No. 64 Squadron RAF

No. 64 Squadron
Active	1 August 1916 - 31 December 1919 1 March 1936 - 16 June 1967 16 May 1968 - 31 January 1991
Role	Fighter squadron
Motto	Tenax propositi - Firm of purpose
Battle honours	Western Front, 1917-1918 Cambrai, 1918 Amiens, Hindenburg Line, Somme, 1918 Lys, Channel & North Sea, 1940 Dunkirk, Battle of Britain, Home Defence, 1940 Fortress Europe, 1941-1944 Normandy, 1944 Arnhem, Walcheren, France & Germany, 1944-1945
Insignia
Identification symbol	A scarabee

No. 64 Squadron was a squadron of the Royal Air Force. It was first formed on 1 August 1916 as a squadron of the Royal Flying Corps. It was last disbanded on 31 January 1991 at RAF Leuchars.

History

1916 to 1919

No. 64 squadron was originally formed at Sedgeford on 1 August 1916 as a training unit with FE.2b and Farman F.20 airplanes. In June 1917 the squadron received Avro 504 and Sopwith Pup fighters and DH.5 in October when the squadron moved to France to begin operations. The DH.5s were replaced by SE.5As in March 1918 and conducted both fighter and ground-attack operations for the remainder of the First World War. It returned to Narborough in February 1919, where it was disbanded on 31 December 1919. During the World War I era, the squadron claimed in excess of 130 victories, and produced eleven aces, among whom were James Anderson Slater, Edmund Tempest, Philip Scott Burge, Thomas Rose, Charles Cudemore, William H. Farrow, Dudley Lloyd-Evans, Edward Dawson Atkinson, and Ronald McClintock.

1936 to 1967

On 1 March 1936, No. 64 was reactivated at Heliopolis, Egypt, although for political reasons it was announced as having reformed at Henlow, Bedfordshire (UK). The squadron was equipped with Hawker Demon fighters which had already been sent out to Egypt where they had formed D Flights of 6 and 208 squadrons which were transferred during March 1936 to 64 squadron. It was immediately involved in the Second Italo-Abyssinian War carrying out attacks against Italian airfields and providing fighter cover to refuelling bombers at advance airfields. After the crisis had ended in May 1936 the squadron returned to RAF Martlesham Heath, Suffolk (UK), in August 1936 to become part of the UK air defences.

In December 1938 64 squadron was based at Church Fenton, North Yorkshire and reequipped with Bristol Blenheim Mk I(F) fighters. After the outbreak of the Second World War, the squadron was engaged in patrols off the British East Coast and in December 1939 provided fighter defence for the Home Fleet at Scapa Flow from Evanton, Scotland, for a month. From February to September 1939 64 Squadron used the squadron code "XQ", followed by "SH" from September 1939 to April 1951.

A Meteor NF.14 from 64 Sqn. at the Midland Air Museum.

In April 1940 the squadron converted to the Supermarine Spitfire Mk I. It was immediately engaged in the covering of the Dunkirk evacuation and later took part in the Battle of Britain. In short order 64 squadron operated from Kenley starting 16 May 1940, from Leconfield starting 19 August, from Biggin Hill starting 13 October, from Coltishall starting 15 October, and from Boscombe Down starting 1 September 1940.

In May 1941, No. 64 Squadron moved up to Scotland for air defence duties but moved back south in November to take part in sweeps over northern France, until March 1943 when it moved back up to Scotland again. Then in August 1943 it moved back south again to resume offensive operations and in June 1944, moved to Cornwall for 2 months before beginning long-range escort missions from East Anglia. During that time the squadron was equipped with various marks of the Spitfire: Mk IIA January to November 1941, Mk VB November 1941 to July 1942, and March to September 1943, Mk VC September 1943 to July 1944, and finally Mk IX June 1942 to March 1943, and June to November 1944. In 1944 64 Squadron took part in the operations of the Normandy Landings, Operation Market Garden, and the Battle of the Scheldt.

Personnel of 64 Squadron in front of their Gloster Javelin FAW.7 at RAF Duxford in 1959.

In November 1944 the squadron received the North American Mustang III and flew these for the rest of the war covering daylight raids of the RAF Bomber Command on Germany. After the end of hostilities the squadron moved to RAF Horsham St Faith and received the Mustang IV in August 1945.

In March 1946 No. 64 Squadron received De Havilland Hornet F.1 twin-engined fighters and moved to RAF Linton-on-Ouse in August of the same year. The F.1 was replaced by the Hornet F.3 in April 1948. In March 1951 the squadron converted to the Gloster Meteor F.4/F.8 jet fighter. The squadron was also relocated to RAF Duxford. In September 1956 the F.8s were replaced by the radar-equipped, two seat Meteor NF.12/NF.14.

In September 1958 64 squadron then converted to the Gloster Javelin FAW.7/FAW.9. In 1964 the squadron moved to RAF Tengah, partnering No. 60 Squadron RAF. The squadron was disbanded on 16 June 1967.

1968 to 1991

Since then the squadron had been the 'Shadow'/Reserve identity of No. 228 OCU, flying the McDonnell Douglas Phantom FG.1/FGR.2, first from RAF Coningsby since 16 May 1968 and then from RAF Leuchars, to where the OCU moved on 22 April 1987. When No. 228 OCU was disbanded on 31 January 1991, so was No. 64 Squadron.

Notable members

• Art Donahue
• Flying Officer Raymond Sanders Draper
• Adrian Francis Laws
• Wing Commander Dudley Lloyd-Evans
• James O'Meara

References

• Royal Air Force History: History of No. 64 Squadron
• Royal Air Force History: 64 Squadron during the Battle of Britain
• Air of Authority: No 61 - 65 Squadron Histories

External links

• Article about Major Arne Austeen, former 64 Squadron pilot