No 9 Sqn RAF
 

I don’t recall any of you light blue chaps wishing No 9 (B) Sqn happy birthday (95) yesterday. Ministry of Defence | Defence News | History and Honour | RAF IX (B) Squadron celebrates 95 years

Belatedly, may I propose “Happy Birthday”. I’ll toast them with a glass of Bacardi Gold tonight.

Wasn't it originally formed on the 8th of December 1914 as No 9 ( Wireless ) Squadron?

It may well have. I would need to check that tonight in Philip Moyes big book of mud movers. It's no good looking at the MoD Site as it lists "the Dams" in 9's Battle Honours RAF - 9 Squadron .

I think "The Dams" is not just the Dambuster raid. It also includes operations against the Kembs dam?

Hear hear, Damian.

(And if Mr L is reading from San Diego it was a pleasure to meet you at the dinner!)

TABS, chaps! TABS...

May I add my best Birthday wishes to the Royal Air Force's finest bomber squadron? I would also like to give my best wishes to the current squadron members who are heading East on operations in the New Year.

God speed lads, I know you will uphold the best traditions of this fine squadron:ok:!

Err, whats this got to do with IX (B) Sqn? :E

But best wishes to them anyway.:ok:

ZH,

Nothing at all to do with 1X Sqn, but everything to do with IX Sqn!

(It's called attention to detail)

Happy Birthday Bats. As an ex Goldstar and Crusader we had our differences. But you were always better than 6 foot:ok::ok::)

RETDPI - yep, birthday greetings are technically premature, since IX was created by reunumbering the wireless flight on 08/12/14.

As for the Dams battle honour - there was a campaign against dams in 1944, with the intent being to prevent the Germans from carrying out controlled flooding as US troops got in range. The Kembs dam was burst by 617, and IX hit the Sorpe with a few Tallboys (there was no time to train up either squadron with the UPKEEP weapon which would've been more appropriate), but being a tough old thing, the Sorpe didn't burst.

IX left a calling card in the form of a Tallboy which didn't go off. When the Germans were doing some maintenance on the Sorpe in 1958, they partially drained the dam and found a rather large, slightly malevolent looking 12,000lb item sticking out of the mud...

A superb day from start to finish! Enjoyed every minute of it! I've put a few photos on the association website if anyone is interested.

I'm confused (nothing new). How can an RAF Squadron be 95 years old when the RAF is only 91?

(Rhetorical/sarcastic question; no need to reply (but I'm sure you will!))

They originally stood up as Royal Flying Corps Squadrons before the RAF was formed.

Thank you PJ, I knew that, but it still makes it a 91 year old RAF Squadron.

It works exactly the same way that Army regiments and corps count the length of service of the antecedent formations. Discount this service and most Army formations (with some notable exceptions (RE, Guards, etc)) are younger than most of the formations in the 'junior' Service.

Spot on, pretty decent thrash all round as the photos testify - still prefered the 90th though; not every day you get to see a sqn standard rammed into a hangar door...