No. 102 Squadron RAF
| No. 102 Squadron RAF | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Active | 9 Aug 1917 – 3 Jul 1919 1 Oct 1935 – 28 Feb 1946 20 Oct 1954 – 20 Aug 1956 1 Aug 1959 – 27 Apr 1963 |
| Country |
 United Kingdom
|
| Branch |
 Royal Air Force
|
| Nickname(s) | "Ceylon" "Morecambe's 'own' Squadron" (Unofficial) |
| Motto(s) |
Latin: Tentate et Perficite ("Attempt and achieve") |
| Insignia | |
| Squadron Badge heraldry | On a demi-terrestrial globe a lion rampant guardant holding in the forepaws a bomb |
| Squadron Codes |
TQ (Apr 1939 – Sep 1939) DY (Sep 1939 – May 1945) EF (May 1945 – Feb 1946) |
No. 102 Squadron was a Royal Air Force night bomber squadron in World War I and a heavy bomber squadron in World War II. After the war it flew briefly as a transport squadron before being reformed a light bomber unit with the Second Tactical Air Force within RAF Germany. Its last existence was as a Thor strategic missile unit.
No. 102 squadron was formed in August 1917 as a night bomber unit at Hingham, Norfolk with the RAF F.E.2b and F.E.2ds. It moved to France and specialised in night attacks behind the German lines and in particular railway stations, railway lines, and railway trains. With the end of the first world war the squadron returned to England in March 1919. It disbanded at RAF Lympne on 3 July 1919.
102 squadron was formed again on 1 October 1935 at RAF Worthy Down, using men and equipment from 'B' Flight of 7 Squadron. Still in its original role as a night bomber squadron 102 squadron first used the Handley Page Heyford.
In October 1938 the squadron became part of the newly formed No 4 Group (Bomber Command) based at RAF Driffield, Yorkshire and was re-equipped with the Armstrong Whitworth Whitley.
The squadron was active from the second day of the Second World War, dropping leaflets in the night from 4 to 5 September 1939 over Germany. From 1 September till 10 October 1940 the squadron was loaned to RAF Coastal Command and spent six weeks carrying out convoy escort duties from RAF Prestwick, before resuming bomber raids. Operations Record Books seen at the Public Record Office in Kew show that 2 Whitley Mk.Vs flew out of Topcliffe on 27 November 1940 to bomb "docks and shipping" at Le Havre. One of these planes "was not heard from after take off" but the other returned safely having dropped its two 500lb and six 250 lb bombs successfully. By February 1942 the Whitleys were replaced by the Handley Page Halifax. The squadron continued for the next thirty-six months to fly night sorties (including the thousand bomber raids) over Germany. In 1944 the squadron attacked rail targets in France in preparation for the invasion.
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