bramley
Dec 1984	Jun 1987	Wg Cdr N A Buckland
Jun 1987	Dec 1989	Wg Cdr I Reilly
Dec 1989	Feb 1992	Wg Cdr (later Gp Capt) J Connolly, AFC
Feb 1992	Jul 1994	Wg Cdr A D Sweetman
Jul 1994	Dec 1996	Wg Cdr I A Milne
Dec 1996	Jul 1999	Wg Cdr M J Roche
Jul 1999	Jul 2002	Wg Cdr R W Judson
Jul 2002	Jul 2004	Wg Cdr M J Sears, MBE
Jul 2004	Apr 2006	Wg Cdr W A Cruickshank
Apr 2006	May 2007	Wg Cdr J M Sullivan
Sep 2010	Oct 2012	Wg Cdr R Dennis
Oct 2012	Aug 2014	Wg Cdr M R Baulkwill
Aug 2014	Nov 2016	Wg Cdr J R E Walls, DSO
Nov 2016	May 2019	Wg Cdr W D Cooper
May 2019	Sep 2021	Wg Cdr M D’Aubyn
Sep 2021	Present	Wg Cdr N J Rees

See also

• List of Royal Air Force aircraft squadrons

References

Notes

1. "1939 – 1945". 6 Squadron RAF Association. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
2. Pine, L.G. (1983). A dictionary of mottoes (1 ed.). London: Routledge & Kegan Paul. p. 160. ISBN 0-7100-9339-X.
3. Smith, Peter C. (1974). Royal Air Force squadron badges (1 ed.). St. Ives [Cambs.]: Balfour Publications. p. 14. ISBN 0-85944-012-5.
4. McManamon, Craig (7 September 2010). . The Courier (Dundee). Archived from the original on 11 September 2010. Retrieved 7 September 2010.
5. Dsouza, Cavin (5 October 2010). "Eurofighter Typhoon replaces Tornado F3 in No. 6 Squadron of the Royal Air Force". Defence Aviation. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
6. Barrass, M. B. (16 June 2020). "J. H. W. Becke". Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
7. Yoxall 1950, p. 617
8. Yoxall 1950, p. 618
9. Raleigh 1922, p. 346
10. Raleigh 1922, p. 435
11. "No. 29273". The London Gazette. 24 August 1915. p. 8395.
12. "1919-1935". 6 Squadron Association. Retrieved 7 June 2019.
13. "No. 6 Squadron (RAF): Second World War". History of War. Retrieved 7 June 2019.
14. Yoxall 1951, p. 11
15. Jefford, C.G. (2001). RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive Record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury: Airlife Publishing. ISBN 1-84037-141-2.
16. The "Tin-opener". No 6 Squadron (RAF) Association Newsletter. July 2014.
17. Jefford 1988, p. 26
18. "6 Squadron Standards". 6 Squadron RAF Association. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
19. Jefford, C.G. (2001). RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive Record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury: Airlife Publishing. ISBN 1-84037-141-2.
20. Air Chief Marshal Sir David Lee, "Flight From The Middle East," (H.M.S.O. London, UK, 1980), ISBN 0117723568, 106; Jefford, "RAF Squadrons," 1988, 26.
21. Brookes, Andrew (2014). RAF Canberra Units of the Cold War. Osprey. ISBN 978-1782004110.
22. Burnell, Brian. "WE.177C". A Guide to British Nuclear Weapon projects. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
23. Burnell, Brian (2009). "Nuclear weapons details and No. 6 Squadron data for 1975". A Guide to British Nuclear Weapon projects. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
24. "1991-2003". 6 Squadron Association. Retrieved 7 June 2019.
25. "Squadron with Style". Royal Air Force. 30 June 2014. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
26. "MINDEF". Singapore Ministry of Defence. 2 November 2011. Archived from the original on 5 August 2012. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
27. "Malaysian exercise resounding success for RAF Typhoon squadron". Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
28. . Navy News. 21 August 2013. Archived from the original on 30 April 2014. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
29. Gibson, Ali (23 June 2014). "6 Squadron Mark Relocation to RAF Lossiemouth". Forces TV. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
30. "Strikes on Syria: Tornado back at war". Air Forces Monthly. 14 April 2018. Retrieved 7 June 2019.
31. "RAF Squadrons Receive Battle Honours from Her Majesty The Queen". Royal Air Force. 24 March 2020. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
32. Rawlings 1982, p. 17.
33. Rawlings 1978, pp. 33,561.
34. Barrass, M. B. (2015). "G S Shephard". Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
35. Barrass, M. B. (2015). "R. P. Mills". Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
36. Barrass, M. B. (2015). "A. S. Barratt". Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
37. Barrass, M. B. (2015). "G. C. Pirie". Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
38. Barrass, M. B. (2015). "W. Sowrey". Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
39. Barrass, M. B. (21 June 2022). "D. F. Stevenson". Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
40. Barrass, M. B. (14 May 2021). "H M Massey". Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 24 July 2015.

Bibliography

• Halley, James J. The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth, 1918-1988. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd., 1988. ISBN 0-85130-164-9.
• Jefford, Wing Commander C.G. RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive Record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury: Airlife Publishing, 2001. ISBN 1-84037-141-2.
• Lewis, Peter. Squadron Histories: R.F.C, R.N.A.S and R.A.F., 1912-59. London: Putnam, 1959.
• Moyes, Philip J.R. Bomber Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Macdonald and Jane's (Publishers) Ltd., 1964 (new edition 1976). ISBN 0-354-01027-1.
• Raleigh, Walter (1922). The War in the Air: Being the Story of the part played in the Great War by the Royal Air Force: Vol. I. History of the Great War. Oxford: The Clarendon Press.
• Rawlings, John D.R. Coastal, Support and Special Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Jane's Publishing Company Ltd., 1982. ISBN 0-7106-0187-5.
• Rawlings, John D.R. Fighter Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Macdonald and Jane's (Publishers) Ltd., 1969 (new edition 1976, reprinted 1978). ISBN 0-354-01028-X.
• Shores, Christopher; Massimello, Giovanni; Guest, Russell (2012). A History of the Mediterranean Air War 1940–1945: Volume One: North Africa: June 1940 – January 1942. London: Grub Street. ISBN 978-1-908117-07-6.
• Yoxall, John (28 December 1950). "No. 6 Squadron R.A.F.: History of a Famous Army Co-operation Unit: Part I: From 1914 to 1949". Flight. Vol. LVIII, no. 2188. pp. 617–623.
• Yoxall, John (4 January 1951). "No. 6 Squadron R.A.F.: Part II: Anti-tank and Anti-shipping Work in the Second World War". Flight. Vol. LVIV, no. 2189. pp. 11–16.

External links

 

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