No. 100 Group RAF

No. 100 (Bomber Support) Group was a special duties group within RAF Bomber Command. It was formed on 11 November 1943 to consolidate the increasingly complex business of electronic warfare and countermeasures within one organisation. The group was responsible for the development, operational trial and use of electronic warfare and countermeasures equipment. It was based at RAF stations in East Anglia, chiefly Norfolk.

The group was a pioneer in countering the formidable force of radar-equipped Luftwaffe night fighters, utilising a range of electronic 'homers' fitted to de Havilland Mosquito fighters which detected the night fighter's various radar and radio emissions and allowed the RAF fighters to home in onto the Axis aircraft and either shoot them down or at the very least disrupt their missions against the bomber streams. Other Mosquitoes would patrol around the known Luftwaffe fighter airfields ready to attack any landing night fighters they came across.

This constant harassment had a detrimental effect on the morale and confidence of many Luftwaffe crews, and indirectly led to a high proportion of both aircraft and aircrew wastage from crashes as night fighters hurried in to land to avoid the Mosquito threat (real or imagined).^{[citation needed]}

During 1944-5, the Mosquitoes of 100 Group claimed 258 Luftwaffe aircraft shot down for 70 losses. The gradually increasing threat from the RAF fighters also created what the Luftwaffe crews nicknamed 'Moskito Panik' as the night fighter crews were never sure when or where they may come under attack from the marauding 100 Group fighters.

Top Mosquito ace with 100 Group was 85 Squadron's Wing Commander Branse Burbridge with 21 claims 1944-45.

The bomber squadrons of 100 Group utilised various specialist electronic jamming devices to disrupt enemy radio communications and radar. During 100 Group's existence over 32 different devices were evaluated and used. Specially equipped 100 Group aircraft would fly within the bomber stream. Much of this equipment was developed at the Telecommunications Research Establishment (TRE).

Lancaster B I NG128 dropping its load over Duisburg on 14 October 1944. The aircraft is carrying Airborne Cigar (ABC) radio jamming equipment, as shown by the two vertical aerials on the fuselage.

Special equipment used included Airborne Cigar (ABC) jammer, Jostle (jammer), Mandrel (jammer), Airborne Grocer (jammer), Piperack (jammer), Perfectos (homer), Serrate (homer), Corona (spoofer), Carpet (jammer) and Lucero (homer), and were used against German equipment such as Lichtenstein, Freya, and Würzburg radars.

“	The combination of the Pathfinders' operations, the activities of No. 100 Group, the British advantage in radar, jamming and Window techniques, combined with intelligent attacking tactics, as well as the discipline and bravery of the RAF crews, have been remarkable. We had our (sic) severe problems in trying to defend Germany in the air	”
—General der Jagdflieger, Adolf Galland., Lancaster - the Biography [1]

Order of battle

No. 100 Group was headquartered at Bylaugh Hall, Norfolk from January 1944, a central location from which to administer the group's airfields in north Norfolk. No 100 Group operated from eight airfields with approximately 260 aircraft, 140 of which were various marks of Mosquito night fighter intruders with the remainder consisting of Halifaxes, Stirlings, Wellingtons, Fortresses and Liberators carrying electronic jamming equipment. The group also operated the Beaufighter for a short time.

The group disbanded on 17 December 1945. During its existence it had one commander, Air Vice-Marshal Edward Addison.

100 (Special Duties) Group Order of Battle^[2]

Squadron	Aircraft	First 100 Group Operation	Base
192	Mosquito II, B.IV, B.XVI, Wellington B.III, Halifax IV	December 1943	RAF Foulsham
141	Beaufighter VI, Mosquito II, VI, XXX	December 1943	RAF West Raynham
239	Mosquito II, VI, XXX	20 January 1944	RAF West Raynham
515	Mosquito II, VI	3 March 1944	RAF Little Snoring, RAF Great Massingham
169	Mosquito II, VI, XIX	20 January 1944	RAF Little Snoring
214	Fortress II, III	20/21 April 1944	RAF Sculthorpe, RAF Oulton
199	Stirling III, Halifax III	1 May 1944	RAF North Creake
157	Mosquito XIX, XXX	May 1944	RAF Swannington
85	Mosquito XII, XVII	5/6 June 1944	RAF Swannington
23	Mosquito VI	5/6 July 1944	RAF Little Snoring
223	Liberator VI, Fortress II, III	September 1944	RAF Oulton
171	Stirling II, Halifax III	15 September 1944	RAF North Creake
462 (RAAF)	Halifax III	13 March 1945	RAF Foulsham

See also

• Light Night Strike Force
• List of World War II electronic warfare equipment
• List of Royal Air Force groups

References

Notes

1. ^ Iveson and Milton 2009, p. 122.
2. ^ Moyes 1976, p. 307.

Bibliography

• Bowman, Martin W. 100 Group (Bomber Support): RAF Bomber Command in World War II. Barnsley, South Yorkshire, UK: Pen & Sword/Leo Cooper, 2006. ISBN 1-84415-418-1.
• Bowman, Martin W. and Tom Cushing. Confounding the Reich. Barnsley, South Yorkshire, UK: Pen & Sword/Leo Cooper, 2004. ISBN 1-84415-124-7.
• Iveson, Tony, DFC and Brian Milton. Lancaster - the Biography. Andre Deutsch, 2009. ISBN 978-0-233-00270-5.
• Moyes, Philip J.R. Bomber Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Macdonald and Jane's (Publishers) Ltd., 1964 (New revised edition 1976, ISBN 0-354-01027-1.)
• Peden, Murray. A Thousand Shall Fall: the True Story of a Canadian Bomber Pilot in World War Two. Toronto, Ontario, Canada: Stoddart Publishing Co. Ltd., 1988 (reprinted in 2000). ISBN 0-7737-5967-0.
• Streetly, Martin. Confound & Destroy. London: Macdonald and Jane's (Publishing) Company Ltd., 1978. ISBN 0-354-01180-4.

External links

• Website RAF bomber Command
• Website, RAF 100 Group Museum
• Flight article on Bomber Support Group interceptors