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Aviation History
1930
UNTITLED0 - 0970.PDF
FLIGHT, AUGUST 15, 1930 NO. 601 <COUNTY O F LONDON) (BOMBER) SQUADRON, A.A.R BY F. A. DE V. ROBERTSON THOUGH the County of London BomberSquadron undoubtedly suffered asevere loss through the lamented death of its late CO., Lord Edward Grosvenor, it iscertainly succeeding in living up to the high standard which he set. It is fortunate in itsnew CO., Squadron Leader Sir Philip Sassoon, late Under-Secretary for Air. Lord Edwardwas a war-time pilot in the R.N.A.S., who served with Samson in Flanders. Sir PhilipSassoon has only recently learnt to fly, but there is no doubt that he will carry on thegood work. The squadron has been in camp at Lympne, putting on a final polish, and itnow forms part of No. 53 Wing in the air force of Blue Colony, and is doing its part inupsetting the work of the copper industry which Red Colony carries on round Hucknailand Bircham Newton. This Wing is com- manded by Wing Commander F. P. Don,and comprises three squadrons of the Auxiliary Air Force, namely, the County ofLondon, the City of London, and the County of Warwick Bomber Squadrons. It is aunique event for an Auxiliary Bomber Wing to be formed and to take part in manoeuvreson a grand scale, and all the three squadrons are to be congratulated on the honour donethem. The County of London went into camp with its complement of 14 Wapitis onSaturday, August 9. The members of the squadron, both officers and men, habituallyput in a lot of practice at Hendon each week- end, and when they get to camp they are wellup in the work which has to be done. But a volunteer unit, whatever element it works in,when it goes to camp resembles Kipling's ship at the commencement of the voyage. Allparts are present and correct, and each does its own bit of work, but all work as indivi-duals. By the end of the voyage, the ship has found herself. It is no disparagement tothe County of London Squadron to say, without special knowledge, that when theystarted for camp they must have been a collection of parts. It is perfectly safe toaffirm that by now they are a Squadron. Camp always works wonders. Manoeuvresare sure to work still greater wonders. Perhaps by the end of this week, No. 53Wing will be a Wing. If it is, the end of the exercises will be somewhat of a tragedy,dissolving a thing which it is very difficult to bring into being. But whatever may happento the Wing, it is safe to say that the man- ceuvres will do a tremendous lot of good toeach of the three squadrons which compose it. Many of the men who have enlisted as airmenin No. 601 are now coming to the end of their four years' term of agreement, and presum-ably some of them will then leave lithe squadron. They will, however, be able tohand on to their successors a tradition of good work and of esprit de corps which shouldinspire the recruits. Those who re-engage will form a nucleus round which the squadronwill re-form. Each of them will be, in Kipling's words :— " A man that's too good to be lost you,A man that is 'andled an' made— A man that will pay what 'e cost youIn learnin' the others their trade." A unique "aerial" of five"Wapitis" flying in formation above the clouds.—(FLIGHT Photo.) 922 J
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