No. 101 Squadron RAF

Lancaster of 101 Squadron releasing its bomb load.

Brief History

A World War 1 Squadron that was reformed in March 1928 at RAF Bircham Newton as a day bomber squadron. In June 1938 the squadron was equipped with the Bristol Blenheim Mk1 aircraft, changing to Mk IVs in April 1939. During May and June 1941, No 101 Squadron converted to Wellingtons and in September it paid its first visit to Italy and successfully bombed Turin. In May and June 1942, it took part in the celebrated 1,000-bomber raids on Cologne, Essen and Bremen. On each occasion all its aircraft returned safely. These were replaced in October the following year with the Avro Lancaster. 101 Squadron Lancasters were in 1943 equipped with a top secret radio jamming system codenamed "Airborne Cigar" (ABC) operated by an eighth crew member who could understand German, some with German or Jewish backgrounds.

101 Squadron flew more sorties than any other Bomber Command Squadron and had the highest casualty rate (1,176 aircrew of which 60 were Australian, and 146 aircraft) of any RAF squadron as a result of planes from late 1942 breaking radio silence to operate top secret radio operating equipment, making them easier to find and track. The Squadron remains active, now days providing Transport and air to air refueling service.

Unit Honours

• Ypres 1917*
• Somme 1918*
• Lys, Hindenburg Line, Fortress Europe 1940-1944*
• Invasion Ports 1940*
• Ruhr 1940-1945*
• Berlin 1941*
• Channel and North Sea 1941-1944
• Biscay Ports 1941-1944
• German Ports 1941-1945
• Baltic 1942-1945
• Berlin 1943-1944
• France and Germany 1944-1945
• Normandy 1944*
• Walcheren, South Atlantic 1982
• Gulf 1991
• Kosovo
• Iraq 2003-2011
• Libya 2011

Individual Honours

• 28 x Distinguished Flying Crosses
• 10 x Distinguished Flying Medals

Air Crew Members

• † Raymond Edward Norton Butcher 29 Jun - 21 Sep 1942 - KIA off coast of Denmark

Notes

Content has come from a combination of Wikipedia sites