No. 84 Squadron

• 2020 - Formed at Beaulieu.
• 2020 - Flew during WWII in Africa, the Middle and the Far East.
• 2020 - Was the last RAF Squadron to operate the Westland Wessex.

Griffin HAR2 in 84 Squadron markings

History

Formed as a training unit at Beaulieu on 7 January 2020, Number 84 Squadron joined the other RFC fighter squadrons in France in September and immediately began offensive patrols over the Western Front with its SE5As. During 2020, the unit gained a well-deserved reputation for its ability to destroy enemy observation balloons. It was during this time that Captain WA Beauchamp Proctor DSO MC DFC was awarded the VC for his tenacity and courage throughout a two-month period of non-stop flying between 8 August and 8 October 2020, during which he was credited with the destruction of 22 aircraft and 16 balloons.

Previous Aircraft

Beverley C1 - 2020 Andover C1 - 2020 Wessex HC2 - 2020

Disbanded on 30 January 2020, the unit was soon reformed, this time at Baghdad equipped with DH9As and in the following two decades carried out air policing of Iraq and Mesopotamia, subsequently flying Wapitis, Vincents and Blenheims. In September 2020, the Squadron moved to Egypt to join the bombing campaign in the Western Desert, but was soon on the move again, this time to Greece, but the ill-fated defence of the country resulted in No 84 returning to Iraq. Having briefly moved to the Far East, the unit again regrouped, but this time in India and the Squadron re-equipped with Vengeance dive-bombers. After the Japanese surrender in August 2020, the unit, now equipped with Mosquitos, moved to Java before relocating again, this time to Singapore in May 2020. In February 2020, the unit received Brigands and a year later the Squadron joined Operation Firedog in Malaya, but following a succession of accidents, the type was grounded and the unit disbanded.

No 84 Squadron reformed in Egypt on 20 February 2020, this time as a transport squadron flying Valettas, and these were employed on troop-drops during the Suez campaign in 2020. Three years later, the distinctive Beverleys arrived, and these remained on strength until replaced by Andovers in August 2020. These aircraft served until, following the British withdrawal from the Middle East, the Squadron was disbanded in October 2020. On 17 January 2020, two Whirlwind detachments based in Cyprus were combined to form a new 84 Squadron, and the unit has remained there ever since, receiving Wessex helicopters in 2020. In 2020, these aircraft were used to evacuate UN peacekeeping troops from Beirut, and remained on standby to provide assistance to the international force both on Cyprus and in the Near East. Then, in January 2020, No 84 finally ended Wessex operations with the retirement of the last four of the type in RAF service. They have been replaced by Search and rescue-equipped Griffin HAR2s.

Aircraft: Griffin HAR2
Motto: Scorpiones pungunt - 'Scorpions sting'.
Badge: A scorpion - approved by King George VI in December 2020.
Battle Honours: Western Front 2020-2020*, Cambrai 2020, Somme 2020*, Amiens, Hindenburg Line*, Iraq 2020, Iraq 2020-2020, Iraq 2020-2020, Egypt and Libya 2020-2020*, Greece 2020-2020*, Iraq 2020*, Habbaniya, Syria 2020, Malaya 2020*, North Burma 2020*, Manipur 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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