XIII (13) SQUADRON History ( Courtesy of RAF MOD Website )
)
o 13 Squadron was formed at Gosport on 10 January 1915, taking its BE2Cs across the Channel in October, initially employed on corps reconnaissance duties. No. 13 Squadron lays claim to pioneering bombing in formation when, during a raid on Achiet-le-Grand in November 1916, nine of the Squadron's aircraft bombed German anti-aircraft defences. In April 1917, RE8s replaced the BE2s and these played a major role in the battles of Arras and Cambrai during that year. When hostilities ceased, the Squadron remained in France, before returning to the UK in 1919 and disbanding. Reformed at Kenley in April 1924, the Squadron resumed its army co-operation role with Bristol Fighters and played a major role in developing co-operation between land and air forces. Atlas', Audaxes and Hectors were subsequently used, before Lysanders arrived in 1939.
As part of the BEF in France during the early part of World War II, No. 13 Squadron carried out tactical reconnaissance missions, before returning, a much depleted force in May 1940. The following year was spent on anti-submarine and anti-invasion patrols before Blenheims arrived and the Squadron returned to army co-operation duties. During 1942, the Squadron provided diversionary attacks for the 1,000 bomber raids, and on one occasion even contributing to the main force itself. By the end of the year, the No. 13 Squadron had moved to North Africa, supporting the First Army throughout its victorious campaign.
During the allied invasion of Italy, the Squadron was tasked with shipping protection, and claims to have destroyed one submarine during these missions. After the War, the Squadron was disbanded briefly before reforming in Palestine with reconnaissance Mosquitos. In 1952, Meteors arrived, and later moved to Akrotiri, Cyprus. In 1957, the Squadron began a long association with Canberras and moved to Malta in 1965. As the RAF withdrew from its Middle East bases in the late 1960s, No. 13 remained in Malta until transferring to Wyton in 1978, continuing to fly Canberras until disbanded in 1982. No. 13 squadron reformed with the new Tornado GR1A at Honington on 1 January 1990, and moved to its current home, Marham, some four years later.
On Friday 13th May 2011 at 1030, XIII Squadron from RAF Marham took to the parade square for their final parade prior to their official disbandment on 1 June 2011. This was a historical occasion and a milestone in Royal Air Force history.
(DJR - N.B. - Turned out to be not so final. The following has been received from Sqn Ldr Christopher Breedon as an update to the squadron history.)
At the disbandment parade in it was announced that there was to be a second squadron operating the MQ-9 Reaper, which would be XIII Squadron with the number plate. XIII (Reaper) Squadron. The Squadron reformed on 26th October 2012 at RAF Waddington under the command of Wing Commander Bird. Subsequently, the Squadron flew the first remote operational mission from UK soil towards the end of April 2013 and conducted its first remote weapons strike in Afghanistan a few days later.
In a statement, the UK Ministry of Defence says it "can confirm that a Reaper remotely piloted aircraft system, operated by pilots from 13 Squadron located at RAF Waddington, has fired a weapon during a mission supporting UK forces on the ground in Afghanistan."
The action is believed to have been taken during a sortie flown on 30th April, but the MoD says it "does not discuss details of specific missions for operational security reasons".
Since then, XIII Squadron has been in continuous contact in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria support ground forces against, amongst others, the Taliban and Daesh.
In Jul 21 the Sqn will be presented with its 3rd Standard a significant achievement and one that heralds a bright future.
The following, Reaper, pictures are all releasable MOD stock pictures. Click on a photograph to see an enlarged image.
o 13 Squadron was formed at Gosport on 10 January 1915, taking its BE2Cs across the Channel in October, initially employed on corps reconnaissance duties. No. 13 Squadron lays claim to pioneering bombing in formation when, during a raid on Achiet-le-Grand in November 1916, nine of the Squadron's aircraft bombed German anti-aircraft defences. In April 1917, RE8s replaced the BE2s and these played a major role in the battles of Arras and Cambrai during that year. When hostilities ceased, the Squadron remained in France, before returning to the UK in 1919 and disbanding. Reformed at Kenley in April 1924, the Squadron resumed its army co-operation role with Bristol Fighters and played a major role in developing co-operation between land and air forces. Atlas', Audaxes and Hectors were subsequently used, before Lysanders arrived in 1939.
As part of the BEF in France during the early part of World War II, No. 13 Squadron carried out tactical reconnaissance missions, before returning, a much depleted force in May 1940. The following year was spent on anti-submarine and anti-invasion patrols before Blenheims arrived and the Squadron returned to army co-operation duties. During 1942, the Squadron provided diversionary attacks for the 1,000 bomber raids, and on one occasion even contributing to the main force itself. By the end of the year, the No. 13 Squadron had moved to North Africa, supporting the First Army throughout its victorious campaign.
During the allied invasion of Italy, the Squadron was tasked with shipping protection, and claims to have destroyed one submarine during these missions. After the War, the Squadron was disbanded briefly before reforming in Palestine with reconnaissance Mosquitos. In 1952, Meteors arrived, and later moved to Akrotiri, Cyprus. In 1957, the Squadron began a long association with Canberras and moved to Malta in 1965. As the RAF withdrew from its Middle East bases in the late 1960s, No. 13 remained in Malta until transferring to Wyton in 1978, continuing to fly Canberras until disbanded in 1982. No. 13 squadron reformed with the new Tornado GR1A at Honington on 1 January 1990, and moved to its current home, Marham, some four years later.
On Friday 13th May 2011 at 1030, XIII Squadron from RAF Marham took to the parade square for their final parade prior to their official disbandment on 1 June 2011. This was a historical occasion and a milestone in Royal Air Force history.
(DJR - N.B. - Turned out to be not so final. The following has been received from Sqn Ldr Christopher Breedon as an update to the squadron history.)
At the disbandment parade in it was announced that there was to be a second squadron operating the MQ-9 Reaper, which would be XIII Squadron with the number plate. XIII (Reaper) Squadron. The Squadron reformed on 26th October 2012 at RAF Waddington under the command of Wing Commander Bird. Subsequently, the Squadron flew the first remote operational mission from UK soil towards the end of April 2013 and conducted its first remote weapons strike in Afghanistan a few days later.
In a statement, the UK Ministry of Defence says it "can confirm that a Reaper remotely piloted aircraft system, operated by pilots from 13 Squadron located at RAF Waddington, has fired a weapon during a mission supporting UK forces on the ground in Afghanistan."
The action is believed to have been taken during a sortie flown on 30th April, but the MoD says it "does not discuss details of specific missions for operational security reasons".
Since then, XIII Squadron has been in continuous contact in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria support ground forces against, amongst others, the Taliban and Daesh.
In Jul 21 the Sqn will be presented with its 3rd Standard a significant achievement and one that heralds a bright future.
The following, Reaper, pictures are all releasable MOD stock pictures. Click on a photograph to see an enlarged image.
Aircraft operated by XIII Squadron
The Sqn also operated BE2's, RE8's, Bristol Fighters, Mosquito's and Gloster Meteor's.
The Sqn also operated BE2's, RE8's, Bristol Fighters, Mosquito's and Gloster Meteor's.
13 Squadron Canberra PR7 at Masroor, Pakistan.
Thanks to Brian Crook for sending this information about Exercise Shahbaz 78
and the photograph above.
17 to 26 April 1978 we deployed six 13 Squadron Canberra PR7s' to the ex-RAF airfield of MASROOR, KARACHI, PAKISTAN on a CENTO air defence exercise, Shahbaz 78, where our Canberra PR7s 'attacked' Pakistan at low level together with US F15s from Bitburg, Germany at high level, while Pakistani Air Force (PAF) MIG 21 s tried to intercept us and defend Pakistan. On this 10-day detachment we met many PAF officers and men who behaved impeccably, and with great courtesy. Some of them were senior officers.
Approaching Masroor guardroom in a coach from our hotel there was a white barrier with white-washed stones alongside the road and a smart Sergeant on duty in PAF uniform just like ours who checked who we were and saluted smartly as he lifted the barrier. You could have been at RAF Marham or RAF Aktotiri. Then we were greeted by a Wing Commander with a handlebar moustache and wings just like ours (with PAF instead of RAF)." Come into the bar in the Mess and have a drink, old man", was the greeting, and the wives were all there in beautiful saris - the wives were all lawyers or doctors or accountants, beautifully spoken.
and the photograph above.
17 to 26 April 1978 we deployed six 13 Squadron Canberra PR7s' to the ex-RAF airfield of MASROOR, KARACHI, PAKISTAN on a CENTO air defence exercise, Shahbaz 78, where our Canberra PR7s 'attacked' Pakistan at low level together with US F15s from Bitburg, Germany at high level, while Pakistani Air Force (PAF) MIG 21 s tried to intercept us and defend Pakistan. On this 10-day detachment we met many PAF officers and men who behaved impeccably, and with great courtesy. Some of them were senior officers.
Approaching Masroor guardroom in a coach from our hotel there was a white barrier with white-washed stones alongside the road and a smart Sergeant on duty in PAF uniform just like ours who checked who we were and saluted smartly as he lifted the barrier. You could have been at RAF Marham or RAF Aktotiri. Then we were greeted by a Wing Commander with a handlebar moustache and wings just like ours (with PAF instead of RAF)." Come into the bar in the Mess and have a drink, old man", was the greeting, and the wives were all there in beautiful saris - the wives were all lawyers or doctors or accountants, beautifully spoken.
Note from Brian Crook;
XIII had PR9s at Akrotiri, then moved to Malta in 1966 when the Vulcans went to Cyprus. No 39 also had PR9s in Malta throughout the 60s and early 70s in Malta, and then right through until 2006 at Wyton/Marham. XIII had meanwhile given up their PR9s and reequipped with PR7s in Malta in the mid 70s, through until Oct 78 when we left Luqa for Wyton as the Services pulled out of Malta. We were the last RAF Squadron to serve in Malta, a history of military aviation on the island going back to 1918. XIII then became a Tornado recce squadron.
Roger Young - 66-69 with 38 Sqdn and TASF\
72-75 on 13 Sqdn
I served in Malta from July ’66 to July ’67 on 38 Sqfn at HalFar and then on TASF at Luqa until 1969. I returned in 1972 to 13 Sqn until 1975. I married my Maltese wife Rosina in 1967 in Birzebbugia and our son was born at Mtarfa in 1969.
A few more from Roger from the Malta to Hong Kong detachment, via Masirah, Gan, Changi, in 1974.
Sammy/Sunny & Franco Cassar
Franco Cassar has sent these photographs, one of his father with the ill fated WT530 and an aerial photograph of Valletta, more than likely taken by a 13 Sqdn Canberra.
Franco explains about his father -
"My dad was SAC (later, in UK, Cpl Saviour (Sammy or Sunny) Cassar. He was a Photographer by trade and he was at Luqa from enrolment in around 1961 to August 1968 (not sure where) and August 1970 to March 1978 with 13 squadron (I think). Transferred to RAF Northolt until 1983 when he retired....as you will have guessed he sadly passed away at the age of 52 in 1986. The two year gap (1968 to 1970) was spent (very happily) in Cyprus where I believe he was Camp Photographer at Episkopi. We were the first ever RAF (M) family to deploy abroad and were met at Nicosia (after a Brittannia fight via El Adem) by some top Officer! Picture and article was published in the Times of Malta and I can be seen at the tender age of 6 with my shirt hanging out shading my eyes from the sun!! I'll try and find it and post it sometime.<br/> <br/> Recently I found a photo of Dad next to an infamous PR7, WT530..I reckon it would have been around 1976..it later crashed at the Siggiewi end of the runaway in 1978 with one fatality. This in turn led me to a book, Winged Warriors (http://www.wingedwarriors.co.uk) recently published by Paul Macdonald ex 13 sqdn pilot. A very good read and some good stuff about Malta. He kindly replied to my email and gave me a lot of info about how Dad would have operated within the 13 Sqdn Team. He is shortly publishing another book entirely about Malta (Malta's Greater Siege and Adrian Warburton)<br/> <br/> I never went back to live in Malta, come 1983...after 19 years in London I have since lived in Gibraltar for the past 19 years but go back to Malta regularly to visit Mum etc. My memories of the Forces in general and the RAF in particular in Malta are strong but would welcome any background and in particular that may involve my Dad...shame I didn't ask him when I could!"
David McIntyre
Photographs from his time at Luqa on XIII PR Squadron and his association with the MAE Modelling Group.
Thanks to David John for permission to reproduce his aircraft photographs on the RAF Luqa Remembered website.
Not all of these aircraft are 13 Squadron, pretty obvious of course, but I will post them also in the 'Aircraft' gallery.
Great photographs and his kindness is very much appreciated.
Taken by David Rose at RIAT 2013.
XH134 is taking to the air again in 2013 after being restored to flying condition by Midair at Kemble (Cotswold Airport).
Aircraft has been repainted and display authorisation has been achieved.
Time of writing (15 September 2013) - first display is Jersey during the coming week and then Goodwood the week after.
Planned to display with two hunters in 2014.
Yemen 1973
Shhhh, don't ask!
Brian Crook - XIII Squadron
Brian also has a couple of photographs of 39 Squadron PR9's on the 39 Squadron photo gallery page.
There's an odd few of 58 Sqdn below, I don't think they are Brian's but great photos!
December 2012 - Some great Canberra photos added, thanks Brian.
There's an odd few of 58 Sqdn below, I don't think they are Brian's but great photos!
December 2012 - Some great Canberra photos added, thanks Brian.
Joe Ciliberti
Joe is director of Reach Ltd. Medex-Aerospace, organiser of the Malta International Air Show and is on the European Airshow Council.
XIII Squadron converted to PR Tornado's after they left Malta and were based at RAF Marham.
On Friday 13th May 2011 at 1030, XIII Squadron from RAF Marham took to the
parade square for their final parade prior to their official disbandment on 1
June 2011. This was a historical occasion and a milestone in Royal Air Force
history.
More information on the MOD website
parade square for their final parade prior to their official disbandment on 1
June 2011. This was a historical occasion and a milestone in Royal Air Force
history.
More information on the MOD website