No. 75 Squadron RAF
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| 75 Squadron (NZ) | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1916, 1937 |
| Role | Bomber |
| Garrison/HQ | ? |
| Motto | Ake ake kia kaha (Maori: "For ever and ever be strong") |
| Equipment | see text |
| Insignia | |
| Identification symbol |
In front of two mining hammers in saltire, a tiki |
No. 75 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operated as a bomber unit in World War II, before being transferred to the Royal New Zealand Air Force in 1945.
Contents |
[edit] World War I, Home Defence fighters
Established as a unit of the Royal Air Force for Home Defence, it was formed at Goldington on 1 October 1916 with BE2c and later BE2e aircraft, it moved to Elmswell in East Anglia in September 1917, exchanging BE2c for FE2b. In May 1918 the squadron moved to North Weald tasked with night fighting, and it received Avro 504K and Sopwith Pups in October. After the war, Sopwith Camels arrived (December) and finally Sopwith Snipes (March 1919). Little information has survived about the squadron's early history, however, John Rawling's Fighter Squadrons of the Royal Air Force confirms that it saw no action before being disbanded, still at North Weald, on 13 June 1919.[1]
[edit] World War II, New Zealand bombers
75 was reformed on Avro Ansons and Handley Page Harrows as part of the RAF expansion on March 15, 1937. New Zealand ordered 30 Vickers Wellington bombers and sent aircrew to England to train on the new aircraft. In August 1939, with war seemingly increasingly likely, the New Zealand government offered to loan Britain both men and machines. They took over the "75" squadron number, the letters (NZ) being added in brackets afterwards. Although often referred to, then and since, as an RNZAF unit, 75 Squadron was equipped and controlled by the RAF until VJ Day. (This was not the case with most RNZAF units, as well as those from the other Dominions; technically these units were attached to the RAF under Article XV of the Empire Air Training Scheme, and were known as "Article XV squadrons".)
75 Squadron saw action early over France, Norway and most other European nations, but principally waged war against Germany. It joined No. 3 Group RAF and was based for a period at RAF Newmarket. Its code letters of "AA" became widely recognised on both sides,[citation needed] (when the unit operated as an oversize unit, some aircraft were coded "JN"). The squadron was progressively equipped with Short Stirlings, Avro Lancasters and Avro Lincolns. When Japan surrendered 75 was preparing to take the Lincolns to the far east as part of Tiger Force. At the end of WWII, in gratitude for the work done by its New Zealand aircrew, Britain offered the squadron number and colours to New Zealand, and thus No. 2 Squadron RNZAF was renumbered as No. 75 Squadron RNZAF, forming up at RNZAF Base Ohakea with de Havilland Mosquitos.
[edit] Achievements
75 Squadron claims to be the only squadron engaged constantly against Germany from 1939 to VE day. The squadron flew more sorties than any other Allied heavy bomber squadron, suffered more casualties than any other Allied squadron, and dropped the second largest weight of bombs of any Allied squadron. The squadron won a single Victoria Cross, awarded to Sgt J A Ward for climbing along the wing of a Wellington, in flight, to put out an engine fire.
A Lancaster in 75 Squadron colours is preserved at the Museum of Transport and Technology at Auckland, New Zealand. Some mementos of Sgt Ward can be seen at the Ohakea wing of the Royal New Zealand Air Force Museum. A Squadron History by Norman Franks, is the primary source for this article; his book Forever Strong (a translation of the Squadron's Maori Motto Ake Ake Kia Kaha) is unfortunately now out of print.
The National Archives schools web-site features an interview with Gordon Ford, a British wireless operator who served with 75 Squadron in World War II.[1]
[edit] References
- ^ John D. Rawlings, 'Fighter Squadrons of the Royal Air Force,' MacDonalds & Co., 1969, p.191
- A Squadron History by Norman Franks
