July 1940

The Blenheims continued their operations over the occupied countries. On 2 July, a force of 11 Blenheims is despatched to bomb targets in Germany. 10 abort due to poor weather whilst the one remaining aircraft was shot down attacking the Dortmund-Ems canal. The high number of failed missions continued throughout the whole month, and when aircraft did eventually find a target to attack, the German fighters were normally close at hand. The gathering invasion fleet in the Channel ports was a frequent target for Blenheim operations and as the month progressed an increasing number of airfield attacks (what would later be known as 'intruder' raids) were flown. The peril of daylight operations was highlighted on a couple of occasions; on 9th July, 7 Blenheims from a total of 12 were lost in an attack on Stavangar airfield; and on the following day, No 107 Squadron lost 5 out of 6 aircraft despatched on a raid to Amiens. As for night operations, the numbers of aircraft involved rarely exceeded 70 aircraft, and these were often split between 6 or more targets. Only once, during the night of 25th/26th July, was the number greater than 100 (166). The month did mark the first use by Bomber Command of the 2,000lb bomb (dropped by Flying Officer GP Gibson - who we shall meet again later in the conflict - of No 73 Squadron during an attack on the German battleship Scharnhorst at Kiel during 2nd/3rd July). Some night operations also included Battles, back in the Command after their torrid time in France. Crews nearing the end of the training were also sent on low-risk missions (generally leaflet-drops over France) as they neared the end of their course to give them a feel for what life would be like on the squadrons. The Hampdens also continued their Gardening sorties with up to 12 aircraft on such duties each night.

Unit

102 Squadron

World War 2

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 2x500lb and 6x250 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.

To Transport Command

On 8 March 1945 the squadron was transferred to Transport Command and in September 1945 re-equipped with Consolidated Liberators. Based as RAF Bassingbourn. Its main role was the return of troops and POWs from India. With this work finished the squadron transferred on 15 February 1945 to RAF Upwood where it disbanded on 28 February 1946 by being renumbered to 53 Squadron. From 1 February 1949 to 19 October 1954 the squadron's numberplate was linked with that of 49 squadron, as 49/120 squadron.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._102_Squadron_RAF

No. 102 Squadron

Motto: "Tentate et perficite" ("Attempt and achieve").

Badge: On a demi-terrestrial globe a lion rampant holding in the fore-paws a bomb. The dark demi-globe on which the lion is standing is indicative of night-bombing duties.

Authority: King George VI, March 1938.

No 102 Squadron, RFC, was formed at Hingham, Norfolk, in August 1917, and from September 1917 until the Armistice served on the Western Front as a night-bomber squadron equipped with FE2b's; its duties included night bombing of enemy airfields, railheads and billets, night reconnaissance and the machine-gunning of troops and transport. During its service on the Western Front the squadron dropped a total of almost 365 tons of bombs, 317 tons of which were dropped between 21st March 1918 - the day on which the Germans launched their spring offensive - and the Armistice. Trains were bombed on 93 occasions and transport on 113 occasions.

Disbanded in 1919, No 102 re-formed in 1936 as a heavy bomber squadron and when war came again it was flying Whitleys. On the second night of the war - 4/5th September 1939 - three of its Whitleys dropped propaganda leaflets on the Ruhr.

When the next leaflet raid was made - again on the Ruhr - four nights later, two of the six crews involved failed to return. Subsequently it was learned that one of these crews had forced - landed in then neutral Belgium and had been interned, and that the other had forced - landed in Germany and been made prisoners of war.

The squadron's first bombing attack of the war was made on 12/13th December 1939, when a Whitley engaged on a security patrol of Sylt attacked what appeared to be lights indicating a seaplane alighting area.

Italy's declaration of war on 10/11th June 1940, brought a swift reply. The following night seven of the squadron's Whitleys set out from an advanced base in the Channel Islands (Jersey airport) to attack the Fiat Works at Turin. Thunderstorms and severe icing were encountered and five aircraft had to return early. The other two reached Turin, where one bombed the primary target whilst the other bombed an alternative target.

No 102 Squadron will always be associated with the name of Leonard Cheshire. On the night of 12/13th November 1940, Pilot Officer - as he then was - GL Cheshire was captain of Whitley V P5005 "N - Nuts" detailed to attack an oil refinery at Wesseling, not far from Cologne. It appears that he arrived in the target area within a few minutes of the ETA but owing to intercom trouble was unable to discover his exact position until some twenty minutes later, by which time the target was blanketed by cloud. He decided to attack the railway marshalling yards at Cologne instead and while he was approaching this target his aircraft was suddenly shaken by a succession of violent explosions. The cockpit filled with black fumes and Cheshire lost control of the aircraft, which dived about 2,000 feet, with its fuselage on fire. Cheshire regained control, the fire was extinguished and the Whitley, with a gaping hole in its fuselage, was brought safely back to base after, being in the air for 81/2 hours. Cheshire gained an immediate DSO. He was later awarded the DFC for operations with No 102 Squadron.

In 1942 No 102 Squadron re-equipped with Halifaxes and continued with aircraft of this type for the rest of the European war. It took part in each of the three historic 1,000-bomber raids in May/June 1942, and, later, in the battles of the Ruhr, Hamburg, and Berlin. It was well to the fore in the pre-invasion attacks on railway communications in Northern France and on the eve of D-Day sent 26 aircraft - the largest number it had yet dispatched - to bomb an enemy gun battery on the coast of Normandy. In September/October 1944, it undertook the transportation of petrol to Belgium for the Second Army and in just over one week carried 134,250 gallons without mishap. In the great day and night 1,000 - bomber attacks on Duisburg in the closing stages of the war some of its crews made two round trips within twenty-four hours.

Among the awards gained by its personnel were 5 DSOs 115 DFCs, two bars to the DFC, and 34 DFMs.

On 7th May 1945, No 102 was transferred to Transport Command.

Bomber Command WWII Bases:

• Driffield : Jul 1938-Aug 1940

• Detachments in France (Villeneuve, code name Sister) at various times during period Oct 1939-Feb 1940).

• Detachments at Kinloss Nov/Dec 1939 (on loan to Coastal Command) & Apr-May 1940.

• Leeming : Aug 1940-Sep 1940 Sqdn loaned to Coastal Command Sep-Oct 1940 & based at Prestwick; a/c were detached to Aldergrove & operated from there.

• Linton-on-Ouse : Oct 1940-Nov 1940

• Topcliffe : Nov 1940-Nov 1941

• Dalton : Nov 1941-Jun 1942

• Topcliffe : Jun 1942-Aug 1942

• Pocklington : Aug 1942-May 1945

Transferred from Bomber Command to Transport Command 7.5.45.

Bomber Command WWII Aircraft:

• Armstrong Whitworth Whitley III and V : Oct 1938-Feb 1942

• Handley Page Halifax B.II, B.III and B.VI : Dec 1941-May 1945

Code Letters:

• During the 1938 Munich crisis No 102 was allotted the code letters "TQ". In WW2 the sqdn's ac were coded "DY".

First Operational Mission in WWII:

• 4/5th September 1939 : 3 Whitleys dropped Nickels over the Ruhr.

First Bombing Mission in WWII:

• 12/13th December 1939 : 1 Whitley, during a security patrol in Sylt area, bombed lights in the sea off west coast of Sylt & "on the southernmost tip of the island".

Last Operational Mission in WWII:

• 25th April 1945 : 18 Halifaxes bombed gun batteries on island of Wangerooge & another Halifax aborted.