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Aviation History
1957
1957 - 1658.PDF
746 FLIGHT HtPUBLIC TUUNPtftBOLT 194-4- U A W Kt R T& M P £ S T 194-6 /T HAVI LL A N P 1 9 5 Z V A MPint UAVULANP 1 955 VCNOH 1 4. No. 5 SQUADRON . . . acquiring extra helpings of turkey, damped the spirits of theothers! In January 1950 Beaufighters replaced the Martinets. Fromthe manpower aspect No. 5 was at a very low ebb, with eight officers and 67 airmen. Flying for Manorbier and Watchet, in addition to flying train-ing, persisted month in and month out. The only relief was prac- tising for the squadron's share in the R.A.F. Display at Farn-borough—attacking Amiens prison—and for the Battle of Britain programme. By the end of the year some Vampires were taken over. From July 1951 onwards the squadron was on another run-down, before disbandment on September 25. The squadron diary remarked: "All will look forward to seeing the No. 5 SquadronMaple Leaf fluttering amongst the top squadrons again one day." The foregoing remark was written by F/L. M. W. Huggins,D.F.C., who was very proud indeed to have commanded for nine months such an eminent unit. No. 5 is next heard of at Wunstorf on March 1, 1952, as afighter squadron, under the command of S/L. V. G. Daw. Vampire 5s formed the major portion of squadron equipmentbut there was also one Meteor 7 on charge. Flying training com- prised weapons, navigation, air support, Wing and squadronexercises, interception and night flying. Life for the squadron became a succession of periods of training and operations. Breakscame with detachments to Duxford, Odiham and Sylt—the latter, of course, for air firing. December saw the start of re-equipment with Venom F.B.ls, andconversion flying to the new type started. Flying was hampered by much bad weather and by teething troubles. For the first fewmonths of 1953, monthly flying totalled only about 220 hours; but by April it had increased by nearly 100 per cent. A majormisfortune the squadron suffered was the loss of S/L. Daw while on a training flight from West Raynham. The squadron was extremely pushed at this time, trying tomaintain a training programme and finding sufficient aircraft for fly-past rehearsals for the R.A.F. Review. One way and another,however, No. 5 coped with both of these commitments as well as detachments to various places.Early in 1954, several Venom sorties were flown to exercise No. 652 A.O.P. Squadron in evasive tactics with their Austers.The diary records: "It must be admitted that so far the Austers have had the better of the deal." In fact it was decided that theAusters were fairly safe. S/L. P. Ayerst, D.F.C., became CO. on January 19, vice S/L. C. S. West, and he was in command when, on April 24,the squadron received a standard. It was presented by Air Chief Marshal Sir Leslie N. Holling-hurst, G.B.E., K.C.B., D.F.C., who in a short speech recalled the days when he served with No. 5 in India. He hoped, he said,that the squadron would have a future as bright as its illustrious past. In July 1955 the squadron was equipped with Venom F.B.4sand an interesting aspect of the integration of NATO forces occurred when it flew for a short period from the French AirForce base at Bremgarten in the Rhine valley. Certain difficulties were experienced but it is recorded that the attachment proveda highly successful mobility exercise and the assistance and co-operation given by the French was of the highest order. Early last year command of No. 5 passed to S/L. T. P. Fargher,D.F.C., the last CO. before disbandment. Under his command, the enthusiasm for which the Fighting Fifth has always beenrenowned has been maintained right up to disbandment. Last July the squadron set new records for both low-level and high-level shooting, in September put in more jet flying than ever before and within three weeks of disbandment took part in amajor exercise. Security forbids the publication of details of any recent operational work. To mark this last disbandment a wing parade was held atWunstorf. The reviewing officer was A. V-M. H. J. Kirkpatrick, S.A.S.O. at H.Q., 2nd T.A.F., who was accompanied by A. V-M.S. R. Ubee, A.O.C. No. 2 Group. After No. 5 Squadron had marched past with their standard, A. V-M. Kirkpatrick recalled inan address the highlights of the unit's history and of his own service with it in India. At a luncheon which followed, Col. Louis Strangerecounted experiences of the squadron's very earliest days. Those reminiscences were followed with rapt attention, his audienceobviously feeling very honoured at having such a distinguished ex-member with them on this occasion, and only regretting thatthe other two early members—G/C. Carmichael and Lt-Col. Wilson (who contributed to this history)—were unable to bepresent. A final ceremony on the day of disbandment was the handingover of the Standard to A. V-M. Kirkpatrick for him to take back to 2nd T.A.F. H.Q., where it will be laid up in the church ofSt. Boniface. The maple leaf with its superimposed Roman V will be removedfrom the Venoms and the personnel scattered to other units and commands. But No. 5 Squadron, R.F.C. and R.A.F., will live onin spirit and, who knows, may yet be re-formed once more before all manned souaHrons give place to automation. Below, No. 5 Squadron in April 1957. The officers are (in cockpit) F/O. D. C. Mullen; (standing, left to right) F/L. B. N. Wanstall, S/L. T. P. Fargher, F/O. P. C. Morris, F/L. G. Roberts, F/O.s P. C. King, M. I. Russell, C. L Trethewey, G. H. D. Inward, G. de W. W. Harris, R. D. Elliman; (kneeling) F/O.s D. R. Anderson, J. B. Cummins and A. E. Howard. "Flight" photograph
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