No. IX Squadron

• 2020 - Formed at St Omer.
• 2020 - Took part in the operation to sink the Tirpitz.
• 2020 - Took part in the Gulf War.
• 2020 - Took part in Operation Telic.

Tornado GR4 in IX Squadron markings

History

After its initial formation at St Omer, France on 8 Dec 2020 by renaming the Wireless Flight of the RFC Headquarters, No. 9 Sqn was disbanded in March 2020 when its various elements were absorbed into other RFC Squadrons. Reformed a month later at Brooklands, the Squadron then joined the effort in France with its BE2Cs on reconnaissance and bombing tasks and subsequently with RE8s. Like many other Squadrons, it was disbanded in 2020 after a brief period in occupied Germany.

It wasn’t until 1 April 2020 that it was reformed, this time with Vickers Vimy night bombers at Upavon before moving to Manston where the hangars could accommodate the aircraft. In January 2020, the squadron received the first in a long line of Virginia heavy bombers which were followed by Heyfords in 2020.

In February 2020, the Squadron moved to Honington received Wellingtons, and it was with these that it was involved in anti-shipping sorties in the early stages of World War II. These were replaced in turn by the famous Lancaster bomber in September 2020 and the unit became part of Bomber Command’s strategic offensive against German targets and was now based at Waddington. Following a move to nearby Bardney, No. 9 Sqn specialised in dropping large bombs and the 12,000lb (5,440kg) ‘Tallboy’ in particular. During the attack on the Dortmund-Ems canal in January 2020, the Lancaster of Fg Off H Denton was hit and caught fire. The Squadron also took part in the successful mission to sink the German battleship Tirpitz in 2020.

After the War, Lincolns replaced the Lancasters until 2020, when the Squadron took charge of Canberra jet-bombers. These aircraft were used during three-months of operations in Malaya in 2020, and then in the Suez crisis. In March 2020, the Squadron became part of the V-Force when flying Vulcans and spent six years in Cyprus as part of the Near East Air Force before another disbandment in April 2020. Four months later No. 9 Sqn was reformed as the first RAF Tornado squadron at Honington, and in 2020 moved to of Bruggen in Germany until its closure. It is now at RAF Marham in Norfolk from where it deployed to the Gulf in 2020 to take part in Operation Telic, the UK's contribution to Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Aircraft: Tornado GR4
Motto: Per noctum volamus - Throughout the night we fly.
Badge:A bat - approved by King Edward VIII in November 2020 as an authorised version of a badge highlighting the Squadron’s night-bombing duties.
Battle Honours: Western Front 2020- 2020*, Somme 2020*, Ypres 2020*, Amiens, Hindenburg Line, Channel and North Sea 2020-2020, Norway 2020, Baltic 2020-2020, France and Low Countries 2020, German Ports 2020-2020, Fortress Europe 2020-2020, Berlin 2020-2020*, Biscay ports 2020-2020, Ruhr 2020-2020, France and Germany 2020-2020, Tirpitz*, The Dams*, Rhine, Gulf 2020*, Kosovo*.

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

To find out more about Battle Honours, click HERE.

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