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SUMMARY OF EVENTS COMPILING OFFICER Fg. Off. P. FAID. |
REF. TO APPENDICES |
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| R.A.F. JEVER |
1st MAY |
1957. |
Today the aerobatic team performed at Gutersloh but returned without the result
of the competition being known. Later about 1700 hrs. a signal came through
informing us of their success. The news was celebrated in a manner befitting the
occasion. |
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2nd |
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"Till Burnam wood shall come to 93" though not like Dunsinane the crew room to-day
took on a jungle-like appearance. The reason for this was that 93 Squadron are due
to hold a jungle-party on the morrow. The squadron continued flying all day despite
the Bacchanalian atmosphere of the crew room. |
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3rd |
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The squadron were the hosts of a jungle party this evening. All those present
said the party was the best that had been held at Jever for some time.
93 Sqn Jungle Party - 3May57. Left to right: Wg Cdr Woodward; Rolls-Royce Rep;
Sandy Sanderson; Unknown Rep; Gp Capt Sid Hughes, Station Commander; Paddy Minnis OC 93 Sqn; Dougie Adamson, OC 98 Sqn. [See also Line Book Page 42.] (Thanks to Dougie Adamson.) [Not from F540].
93 Sqn Linebook No. 2 - Page 42 The caption to the top picture reads: "SOCIAL SCENE. very successful jungle party given by 93 at which there was real jungle juice to drink which had been actually brewed in their hangar offices where the party was held. There were real trees in the rooms, which were turfed over the floor, other rooms were half filled with sand and in one there was a real water-fall. Paddy Minnis was a charming host and I met many friends delightfully en étât d'ivresse."
The middle picture caption reads: "I think we should get copies of this book on etiquette on a wing basis." 93 Sqn Jungle Party - 3May57. Left to right: Wg Cdr Woodward; Rolls-Royce Rep; Sandy Sanderson; Unknown Rep; Gp Capt Sid Hughes, Station Commander; Paddy Minnis OC 93 Sqn;
Dougie Adamson, OC 98 Sqn. The bottom caption to the picture of the delightful but unknown lady reads: "Thinks: I'm doing all right, thanks to my book on Etiquette." Brian Watson in bottom right-hand corner. 3May57. (Thanks to RAF Museum.) [Not from F540]. |
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4th |
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The Station Commander was due to hold a parade to-day. The parade, however, was
cancelled due to the inclement weather. There was no flying this morning. |
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6th |
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The main event in to-days flying was the interception of 6 Hunter Mk.6's of 247
Squadron from Odiham. They were coming in on exchange with 98 squadron. The
interception was a perfect example of a parallel head on "tally ho" being called at
60 miles from Jever, and four kills being claimed. |
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7th |
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40 sorties (consisting mainly of cine exercises and P.I.'s) were flown by day,
and 10 sorties were flown at night. |
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8th |
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With only two aircraft serviceable the squadron flew only 8 sorties. In the
afternoon the squadron assembled on the sports field. Wing sports are due to be held
on the 15th May. |
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9th |
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Two incidents on the runway caused 6 aircraft to be diverted to Oldenburg. Two
aircraft today carried out a fuel consumption test and landed after 1 hour 10 minutes
with 600 pounds remaining. |
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10th |
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After a good day's flying the Squadron ceased work at 1500 hours. The Squadron
adjourned to the sports field where selections were made for the Wing Sports on
15th May. |
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11th |
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A Station Commander's Parade was held this morning. Afterwards the pilots
listened to our P.A.I's remarks on our cine film for the past few days. |
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13th |
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The aerobatics team flew two sorties Today. With few aircraft serviceable, only
11 Hunter hours and 7 Vampire hours were achieved. |
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14th |
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In preparation for their display at U.S.A.F. Base, Spangdahlen, the aerobatics
team flew two sorties. 40 sorties in all were flown in glorious weather. |
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15th |
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Flying Wing sports were held this afternoon, 93 Squadron being placed third. It
has been a glorious day and times were very good. The station sports are due to be
held on the 22nd. of May and 93 Squadron will be well represented there. |
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16th |
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Exercise 'GUEST' was held to-day. Bad weather severely curtailed the exercise.
The Squadron was concerned only with route flying with a landing away at Geilenkirchen. |
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17th |
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The aerobatic team left for Spangdahlen this morning. Two C-47s from
Spangdahlen arrived this morning and took ground equipment and 10 ground crew to
Spangdahlen for the weekend. This evening whilst on a practice flight Flt. Lt.
B.A.E. SANDERSON, No. 4 in the team, was killed. While rejoining formation after
completion of the bomb burst his aircraft hit the ground in a shallow dive. |
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18th |
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The aerobatic team operating with three aircraft performed at Spangdahlen. They
then flew to U.S.A.F. Etain, France, where they landed and refueled. The team then
took off and went straight into their display. On completion of the show they flew
back to Spangdahlen. |
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19th |
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This afternoon the team flew from Spangdahlen to U.S.A.F. Bittburg - the home of
the American aerobatic team - the Skyblazers. Their show was restricted due to rain
and low cloudbase. Afterwards they flew back to Spangdahlen. |
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20th |
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The team arrived back to-day from Spangdahlen together with the ground-crew and
equipment. There was no flying on the squadron to-day, funeral
arrangements taking up everyone's time. |
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21st |
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The funeral of the late Flt. Lt. B.A.E. SANDERSON took place to-day in Hamburg.
A short service was held in the chapel of the British Military Hospital. The coffin
was taken by gun-carriage to the British Military Cemetery where the burial took
place. The funeral was attended by all Officers N.C.O.'s and Airmen on the Squadron. |
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22nd |
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Station Sports took place today. Flying Wing were beaten into 3rd place by
one point. 93 Squadron was represented in the winners list by the Squadron Commander's
daughter who won the 'under-fives' race. |
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23rd |
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There being a lot of cloud about today the squadron achieved almost 7 hours of
actual instrument flying in only 27 sorties. |
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24th |
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The aerobatic team flew to Laarbruch for a display. The display however was
cancelled due to bad weather. |
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25th |
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Exercise Vigilant started today on which 8 sorties were flown. Our role for the
exercise will be that of a high altitude raiding force. |
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26th |
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14 sorties were flown on Exercise Vigilant the first take off being at 0630 hours.
The weather so far for the exercise has been perfect and aircraft returning have been
using a tactical descent procedure. |
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27th |
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8 sorties from the squadron today terminated our participation in Exercise
Vigilant. Throughout the exercise not one of the squadron aircraft were intercepted
though enemy aircraft were sighted. |
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28th |
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41.45 hours were achieved today with a total of 46 day and 20 night sorties. |
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29th |
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Seven Low Level sorties were carried out today, as part of an exercise against
Army targets. |
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30th |
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15 sorties today brought our flying hours up to the target. Work was commenced
on the end-of-the-month paperwork. |
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31st |
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The squadron stood down today.
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FLYING HOURS
Operational type Day Night Sorties
Hunter Mk. 6 356.45 22.25 586
Training Types
Vampire T.11 29.25 2.50 20
Other Types
Hunter Mk. 4 00.40 - -
Chipmunk 1.00 - -
415.05 25.15 608 |
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May |
3rd.
3rd.
4th.
5th.
19th.
20th.
20th. |
PERSONNEL
Fg. Off. W.R. Clayton-Jones proceeded on 7 days Continental Leave
Fg. Off. A.W.E. Johnston proceeded on 7 days Continental Leave
Lt. T.F.B. Young (R.N.) proceeding on Continental leave.
Fg. Off. B.E. Hymans returned from leave in the U.K.
Flt. Lt. R.S.G. Poole posted as Station Adj. Wahn
Fg. Off. G.W. Timms was posted in from 130 Sqn. R.A.F. Bruggen.
Fg. Off. S.T. Newington was posted in from 130 Sqn. R.A.F. Bruggen.
OPERATIONAL
This has been the best flying month of the year so far in which we flew 381.50
hours on Hunters and 32.15 on Vampire T.11s.
The training has been well balanced 134 cine sorties plus 36 night flying
sorties. In addition the aerobatic team gave three displays at American airfields.
Until the last week of the month the daily serviceability of the Hunter Mk.6 was poor
and then for five days there were 8 or 9 a/c serviceable per day. This was during
Exercise "Vigilant". |
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Signed HMinnis Sqn.Ldr.
(H. MINNIS.)
Squadron Leader,
Officer Commanding
No. 93 Squadron. |
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