100 Squadron were formed in 1917, to provide air support in France to the ground forces. Of significant historical interest is the fact that 100 Squadron were the first so formed for the specific purpose of night bombing. It bode well for many years' successful operations to come. After the end of the First World War, 100 Squadron returned to England, although not until 1919, whereupon the squadron was promptly posted to Baldonnel, in County Dublin. Returning to England in February 1922, and equippping with the Avro 504, the squadron went to Spitalgate, in Lincolnshire. In May 1924 the squadron re-equipped again, this time with the Vickers Vimy, and a move was made to Eastchurch in Kent. However, the Vimy and Eastchurch were to enjoy only a short association with 100 Squadron - in July of the same year the squadron moved back to Spitalgate and re-equipped once more, this time with the Fairey Fawn. The squadron stayed with the Fawn, and at Spitalgate, for the best part of two years, until June 1926, when they moved to Weston Zoyland in Somerset, converting to the Hawker Horsley at the same time. 100 Squadron stayed with the Horsley for nearly eight and a half years, whilst locating to a number of airfields around the British Isles: back to Spitalgate in August 1926; Bicester (January 1928); back to Weston Zoyland (April 1928); back again to Bicester (May 1928); Donibristle (November 1930); Gosport (June 3rd 1932); Catfoss (June 15th 1932); Donibristle (August 1932), in November of the same year the squadron converted to the Vickers Wildebeest; Gosport (June 8th 1933); and Donibristle (June 30th 1933).
In early January 1934, the sqaudron was posted overseas again, for the first time since it had served in France in the First World War. On the 5th, 100 Squadron officially took up residence at Seletar, Singapore, where they were to stay for nearly eight years, until the Japanese invasion forces arrived in Thailand in December 1941. As the Japanese pushed south, through the lands now known as Cambodia, so the Allied forces were pushed further south also, but 100 Squadron, along with the other resident squadrons of the area including 36 Squadron, bravely fought to counter the enemy advance. The end was near however, and came on January the 26th, 1942. In the early afternoon of that day, ten 100 Squadron Wildebeests took off for an attack on enemy shipping at Endau, on the eastern side of the penninsula. Despite scoring several direct hits, 100 Squadron suffered terribly, losing six of its planes. However, despite this mauling, a last ditch effort was made later on that day to bring the enemy to a stand. Nine Wildebeest, from both 100 and 36 Squadrons, took off from Singapore. They were met in the air by a number of Japanese Zero aircraft, for whom they were clearly no match. Five Wildebeest failed to return, and 100 Squadron were wiped out.
However, this was not the end for 100 Squadron. It rose, phoenix like, to reform at RAF Waltham (Grimsby) in December of that same year. Officially coming back into existence on December the 23rd 1942, the squadron was allocated 16 Lancaster MkIIIs plus two reserves for the inevitable losses. The first operational sortie took place on March the 4th 1943, with a mine laying (gardening) operation to St. Nazaire. Both of the squadrons reserve aircraft were quickly called upon when the squadron lost its first two aircraft on this raid. ED559 crashed in the target area, and ED549 crashed at Langar Airfield in Nottinghamshire whilst trying to land. Throughout the course of the bombing campaign in the Second World War, 100 Squadron dropped 18,108 tons of bombs in 3,984 individual sorties. Out of the 59 Squadrons in Bomber Command equipped with the Lancaster, 100 Squadron managed to fly the 12th highest number of sorties during the bombing campaign. However, these impressive figures were not achieved without cost. The squadron lost 113 Lancasters during the War, costing the lives of 593 young men.
After the war, 100 Squadron went on to fly the Avro Lincoln, a direct descendant of the Lancaster and the RAF's last piston engined bomber, and then successively the English Electric Canberra, the Handley Page Victor, and is currently flying the Hawk from RAF Leeming in North Yorkshire. For those of you interested in learning more of the history of 100 Squadron, there are two excellent books available, both written by Arthur White and published by Square One Publications (01905 25208). They are:- "The Hornets Nest, a History of 100 Squadron RAF" and "Bread and Butter Bomber Boys".
