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No.13 Sqn RAF Founded : 10th January 1915
Adjuvamus tuendo - We assist by watching 13 Squadron formed at Gosport on 10 January 1915 and moved to France in October. Initially it provided army co-operation duties but subsequently it included bombing raids, pioneering formation bombing on 25 November 1916 in a raid on Achiet-le-Grand.. Aircraft types operated during the war included the Martinsyde G.100, the Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2, the Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.8, both the SPAD VII and SPAD XIII, and the Sopwith Dolphin. The squadron disbanded on 31 December 1919 The unit reformed at RAF Kenley on 1 April 1924 and inter-war years saw the squadron operate from various UK bases equipped with a variety of aircraft types including the Bristol F.2, Atlas, Audax and Hector. By January 1939 the squadron was equipped with Lysanders and moved to France on 2 October until late May 1940 when it withdrew to UK bases. In May 1941 No. XIII Squadron changed role and theatre, flying a variety of bomber aircraft including the Bristol Blenheim and Douglas Boston in the Mediterranean until the end of the War. On 1 September 1946 No 680 Squadron at Ein Shemer, Palestine was renumbered No 13 Squadron. The unit operated as a photographic reconnaissance squadron. Still operating in this capacity it moved to Egypt, Cyprus and Malta. It returned to the UK in October 1978 and disbanded on 1 January 1982. No 13 Squadron reformed at RAF Honington on 1 January 1990 equipped with reconnaissance Tornado aircraft. As the Allied Coalition began to deploy forces to the Gulf in the latter part of 1990, in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, it quickly became apparent that the unique night reconnaissance capability of the Tornado could provide vital intelligence to the Allied commanders. As a result, on 15/16 January 1991, immediately before hostilities commenced, 6 aircraft were deployed to Dharhan in Saudi Arabia. During the first nights of the War, the Reconnaissance Wing successfully discovered several of the elusive Scud sites, giving rise to the now famous 'Scudhunters' nickname. By the end of the War, some 128 reconnaissance sorties had been flown by the detachment. However, this was not the Squadron’s only contribution to the coalition victory, for the Squadron was also fundamental to the success of the Tornado/TIALD (Thermal imaging And Laser Designation) combination. 72 successful TIALD missions were flown. No 13 Squadron and its Tornado GR4s have since taken part in Operation Telic, in which Coalition forces, led by the United States overthrew the Iraqi regime, led by Saddam Hussein. The Squadron’s latest deployment has taken them from their RAF Marham home to Al Udeid Air Base during late 2005, supporting continuing Coalition operations in Iraq. |
No.13 Sqn RAF
| Aircraft for : No.13 Sqn RAF | |||
| A list of all aircraft known to have been flown by No.13 Sqn RAF. A profile page including a list of all art prints for the aircraft is available by clicking the aircraft name. | |||
| Squadron | Info | ||
Manufacturer : Bristol | Blenheim The Bristol Blenheim, the most plentiful aircraft in the RAFs inventory when WWII began, was designed by Frank Barnwell, and when first flown in 1936 was unique with its all metal monoplane design incorporating a retractable undercarriage, wing flaps, metal props, and supercharged engines. A typical bomb load for a Blenheim was 1,000 pounds. In the early stages of the war Blenheims were used on many daylight bombing missions. While great heroism was displayed by the air crews, tremendous losses were sustained during these missions. The Blenhiem was easy pickings at altitude for German Bf-109 fighters who quickly learned to attack from below. To protect the vulnerable bellies of the Blenheims many missions were shifted to low altitude, but this increased the aircrafts exposure to anti-aircraft fire. | ||
| Lysander Full profile not yet available. | ||
Manufacturer : De Havilland Production Began : 1940 Retired : 1955 Number Built : 7781 | Mosquito Used as a night fighter, fighter bomber, bomber and Photo-reconnaissance, with a crew of two, Maximum speed was 425 mph, at 30,300 feet, 380mph at 17,000ft. and a ceiling of 36,000feet, maximum range 3,500 miles. the Mosquito was armed with four 20mm Hospano cannon in belly and four .303 inch browning machine guns in nose. Coastal strike aircraft had eight 3-inch Rockets under the wings, and one 57mm shell gun in belly. The Mossie at it was known made its first flight on 25th November 1940, and the mosquito made its first operational flight for the Royal Air Force as a reconnaissance unit based at Benson. In early 1942, a modified version (mark II) operated as a night fighter with 157 and 23 squadron's. In April 1943 the first De Haviland Mosquito saw service in the Far east and in 1944 The Mosquito was used at Coastal Command in its strike wings. Bomber Commands offensive against Germany saw many Mosquitos, used as photo Reconnaissance aircraft, Fighter Escorts, and Path Finders. The Mosquito stayed in service with the Royal Air Force until 1955. and a total of 7781 mosquito's were built. | ||
| Tornado Full profile not yet available. | ||
| Signatures for : No.13 Sqn RAF | |||
| A list of all signatures from our database who are associated with this squadron. A profile page is available by clicking their name. | |||
| Name | Info | ||
  Air Marshall Sir Alfred (Freddy) Ball, KCB DSO DFC Click the name or photo above to see prints signed by Air Marshall Sir Alfred (Freddy) Ball, KCB DSO DFC | Air Marshall Sir Alfred (Freddy) Ball, KCB DSO DFC Air Marshall Sir Alfred (Freddy) Ball, KCB DSO DFC attended RAF College, Cranwell in 1939 and joined 13 Squadron in France in March 1940 on Lysanders (Army Co-operation). He joined No 1 PRU Benson early in 1941 on Spitfires. He commanded 4 PRU (later 682 Sqdn) as Squadron Leader in October 1942 and flew out to North Africa for Operation Torch, the Allied landings, flying Spitfires. He was posted to the UK as CF1, 8PR, OTU Dyce, Aberdeen in September 1943 and took over 542 Sqdn Benson in March 1944 (PR Spitfire Mk XIs and Mk XIXs). In September he was promoted to Wing Commander and given command of No 540 Squadron flying Mosquito 16s and 32s. The Squadron moved to France early in 1945 to support the Allied armies. In December, Freddy was posted to Egypt to take command of No 680 PR Sqdn (later to become 13 Sqdn), flying Mosquitoes and Spitfires. He was posted to Staff AHQ East Africa in 1946 and retired from the RAF in April 1979.
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Warrant Officer Harry Barrett Click the name above to see prints signed by Warrant Officer Harry Barrett | Warrant Officer Harry Barrett Warrant Officer Harry Barrett flew as a PR Mosquito Navigator for 17 months from October 1945 to April 1947. He volunteered for aircrew duties as a navigator in mid-1941, and was selected and put on deferred service until August 1942. He trained as a Navigator/Wireless Op. at Cranwell and in Canada, qualifying in November 1943. He was on the night-flying staff at 3(P) AFU at South Cerney for nine months. He qualified as an air-gunner in May 1945 on the Isle of Man. On joining 540 Squadron at Benson, he and his pilot ferried three Mosquitoes to the Middle East and was then posted to 680 in Palestine, where it was more dangerous on the ground than in the air. 680 then became 13 Squadron. Harry carried out aerial surveys in Egypt the Greek Islands, and then went on the Nairobi. Nine of the 15 Mosquitoes Harry flew in came to grief. | ||
W/O Francis Joseph Baylis AFM C de G (Belg) Kings Commendation Click the name above to see prints signed by W/O Francis Joseph Baylis AFM C de G (Belg) Kings Commendation | W/O Francis Joseph Baylis AFM C de G (Belg) Kings Commendation W/O Francis Joseph Baylis AFM C de G (Belg) Kings Commendation volunteered in October 1941 and joined at ACRC Lords in March 1942. He completed a ITW at Babbacombe and a Wireless course at Cranwell. He received flying training at Port Albert, Ontario and Charlotte Town PEI and a General Reconnaissance Course at Squires Gate, then OTU (PR) at Dyce. He was posted to 544 Squadron, Benson in January 1944 and flew 63 ops, finishing in April 1945. He was awarded the C de G with Palme and also served on 13(PR) Squadron at Fayid 1947-49 and awarded the AFM. Finally, after ten months on 540(PR) Benson he received the Kings Commendation. | ||
 Wing Commander James Gordon Cole DFC Click the name above to see prints signed by Wing Commander James Gordon Cole DFC | Wing Commander James Gordon Cole DFC Wing Commander James Gordon Cole DFC joined the RAF in 1938 and had his initial training at Reading, Uxbridge and Montrose. He then went to France with No 13 Sqn, returning in May 1940. After a spell with 231 Sqn in Northern Ireland he then went by destroyer (HMAS Nestor) to Egypt to join 2 PRU until early 1944. He was then posted as Liaison Officer with P.R. Group, USAAF at Chalgrove, and subsequently flew P-38s (Lightning) on sorties over the D-Day beaches, La Rochelle, amongst others. | ||
 Air Chief Marshal Christopher Foxley-Norris Click the name above to see prints signed by Air Chief Marshal Christopher Foxley-Norris
| Air Chief Marshal Christopher Foxley-Norris Christopher Neil Foxley-Norris, (DSO 1945; OBE 1956; CB 1966, KCB 1969, GCB 1973 ) was born in Birkenhead, Cheshire 16 March 1917. Initially wanting to become a barrister, Foxley-Norris read Law at Trinity College, Oxford, but after he had learned to fly with the University Air Squadron his academic career was cut short by the outbreak of the Second World War, and in early 1940 he was piloting Lysanders with 13 Squadron in France. Then, having participated in the Battle of Britian, Christopher Neil Foxley-Norris trained as a flying instructor and applied his newly acquired skills in Canada under the Empire Air Training Scheme. Christopher Foxley-Norris was posted to the Middle East where he first teamed up with Pat Tuhill, initially on Beaufighters. Returning to Europe in 1943, he flew Beaufighters on anti-shipping operations over the North Sea and the Mediterranean. Foxley-Norris took command of 143 Squadron flying Mosquito IIs and VIs as part of the Banff Strike Wing, led by Max Aitken, for attacks on enemy shipping off Norway. Hazardous operations against heavily defended ships, using rockets and cannon, were made even more dangerous by the weather and fjords which the Mosquitos often had to negotiate below cliff height. Christopher Foxley-Norris went on to a distinguished career in the post-war RAF. His experience was now broadened with a variety of staff and command appointments, including a spell on the Directing Staff at Bracknell and command of the Oxford University Air Squadron and in 1953 his staff skills were recognised when he took over the air planning in Singapore at the height of the Malayan Emergency. Back home in 1956, Foxley- Norris found himself commanding a fighter station, Stradishall, at the time of the Sandys cuts in Fighter Command and in 1963 he served in the recently formed Defence Staff under Earl Mountbatten of Burma, where he gained invaluable experience of Nato and Commonwealth affairs. He was thus an excellent choice to return to Singapore to command 224 Group during the confrontation with Indonesia in 1964. There he commanded a miniature air force of some 300 aircraft in a joint-service campaign where air mobility was the key; this highly cost-effective exercise, as he called it, contributed much to the subsequent stability of South East Asia. Director-General, RAF Organisation, Ministry of Defence 1967-68, Chief of Personnel and Logistics 1971-74; Commander-in-Chief, RAF Germany and Commander, Nato 2nd Tactical Air Force 1968-70; Chairman, Cheshire Foundation (later Leonard Cheshire) 1974-82 (Emeritus), President 2001-03; Chairman, Battle of Britain Fighter Association 1978-2003. Sadly Air Chief Marshal Christopher Foxley-Norris passed away on 28th September 2003. | ||
  Air Commodore C D Kit North Lewis DSO DFC Click the name or photo above to see prints signed by Air Commodore C D Kit North Lewis DSO DFC
| Air Commodore C D Kit North Lewis DSO DFC After joining the Army in 1939, Kit North Lewis transferred to the RAF in 1940. In Aug 1941, after pilot training, he was posted to 13 Squadron, flying Blenheims, where he took part in the first 1000 bomber raids. After a spell with 26 Squadron, flying P-51 Mustangs, in Feb 1944 he joined 182 Squadron on Typhoons, as a Flight Commander. A few months later he was posted to command 181 Squadron. He led this squadron into France where it became part of 124 Typhoon Wing. In Aug 1944 he was promoted Wing Leader 124 Wing, where he remained until the end of the war. He died on 25th March 2008. 'Unfortunately my active participation in the Falaise operations was limited as I had a mild form of dysentery from 8th to 14th and I was sent home for a weeks recuperation from 16th to 24th August. However, I was very much involved on the 7th in the German attack at Mortain. I was leading 181 Squadron on an armed reconnaissance when Charles Green who was then the Wing Leader of 121 Wing reported large German tank concentrations at Mortain. Although this was inside the bomb line I accepted his verification and I immediately diverted to Mortain. There we found German tanks strung out along the road. We claimed 10 flamers. I followed this up with two more sorties in which we claimed another 7. There was very little flak, the main danger being the number of allied aircraft around the honey pot. During the period 6th to 21st August the Wing lost 9 pilots killed including Group Captain Charles Appleton and 4 taken POW.' | ||
 Wing Commander Phil Osborn Click the name above to see prints signed by Wing Commander Phil Osborn | Wing Commander Phil Osborn Officer Commanding No XIII Squadron | ||
 Air Vice-Marshal Glen Torpy CBE DSO Click the name above to see prints signed by Air Vice-Marshal Glen Torpy CBE DSO | Air Vice-Marshal Glen Torpy CBE DSO Glen Torpy was a reconnaissance/attack pilot flying Jaguars with the artist on No.41 Sqn before moving to Tornados. In the Gulf War he commanded No XIII Sqn and the Tornado reconnaissance force at Dhahran for which he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order. He is now Air Officer Commanding No 1 Group. | ||
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