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Aviation History
1954
1954 - 0028.PDF
16 FLIGHT, 1 January 1954 No. 65 (East India) Squadron An almost unnatural position—for them! The aerobatic team flying level in echelon to starboard. From the foreground rearward they are F/O. Bainbridge, F/L Lethem, FjL Gill and F/L Fryer. year operated from various airfields as a self-supporting unit in preparation for the day when it would move over to the Con tinent. During these months No. 65 was re-equipped twice, first with Spitfire 9s and later with North American Mustang 3s. Operations consisted almost entirely of fighter sweeps and bomber escorts, many of the latter being with the U.S. 8th Air Force. The squadron's main task on D-Day (June 6th, 1944) was to act as escort to Halifaxes towing Hamilcar gliders, and to para- troop carriers, with Caen, Normandy, as the dropping-zone. This duty was performed without incident but before actually moving over to Normandy on the 25th the squadron had claimed another 10 e/a destroyed and four more probables. On arrival in France the squadron operated from a landing strip at Martragny and it was from here on July 26th that a further three Me 109s were destroyed, bringing the total score in the second world war to 101J. The passing of the century mark was duly celebrated. Throughout the summer and early autumn of 1944 No. 65 continued to operate in a tactical role, moving forward with the advancing armies through France and into Belgium. Before the unit returned to Britain at the end of September, the last big operation flown from Continental bases was in protection of the glider streams making for Arnhem. Back in England, the operations for the remainder of 1944 con sisted entirely of providing fighter escorts to bombers attacking Germany. Virtually no interference was experienced. Early in 1945, however, when No. 65 was operating from Peterhead in support of Bristol Beaufighters and D.H. Mosquitoes of Coastal Command making shipping strikes off Norway, the Luftwaffe reacted quite strongly, though never strongly enough to prevent the attack being delivered. Just before the end of hostilities the Mustang 3s gave place to Mustang 4s. The war record of No. 65 shows a total of nearly 11,000 Cape. E. R. L. Corballis Capt. J. L.Jackson ... Maj. Lord G. Wellesley Maj. Nethersoie S/L. F. O. Soden ... S/L. C. F. H. Grace S/L. D. Cooke S/L. H. C. Sawyer ... S/L. A. L. Holland ... S/L. G. A. W. Saunders S/L. J. W. Villa, D.F.C. Bar S/L. M. Czernia, D.F.C. S/L. H. T. Gilbert ... COMMANDING OFFICERS and S/L. A. C. Bartley, D.F.C. S/L. D. A. P. McMullen, D.F.C. and two Bars Comdt. R. G. O. J. Mou- chotte, D.F.C. (F French Air Force) ree 1916-1919 11.8.16 29.9.16 7.10.16 22.2.17 Maj. Cunningham Maj. H. V. Champion de Crespigny IWIiUW 1.8.34 1.2.37 13.10.37 8.7.40 13.7.40 30.10.40 2.8.41 17.12.41 21.12.41 2.S.42 2.7.42 1.9.42 S/L.J.Storrar,D.F.C. S/L. R. Grant, D.F.C. and Bar, D.F.M S/L. G. Johnston, D.F.C. ... S/L. D. Westerra, D.F.C. ... S/L. D. P. Lamb, D.F.C. ... S/L. Buna-Robinson, D.F.C. S/L. I. Strachan S/L. T. Stewart S/L. J. W. Foster, D.F.C. ... S/L. C. How, D.F.C., D.F.M. S/L. W. A. Toyne. D.F.C. ... S/L. W. T. Russell S/L. D. A. Taylor, D.F.C. ... S/L. V. R. L. Evans 7.7.17 3.6.18 22.1.43 16.11.43 7.1.44 24.3.44 10.7.44 10.9.44 6.1.45 29.1.45 26.4.45 3.9.46 3.10.48 16.5.49 15.5.51 15.11.52 operational sorties flown in something over 16,000 flying hours and die destruction of 119^ enemy aircraft. Since the war the squadron has undergone a number of changes. First it was a fighter squadron with Spitfire 16s, later re-equipping with D.H. Hornets. In 1949 the squadron r61e changed to that of daylight low-level intruders and later, on re ceiving Gloster Meteors to replace the Hornets, it reverted to day fighter duties once more, with the modern implication of high-level interception. An outstanding post-war trip was a goodwill visit made to Sweden in 1948. It was, therefore, appropriate that No. 65's aerobatic team, nominated as representatives of No. 11 Group, should put on their show for the Swedes during the latter's visit to the Royal Air Force station at Waterbeach this year. Portrait of the C.O's Meteor 8 with the winter clouds of East Anglia to enhance the setting.
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