No.102 Squadron
- Badge
- On a demi-terrestrial globe a lion rampant guardant holding in the forepaws a bomb.
- Motto
- Tentate et perficite - Attempt and achieve
- Formed
- 09 August 1917
- Disbanded
- 27 April 1963
No 102 Squadron was formed at Hingham on 9 August July 1917 as a night bomber unit. In September it moved to France. In March 1919 the unit returned to the UK and on 3 July 1919 it disbanded.
On 1 October 1935 B Flight, No 7 Squadron, at RAF Worthy Down, was renumbered No 102 Squadron. It began leaflet raids on the 4 September 1939 but in April 1940 it began bombing raids. The unit was part of Bomber Command’s strategic bombing offensive until the end of the war. On 8 May 1945 the unit transferred to Transport Command. It began troop transporting flights to India in January 1946 but on 28 February it disbanded.
On 20 September 1954 the unit reformed at RAF Gutersloh, Germany as a light bomber squadron. The squadron was renumbered No 59 Squadron on 20 August 1956. On 1 August 1959 the unit reformed as a ballistic missile squadron based at RAF Full Sutton. It disbanded on 27 April 1963.
AIRCRAFT
FE2b/d 1917 - 1919
Heyford 1935 - 1938
Whitley III/V 1938 - 1942
Halifax II/III/VI 1941 - 1945
Liberator VI/VIII 1945 - 1946
Canberra 2 1954 - 1956
Thor 1959 - 1963
Reference Sources
The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force
James J Halley Air Britain (Historians) Ltd 1988
RAF Squadrons
Wg Cdr C G Jefford Airlife 2001
Bomber Squadrons of the RAF and their aircraft Phillip J R Moyes Macdonald & Jane’s 1976
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