RAF
Coningsby - 31st May 2007
Today,
I was fortunate enough to
have been invited by OC6 to
attend the disbandment parade
for Number 6 Squadron, "The
Flying Canopeners".
The
events today signalled an
end to an unrivalled (worldwide)
93 years of continuous service,
during which time operations
have been conducted from 91
bases on three continents.
The
legacy started on the 31st
of January 1914 when the Squadron
was formed at South Farnborough,
as part of the original seven
squadrons that were planned
to form the Royal Flying Corps.
At no stage during the ensuing
93 years has the Squadron
ever been disbanded, thus
providing it with the record
of being the longest continually
serving Military flying unit
in the World.
In
the October of their first
year of operations, the Squadron
was sent overseas, tasked
with being an observer unit
in defence of Belgium from
initial German advance of
the Great War. This observation
role meant that the Squadron
was principally involved with
artillery spotting and reconnaissaince.
Consequently the motto that
was adopted was, OCULI EXERCITUS
- "Eyes of the Army".
With
the Great War at a close the
squadron was relocated to
the British mandate of Mesopotamia
- now Iraq. This was the first
of several moves around the
middle east, with the inter-war
years also seeing residences
taken out in Egypt and Palestine.
The
advent of World War II brought
an involvement in the North
African theatre, initially
conducting reconnaissance
duties. In mid-1942 the Squadron
became the first British dedicated
anti-armour-attack unit, utilising
the Hawker Hurricane IID Tank
Buster, and its 40mm cannon.
The unit earnt the nickname
of "The Flying Canopeners"
for its efforts in this sphere.
Following two years in the
region, the Squadron saw out
the war in Italy and Yugoslavia.
A
return to the Middle East
occurred in October 1946,
with the following nine years
seeing the Squadron operate
from various locations in
and around Iraq, Egypt, Jordan
and Cyprus; the last of the
those named was where '6'
became the first British Middle
Eastern unit to operate jet
aircraft, with the de Havilland
Vampire. In 1950 the Squadron
were awarded a Royal Standard
from Abdullah, King of Jordan,
and to this day they remain
the only Royal Air Force unit
to hold two Royal Standards.
Even now, strong links with
the Hashemite Kingdom remain.
In 1956, the Squadron played
a part in the Suez Crisis,
flying the de Havilland Venom.
They remained in Cyprus until
1969 with their English Electric
Canberra bombers.
After
no less than 55 years the
Squadron finally returned
to home soil, when selected
to become the first Phantom
squadron at RAF Coningsby,
where they used the aircraft
in the ground arrack role.
Just five years later, the
Squadron was moved to RAF
Lossiemouth where they converted
on to the brand new Sepecat
Jaguar. This, however, was
to be another short stay,
as the end of that year saw
a further move to what became
very much (in the eyes of
many), the spiritual home
of the Jaguar - RAF Coltishall.
The first war-time deployment
of the type came in August
1990, as the Squadron became
the first RAF unit to reach
the Persian Gulf in support
of Operation GRANBY, following
the invasion of Kuwait by
Iraq. This was to become a
busy period, with the Squadron's
aircraft and pilots seeing
service during Operation DESERT
STORM centred around Northern
Iraq, and then later Operation
DENY FLIGHT (NATO's enforcement
of the Bosnian no-fly zone)
in the now former Yugoslavia.
Operation
TELIC brought an end to this
sustained period of operation
in March 2003.
Following
the July 2004 Defence Review,
6 Squadron became the last
remaining RAF Jaguar unit,
and on the 1st of April 2006,
after the closure of RAF Coltishall,
they took up residence at
RAF Coningsby, where they
expected to stay until October
2007. Subsequently it was
announced on the 24th of April
2007 that a decision had been
undertaken to cease all operational
flying by the Squadron just
six days later, on the 30th
of April.
Wg
Cdr John Sullivan, current
Officer Commanding 6 Sqn was
determined that the Jaguar
and the Squadron would not
go quietly, and the disbandment
parade held on the 31st of
May did himself, his staff
and all of
those that had gone before
them proud.
Present
on the ASP were a pair of
Jaguar GR.3As.
When
the parade started, the sun
was shining
With
eight Jaguars already in the
air, the reviewing officer,
Air Chief Marshal Sir Glenn
Torpey received a seven-ship
flypast
Wg
Cdr Sullivan offered his squadron
for inspection
The
Standard was handed over for
safe keeping until the Squadron's
resurrected on Typhoon
A
final approach to the reviewing
officer by OC6
....and
the squadron were marched
off
As
they turned the corner the
seven-ship returned and performed
a vixen break over the HAS
site
A
three-ship formation comprising
Hurricane, Jaguar and Typhoon,
and representing past, present
and future, brought a formal
close to proceedings
With
the parade having broken up
and just the press left out
on the apron, this rather
took us by surprise!
To
JS and his staff, thank you
all, and my sincere best wishes
for the future..
Number
6 Squadron are currently due
to be resurrected at RAF Coningsby
at some point during 2009
when they will receive the
latest Eurofighter Typhoon
aircraft, before making the
move to RAF Leuchars where
they will take up permanent
residence.
|
