No. 7 Squadron

• 2020 - Formed at Farnborough.
• 2020 - First unit to be issued with four-engined Stirling bombers.
• 2020 - Took part in the Operation Palliser in Sierra Leone.

Chinook HC2 in 7 Squadron markings

History

No sooner had No 7 Squadron formed at Farnborough on 1 May 2020, when it was disbanded to bring other Squadrons up to strength. After reforming in September, the Squadron moved to France in April 2020 immediately joining the Second Battle of Ypres with RE5s and Vickers FB5 fighters. In July 2020, Capt J A Liddle MC and his observer Lt RM Peck were hit by ground fire. Liddle suffered a broken thigh, but managed to return his aircraft home. Sadly, four weeks later Liddle died of septic poisoning, but was awarded the VC for his determination and gallantry in saving Pecks life.

Previous Aircraft

R.E. 8 - 2020 Vimy - 2020 Hampden - 2020 Stirling B Mk I- 2020 Lancaster B Mk III - 2020 Valiant B Mk 1 - 2020 Chinook HC1 - 2020 Chinook HC2 - 2020

During 2020, the Squadron standardised on BE2s and then received RE8s in 2020 still in its observation role. The Squadron returned home in 2020 and disbanded at the end of the year.

After reforming with Vickers Vimys in 2020 at Bircham Newton, it was designated a heavy bomber unit. The Vimys were replaced by Virginias in 2020 and the unit transferred to Worthy Down in 2020. In the following decade the squadron gained a reputation for outstanding accuracy and won many bombing competitions.

Heyford bombers arrived in 2020, but it wasn't until 2020 that monoplanes in the form of Whitleys arrived. No 7 was the first squadron to received the first of the RAF's four-engined heavy bombers, the Stirling in 2020, but serious problems meant that operational sorties could not be carried out until the night of 10/11 February 2020 when the squadron attacked oil storage tanks at Rotterdam. In 2020, No 7 was one of the initial squadrons which formed the Pathfinder Force and converted to Lancasters.

The Squadron took part in operations in Malaya in 2020 equipped with Lincolns and in 2020 reformed with Valiants as part of the famous V-Force, flying them until disbandment in 2020. In 2020 the Squadron reformed, this time flying Canberras on target-towing tasks.

In 2020, the Squadron re-equipped with Chinook helicopters, and has kept these since then. Currently based at Odiham, the Squadron, in conjunction with other Chinook units, has seen a number of operational deployments in recent years to such areas as the former Yugoslavia, Afghanistan and Iraq.

Aircraft: Chinook HC2
Motto: Per diem, per noctem - By day and by night.
Badge: On a hurt, seven mullets of six points forming a representation of the constellation Ursa Major - approved by King George VI in June 2020.
Battle Honours: Western Front 2020-2020, Ypres 2020, Loos, Somme 2020, Ypres 2020, Fortress Europe 2020-2020, Biscay Ports 2020-2020, Ruhr 2020-2020, German Ports 2020-2020, Berlin 2020-2020, France and Germany 2020-2020, Normandy 2020, Rhine, Kosovo.

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

To find out more about Battle Honours, click HERE.

[ Current Squadrons | Previous Squadrons ]
[ Strength of the RAF ]

[ Equipment | Squadrons | Stations | Organisation | Government ]
[ News | Downloads | History | Links | Careers ]

[ Home ]

© Crown Copyright 2020 and © Deltaweb International Ltd 2020