8 Sqn query!!
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8 Sqn query!!
I am currently reading Rod Dean's excellent book "50 Years of Flying Fun" in which he relates his first tour on the Hunter with 43 Sqn in Aden. The other Squadron at the time based there was 8 Sqn - Adens Own – banished from the UK forever for setting fire to their aircraft in WW!” !!!!
Can anyone please enlighten me as to these events where they burned the aircraft?
Can anyone please enlighten me as to these events where they burned the aircraft?
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I believe you may be referring to 8 Naval Squadron as mentioned here:
8 Naval/208 Squadron.
Major Draper left the Squadron in 1919, he and at least one other member of the Unit were still wearing their naval uniforms!). A change in the Squadron aircraft markings had also taken place. Until then, Naval 8 had been distinguished by a white disc on the fuselage side aft of the roundels, but from March 1918, its aircraft were painted with 2 vertical bars aft of the roundels, sloping in at the top. The newly-labelled 208 Squadron went first to Teteghem and then to La Gorgue, supporting the Portuguese defence of the line. It was a tragic time for 208 Squadron as it was there that the Portuguese line collapsed and 208 was overrun by the advancing Germans. Unable to fly its aircraft out due to fog, it had to burn them on the airfield and dash away in what transport it had. This abridged version of Major Draper's report tells the sorry tale:
'With reference to the destruction of the 16 machines of this Squadron, I have the honour to submit the following report: About 4:00 am on the morning of the 9th (April) we were aroused by the sound of very heavy gunfire, which increased in intensity towards dawn. There was considerable hostile shelling of Merville, La Gorgue and the surrounding districts. A large number of French civilians were passing west through our Camp, followed by considerable Portuguese troops in open disorder, without either rifles or equipment an apparently un-officered. I gave orders to have the machines removed from the hangars and spread out over the aerodrome in case of a concentrated shelling of the hangars. I ordered officers and men to pack all gear and stores as quickly as possible.
I decided I was not justified in risking personnel by flying away in fog, though a majority volunteered to try. We collected the machines in one bunch in the middle of the aerodrome, the idea being for everyone to clear out and leave one officer with a cycle and sidecar to stand by until the last moment with orders to destroy the machines if necessary. I was unable to get in touch with XV Corps, so I ordered the telephone exchange and compass station to pack up.
The ammunition supply column which had been parked on the road alongside the hangars had gone, their guns having been captured. The machines were then burnt and everyone cleared out by 11:30.'
'With reference to the destruction of the 16 machines of this Squadron, I have the honour to submit the following report: About 4:00 am on the morning of the 9th (April) we were aroused by the sound of very heavy gunfire, which increased in intensity towards dawn. There was considerable hostile shelling of Merville, La Gorgue and the surrounding districts. A large number of French civilians were passing west through our Camp, followed by considerable Portuguese troops in open disorder, without either rifles or equipment an apparently un-officered. I gave orders to have the machines removed from the hangars and spread out over the aerodrome in case of a concentrated shelling of the hangars. I ordered officers and men to pack all gear and stores as quickly as possible.
I decided I was not justified in risking personnel by flying away in fog, though a majority volunteered to try. We collected the machines in one bunch in the middle of the aerodrome, the idea being for everyone to clear out and leave one officer with a cycle and sidecar to stand by until the last moment with orders to destroy the machines if necessary. I was unable to get in touch with XV Corps, so I ordered the telephone exchange and compass station to pack up.
The ammunition supply column which had been parked on the road alongside the hangars had gone, their guns having been captured. The machines were then burnt and everyone cleared out by 11:30.'
8 Naval/208 Squadron.
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From Memory - didn't 208 Sqn also spend some time in Aden? Perhaps some confusion by the author. May I recommend the book ""Fall Out Roman Catholics and Jews" by Anthony Haigh-Thomas as an account of Hunter operations in Aden? Link to it on Amazon here.....
Naval 8
I think the confusion here is between 8 Sqn RAF, which was originally an RFC squadron formed in 1915 and 8 Squadron RNAS ( Hence "Naval 8", formed in 1916) which was renumbered as 208 Sqn RAF.
Following the inevitable squadron re numberings and reformations over the years there was a time around 1963 when 208 was alongside 8 Sqn (and 43 Sqn ) at Khormaksar.
The "Major Draper" referred to above was of course Chris Draper, "The Mad Major" of later Thames Bridge under-flying fame.
Following the inevitable squadron re numberings and reformations over the years there was a time around 1963 when 208 was alongside 8 Sqn (and 43 Sqn ) at Khormaksar.
The "Major Draper" referred to above was of course Chris Draper, "The Mad Major" of later Thames Bridge under-flying fame.
