1 Squadron Royal Air Force Regiment History

Squadron Battle Honours

Kurdistan 1922 to 1923
Kurdistan 1930 to 1931
Palestine 1936
Habbaniya
Iraq 1941
Egypt and Libya 1941 to 1943
Gulf 1991

The Birth of the Squadron

On 21 December 1921 No. 1 Armoured Car Company RAF was formed at Heliopolis, Cairo, in order to support the concept of air control. The Company was equipped with Rolls Royce (A) armoured cars. The Company went through great changes in the years that followed from disbandment, re establishment, expansion to a Wing and then the return to Company strength. After the end of the war in Europe (8 May 1945) No 1 Armoured Car Company merged with No 2701 Sqn which on 25 Feb 1947 were renumbered No 1 (Armoured Car) Sqn RAF Regiment. Throughout the turbulent post war period the Sqn were involved based in Germany and were involved in the Berlin Airlift. In December 1953, the Sqn lost its armoured role and was retitled No 1 (Field) Sqn RAF Regiment. The Sqn were finally permanently based at RAF Laarbruch, Germany, in 1970.The Sqn moved from Watchet to Netheravon on 28 March 1950, and in July the Sqn was involved in its first large-scale operational task when American strategic bombers were deployed in East Anglia. The Sqn deployed on 17 July to Mildenhall where, in addition to the manning of their 40mm Bofors guns in the LAA defence of the station, they supplied nightly guards for anti-sabotage duties on USAF aircraft bays. These additional duties were taken over by the USAF police on 7 November, however, the Sqn was still deployed in their primary LAA role.

Recent Deployment

The 1990s proved to be a very busy and testing time for the Sqn. On 16 Jan 1991 the Sqn were deployed to the Middle East as part of the Allied effort in Operation (Op) GRANBY (Gulf War).

In 1994 the Sqn were heavily involve in Internal Security (IS) Ops. The beginning of 1994 saw elements of the Sqn being detached to Denmark in defence of the deployed Harrier Force. Simultaneously the Sqn were dispatched to Northern Ireland to assist the local authorities. On return to mainland UK the Sqn were dispatched to Cyprus to aid with IS Ops. The Sqn role as a high readiness Sqn was tested in quick succession as they deployed to:

• Former Yugoslavia Jun 95 (as part of the UN Rapid Reaction Force)
• Bosnia - Jun 97 (Op LOADSTAR, enforcing Dayton Peace Agreement)
• Kuwait - Feb 99 (Op DESERT FOX)
• Macedonia (Op TASK FORCE HARVEST)
• Afghanistan - Mar 02 (Op FINGAL)
• Kuwait - Dec 02 (Op RESINATE SOUTH)
• IRAQ (Op TELIC)

Training on the Squadron

1 Sqn remain on a high state of readiness which makes the training program very busy. Throughout the year the Sqn's Training cell runs in-house Sniper, Mortar, Machine Gun and Fire Team Commander courses, to improve the skills of the Gunners (Gnrs) on the Sqn. These skills are tested during numerous Sqn and external exercises, such as the infamous Cambriam Patrol.