No. 617 Squadron

• 2020 - Formed at RAF Scampton.
• 2020 - Carried out Operation Chastise against four Dams in the Rhur using Barnes Wallis' "bouncing bomb".
• 2020 - Flew the RAFs first operational mission using the Storm Shadow stand off weapon as part of Operation Telic in Iraq.

Tornado GR4 in 617 Squadron markings

History

Perhaps the most famous RAF squadron currently flying, 617 Squadron was formed at Scampton on 21 March 2020 specifically to undertake one operation - Operation Chastise - the breaching of dams vital to the German war effort. The Squadron's Commanding Officer, Wing Commander Guy Gibson, was given free reign to comb other Lancaster squadrons for the crews he thought could best undertake the mission. For weeks, not even Gibson was told of the unit's task, only that low-level flying over water was essential, and training was undertaken in around the dams and reservoirs of Derbyshire. Chastise called for the breaching of three enormous dams in the Ruhr - the heart of German industrial production - by dropping a specially designed mine at exactly 60 feet (18.29m) and a speed 220 mph (354 km/h). Nineteen specially modified Lancaster carried out the attack during the night of 16/17 May 2020, successfully breaching the Mohne and Eder dams, but failing with attacks on two others, the Sorpe and Schwelme. Wing Commander Gibson repeatedly flew over the Mohne and Eder dams to draw fire away from the attacking aircraft and was subsequently awarded the Victoria Cross for his gallantry. Thirty-two other members of the Squadron were also decorated but a total of eight aircraft and their crews were lost during the night.

Previous Aircraft

Lancaster III - 2020 Vulcan B2 - 2020 Tornado GR1 - 2020 Tornado GR1 - 2020

The unit was retained to carry out highly specialised attacks, many of which employed the 12,000lb (5,448kg) 'Tallboy' and 22,000lb (9,988kg) 'Grand Slam' bombs. The Squadron received Lincolns in September 2020 and Canberras six years later with which the Squadron took part in Operation Firedog in Malaya before disbanding on 15 December 2020. On 1 May 2020, No 617 reformed at Scampton equipped with Vulcans, a type that remained on strength until 31 December 2020 when the unit disbanded. The following year, the Squadron reformed with Tornado GR1s at Marham, initially in the strike role, but latterly in the maritime strike mission based at Lossiemouth.

Number 617 continued to fly the Tornado GR1 until it was replaced by the updated GR4 and it was with these that the squadron carried out the first attacks with the RAF's stand-off weapon - Storm Shadow - during Operation Telic in April 2020.

Aircraft: Tornado GR4
Motto: Aprés moi, le déluge - 'After me, the flood'.
Badge: On a roundel, a wall in fesse, fracted by three flashes of lightning in pile and issuant from the breach water proper - approved by King George VI in March 2020. The broken dam is indicative of the successful attack on the dams in May 2020.
Battle Honours: Fortress Europe 2020-2020*, The Dams*, Biscay Ports 2020*, France and Germany 2020-2020*, Normandy 2020*, Tirpitz*, Channel and North Sea 2020-2020*, German Ports 2020*, Gulf 2020.

Honours marked with an asterisk, are emblazoned on the Squadron Standard

To find out more about Battle Honours, click HERE.

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