215 Squadron

SURGITE NOX ADEST

Arise, night is at hand

Provisional date for next reunion is 20 October 2012.
For more information contact Graham 'Squeek' Wade. Reunion photos



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215 Squadron reformed at RAF Benson on 1st May 1963. It was the fourth squadron to be equipped with Argosy C Mk1 aircraft, the others were 114 and 267 which remained at Benson and 105 which was based at RAF Khormaksar, Aden. In 1963 215 Squadron moved to RAF Changi, Singapore where it remained until it disbanded on 31 December 1967. Malcolm Jefferson (AQM) reports that he departed Benson at 0800 on 18 July 1963 and arrived at Changi on the morning of the 24 July. The journey was undertaken in XP448 and the captain was Sqn Ldr John Leary. Total flight time was 34hrs and 15mins. The other aircraft left around about the same time, the original plan was that the squadron would meet at Butterworth and fly to Changi together for a grand flypast. As it happened only the CO arrived on time in XR106, all the others having suffered delays.

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Photo shows 215 Squadron Argosies on the flight line at Changi shortly after their arrival from Benson. The original ten aircraft allocated to the squadron were XP444, XP445, XP446, XP447, XP448, XP449, XP450, XR106, XR107 and XR108. These were later joined by XN818 and XN851.

When the personnel of 215 Squadron received their postings they probably started to dream of lazy days in Singapore sitting at the poolside, drinking Tiger beer and counting their L.O.A. Life was not going to be that easy because they were flying into an undeclared war called "Indonesian Confrontation".

There had been problems between Indonesia and the proposed state of Malaysia for some time, things came to a head on 16 September 1963 when the Federation of Malaysia formally came into being. Crowds burned the British Embassy in Jakarta and 215 Squadron Argosies were sent in to evacuate Brits from Indonesia. For the next three years British and Commonwealth troops confronted the Indonesians along the 900 mile jungle covered border on the island of Borneo. 215 Squadron supported the troops by air-dropping supplies into jungle clearings. When I arrived in October 1965 the Squadron was maintaining a permanent detachment of one aircraft at Kuching which was doing two supply missions a day, seven days a week. In addition there were several scheduled flights a week into Kuching plus specials. It was not unusual to see three Argosies on the flight line at Kuching. Previous to my time the Squadron had carried out similar operations from Labuan - can anyone tell us the details.

48 Squadron Hastings, 34 Squadron Berverleys and 41 Squadron RNZAF Bristol Freighters carried out a similar role to the Argosies during this period.

National Air Week, Australia 1966

TWA

In it's early days in Singapore the Squadron was known as TWA, not for Trans World Airline but Talbot-Williams Airline, after the Squadron Commander, Wg Cdr Talbot-Williams. Though some thought it stood for Teenie Weenie Airlines.

The End for 215 Squadron

The happenings in Indonesia dominated the news in the "Straits Times" which was our daily paper; UK papers arrived about a week late. General Sukarno was deposed in 1965 and his sucessors sued for peace in 1966, thus ending Confrontation. During the same period Harold Wilson's government was suffering economic problems and was carrying out an in depth review of defence spending. With the reduced workload after the end of Confrontation and the desire to save money it was obvious that there were going to be reductions in the Far East Air Force. In mid 1967 we were told that the Squadron was to be disbanded at the end of the year, half of the aircraft were to move to 70 Squadron at Akrotiri and the other half to return to Benson. Those personnel, air and ground crews, who were recent comers to Singapore would accompany the aircraft to Akrotiri to complete a normal 2½ years overseas tour. Others would end their tours early and accompany the aircraft back to Benson or otherwise be dispersed by the normal posting system. Thus 215 Squadron was disbanded on 31 December 1967.

With the continuing reduction in the number of RAF squadrons it seems unlikely that 215 Squadron will ever arise again, by night or day.

In the jungles of Borneo they were

As welcome as rain to an arab

For the troops of the Commonwealth Forces fighting in the jungles of Borneo the sight of a distinctive twin-boom Argosy transport on a supply dropping mission was as welcome as rain to an arab - and often as vital.

Everything had to come by air - from razor blades to mortars from beer to bayonets - and placing one-ton containers into a small clearing cut into the 200 feet high jungle became an art at which the fliers of 215 Squadron from Changi, Singapore, excelled. They seldom missed.

Now, all this has ended for three Argosys of 215 flew across Singapore for the last time, and at Changi the squadron held a reception to mark its disbandment at which the guest of honour was Air Marshal Sir Rochford Hughes, Commander of FEAF.

Although the squadron has disbanded, its aircraft went on to Cyprus and the UK to form other squadrons.

It was just prior to the outbreak of Confrontation when the squadron came to the Far East, and during the following three years its aircraft operated from Kuching, Sarawak; Labuan and Jesselton, Sabah, and directly from Changi.

During the years of the "mini-war" the Argosys dropped 10,000 tons of vital supplies, and flew more than 40.000 British, Malaysian, Australian and New Zealand troops. The pilots and navigators, groundcrew and aircrew formed an efficient working organisation which won the respect of those it faced.

The Squadron, commanded by Wg Cdr Donald Gray was formed in France in 1918 as 15 Squadron RNAS. it became 215 Squadron on the formation of the RAF on 1 April 1918, and until the Armistice the Squadron flew Handley Page twin engined bombers.

In October 1918 it was disbanded, but reformed on 1 October1935. In 1939 it was re-equipped with Wellington twin-engined bombers, and was first employed in a training role in England and later, in 1942, moved to India.

Drop Zone Borneo

Since adding this section to my website "Drop Zone Borneo by Roger Annett" has been published. Roger was a co-pilot on 215 Squadron and the book tells his and the squadron's story. Whether your interest is 215 Squadron, Argosies, aviation or history in general; or just a good read, the excitement of the first chapter will draw you in.

BUY THIS BOOK FROM AMAZON.CO.UK

Reference