111 Squadron RAF
 

"One Eleven Squadron" or "Treble One Squadron"?

I have heard both versions being used in various places.

Is one correct above the other? Or are they from different eras? Or is some other version "correct"?

Trembling One.

Never heard "One Eleven Squadron" used back in the day, OTOH "Treble One" or "Tremblers" - yes..

In 1960, while doing the Airshow circuit, as the official RAF Display Squadron looping a formation of 14 Hunters, they were introduced as "Treble One Squadron".
I have never heard them being called otherwise.( Unless they were being called The Tremblers).

Squadrons can be pretty picky about their numbers. "Two One Four" was proud to use that definition, but "Two Sixteen" got very miffed if called " Two One Six".

For those of us of a certain vintage, always "Treble One". In fact, used in conversation earlier today.

Perhaps a further question might be, when did the change from 'triple one' to 'treble one' take place?

The conversion of 'triple one' squadron to Hurricanes in 1938 made little difference to the general thrust of these reports, with unescorted formations of Blenheim, Battle, Hampden, and Wellesley bombers all finding themselves increasingly ...

https://books.google.co.jp/books?id=...uadron&f=false

Only ever referred to it as “the girls school”,

or, as I recall from my WIWOL days, often : 'one less than one hundred and twelve'

Or as good as 19 & 92 combined. Certainly never triple.......!

Treble One it is. The squadrons called eg Two One Six (216) are mostly ex RNAS squadrons whose original numbers were given a prefix of '2' when the RAF was formed.

The history of sqn numbers was once quite a 'structured' topic but things change and origins are forgotten. The RAF now has a policy on how squadron numbers will be dished out and nobody who recalls the origins is now around in a place of influence. However, the Canadians, Norwegians, Dutch and Belgians often retained the numbers their squadrons were given when associated with the RAF during the last unpleasantness between 1939 and 45. Hence 300 and 400 series units still in those air forces. Even the British Army's 600 series squadrons owe their origins, mostly to the RAF.

Inevitably, there are exceptions - hence 617, which survives despite the general 'low number' focus of RAF policy.

Old Duffer

216 was originally No 16 Sqn RNAS formed 8 Jan 1918..

Old-Duffer says "Even the British Army's 600 series squadrons". I think the Army was allotted 650 to 699 although not all were taken up, as the FAA units start at 700.

When they were at Wyton for a week or so in the early 70's we called them one one one, just as a wind up, happy days.

I was on a Hastings Squadron back in the sixties and a fellow captain, who had flown with 111 during the Battle of Britain, was adamant that it should be called "hundred and eleven squadron".

"Eleventy one"

As Diane Abbott would say.

MPN11. Quite right. Never heard it called other than two-sixteen. Funny things numbers. Six-one-seven, but two-sixteen; and of course treble one. Otherwise it's pistols at dawn.