No. 1 Squadron RAF
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| No. 1 Squadron | |
|---|---|
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| Active | 1 April 1911 (RE), 13 May 1912 (RFC), 1 April 1918 (RAF) |
| Role | Offensive Support |
| Garrison/HQ | RAF Cottesmore |
| Motto | In omnibus princeps (Latin: "First in all things") |
| Equipment | Harrier GR7 |
| Battle honours | Western Front 1915-1918, Ypres 1915, Somme 1916, Independent Force and Germany 1918, France and Low Countries 1939-1940, Battle of Britain 1940, Fortress Europe 1941-1944, France and Germany 1944-1945, South Atlantic 1982, Kosovo, Iraq 2003 |
| Insignia | |
| Identification symbol |
A winged numeral "1" |
No. 1 (F) Squadron is a squadron of the Royal Air Force. It currently operates the Harrier GR7 from RAF Cottesmore.
Contents |
[edit] History
The squadron motto is In omnibus princeps (first in all things), appropriate for the RAF's oldest squadron and one that has been involved in almost every major British military operation since World War I. This includes World War II, Suez, Falklands War, Gulf War, Kosovo War and Operation Telic (Iraq).
[edit] Early history 1911 to 1918
On 1 April 1911 the Air Battalion of the Royal Engineers was created. The battalion initially consisted of two companies, with No. 1 Company, Air Battalion taking responsibility for lighter than air flying. The first Officer Commanding was Captain E M Maitland.
On 13 May 1912, with the establishment of the Royal Flying Corps, No. 1 Company of the Air Battalion was redesignated No. 1 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps. No. 1 Squadron was one of the original three Royal Flying Corps squadrons. Maitland continued as the new Squadron's Officer Commanding and he was promoted to major several days after the establishment of the squadron.
On incoporation into the RAF on 1 April 1918 the squadron kept its numeral; No 1 Squadron of the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) was displaced to become No. 201 Squadron RAF.
[edit] Later history
Flt Lt Alan Pollock of No. 1 Sqn was responsible for the infamous and very unofficial flying display on the 50th anniversary of the RAF in 1968.
The squadron became the world's first operator of a STOVL aircraft with the arrival of the Hawker Siddeley Harrier in 1969, declared operational the following year.
During the Kosovo war the Squadron flew over 800 sorties as part of NATO's Operation Allied Force.
No. 1 Sqn left the "home of the Harrier" at RAF Wittering for RAF Cottesmore on July 28, 2000. Cottesmore is now home to all operational RAF Harrier squadrons - No. 20 (Reserve) Squadron, the Harrier Operational Conversion Unit remained at Wittering.
[edit] Previous Aircraft Operated
Year of introduction
- Nieuport - 1917
- SE5a - 1918
- Sopwith Snipe - 1920
- Armstrong Whitworth Siskin - 1927
- Hawker Fury - 1933
- Hawker Hurricane - 1937
- Hawker Typhoon - 1943
- Gloster Meteor - 1950
- Hawker Hunter - 1956
- Hawker Siddeley Harrier - 1969
[edit] See also
- List of Royal Air Force aircraft squadrons
- Robin Olds - American ace who commanded the squadron after WWII
