39 SQUADRON History ( Courtesy of RAF MOD Website )
The History of 39 Squadron: One of the Home Defence squadrons, No 39 was formed at Hounslow on 15 April 1916 and operated detachments at Hainault Farm and Sutton's Farm. In August a detachment was established at North Weald. Operations against Zeppelins and later Gotha bombers continued until November 1918, with no success, (N.B. See below from Brian Crook) initially with BE2s and from September 1917, Bristol F2Bs.However, in November 1918 the squadron was sent to France but five days later the Armistice came along and the squadron disbanded on 16 November 1918.
39 was soon back when No 37 was re-numbered on 1 July 1919 at Biggin Hill but remained a cadre (no aircraft) until February 1923 when DH9As were received at Spittlegate near Grantham. The squadron transferred to India in December 1928 and received Wapitis in February 1929 which were used for patrolling the North-West Frontier. Harts arrived in November 1931 and Blenheims in August 1939, following which the squadron transferred to Singapore. Returning to India in April 1940, it was intended that the squadron should carry on to the Middle East but was diverted to Aden instead. From here it operated against Italian targets in East Africa until November 1940 when it moved to Egypt.New equipment arrived in January 1941 in the form of Marylands, which it used for strategic reconnaissance duties until January 1942. Beauforts were also operated in the anti-shipping role from August 1941 and this became its main role following the withdrawal of the Marylands in January 1942. Early in 1942 it kept a detachment in Malta and on 20 August this element amalgamated with similar elements of No's 86 and 217 Squadrons to become 39, whilst the rest of 39 joined No 47 Squadron. Continuing in the torpedo bomber role its Beauforts were replaced by Beaufighters in June 1943.
With Beaufighter it added night intruder sorties to its list of roles, operating all around the Central Mediterranean area. A move to Italy in July 1944 allowed it to operate over the Balkans as well as the coasts of Italy and French coasts. Marauders began to arrive in December 1944 and it resumed operations in February 1945, but in October it was transferred to the Sudan and re-equipped with Mosquitos, where it disbanded on 8 September 1946. 39 Sqn Marauder Association
Reformed at Nairobi in Kenya on 1 April 1948 the squadron flew Tempests in the area until disbanding on 28 February 1949. The following day it reformed at Fayid in the Canal Zone as a Mosquito night fighter unit tasked with the defence of the Suez Canal. It received Meteors in March 1953, moving to Malta in January 1955, disbanding at Luqa on 30 June 1958. Another 39 Squadron appeared the next day when No 69 Squadron at Luqa was re-numbered. It operated Canberra PR Mk 3s in the photo-reconnaissance role from Malta until Oct 1962 when PR Mk 9s were received.
In September 1970 it returned to RAF Wyton where it continued to operate in the same role until disbanding on 1 June 1982. Its final incarnation began on 1 July 1992 when No 1 PRU at Wyton, equipped with Canberra PR Mk 9 aircraft was re-numbered 39, moving to RAF Marham in December 1993, where it also received Canberra PR Mk 7s. The PR 7s were gradually retired as were the PR 9s until the squadron was only operating three of the latter and finally on 28 July 2006, the squadron was disbanded.
No 39 Sqn was reformed on 1 Jan 07, at Creech AFB, to operate Predator MQ-9 known as REAPER. Additionally, the Sqn provides administrative support to UK personnel operating Predator MQ-1, under the auspices of the Combined Joint Predator Task Force, also from Creech AFB. A new Squadron Standard was presented on 23 January 2008.
39 Sqn Marauder Association
39 was soon back when No 37 was re-numbered on 1 July 1919 at Biggin Hill but remained a cadre (no aircraft) until February 1923 when DH9As were received at Spittlegate near Grantham. The squadron transferred to India in December 1928 and received Wapitis in February 1929 which were used for patrolling the North-West Frontier. Harts arrived in November 1931 and Blenheims in August 1939, following which the squadron transferred to Singapore. Returning to India in April 1940, it was intended that the squadron should carry on to the Middle East but was diverted to Aden instead. From here it operated against Italian targets in East Africa until November 1940 when it moved to Egypt.New equipment arrived in January 1941 in the form of Marylands, which it used for strategic reconnaissance duties until January 1942. Beauforts were also operated in the anti-shipping role from August 1941 and this became its main role following the withdrawal of the Marylands in January 1942. Early in 1942 it kept a detachment in Malta and on 20 August this element amalgamated with similar elements of No's 86 and 217 Squadrons to become 39, whilst the rest of 39 joined No 47 Squadron. Continuing in the torpedo bomber role its Beauforts were replaced by Beaufighters in June 1943.
With Beaufighter it added night intruder sorties to its list of roles, operating all around the Central Mediterranean area. A move to Italy in July 1944 allowed it to operate over the Balkans as well as the coasts of Italy and French coasts. Marauders began to arrive in December 1944 and it resumed operations in February 1945, but in October it was transferred to the Sudan and re-equipped with Mosquitos, where it disbanded on 8 September 1946. 39 Sqn Marauder Association
Reformed at Nairobi in Kenya on 1 April 1948 the squadron flew Tempests in the area until disbanding on 28 February 1949. The following day it reformed at Fayid in the Canal Zone as a Mosquito night fighter unit tasked with the defence of the Suez Canal. It received Meteors in March 1953, moving to Malta in January 1955, disbanding at Luqa on 30 June 1958. Another 39 Squadron appeared the next day when No 69 Squadron at Luqa was re-numbered. It operated Canberra PR Mk 3s in the photo-reconnaissance role from Malta until Oct 1962 when PR Mk 9s were received.
In September 1970 it returned to RAF Wyton where it continued to operate in the same role until disbanding on 1 June 1982. Its final incarnation began on 1 July 1992 when No 1 PRU at Wyton, equipped with Canberra PR Mk 9 aircraft was re-numbered 39, moving to RAF Marham in December 1993, where it also received Canberra PR Mk 7s. The PR 7s were gradually retired as were the PR 9s until the squadron was only operating three of the latter and finally on 28 July 2006, the squadron was disbanded.
No 39 Sqn was reformed on 1 Jan 07, at Creech AFB, to operate Predator MQ-9 known as REAPER. Additionally, the Sqn provides administrative support to UK personnel operating Predator MQ-1, under the auspices of the Combined Joint Predator Task Force, also from Creech AFB. A new Squadron Standard was presented on 23 January 2008.
39 Sqn Marauder Association
Note regarding the history item in bold above;
(With thanks to Brian Crook for sending this information in)
The history of 39 Sqn that I have seen touted around says that in the first world war39 were assigned to shoot down Zeppelins over Uk, but did so 'without success'
NOT true!
The first Zeppelin ever shot down over UK was by Lieutenant Leefe-Robinson of No 39 Squadron, for which he was awarded an immediate VC. I attach his combat report below. The tail skid of his BE2 was mounted and kept on the wall of the No 39 Sqn air crew room while I was on the squadron fifty years later 1965-68 at Luqa, Malta...
In his own words (Note the Squadron Number, line3):
In his combat report to his commanding officer, Leefe Robinson wrote:[4]
September 1916
From: Lieutenant Leefe Robinson, Sutton's Farm.
To: The Officer Commanding No. 39 H. D. Squadron.
Sir:
I have the honour to make the following report on night patrol made by me on the night of the 2-3 instant. I went up at about 11.08 p.m. on the night of the second with instructions to patrol between Sutton's Farm and Joyce Green.
I climbed to 10,000 feet in fifty-three minutes. I counted what I thought were ten sets of flares - there were a few clouds below me, but on the whole it was a beautifully clear night. I saw nothing until 1.10 a.m., when two searchlights picked up a Zeppelin S.E. of Woolwich. The clouds had collected in this quarter and the searchlights had some difficulty in keeping on the airship.
By this time I had managed to climb to 12,000 feet and I made in the direction of the Zeppelin - which was being fired on by a few anti-aircraft guns - hoping to cut it off on its way eastward. I very slowly gained on it for about ten minutes.
I judged it to be about 800 feet below me and I sacrificed some speed in order to keep the height. It went behind some clouds, avoiding the searchlight, and I lost sight of it. After fifteen minutes of fruitless search I returned to my patrol.
I managed to pick up and distinguish my flares again. At about 1.50 a.m. I noticed a red glow in the N.E. of London. Taking it to be an outbreak of fire, I went in that direction. At 2.05 a Zeppelin was picked up by the searchlights over N.N.E. London (as far as I could judge).
Remembering my last failure, I sacrificed height (I was at about 12,900 feet) for speed and nosed down in the direction of the Zeppelin. I saw shells bursting and night tracers flying around it.
When I drew closer I noticed that the anti-aircraft aim was too high or too low; also a good many shells burst about 800 feet behind-a few tracers went right over. I could hear the bursts when about 3,000 feet from the Zeppelin.
I flew about 800 feet below it from bow to stem and distributed one drum among it (alternate New Brock and Pomeroy). It seemed to have no effect;
I therefore moved to one side and gave them another drum along the side - also without effect. I then got behind it and by this time I was very close - 500 feet or less below, and concentrated one drum on one part (underneath rear). I was then at a height of 11,500 feet when attacking the Zeppelin.
I had hardly finished the drum before I saw the part fired at, glow. In a few seconds the whole rear part was blazing. When the third drum was fired, there were no searchlights on the Zeppelin, and no anti-aircraft was firing.
I quickly got out of the way of the falling, blazing Zeppelin and, being very excited, fired off a few red Very lights and dropped a parachute flare.
Having little oil or petrol left, I returned to Sutton's Farm, landing at 2.45 a.m. On landing, I found the Zeppelin gunners had shot away the machine-gun wire guard, the rear part of my centre section, and had pierced the main spar several times.
I have the honour to be, sir,
Your obedient servant,
(Signed)
W. Leefe Robinson, Lieutenant
No. 39 Squadron, R.F.C.
The propaganda value of this success was enormous to the British Government, as it indicated that the German airship threat could be countered.
N.B. from David Rose.
I found this graphic which also mentions Lieutenant Leefe-Robinson and shows the shooting down of a Zepplin.
More on the story, and more pictures and graphics at the 'Great British Life' website. The website also gives original credit for this graphic to - "Credit: courtesy of Christie's Colour Library"
William Leefe Robinson: Bringing down a Zeppelin | Great British Life
(With thanks to Brian Crook for sending this information in)
The history of 39 Sqn that I have seen touted around says that in the first world war39 were assigned to shoot down Zeppelins over Uk, but did so 'without success'
NOT true!
The first Zeppelin ever shot down over UK was by Lieutenant Leefe-Robinson of No 39 Squadron, for which he was awarded an immediate VC. I attach his combat report below. The tail skid of his BE2 was mounted and kept on the wall of the No 39 Sqn air crew room while I was on the squadron fifty years later 1965-68 at Luqa, Malta...
In his own words (Note the Squadron Number, line3):
In his combat report to his commanding officer, Leefe Robinson wrote:[4]
September 1916
From: Lieutenant Leefe Robinson, Sutton's Farm.
To: The Officer Commanding No. 39 H. D. Squadron.
Sir:
I have the honour to make the following report on night patrol made by me on the night of the 2-3 instant. I went up at about 11.08 p.m. on the night of the second with instructions to patrol between Sutton's Farm and Joyce Green.
I climbed to 10,000 feet in fifty-three minutes. I counted what I thought were ten sets of flares - there were a few clouds below me, but on the whole it was a beautifully clear night. I saw nothing until 1.10 a.m., when two searchlights picked up a Zeppelin S.E. of Woolwich. The clouds had collected in this quarter and the searchlights had some difficulty in keeping on the airship.
By this time I had managed to climb to 12,000 feet and I made in the direction of the Zeppelin - which was being fired on by a few anti-aircraft guns - hoping to cut it off on its way eastward. I very slowly gained on it for about ten minutes.
I judged it to be about 800 feet below me and I sacrificed some speed in order to keep the height. It went behind some clouds, avoiding the searchlight, and I lost sight of it. After fifteen minutes of fruitless search I returned to my patrol.
I managed to pick up and distinguish my flares again. At about 1.50 a.m. I noticed a red glow in the N.E. of London. Taking it to be an outbreak of fire, I went in that direction. At 2.05 a Zeppelin was picked up by the searchlights over N.N.E. London (as far as I could judge).
Remembering my last failure, I sacrificed height (I was at about 12,900 feet) for speed and nosed down in the direction of the Zeppelin. I saw shells bursting and night tracers flying around it.
When I drew closer I noticed that the anti-aircraft aim was too high or too low; also a good many shells burst about 800 feet behind-a few tracers went right over. I could hear the bursts when about 3,000 feet from the Zeppelin.
I flew about 800 feet below it from bow to stem and distributed one drum among it (alternate New Brock and Pomeroy). It seemed to have no effect;
I therefore moved to one side and gave them another drum along the side - also without effect. I then got behind it and by this time I was very close - 500 feet or less below, and concentrated one drum on one part (underneath rear). I was then at a height of 11,500 feet when attacking the Zeppelin.
I had hardly finished the drum before I saw the part fired at, glow. In a few seconds the whole rear part was blazing. When the third drum was fired, there were no searchlights on the Zeppelin, and no anti-aircraft was firing.
I quickly got out of the way of the falling, blazing Zeppelin and, being very excited, fired off a few red Very lights and dropped a parachute flare.
Having little oil or petrol left, I returned to Sutton's Farm, landing at 2.45 a.m. On landing, I found the Zeppelin gunners had shot away the machine-gun wire guard, the rear part of my centre section, and had pierced the main spar several times.
I have the honour to be, sir,
Your obedient servant,
(Signed)
W. Leefe Robinson, Lieutenant
No. 39 Squadron, R.F.C.
The propaganda value of this success was enormous to the British Government, as it indicated that the German airship threat could be countered.
N.B. from David Rose.
I found this graphic which also mentions Lieutenant Leefe-Robinson and shows the shooting down of a Zepplin.
More on the story, and more pictures and graphics at the 'Great British Life' website. The website also gives original credit for this graphic to - "Credit: courtesy of Christie's Colour Library"
William Leefe Robinson: Bringing down a Zeppelin | Great British Life
39 SQUADRON ASSOCIATION
The 39 Squadron Association - The Winged Bomb - is re-forming this year, so we would be interested to hear from any ex 39 Squadron people
To express an interest in the re-formation of the 39 Squadron Association;
Please contact Ken Delve at email address [email protected]
The email address is the XH135 Association, Ken will advise details of the 39 Squadron Association contact as the formation of the associaiton progresses.
Ken sent in a few photographs, plus the Squadron Colours and the Aerial photograph of Luqa and Hal Far airfields.
The 39 Squadron Association - The Winged Bomb - is re-forming this year, so we would be interested to hear from any ex 39 Squadron people
To express an interest in the re-formation of the 39 Squadron Association;
Please contact Ken Delve at email address [email protected]
The email address is the XH135 Association, Ken will advise details of the 39 Squadron Association contact as the formation of the associaiton progresses.
Ken sent in a few photographs, plus the Squadron Colours and the Aerial photograph of Luqa and Hal Far airfields.
Note from Brian Crook
XIII had PR9s at Akrotiri, then moved to Malta in 1966 when the Vulacns 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.
39 Squadron Photographs from Michael Ray (12 Feb 2022)
Mike served at Luqa 1969-1972 and lived in Birzebugia. His daughter was born at the RN hospital Mtarfa.
Captions with the photographs, hover over them or click to enlarge and see caption.
Mike served at Luqa 1969-1972 and lived in Birzebugia. His daughter was born at the RN hospital Mtarfa.
Captions with the photographs, hover over them or click to enlarge and see caption.
Canberra XH167 'Arrested' on Runway 24 RAF Luqa!
The above photograph (thought to have been taken by an unknown fireman) was sent to me by Brian Crook, 39 & 13 Squadron Canberra Navigator based at RAF Luqa in the 1960's and 1970's.
It shows 39 Squadron Canberra PR9 XH167 on 18 January 1967 after an aborted takeoff was arrested by the Barrier Gear (an array of steel cables) at the end of Runway 24, RAF Luqa.
The story below is related, by Brian, who was the navigator in XH167 that day.
It shows 39 Squadron Canberra PR9 XH167 on 18 January 1967 after an aborted takeoff was arrested by the Barrier Gear (an array of steel cables) at the end of Runway 24, RAF Luqa.
The story below is related, by Brian, who was the navigator in XH167 that day.
Kevin Patience - A few of Kevins photographs are posted further down this page but here are some more recently sent in. There may be a mixture of 13 and 39 Sqdn, they are all taken at RAF Masirah, Oman, during passing through or on detachments in 1968 to 69.
The one with the Nimrod is from when Kevin was stationed at RAF St Mawgan and transiting through Masirah in 72.
Victor Delceppo
Victor worked on 39 Squadron ASF for a number of years in the 70's.
Included in these photographs is a 'Good Show' award. Well worth a read, shows how diligence and initiative probably saved a future serious incident, possibly even saving the life of the crew.
Terry Bate - 39 Sqdn 1955-56
I went from Masirah at the end of my tour, spent four weeks in Aden (NB I played in the first rugby game ever played in Aden on a rolled sand pitch, built by an oil company, Shell I think. The first game was RAF versus the Rest. We won, but I screwed up my knee on the soft sand and spent a week in the hospital at Steamer Point)
From Aden I was posted to 39 Squadron at Luqa, until the end of Middle East tour in September, 1956.
The photographs are of 39 squadron seeing off Royal Navy aircraft from Luqa in case you were wondering about the 'Fish Head' reference!
+
39 Squadron photographs reporoduced with kind permission from Kevin Patience
Couple of photos taken by Kevin Patience during his time at Masirah.
The Silver Canberra XH175 is the last silver one of 39 Squadron, the rest had been painted in camouflage colours.
The one with the crew load testing the wings, and even engine cowling, was during a 39 Squadron detachment to Masirah, circa 1968.
The Silver Canberra XH175 is the last silver one of 39 Squadron, the rest had been painted in camouflage colours.
The one with the crew load testing the wings, and even engine cowling, was during a 39 Squadron detachment to Masirah, circa 1968.
Brian Crook - 39 Squadron Photos (PR9's)
Explanation of why his photo collection included XIII Sqdn and 39 Sqdn is:
XIII had PR9s at Akrotiri, then moved to Malta in 1966 when the Vulacns 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.
XIII had PR9s at Akrotiri, then moved to Malta in 1966 when the Vulacns 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.