| No. 217 Squadron RAF | |
|---|---|
 Bristol Beauforts of No. 217 Squadron offCornwall, 1942 | |
| Active | 1918-1919, 1937-1945, 1952-1957, 1958-1959 |
| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Branch |  Royal Air Force |
| Role | Maritime patrol,anti-shipping,strike,reconnaissance |
| Part of | RAF Coastal Command |
| Motto | Woe to the unwary[1] |
| Engagements | World War I World War II Operation Grapple |
| Insignia | |
| Squadron badge heraldry | A demi-shark, erased |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Attack | Airco DH.4,Lockheed Hudson,Bristol Beaufort,Bristol Beaufighter TF.X |
| Utility helicopter | Westland Whirlwind HAR.2 |
| Patrol | Avro Anson,Lockheed Hudson |
| Reconnaissance | Lockheed Neptune MR.1 |
No. 217 Squadron RAF was a squadron of the RAF. It was formed and disbanded four times between 1 April 1918 and 13 November 1959. InWorld War I it served in a strike role against enemy bases and airfields in Belgium. InWorld War II as part ofRAFCoastal Command it served first in a maritime patrol role along theWestern Approaches and later in an anti-shipping role in theEnglish Channel. Ordered to the Far East in 1942, the squadron was retained for two months inMalta in an anti-shipping role, protecting Allied convoys, before moving toCeylon to defend the approaches toIndia, serving in an anti-submarine and anti-shipping role. It was equipped and training for a strike role, when the war ended. In the postwar period, it served for five years in a maritime reconnaissance role, and then briefly in a support role forOperation Grapple, the British hydrogen bomb tests onChristmas Island.
No. 217 Squadron traces its ancestry back to theRoyal Naval Air Service. On 31 October 1914 aRNAS seaplane station was formed atDunkerque.[2] On 14 January 1918, a unit consisting ofAirco DH.4s was re-designated No. 17 (Naval) squadron.[3] When theRoyal Air Force was created four months later on 1 April 1918 by merging theRNAS with theRoyal Flying Corps, this unit was re-numbered No. 217 Squadron RAF, operating out ofBergues, nearDunkerque.[2][3] The new squadron conducted daylight raids usingAirco DH.4s on enemy bases and airfields[2] inBelgium until the end ofWorld War I. The squadron returned toRAF Driffield in March 1919, but was disbanded on 18 October 1919.[3]
No. 217 Squadron was re-formed under the recently createdRAFCoastal Command on 15 March 1937, based atRAF Boscombe Down.[3][2][4] Equipped withAvro Ansons, the first RAF monoplane with retractable undercarriage, the squadron performed general reconnaissance duties until the outbreak ofWorld War II.[3] It moved between different stations atRAF Tangmere,RAF Warmwell andRAF Bicester until October 1939.[3]
In October 1939, No. 217 Squadron moved to its brand-new war station atRAF St Eval on the north Cornish coast, which it occupied in an unfinished state.[2][4] ItsAvro Ansons conducted anti-submarine patrols[3] over theWestern Approaches to theEnglish Channel.[2][4] From May 1940, the squadron started to be equipped with theBristol Beaufort torpedo bomber, but serious problems with the new aircraft's Taurus engines meant that theAvro Ansons remained in service until December 1940.[2]
TheBristol Beauforts started to see active service from 24-25 September 1940.[4][2] They were used in anti-shipping and mine-laying missions. Torpedo attacks were difficult because theaircraft had a tendency to roll, the height of weapon release meant that the distance to target was hard to judge and the aircraft were forced to overfly their target ships, rather than expose their belly to flak by turning away.
One such anti-shipping mission set out on 12 February 1942 to intercept the German battleshipsScharnhorst andGneisenau as these fled from their safe haven atBrest, making the daringChannel Dash for Germany.[4] No. 217 Squadron had a detachment of four Beauforts that were ideally placed atRAF Thorney Island, near Portsmouth. On their first sortie, two aircraft made contact with a different warship, believed to be the German cruiserPrinz Eugen but their torpedoes missed. On their second sortie, the same pair found theScharnhorst but their torpedoes missed again. The other two Beauforts reached the French coast, after misdirection due to a mix-up over radio frequencies.[4] A later sortie by the remaining aircraft fromRAF St Eval only found four small minesweepers.[4]
In February 1942, the squadron moved briefly toRAF Skitten and thenRAF Leuchars in Scotland, where they conducted few operations, as they were being earmarked for duty inCeylon.[3]
In May 1942 the squadron was ordered toCeylon, viaGibraltar andMalta. The ground echelon left on 7 May 1942,[3] with orders to proceed directly to the Far East,[4] and the aircraft followed on 7 June 1942,[3] arriving inMalta on 10 June 1942.[2]However, many of theBristol Beauforts were found to be unserviceable on arrival, having problems with their torpedo loading and dropping mechanisms. All nine aircraft were grounded for repairs.[2]
The aircraft were detained inMalta, in order to provide cover two for Allied convoys that were to resupply Malta from both ends of the Mediterranean in June 1942.[4]Operation Harpoon sailed eastward fromGibraltar, whileOperation Vigorous sailed westward fromAlexandria. On the morning of 15 June 1942, a force of eightBristol Beauforts attacked an Italian fleet that was steaming south, seeking to intercept the convoys.[5] A single torpedo from oneBeaufort[5][6] crippled the Italian cruiserTrento, which was later sunk by the British submarineHMSUmbra (P.35).[4]
On 21 June 1942, eightBeauforts of No. 217 Squadron flying out ofRAF Luqa located and attacked an enemy convoy, scoring two hits on each merchant vessel and one possible hit by one of three Beauforts which failed to return.[7] On 23 June 1942, twelveBeauforts of No. 217 and No. 39 Squadrons attacked four destroyers and two large merchant vessels, scoring three hits and one probable hit on one merchant ship and two hits on the other, immobilising the ships. One aircraft of No. 217 Squadron crashed on landing; two from No. 39 Squadron failed to return. Three aircraft were slightly damaged by anti-aircraft fire.[7]
In another incident, on 28 June 1942, the crew of a ditchedBeaufort were rescued by an ItalianCANT Z.506 seaplane. The rescued crew overpowered their Italian rescuers and theCANT was flown toMalta where the Italians were madeprisoners of war.[8]
The crew were Lieutenant Edward Theodore 'Ted' Strever,South African Air Force, from Klerksdorp, South Africa. His navigator was an Englishman, 32-year-old Pilot Officer William Martin Dunsmore,Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, from Maghull, Merseyside. Two New Zealanders, 22-year-old Sergeant John Aston Wilkinson, fromAuckland, and 26-year-old Sergeant Alexander Raymond Brown, from Timaru - both of theRoyal New Zealand Air Force - were wireless operators/air gunners.
No. 217 Squadron remained on Malta for two months, carrying out anti-shipping attacks across a wide section of theMediterranean, reaching as far as Greece.[4] These missions were very costly in terms of materiel and crew. On 3 July 1942, a mixed force of sevenBristol Beauforts escorted by fiveBristol Beaufighters flying out ofRAF Ta Kali was due to assault an Italian convoy south of the island ofZante in theIonian Sea.[2] However, two of theBeauforts failed to start; and another two were forced to turn back due to engine trouble. Of the remaining three, two of the aircraft were shot down by flak and the third aircraft, having been hit in the tail, crashed on return toMalta, with the loss of all three crews.[2] Aircrew losses were so severe, that it was thought the squadron might be wiped out entirely.[9]
The surviving aircrew arrived inCeylon in July 1942, but had no aircraft, having left their batteredBristol Beauforts behind in the Middle East. The ground crews arrived by sea in August 1942.[4][3] Their mission was to defend the approaches to India from the Japanese navy, aftersuccessful Japanese attacks onColombo andTrincomalee between 5-10 April 1942.
No. 217 Squadron was initially based atRAF Minneriya, an airstrip located in the east central part of Ceylon.[10] It was not until October 1942 that they started to receiveLockheed Hudsons. In November 1942,[11] crews converted from theBeaufort to theHudson, which was used in anti-submarine patrols.[3] A detachment was sent to a location 20 km south ofColombo, to clear and construct a new airstrip atRAF Ratmalana in the jungle.[11]
In February 1943, the squadron relocated toRAF Vavuniya,[10] some 50 miles further north ofRAF Minneriya, where the climate was more comfortable; and for a period, crews seemed to move between these two bases.[11] NewBristol Beauforts started to arrive in April 1943,[3][11] whereupon No. 217 Squadron joined forces withNo. 22 Squadron RAF to become a torpedo-carrying anti-shipping force; however theImperial Japanese Navy failed to show up, as they were busy in thePacific Ocean at the time.[11] By June 1944, it seemed that the Japanese had been deterred from attacking again. The bored crews referred to themselves jokingly as theCeylon Home Guard.[11]
In April 1944, No. 217 Squadron relocated to the airfield atRAF Ratmalana.[10] From June-July 1944,[11][3] they started to receive the newBristol Beaufighter TF.X, an aircraft far better suited to maritime anti-shipping operations. TheBeaufighter TF.X, affectionately known as theTorbeau, had four nose-cannon, an under-belly torpedo (or two wing-mounted bombs) and wing-mounted rocket projectiles. Their new commander, Wg Cdr John G Lingard, DFC, trained the crews in the use of rocket projectiles and raised the squadron to an effective strike unit.[11] The similarly re-equippedNo. 22 Squadron was moved in a ground attack role to theBurma theatre, whereGen Wingate'sChindits had been more successful than expected. No. 217 Squadron relocated toRAF Vavuniya[10] in September 1944.
In early 1945, a secret operation was conceived byNo. 222 Group RAF inColombo, which was later authorised byVice-Admiral Louis Mountbatten,Supreme Allied CommanderSouth East Asia Command.[11] The idea was to attack Japanese capital ships while they resupplied inSingapore harbour. The direct distance from Ceylon to Singapore was 2,300 miles, well beyond the range of the aircraft. However, it might be possible to fly 1,700 miles to an intermediate staging post on theCocos Islands, a pair of volcanic atolls in theIndian Ocean, and from there to cross the 1,040 miles to Singapore, by flying over the 12,000 ft high mountains ofSumatra. This plan was codenamedOperation Jinx.[11][12][13]
In March, 1945 a group of Royal Engineers on Direction Island, one of theCocos Islands, was secretly joined by an advance group of 15 airmen, later supplemented by 200 airmen in three transport ships, to prepareStation Brown, the staging post. On West Island, they cleared palm-trees from the beach and laid steel planking on crushed coral to serve as an airstrip. With Air Cdre A W Hunt commanding, the base was finished in April 1945. It was fitted out as a refuelling depot and supplied with 81 torpedoes.[11]
Unaware of this clandestine activity, groups of up to 12Beaufighter crews practised long-distance formation flying down the east coast of India fromKarachi toColombo in Ceylon, without being told their true target.[11] To extend their range, the aircraft were fitted with an extra 90 gal fuselage tank and a 200 gal external drop-tank instead of the torpedo. Switching over sometimes led to air-locks in the fuel lines, causing twoBeaufighters to ditch in the sea. Fortunately, both crews were rescued.[12]
The strike crews were told on 2 May 1945, the day before the planned assault, what the real target was. They were to attack three battleships, an aircraft carrier and several destroyers, protected by fighters from three airfields. This was clearly a dangerous, if not suicidal, mission.[11][12] Aircraft would be lost on the 1,700 mile outbound journey to the staging post, or would be spotted flying over Sumatra and finally, if they survived the attack, the planes would run out of fuel and have to be abandoned onPhuket Island. However, on 3 May, the crews were told thatOperation Jinx had been postponed, in favour ofOperation Zipper, supporting the invasion of the Malayan mainland at Mountbatten's directive. Conditions had changed: there were not enough targets in Singapore harbour to be worth the sacrifice of the squadron.[11][13]
On 22 June 1945, some air and ground crews were relocated toRAF Gannavaram on the Indian east coast in preparation forOperation Zipper. All other operations were suspended in the meantime,[11] andOperation Jinx was rescheduled for September 1945. However, the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima on 6 August 1945 and Japan surrendered soon afterwards on 14 August 1945. The aircraft of No. 217 Squadron never went to theCocos Islands. No. 217 Squadron was officially disbanded on 30 September 1945.[3][4][11]
From 15 February 1949 the squadron number was kept active by being linked toNo. 210 Squadron RAF, but this ceased on 13 January 1952.[3] No. 217 Squadron re-formed officially the following day on 14 January 1952 as a Maritime Reconnaissance Squadron at their old baseRAF St Eval. Commanded by Wing CommanderMick Ensor, the squadron received twoLockheed Neptune MR.1s for trials (Maritime Reconnaissance, Mark 1 was the British designation for theLockheed Neptune PV-5). On 7 April 1952, the squadron moved its base of operations toRAF Kinloss[3] and was fully equipped withNeptune MR.1s by July 1952. They conducted maritime reconnaissance for five years. The squadron disbanded again on 31 March 1957.[3][2]
No. 217 Squadron was re-formed on 1 February 1958 out of No. 1630 Flight, a helicopter unit based atRAF St Mawgan.[3] In this last incarnation, the squadron operated theWestland Whirlwind HAR.2 helicopter, and acted in a supporting role inOperation Grapple, the series of British hydrogen bomb trials being conducted atChristmas Island in thePacific Ocean. TheWestland Whirlwinds of No. 217 Squadron were part of a much larger task force that includedAvro Shackletons,English Electric Canberras andVickers Valiants from other squadrons.[2] Once these trials were completed, the squadron was disbanded on 13 November 1959.[2][3]
| From | To | Aircraft | Variant |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1918 | Mar 1919 | Airco DH.4 | |
| Mar 1937 | Dec 1940 | Avro Anson | Mk.I |
| Sep 1940 | Nov 1941 | Bristol Beaufort | Mk.I |
| Nov 1941 | Aug 1942 | Bristol Beaufort | Mk.II |
| Oct 1942 | Jun 1943 | Lockheed Hudson | Mk.IIIA |
| Jan 1943 | May 1943 | Lockheed Hudson | Mk.VI |
| Apr 1943 | Aug 1944 | Bristol Beaufort | Mk.I |
| Jul 1944 | Sep 1945 | Bristol Beaufighter | TF Mk.X |
| Jan 1952 | Mar 1957 | Lockheed Neptune | MR Mk.1 |
| Feb 1958 | Nov 1959 | Westland Whirlwind | HAR Mk.II |
| From | To | Location | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 Jan 1918 | 31 Mar 1919 | Dunkerque,France | No. 17 (Naval) Squadron formed |
| 1 Apr 1918 | Feb 1919 | Bergues, nearDunkerque | No. 217 Squadron formed |
| Mar 1919 | 18 Oct 1919 | RAF Driffield,Yorkshire | Squadron disbanded |
| 15 Mar 1937 | Dec 1937 | RAF Boscombe Down,Wiltshire | No. 217 Squadron reformed |
| Dec 1937 | Sep 1939 | RAF Tangmere,West Sussex | Main station[14] |
| 03 Sep 1939 | Oct 1939 | RAF Warmwell,Dorset | Temporary station |
| Oct 1939 | Oct 1941 | RAF St Eval,Cornwall | Main war station |
| Oct 1941 | 05 Mar 1942 | RAF Thorney Island,Hampshire | Temporary station |
| 06 Mar 1942 | 31 May 42 | RAF Leuchars,Fife | Main war station |
| 01 Jun 1942 | 06 Jun 1942 | RAF Portreath,Cornwall | To Ceylon viaGibraltar andMalta |
| 07 Jun 1942 | Jul 1942 | RAF Luqa,Malta | Temporary secondment for aircraft only |
| Jul 1942 | Jan 1943 | RAF Minneriya,Ceylon | Temporary station |
| Feb 1943 | Mar 1944 | RAF Vavuniya,Ceylon | Main war station |
| Apr 1944 | Aug 1944 | RAF Ratmalana,Ceylon | Main war station |
| Sep 1944 | May 1945 | RAF Vavuniya,Ceylon | Main war station |
| Jun 1945 | Sep 1945 | RAF Gannavaram,Vijayawada | Squadron disbanded |
| 14 Jan 1952 | 6 Apr 1952 | RAF St Eval,Cornwall | Squadron reformed, main station |
| 7 Apr 1952 | 31 Mar 1957 | RAF Kinloss,Moray Firth | Main station, squadron disbanded |
| 7 Feb 1958 | 13 Nov 1959 | RAF St Mawgan,Cornwall | Squadron reformed and disbanded |
| Appointed | Commander | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| 14 Jan 1918 | Sqn Cdr/Maj William L Welsh DSC | later Air Mshl |
| 19 Mar 1937 | Sqn Ldr/Wg Cdr Dudley d'H Humphreys | |
| May 1939 | Wg Cdr Arthur P Revington | later Air Cdre |
| Jun 1940 | Wg Cdr L H Anderson | |
| Jul 1940 | Sqn Ldr L B B King | later Gp Capt[15] |
| Jul 1940 | Wg Cdr Guy A Bolland[16] | later Gp Capt |
| Mar 1941 | Wg Cdr Leslie W C Bower | later Air Mshl |
| Jan 1942 | Wg Cdr Howard R Larkin[17] | |
| 9 Feb 1942 | Sqn Ldr Taylor DFC, AFC[5] | |
| Feb 1942 | Wg Cdr Samuel M Boal DFC | |
| Apr 1942 | Sqn Ldr Taylor DFC, AFC | |
| Apr 1942 | Wg Cdr W A L Davis CBE, DFC, AFC | |
| Aug 1942 | Fg Off C Buckley | |
| Oct 1942 | Fg Off W E M Price | |
| Nov 1942 | Wg Cdr A D W Miller | |
| Mar 1943 | Wg Cdr R J Walker | |
| Mar 1944 | Wg Cdr J Child | |
| Aug 1944 | Wg Cdr John G Lingard DFC[11] | |
| Aug 1945 | Wg Cdr A F Binks DFC | |
| 14 Jan 1952 | Sqn Ldr M A Ensor DSO, DFC | |
| Mar 1954 | Sqn Ldr P H Stembridge DFC, AFC | |
| 1 Feb 1958 | unknown commander |
