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F540 Operations Record Book August 1954 NO 93 SQUADRON.
PRO Kew No. AIR27 Piece 2636 Microfilm Row 1 Draws 52-71 from Duncan Curtis
PLACE DATE TIME SUMMARY OF EVENTS                    COMPILING OFFICER  Fg. off. B.J. REVNELL.        REF. TO
APPENDICES
     

BernieRevnell.jpg, 9077 bytes

 
R.A.F. JEVER. AUGUST
1st, 1954,-
AUGUST 3rd,I954. Station Stand Down.  
  Wednesday 4th.      The weather was very poor until late afternoon.   The fog and low stratus
persisted until 15.30 hrs. when the first sortie took off.  Flt.Lt. J.A. HORRELL went to
BUCKEBURG for the 2nd T.A.F. Tennis Championships.  All the pilots who will be
sitting the promotion examinations went to OLDENBURG this morning for lectures.
Fg.Off. MACKNISH commenced U.K. Leave.  Plt.Off. BUSBY returned from U.K.
leave.  Flying Details :-
One weather recce, two Air to Ground sorties, and three Aerobatic sorties.
 
  Thursday 5th.      The weather was fine all day.  The squadron provided five aircraft for Battle Flight
Flying Details :- 17 Battle Flight sorties, 8 Dusk sorties, Aerobatic sorties, 2
Formation sorties and 2 Air Tests.
 
  Friday 6th      Group Captain T.O. PRICKETT D.S.O., D.F.C, inspected the station, he takes over
from Group Captain POWELL-SHEDDON on Monday 9th August.  Flying was limited
by poor serviceability.  Fg.Off. WHITELAW flew the Prentice with some visiting
Cadets as passengers.  Flying Details :- 13 Air to Ground sorties, and one Air Test.
 
  Saturday 7th.      Station Parade in the morning to bid farewell to Group Captain POWELL-
SHEDDON
.  Flt.Lt. HORRELL returned from 2nd T.A.F. Tennis Championships
where he reached the Quarter-Finals.  Work ceased at 12.30 hours.
 
  Sunday 8th.      Today the squadron presented a tankard to Group Captain POWELL-SHEDDON.  
  Monday 9th.      Today the accent was put on cine in preparation for our visit to A.P.S. SYLT.
Squadron Leader R.N.G. ALLEN returned from leave and Flt.Lt. COLVIN resumed
command of 'B' Flight.  Flying Details :- 14 Cine sorties, 6 Low flying &
Aerobatic sorties, 4 Formation sorties and 3 Air Tests.
 
  Tuesday 10th.      Another fine day, and once again the accent was on cine.  Dusk flying was carried
out in the evening.  Flt.Lt. HORRELL started U.K. leave.  Flying Details :- 14 Cine
sorties 7 Aerobatic sorties and 6 Dusk sorties.
 
  Wednesday 11th      No flying at all today due to poor weather.  Work ceased at 12.30 hours and the
afternoon was devoted to sport.
 
  Thursday 12th      The weather was unsuitable for flying until the afternoon.  Flt.Lt. COLVIN took
Fg.Off. HAMPTON to WILDENWRATH in the T.11 Sgt. KNIGHT took a Sabre to
WILDENWRATH for Fg.Off. HAMPTON to enable Fg.Off. HAMPTON to do his first
solo in the Sabre off a long runway.  All three returned at 17.30 hours.  This evening
a squadron party was held in the N.A.A.F.I.  It was attended by about 100 people and
a good time was had by all.  Flying Details :- 6 Cine sorties, 6 Formation sorties and
2 Low Flying sorties.
 
  Saturday 14th.      The weather was fine and as this was no parade it was a full flying morning.  The
squadron provided 8 aircraft for a Wing formation.  Work ceased at 13.00
hours.  Flying Details :- 14 Formation sorties,2 Air Tests.
 
  Sunday 15th.        Fg.Off. K.B. SENAR commenced U.K. leave.  
  Monday 16th.        Flt.Lt. COLVIN and Fg.Off. HAMPTON went to WILDENWRATH in a T.11.  Fg.Off.
REVNELL
flew a Sabre to WILDENWRATH for Fg.Off. HAMPTON to fly.  Flying
Details :- 16 Air to Ground sorties, 2 Familiarisation sorties (Fg. Off. HAMPTON) and
one Aerobatic sortie.
 
  Tuesday 17th.      Except for a few thunderstorms the weather was fine all day.  'B' Flight provided 5
aircraft for Battle Flight.  Flt.Lt. COLVIN and Fg.Off. HICKMAN, RAMSAY MITCHELL,
WHITELAW, BALFOUR, CULVER, and RITCHIE went to OLDENBURG this morning
for the Promotion Examinations.  Flying Details :- 17 Battle Flight Sorties, 4 Cine
sorties, 4 Aerobatic sorties, 2 Height Climb sorties and 4 Dusk sorties.
 
  Wednesday 18th.      The day started with poor visibility and low cloud which cleared at 11.30
hours.  The afternoon was devoted to sport.  Flying Details :- 7 Air to Ground sorties.
 
  Thursday 19th.      The weather was clear and fine until the afternoon when the zone was covered
with thunderstorms.  The 4 Dusk sorties were recalled because low cloud began to
move in quite suddenly.  Fg.Off. T. PAGE returned from U.K. leave  Fg.Off. RITCHIE
renewed his WHITE CARD Flying Details :- 19 Battle Flight sorties, 6 Formation
sorties, 4 Dusk sorties, 2 Air Tests and 2 Familiarisation sorties (Fg.Off. HAMPTON)
 
  Friday 20th.       The weather was poor until after lunch and so the morning was devoted to
lectures.  The chaps who were on Promotion Exams. returned this morning.  Sgt.
KNIGHT
flew to WILDENWRATH in a T.11.  The aircraft became unserviceable and
he stayed at WILDENWRATH.  Flying Details :- 9 Battle Flight sorties and 2
Formation sorties.
 
  Saturday 21st.      There was no flying this morning due to the weather.  Work ceased at 12.00
hours.  Fg.Off. BELL and Fg.Off. CHADWICK commenced U.K. leave.
 
  Sunday 22nd.      Fg.Off. HICKMAN commenced U.K. leave.  
  Monday 23rd.      The weather was unserviceable all day.  The morning was devoted to lectures
and the afternoon to P.T. and Basketball.  In the Basketball Fg.Off. HAMPTON broke
a bone in his wrist.
 
  Tuesday 24th.      There was no flying until 13.30 due to the weather.  Sgt. KNIGHT returned from
WILDENWRATH this afternoon.  Fg.Off. HAMPTON was detained in R.A.F. Hospital
ROSTROP.  Flying Details :- 1 G.C.A. sortie, 4 Low Level pinpointing sorties, 4 Dusk
sorties.
 
  Wednesday 25th.      Full flying this morning was stopped by a Meteor sinking on to the runway and
blocking it from 10.00 hours onwards.  Two aircraft were diverted to
OLDENBURG.  Sgt. KNIGHT flew to Headquarters for a commissioning
interview.  The afternoon was devoted to sport.  Flying Details :- 4 Cine sorties and 3
Aerobatic sorties.
 
  Thursday 26th.      Flying continued right through until dusk.  The weather was fine, but hazy all day.
Sgt. KNIGHT returned from BUCKEBURG.  Flying Details :- 10 Cine Flight sorties, 7
G.C.A. sorties, 5 aerobatic sorties, 4 Air Tests and 5 Dusk sorties.
 
  Friday 27th.      Although the weather was suitable for flying all day, the main flying programme
did not start until 10.30 hours due to unserviceability.  Fg.Off's REVNELL and
EXLEY went to WUNSTORF to attend the II Squadron Standard Presentation.  Flying
Details :- 12 Cine sorties, 3 Aerobatic sorties, 4 Interception sorties were carried out
on 40 Canberras which were abortive due to the fact that we could not catch the
Canberras.
 
  Saturday 28th.      There was no station parade this morning.  Instead there was a station Kit-
Inspection which kept the squadron pilots busy for most of the morning.  Flying
Details :- One Air Test was carried out by Fg.Off. BALFOUR.  Fg.Off. LEIGH-
LANCASTER
commenced leave.
 
   Sunday 29th.      Fg.Off's REVNELL and EXLEY returned from WUNSTORF.  Fg.Off's MACKNISH
and GARTHWAITE from leave.
 
  Monday 30th. 93sqnpic119.jpg, 15745 bytes

       Brian ILES and Sandy SANDERSON on Arriving back from Rhodesia in Brian's Miles-18.  (Photo not in F540).

     Flying did not start until 13.00 hours due to low stratus.  This afternoon the 5
pilots who are taking part in the Air to Ground demonstration at FASSBERG on 2nd
September, 1954 practised on MEPPEN RANGE.  At 19.00 hours this evening there
was a large reception committee at Station Flight to welcome back Brian Iles and
Sandy Sanderson on their return from Southern Rhodesia.  They were greeted by
a mass of cameras and a bottle of Champagne.  Flying Details :- 10 Air to Ground
sorties, 2 Low Level Battle sorties, 1 aerobatic sortie and 1 Air Test.
 
  Tuesday 31st.       The five pilots who are taking part in the demonstration at FASSBERG flew to FASSBERG
this morning to practice on the FASSBERG range.  Unfortunately the weather closed in and
they stayed at FASSBERG.  This afternoon Flt.Lt. ILES and Fg.Off. SANDERSON went to
BREMEN to make a recording for British Forces Network on their experiences during their
leave in Southern Rhodesia.  Flying Details :- 5 Low Level Battle sorties, 5 Air to Ground
sorties and 3 Aerobatic sorties.
 
      Rounds fired during August :-   7,564
Stoppages                               :-   2
Stoppage Rate                       :-    1 in 3,782
Hours flown in August                                           Hours
                                                             Day                                     Night            Total      Sorties
SABRE                                              312.55                                   27.55          348.50       370
METEOR VII.                                       15.30                                      -                  15.30         18
VAMPIRE T.11.                                   10.30                                      -                  10.30         11
PRENTICE                                            7.35                                      -                    7.35            7   
TOTAL                                               346.30                                  27.55          374.25      406     


 
      ADMINISTRATION.
     Generally an uneventful month from the administration point of view.   Planning for
the move to SYLT has been the main consideration.   The restriction of only 100 S.N.C.O.'s
and airmen at SYLT has caused some difficulty; approximately 37 of the squadron cannot
go because of accommodation difficulties.   A small party was detached to FASSBERG at the
end of the month to support a weapon demonstration by 4 aircraft.   Convoy practices have
been run on almost every Wednesday afternoon during the month.
PERSONNEL.
4th.     Flt.Lt. HORRELL went to BUCKEBURG.   Plt.Off. BUSBY returned from leave.   Fg.Off.
MACKNISH
commenced U.K. leave.
7th.      Flt.Lt. HORRELL returned from BUCKEBURG.
9th.   Sqdn. Ldr. ALLEN returned from leave.
10th   Flt.Lt. HORRELL commenced leave.
15th.   Fg.Off. SENAR commenced leave.
17th.   Flt. Lt. COLVIN, Fg.Off's HICKMAN, RAMSAY, MITCHELL, WHITELAW, BALFOUR, CULVER,
and RITCHIE went to OLDENBURG.
19th.   Fg.Off. PAGE returned from leave.
20th.   Sgt. KNIGHT went to WILDENWRATH.
21st..   Fg.Off, BELL commenced leave, Fg.Off. CHADWICK commenced leave.
22nd.   Fg.Off. HICKMAN commenced leave.
24th.   Sgt. KNIGHT returned from WILDENWRATH.   Fg.Off. HAMPTON admitted to ROSTROP
Hospital/
25th.   Sgt. KNIGHT went to BUCKEBURG.
27th.   Fg.Off. EXLEY and REVNELL returned from WUNSTORF.
29th.   Fg.Off.'s MACKNISH and GARTHEWAITE returned from leave.
30th.   Flt. Lt. ILES, Fg.Off.SANDERSON, and F.Sgt. SHRUBSOLE returned from leave.
31st.   Sqdn. Ldr. ALLEN,Flt. Lt. COLVIN, Fg.Off. EXLEY , F.Sgt. SHRUBSOLE and Sgt.
KNIGHT
went to FASSBERG.
                                                   LIST OF PILOTS AT END OF MONTH.
                   'A' Flight.                                                                                'B' Flight. 
Sqdn. Ldr. R.N.G. ALLEN.   D.F.C.                                               Flt.Lt.   A.J.   COLVIN.
Flt. Lt.         J.A.      HORRELL.                                                       Flt.Lt.  H.B.    ILES.
Fg.Off.       W.K.     BELL.                                                                Fg.Off. B.A.E. SANDERSON.
Fg.Off.       T.          BALFOUR.                                                       Fg.Off. B.J.    REVNELL.
Fg.Off.       D.S.     CHADWICK.                                                     Fg.Off. A.C.   RAMSAY.
Fg.Off.       W.G.    MITCHELL.                                                         Fg.Off. J.E.    PIGDON.
Fg.Off.       D.H.    HARPER.                                                          Fg.Off. G.E.   HICKMAN.
Fg.Off.       G.J.     COUCH.                                                           Fg.Off. J.E.     MACKNISH.
Fg.Off.       J.S.C. DAVIS.                                                               Fg.Off. K.B.    SENAR.
Fg.Off.       P.T.    WHITELAW.                                                      Fg.Off. D.       EXLEY.
Fg.Off.       R.      GARTHWAITE.                                                  Fg.Off. W.B.C. RITCHIE.
Fg.Off.       T.       PAGE.                                                                Fg.Off. J.C.    CULVER.
Fg.Off.       D.N.  HAMPTON (R.A.A.F.).                                      Fg.Off. P.LEIGH-LANCASTER.
Fg.Off.       J.P.   BUSBY.                                                              Fg.Off. D.J.    FEWELL.
F.Sgt.        W.R. SHRUBSOLE.                                                  Sgt.    R.G.     KNIGHT.
                                                                      signedajcolvin Flt.Lt.
                                                                      (A.J.COLVIN.)
                                                                      Flight Lieutenant
                                                                      Officer Commanding,
                                                                      No. 93(F) Squadron.
 
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