No. 75 Squadron RAF
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| No. 75 Squadron RAF | |
|---|---|
| Unit name | No. 75 Squadron RAF |
| Dates | 1916–1919; 1937–1946; 1946–1957; 1958–1964; 1985–1992 |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Branch | Royal Air Force |
| Role | Heavy bomber; maritime reconnaissance; transport |
| Aircraft bomber | Handley Page Hyderabad; Handley Page Heyford; Vickers Wellington; Avro Lancaster; Avro Lincoln; Avro Shackleton; Handley Page Hastings; Blackburn Beverley; Lockheed C-130 Hercules |
No. 75 Squadron RAF
No. 75 Squadron RAF was a unit of the Royal Air Force with service in the First World War, the Second World War, and the Cold War, operating heavy bombers, maritime reconnaissance aircraft, and transport types. The squadron served in theatres including Western Front (World War I), the European theatre of World War II, and the Malayan Emergency, and its personnel were recognised by awards such as the Victoria Cross and the Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom). Throughout its history the squadron operated from stations including RAF Marham, RAF Feltwell, RAF Scampton, and RAF Lyneham.
History
Formed in 1916 during the First World War, the squadron initially flew night bombing and reconnaissance from bases on the Western Front (World War I), transitioning through types including the Handley Page Hyderabad and Handley Page Heyford before disbanding in 1919. Reconstituted in 1937 amid rearmament tied to the Munich Crisis and the rise of the Nazi Party, it converted to Vickers Wellingtons and took part in early strategic bombing against targets connected to the Battle of Britain and the Blitz. Re-equipped with Avro Lancasters, the squadron performed long-range raids against industrial targets in the Ruhr, the Krupp Works, and the Dortmund-Ems Canal, participating in operations associated with Bomber Command directives from figures such as Arthur Harris and contributing to campaigns like Operation Chastise planning and area bombing strategies debated at the Air Ministry. Postwar, the squadron operated Avro Lincolns and Avro Shackletons during the onset of the Cold War, supporting NATO commitments alongside units from the United States Air Force and the Royal Netherlands Air Force. In the 1950s and 1960s it provided transport using Handley Page Hastings and Blackburn Beverley aircraft in support of operations connected to the Malayan Emergency and the Suez Crisis, later re-forming with Lockheed C-130 Hercules airframes to conduct tactical airlift for formations such as United Nations deployments and joint exercises with the British Army and the Royal Navy.
Operations and deployments
During the Second World War the squadron undertook night sorties from bases in Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire, engaging in operations against targets tied to the German war economy, including the Krupp Works, the German submarine pens, and synthetic fuel plants at locations such as Pölitz. Crews took part in high-profile raids coordinated with operations like Operation Millennium and missions supporting the Normandy landings logistics and interdiction plans associated with the Allied invasion of Normandy. Post-1945 deployments included maritime patrols from RAF St Eval and RAF Kinloss during Cold War anti-submarine efforts against threats related to the Soviet Navy and the Northern Fleet, as well as troop and cargo movements during crises involving Egypt and operations linked to the United Nations Emergency Force (UNEF). The squadron also contributed airlift to humanitarian responses coordinated with International Red Cross and NATO relief efforts.
Aircraft operated
Aircraft types flown included early heavy types such as the Handley Page Hyderabad and Handley Page Heyford during the squadron's interwar and immediate post‑First World War era; the Vickers Wellington in the late 1930s and early 1940s; the Avro Lancaster as the principal heavy bomber throughout the height of RAF Bomber Command operations; and the Avro Lincoln in the immediate postwar period. In the Cold War the unit operated the long-range Avro Shackleton for maritime reconnaissance and anti‑submarine warfare alongside the Handley Page Hastings and Blackburn Beverley transports for strategic and tactical airlift. In later years the squadron flew Lockheed C-130 Hercules variants supporting modern air mobility tasks linked to operations with NATO and United Nations forces.
Squadron bases
The squadron was based at numerous stations including RFC Marham/RAF Marham during periods of heavy bomber training and operations, RAF Scampton during major Second World War raids, RAF Feltwell for overseas deployment staging, and RAF Lyneham during the transport era. Other notable bases included RAF Waddington, RAF St Eval, RAF Kinloss, RAF Hemswell, and forward detachments across North Africa, Southeast Asia, and Germany in support of NATO commitments and imperial defence responsibilities tied to the British Empire and later the Commonwealth of Nations.
Commanding officers and notable personnel
Commanding officers and crew included experienced figures drawn from interwar veterans and decorated Second World War aircrew who received decorations such as the Victoria Cross, the Distinguished Service Order, and the Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom). Personnel often had prior service with squadrons in the Royal Naval Air Service or transfers from other RAF bomber units, and later generations served in joint operations with officers from the United States Air Force, the Royal Australian Air Force, and the Royal Canadian Air Force. Several commanders and navigators featured in squadron histories and memoirs alongside mentions in biographies of senior RAF leaders such as Charles Portal and Arthur Harris.
Battle honours and awards
The squadron's battle honours reflect its participation in the Western Front (World War I), major Second World War campaigns including the Strategic bombing campaign over Germany, and postwar Cold War maritime patrols. Individual and unit awards included examples of the Victoria Cross for valorous actions by aircrew, multiple Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom) citations, and campaign stars and decorations tied to service in theaters such as North Africa, Southeast Asia Command, and the European theatre of World War II. Unit citations linked to operations supporting NATO deterrence were noted in postwar squadron records and commemorations.
Insignia and traditions
The squadron badge and insignia evolved across eras, incorporating heraldic motifs displayed on standards and squadron colours presented in ceremonies attended by representatives of the Monarchy of the United Kingdom and senior RAF officials. Traditions included annual remembrance events tied to Remembrance Sunday, the preservation of operational histories in museums such as the Imperial War Museum and regional aviation collections, and affiliations with civic bodies in communities near bases like Lincolnshire and Wiltshire.