98 Sqn Form 540 - Operations Record Book Click Year to Jump to First F540 for that Year 1955 1956 1957 1955 April 1955          - Re-equipment with Hunters and move from Fassberg to Jever on 19th, CO to Odiham for Hunter conversion, McElhaw demos Hunter, Italian Chief of Staff visited, 1st Hunter available 26th. May 1955          - All solo on Hunters, VCAS visit. DFLS visit, remaining pilots up from Fassberg, formation positions developed for the Hunter, ACM Sir Basil Embry visited, close formation practiced for demo to Imperial Defence College at Fassberg, some cine work, Maillard on PAI Co., Severne completed DFLS course. June 1955          - 4 Hunter demo for Imperial Defence College at Fassberg, fuel gauge errors, Hydraulic failure, all Hunters grounded to check u/c sequencing valve, Exercise "Carte Blanche", flame-out relit successfully. July 1955           - Hot weather, flypast for Duke of Edinburgh, Hunters grounded because of hydraulic failures, Sharman to Guided Wpns Co., Lampell Swedish AF joined for 3 months, Severne presented with AFC at Buckingham Palace, Maillard to Gunnery School. August 1955       - Cine, GCAs, high level PIs, Checked Hunter fitted in new atom shelters, tyre tread stripped causing hydraulic failure, STI on Ejector seat, Lampell flamed out at high level, Ex1000 in Belgium and Netherlands, 2 Hunters swapped for those with power elevators, DME, Green Salad and armament mods, Sanderson broke leg playing football, CO on leave, Severne IRE, Williams and Conway demobbed. September 1955 - 4 AOG Hunters, GGS cameras on all flights, PIs, CinC Sir Harry Broadhurst visited Jever and given flypast, 1st air-to-air firing at 15,000 ft on Hunters in Germany, trouble with gunsight and electrical problems, MPs visited Jever, night flying, OSTROM demobbed. October 1955      - Fuel leak problems with the Hunter, air to air firing improved with mods to gunsight, Ex Foxpawl, GCI and cine, new camouflage netting tested, night flying, Whittaker, Shore and Riley arrived, Lampell returned to Sweden, Lethbridge to DFLS Co. November 1955   - Fuel tanks arrived only 1 AOG, trench dug for CR/DF cable, air-to-air at 5 and 15,000ft., PIs and night flying, Sanderson's nosewheel failed to retract on trip to UK, Shore flew 93 Sqn Sabre, hi-altitude cine-gun trials, Neville Duke and Frank Murphy visited Jever and the Sqn., Weston and Todman arrived, Hughes and Gray left Sqn. December 1955   - Last 2 Hunters to UK for gun firing mods, Battle Flt., 1 night flying, Hunter gun firing mods, S/L Dougie Adamson takes over. 1956 January 1956      - Poor weather but build up to 7 Hunters on strength, night flying, Ex SID, Barrow and Rastall arrived, Barrey took over B Flt from Severne who was promoted and sent to command 26 Sqn. February 1956    - Cine reedy for Sylt, PIs, Seq. valve failure led to manual landing and emergency lowering of the u/c, Ex SID, Battle Flt., 1st Hunter Sylt detachment. March 1956        - APS at Sylt, P/O Edwards had to land in manual with no nosewheel, crosswinds stopped flying, GCI 2 range limit held up flying, guns parallel harmonised, W/c West and G/C Hughes visited, 38,694 rds fired, stoppage rate 1:944, Sqn Avg. 6.3%, 313 sorties, return to Jever. April 1956           - Planned flypast for Duchess of Kent at Geilenkirchen cancelled due to weather, Battle Form, bad weather circuits, cine, PIs, flypast practice for CinC, night flying, 4 Hunters visited USAF Gros Tonquin, due to shortage of engines flying monthly target reduced to 308 hours. May 1956           - Wing flypast for CinC Earl of Bandon, Battle Form., aeros, bad weather circuits and practice forced landings, Young engine compressor failed at 35,000 ft successful forced landing, PIs and night flying, Battle Flt., hosted visiting USAF 563rd FBS, Prince Rupert School Wilhemshaven CCF visited, forced landing trials, Queen's birthday flypast, air to sea firing, target hrs increased to 346, still short of fitters and riggers. June 1956          - Cine, PIs and GCAs, excellent flying weather, night flying, Adamson and Goodwin co- ordinated aeros, Hirst and Sharman to AOP Sqn at Detmold, Station sports, RN personnel visited, T11 and Prentice flying, hours target reached, air to sea firing, Sqn convoy practice to Meppen. July 1956            - Cine, PIs, GCAs, battle form. and night flying, battle flt., air to sea firing, AOCs parade and flypast, Hunters grounded for STI on aileron connecting rod, reached target, Sawyer demobbed, Hirst to UK, still under established. August 1956       - Usual exercises, pilot shortage due to promotion exams, night flying, Ex Guest, audio warning of hydraulic failure mod allowed resumption of low flying, target reached, good serviceability but ground trades still short. September 1956  - Cine and simulated flag attacks in preparation for Sylt, Barrey and Todman to Linton-on- Ouse in T11, DFLS intercepted on visit to Jever, Adamson, Weston, Young and Rastall flew flypast over Derby for Battle of Britain commemoration, detached to Sylt, sqn average 6.7%, stoppage rate 456. October 1956     - Sylt detachment continues until 16th, double rearm test times 11 mins 48 secs and 12 mins 15 secs, overall high level average score 8.6%, low level 6.9% stoppage rate 527, deteriorating weather for rest of month, reached target, Maillard and Sanderson left. November 1956   - Good flying weather, Battle Flt., Ex Guest postponed then cancelled due to weather, Edwards had radio panel sucked into one engine intake causing low RPM and high JPT, turned back and landed successfully downwind, DME lecture from DFLS, Handling Sqn visited, target reached 22nd, several engine defects. December 1956   - Dave Young was killed when ejection seat failed during ejection after a fire immediately after take-off, Ex Argus from Geilenkirchen, Young funeral in British Cemetery Hamburg, poor weather hindered flying, Ex Guest in IDF role and rat patrols, Rugby final in Munchen Gladbach, Christmas Grant, freezing rain, failed to reach flying hours target, Dale and Summers arrived, poor serviceability due to STIs, Cat 3 aircraft landed with retracted nosewheel. 1957 January 1957       - Snow and ice on the runway, Thunderstorm lectures, limited Vampire flying, CFS Exam Wg flew with Sqn., more snow and ice, Ex Guest cancelled, notified of Sylt in Feb57, flag practice, missed flying target through bad weather. February 1957     - Sylt preparations in spite of poor weather, 11 Hunters to Sylt on 11th, poor weather stopped flying at Sylt for the first week, dinghy drill and helicopter rescue in the sea, only two aircraft per flag to reduce ineffective sorties after flag failure, all firing at 20,000 ft by the end of the month, Brunger left, low level scores average 21.9% and high level 18%. March 1957         - Continue with Sylt detachment, new TAF record for rearm turn-round times, returned to Jever on 18th., high level average (25kft) 26.1%, stoppage rate 715, routine sqn flying for the rest of the month, Bergh arrived, Lethbridge left. April 1957          - Good flying weather, battle, PIs, cine and general handling, Battle Flt., Ex Guest rat patrols, some snow, farewell from CinC Earl of Bandon, sea firing of 4 guns, vehicle painting for MT Efficiency contest, visit to 101SU, Whittaker left, team took part in small arms shooting contest. May 1957            - Flying limited to prepare for detachment on exchange to Odiham, 6 pilots and aircraft to Odiham exchanged with 247 Sqn, DME trials, Ex Bomber, overflew Derby from Hucknall before returning to Jever, Fg Wg Sports, Ex Guest, limited flying again to prepare aircraft for Ex Vigilant, 11 Aircraft to Geilenkirchen to fly radar saturation raids against UK for Ex Vigilant, Ex Amled, team in Small Bore Championships at Sennelager, Stn Sports, Todman left. June 1957          - Normal flying training, Ex ARGUS, Queen's Birthday Parade, Anglo-German Week flypast rehearsals, Battle Flt., Fighter Weapons School visit, CinC's visit flypasts, farewell flypasts over 2TAF airfields, final 12 aircraft formation flypasts, last month of Sqn flying. July 1957           - Aircraft cleaned, serviced and distributed to UK squadrons, some Vampire and Hunter F.6 flying with 4 and 93 Sqns, 4 Sqn took over hangar, aircrew and groundcrew redistributed, Squadron disbanded. No 98 Squadron Chronological History DATE EVENT COMMANDING OFFICER Thu 30 August 1917 Squadron formed at Harlaxton, Lincolnshire on DH4 from a nucleus of No. 44 Training Squadron. Supporting types were Armstrong Whitworth FK8, BE2c, BE2e, Sopwith Scout and Avro 504. Lieutenant D.V.D. Marshall Fri 31 August 1917 Moved to Old Sarum. Destined to be a day bombing unit. Worked up on DH.4s, BE.2s and FK.8s.   Fri 21 September 1917 Change of Command Major E.L.M. Gower Fri 14 December 1917 Change of Command Captain E.A.B. Rice Wed 19 December 1917 Change of Command Captain R.G. Gould Fri 18 January 1918 Change of Command Captain E.A.B. Rice February 1918 Operational type DH.9 began arriving. Supporting type Sopwith Camel.   Tue 19 February 1918 Change of Command Major H. MacD. O'Malley Friday 1 March 1918 Moved to Lympne, Kent. DH4s being phased out.   March 1918 Squadron mobilised.   Monday 1 April 1918 Moved to St. Omer, France   Wednesday 3 April 1918 Moved to Clairmarais, as part of 9th Brigade   Tuesday 9 April 1918 Start of Battle of Lys   Thursday 11 April 1918 15 Aircraft bombed Wervicq   Saturday 13 April 1918 Withdrew to Alquines   Thursday 25 April 1918 Lost 1st aircraft to Pfalz scouts   Wednesday 15 May 1918 Lost 2nd aircraft   Saturday 25 May 1918 Moved to Coudekerke, near Dunkirk for attacks on docks and U-boat bases at Bruges and Ostend.   Wednesday 5 June 1918 Change of Command. Major E.T. Newton-Clare Thursday 6 June 1918 Moved to Ruisseauville and new CO led attacks on railways.   Friday 21 June 1918 Moved to Drionville.   Thursday 11 July 1918 While attacking the railway junction at Don the squadron was attacked by 14 enemy scouts. 2nd Lieutenant Witton and his observer, Lieutenant Austin destroyed 2, though the latter was killed in action.   Sunday 14 July 1918 Sent to Chailly-en Brie, 30 miles east of Paris to re-enforce the French along the Marne.   Sunday 28 July 1918 Mainly low level attacks against Marne bridges. An attack by 15 enemy aircraft forced one of the squadron aircraft down.   Saturday 3 August 1918 Moved to Blangermont in British sector   Thursday 8 August 1918 Battle of Amiens began, targets were around Arras, Cambrai and St Quentin.   Monday 26 August 1918 Change of Command. Major P.C. Sherren Sunday 27 October 1918 Moved to Abscon, near Douai to reduce range to retreating enemy.   Friday 1 November 1918 Last bombing raid of war against a rail junction at Mons.   Monday 11 November 1918 Armistice - reconnaissance missions until now   Friday 27 December 1918 Moved to Marquain.   Sunday 19 January 1919 Moved to Alquines. Acted as a holding unit for disbanding DH.9 squadrons. DH4 used for ferrying.   Thursday 20 March 1919 Moved to Shotwick in UK   Tuesday 24 June 1919 Disbanded         Monday 17 February 1936 Re-formed at Abingdon from a nucleus provided by No. 15 Squadron. Part of No 1 Group Bomber Command in day bombing role. Equipped with Hawker Hind. Only 2 officers and 6 Hinds May 1936 Armament Practice Camp at North Coates. First accident when one aircraft crashed offshore.   Friday 21 August 1936 Moved to Hucknall, Nottinghamshire in No 2 Group   Monday 21 September 1936 CO arrived and squadron continued work up. Sqn Ldr P.J.A. Hume-Wright Late Spring 1937 Lost 4 aircraft in accidents.   Tuesday 3 August 1937 Change of Command Sqn Ldr R.H. Donkin Thursday 15 September 1938 Moved back to Hucknall, Nottinghamshire   June 1938 Re-equipped with Fairey Battle Mk I with support type Avro Anson Mk 1.   September 1938 Hawker Hind phased out.   April 1939 Affiliated with City of Derby.   September 1939 War declared. No 98 Sqn redesignated as a reserve squadron to provide operational training for pilots destined for front line in France.   Wednesday 6 September 1939 Change of Command. Wg Cdr F.W. Dixon-Wright Wednesday 11 October 1939 Change of Command Wg Cdr D.F. Anderson DFC AFC Tuesday 7 November 1939 Battle K9238 crashed near Stow on the Wold   November 1939 Equipped with 10 dual control Battles   December 1939 2nd Battle crashed   Thursday 7 March 1940 Moved to Scampton, Lincolnshire   Monday 25 March 1940 Moved to Finningley, Yorkshire   Monday 25 March 1940 Change of Command Wg Cdr G.R. Ashton AFC Friday 19 April 1940 Moved to Chateau Bougon, near Nantes in France. Continued to train new crews from England to complete their training in theatre.   Monday 10 June 1940 Withdrawn to Gatwick to rebuild. Unfortunately the groundcrew were evacuated on SS Lancastria from St Nazaire. She was bombed just outside the harbour with the loss of 90 of 98 Sqn personnel.   Wednesday 31 July 1940 Moved to Kaldadarnes in Iceland as part of a garrison force to stop the Germans occupying.   Early September 1940 Mainly flying coastal patrol and anti-submarine duties   Friday 13 September 1940 Battle L5343 went missing. Many years later it was found, restored and placed in the RAF Museum.   Saturday 22 March 1941 First contact with the enemy when Flt Lt Wilcox spotted a U-boat but was unable to attack.   Monday 31 March 1941 Change of Command as Acting CO Flt Lt C.G. Wilcox Monday 26 May 1941 Another Battle lost   Sunday 8 June 1941 First Hurricane I arrived to provide defence against marauding enemy aircraft.   Thursday 26 June 1941 Fg Off Dyer attacked a U-boat without result. This was the last operational flight.   Tuesday 15 July 1941 Squadron disbanded. Battles were sent to Canada and the Hurricanes became No.1423 Flight.         Saturday 12 September 1942 Reformed at West Raynham with B-25 Mitchell Mk II medium bombers for daylight bombing and army support under No 2 Group. Wg Cdr L.A. Lewer Sunday 13 September 1942 First 3 North American Mitchell Mk 2 B-25s delivered.   Thursday 15 October 1942 Moved to Foulsham, Norfolk   December 1942 Declared operational for ASR searches.   Wednesday 22 January 1943 First bombing raid with 6 B-25s against oil refinery at Terneuzen near Ghent.   Wednesday 3 February 1943 Reverted to ASR role.   Thursday 13 May 1943 Resumed medium level bombing when 6 aircraft hit the marshalling yards at Boulogne.   Wednesday 18 August 1943 Moved to Dunsfold and Change of Command Wg Cdr A.M. Phillips Tuesday 21 September 1943 Plt Off Cooke-Smith led in raid on Hesdin. Unfortunately FW190s broke through fighter escort and shot down 2 B-25s.   November 1943 No 2 Group became part of 2nd Tactical Air Force in preparation for the invasion of Europe. Formed part of No 139 Airfield (later Wing).   Friday 5 November 1943 Sqn Ldr Bell-Irving led attack against V-1 sites at Mimoyecques near Calais.   Thursday 11 November 1943 CO led a raid on Todt labour organisation HQ   Tuesday 1 January 1944 First "NoBall" attacks against V-1 sites in new year at Yvrench.   February 1944 Used GeeH blind bombing system in raid on Livossart.   Sunday 26 March 1944 Moved to Swanton Morley, Norfolk.   Late March 1944 Began night training on flare dropping for Mosquito road attacks.   Sunday 9 April 1944 Change of Command. Wg Cdr R.K.F. Bell-Irving Monday 10 April 1944 Moved to Dunsfold, Surrey.   Mid-April 1944 Flew first night sortie against "Noball" targets.   Monday 15 May 1944 Change of Command. Wg Cdr G.J.C. Paul DFC Monday 5 June 1944 Eleven aircraft hit Caen the night before the D Day landings   Monday 17 July 1944 Sqn Ldr Eager flew his 100th mission.   September 1944 Arrival of North American Mitchell Mk 3.   Saturday 16 September 1944 Change of Command. Wg. Cdr. L.G. Hamer Sunday 17 September 1944 In support of allied airborne thrust into Holland - Operation 'Market Garden', attacked barracks at Ede, Nijmegan and Arnhem.   Tuesday 26 September 1944 First attacks on German soil against bridges at Kleve.   Monday 16 October 1944 Moved to B.58 Brussels-Melsbroek to keep up with German retreat.   Thursday 19 November 1944 First Mitchell IIIs arrived.   Wednesday 29 November 1944 CO's aircraft hit after successfully bombing the bridge at Zwolle.   Sunday 24 December 1944 Weather lifted and allowed heavy attacks against German armour in their Ardennes offensive. Sqn hit Kali and Gemunde.   Monday 1 January 1945 12 Mitchells sent on a Wing attack on the Ardennes Communications Centre at Domburg.   Tuesday 16 January 1945 Change of Command. Wg. Cdr. K. Gray Thursday 8 February 1945 Hit Kranenburg just 100 yards ahead of the advancing Canadians.   Wednesday 28 February 1945 Change of Command. Wg Cdr V.E. Marshal Saturday 24 March 1945 Operation 'Varsity' crossing of the Rhine, support for 21st Army Group.   Monday 30 April 1945 Moved to B.110 Osnabruck/Achmer, Germany to keep up with the advance as they crossed the Elbe.   Wednesday 2 May 1945 Last operational mission of the war when 6 Mitchells bombed marshalling yards at Itzehoe. Next few months engaged in ferrying, mail duties and flying tours over bombed cities.   Monday 17 September 1945 Moved back to B.58 Melsbroek to exchange lend-lease Mitchells Mk 2 and 3, which had to be returned to the US, for Mosquito B.XVIs.   Monday 29 October 1945 Last Mitchell II returned to US.   November 1945 Re-equipped with de Havilland Mosquito Mk 16B with supporting types Airspeed Oxford and Mosquito T Mk 3.   Saturday 9 February 1946 Change of Command. Wg. Cdr. E.W. Thornewill Tuesday 12 February 1946 Change of Command. Wg. Cdr. D.B. Gericke Friday 15 March 1946 Now trained up on Mosquitos, moved to Wahn, Cologne in Germany.   Monday 23 September 1946 During peacetime training in light bombing role, first post-war fatalities when Mosquito MM185 crashed.   August 1947 Converted to Mosquito B.35.   Wednesday 5 November 1947 Change of Command. Sqn. Ldr. P.W. Cook August 1948 Re-equipped with Mosquito Mk 35 with Mosquito T Mk 3 in supporting role.   Monday 25 July 1949 Change of Command. Sqn. Ldr. D.R.M. Frostick. Saturday 17 September 1949 Moved to Celle, Germany.   Tuesday 29 August 1950 Change of Command. Sqn. Ldr. J.M. Rumsey. Wednesday 1 November 1950 Moved to Fassberg, Germany.   February 1951 Began re-equipping with de Havilland Vampire FB.5s for ground attack fighter duties. Supporting type Meteor T 7.   Thursday 15 March 1951 Change of Command. Sqn Ldr A.S.R. Strudwick DFC March 1951 de Havilland Mosquito Mk 35 and supporting Mosquito T Mk 3 phased out.   August 1952 Whilst on an Armament Practice Camp at Sylt, a Vampire shot away the flag, which wrapped itself round the air intakes and forced the aircraft to crash land.   Monday 31 August 1953 Re-equipped with Venom FB.1. Supporting type Vampire T 11 and Meteor T 7. Change of Command. Sqn Ldr J.H. Smith-Carrington, AFC. September 1954 As part of No 121 Wing, the squadron operated off the autobahn in Exercise 'Battle Royal'.   Tuesday 19 April 1955 Moved to Jever and became the first squadron in 2 TAF to be re-equipped with Hunter F.4s. Still part of No 122 Wing with Nos 4, 93 and 118 squadrons. Supporting type Vampire T 11.   Saturday 10 December 1955 Change of Command. Sqn Ldr D. Adamson Monday 15 July 1957 Disbanded.         Saturday 1 August 1959 Reformed at Driffield with Thor nuclear missiles. Part of No 1 Group, Bomber Command. Sqn Ldr P.G. Coulson MBE AFC Tuesday 7 June 1960 First missile operationally ready.   May 1961 Change of Command. Sqn Ldr S. Hudson Sunday 31 March 1963 Stood down its missiles from alert.   Thursday 18 April 1963 Disbanded.         Friday 19 April 1963 Reformed at Tangmere flying English Electric Canberra B.2s, when No 245 Squadron was re-numbered. Supporting type Canberras T 4. Flew as part of Signals Command for the calibration and flight checking of navigation aids and ground radars. Sqn Ldr A. Musker September 1963 Moved to Watton as Tangmere closed.   Tuesday 1 October 1963. Fully operational from Watton. Engaged in Exercise 'Energise' during which it provided services to several NATO countries. Took part in detachments to Cyprus, Turkey, and Larissa, Greece   November 1963 Detachment to Aviano, Italy.   February 1964 Squadron reduced in size slightly.   Monday 17 August 1964 Change of Command. Sqn Ldr P.W. Shaw Friday 30 September 1966 Squadron presented with its standard.   Monday 10 October 1966 Change of Command. Sqn. Ldr. L.J. Wright Monday 16 January 1967 Change of Command. Sqn Ldr A.E. Sadler April 1969 Moved to Cottesmore.   August 1970 Began re-equipping with long range Canberra E.15s.   Friday 27 February 1976 Disbanded.