No. 104 Squadron R.A.F. | ![]() | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Description of the Squadron's Badge | A thunderbolt. The device in conjunction with the motto implies the unit's formidable intentions and power. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Squadron's Motto: | "Strike hard." | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Formation date: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Brief History: | Disbanded 30/6/1919. Reformed 7/1/1936 from C Flight, No.40. Transferred to Training 2/9/1939 merged with No.13 OTU 6/4/1940. Reformed 7/3/1941. Disbanded 1/4/1947. Reformed 15/3/1955 and disbanded 1/8/1956. Reformed 22/7/1959 as Thor battery and disbanded 24/5/1963. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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No 104 Squadron, RFC, was formed at Wyton, Huntingdonshire, on 4th September 1917, from a nucleus provided by No. 20 Training Squadron, and went to France in May 1918, equipped with DH9 aircraft. The squadron was posted to the bombing force which, on 6th June, became known as the Independent Force and from 8th June until the Armistice was engaged on long-distance day-bombing raids into Germany. On nearly all its raids - and it made a good many - it met the most strenuous opposition from large formations of enemy fighters, but it succeeded in destroying thirty and shooting down anotr 27 out of control. More than 41 tons of bombs were dropped, the greater proportion on German towns far behind the lines. The squadron had to re-form three times owing to heavy casualties. Disbanded in June 1919, the squadron did not re-appear in the order of battle until January 1936, when it was re-formed as No 104 (Bomber) Squadron at Abingdon. On the day before the outbreak of the Second World War it became a No. 6 Group training squadron and in April 1940, was absorbed into No 13 OTU. In April 1941, the squadron was re-formed at Driffield as a Wellington medium-bomber unit of No. 4 Group and began to take part in the night-bombing offensive against Fortress Europe. Towards the end of 1941 it moved to the Middle East and subsequently to Italy attacking targets in Germany from Germany's "soft underbelly". In February 1945 conversion to Liberators began, the last Wellington operation being flown on 27 February. In October 1945 the Squadron moved to Egypt where it re-equipped with Lancasters which were flown until the Sqaudron disbanded on 1 April 1947. On 15 March 1955, No. 104 reformed at Gutersloh as a Canberra light bomber Squadron but disbanded on 1 August 1956. It reformed on 22 July 1959 at Ludford Magna as a Thor strategic missile unit until it was disbanded on 24 May 1963.
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