207 Squadron RAF History - Squadron Genealogy

Aug 1915	Two additional RNAS wings, Nos.4 and 5, each equipped for bombing and fighting, were formed at Petit Synthe and Coudekerque, respectively. No.4 Wing had been formed from No.4 Squadron at Eastchurch in August 1915 and it crossed to Petit Synthe in April 1916 under the command of Squadron Commander C L Courtney. Additional pilots were posted in during May and by the middle of June the Wing comprised two squadrons, Nos.1 and 2, equipped with Nieuports, BE 2cs and Caudron twins. In July the names were changed to A and B Squadrons.
1 Nov 1916	No.4 Wing regrouped its aircraft into two squadrons according to role. 'A' Squadron became No.6 Squadron equipped solely for aerial fighting and 'B' Squadron became No.7 Squadron, equipped solely for bombing. No.7 Squadron was sub-divided into two Flights by aircraft types, one being equipped with Caudron twins (soon replaced with Sopwith 1½ Strutters) and the other (uniquely in the RNAS) with Short Bombers.
28 Jul 1917	A flight of 8 aircraft was removed to the other side of Coudekerke airfield to form No.7A Squadron. A detachment went to Redcar, then Manston, to become 'A' Squadron RNAS. It continued, however, to be controlled by No.7 Squadron until December 1917, when it was renumbered No.14 Squadron RNAS (later No.214 Squadron RAF) and became an independent unit. Another link is that 207 and 214 Squadrons flew Valiants at Marham. 214 Squadron Association
1 Apr 1918	No.7 Squadron RNAS becomes No.207 Squadron RAF On 20 January 1920 No.207 Squadron disbands at Uxbridge.
8 Jan 1918	'A' Squadron RNAS was the nucleus of No.16 Squadron RNAS which formed at Ochey, which on 1 April 1918 became 216 Squadron RAF.
1 Feb 1920	No.207 Squadron re-forms at Bircham Newton as a cadre, from a nucleus from No.274 Squadron
May 1936	Edward VIII approves No.207 Squadron's badge of a winged lion statant, designed by JD Heaton, Chester Herald and Inspector of Royal Air Force Badges. It reaches 207 on deployment at Gebeit in the Sudan and was presented at a Station Parade on 16 June 1936 by Gp Capt Raymond Collishaw.
19 Apr 1940	No.207 Squadron merges into 12 OTU at RAF Benson
1 Nov 1940	No.207 Squadron re-forms at RAF Waddington
23 Feb 1941	No.97 Squadron reformed from a nucleus supplied by No.207 Squadron at Waddington with Manchesters and flew these on its first operation on 8 April. Mechanical problems with Manchesters restricted their use and some Hampdens were used to bridge the gaps in operational strength but in January 1942, Lancasters began to arrive. This type was flown by 97 Squadron for the rest of the war, at first with the main force and from April 1943 as a unit of the Pathfinder Force for a year. It remained in being as part of the post-war Bomber Command and re-equipped with Lincolns in July 1946, which it continued to fly until disbanded on 31 December 1955, its personnel being re-designated Arrow Squadron. 97 Squadron Association
1 Mar 1950	No.207 Squadron disbands at Mildenhall
4 Jun 1951	No.207 Squadron re-forms at Marham (other dates are 29 March, 29 May 1951) Disbands 27 March 1956
1 Apr 1956	No.207 Squadron re-forms at Marham
1 May 1965	No.207 Squadron Disbands Squadron Colours handed over to Queen's Colour Squadron at RAF Uxbridge.
1 Apr 1968	RAF Bomber Command disbands to be replaced by Strike Command No.207 Squadron Standard Laid Up in the Chapel at RAF Marham
1 Jan 1969	The Southern Communication Squadron based at Bovingdon is renamed Strike Command Communications Squadron and on 27 January 1969 moves to Northolt.
3 Feb 1969	No.207 Squadron is reformed at Northolt by redesignation of the Strike Command Communications Squadron
30 Jun 1984	No.207 Squadron disbands at Northolt. The Squadron does flyovers of past Squadron bases
14th Oct 1984	No.207 Squadron Standard is laid up in Leicester Cathedral
12 Jul 2002	No.2 Flying Training Squadron, No.1 Flying Training School, RAF Linton-on-Ouse, is awarded the 207 number plate as No.207 (Reserve) Squadron
25 Nov 2003	HRH Prince Andrew presents No.207R Squadron with its new Standard in a ceremony at RAF Linton-on-Ouse, to replace that laid up in Leicester Cathedral in 1984 where it must remain 'until dust'.
2011	As a result of Defence Cuts No.207 Reserve Squadron becomes a Flight of 72 Reserve Squadron at RAF Linton-on-Ouse. 72 Squadron Association
13 Jan 2012	No.207 Reserve Squadron's Disbandment Parade takes place at RAF Linton-on-Ouse.
3 Oct 2013	Laying up of No.207 Reserve Squadron's Standard in Lincoln Cathedral.
5 July 2017	The Squadron which will train future Royal Air Force and Royal Navy F-35B Lightning pilots at RAF Marham is announced as 207 Squadron 'standing up' at Marham on July 1st 2019.
1 Aug 2019	207 Squadron 'stands up' at Marham on August 1st 2019.

207 SQUADRON ROYAL AIR FORCE HISTORY

SQUADRON GENEALOGY

Aug 1915

Two additional RNAS wings, Nos.4 and 5, each equipped for bombing and fighting, were formed at Petit Synthe and Coudekerque, respectively.

No.4 Wing had been formed from No.4 Squadron at Eastchurch in August 1915 and it crossed to Petit Synthe in April 1916 under the command of Squadron Commander C L Courtney.

Additional pilots were posted in during May and by the middle of June the Wing comprised two squadrons, Nos.1 and 2, equipped with Nieuports, BE 2cs and Caudron twins. In July the names were changed to A and B Squadrons.

1 Nov 1916

No.4 Wing regrouped its aircraft into two squadrons according to role. 'A' Squadron became No.6 Squadron equipped solely for aerial fighting and 'B' Squadron became No.7 Squadron, equipped solely for bombing.

No.7 Squadron was sub-divided into two Flights by aircraft types, one being equipped with Caudron twins (soon replaced with Sopwith 1½ Strutters) and the other (uniquely in the RNAS) with Short Bombers.

28 Jul 1917

A flight of 8 aircraft was removed to the other side of Coudekerke airfield to form No.7A Squadron.

A detachment went to Redcar, then Manston, to become 'A' Squadron RNAS.

It continued, however, to be controlled by No.7 Squadron until December 1917, when it was renumbered No.14 Squadron RNAS (later No.214 Squadron RAF) and became an independent unit.

Another link is that 207 and 214 Squadrons flew Valiants at Marham.

214 Squadron Association

1 Apr 1918

No.7 Squadron RNAS becomes No.207 Squadron RAF On 20 January 1920 No.207 Squadron disbands at Uxbridge.

8 Jan 1918

'A' Squadron RNAS was the nucleus of No.16 Squadron RNAS which formed at Ochey, which on 1 April 1918 became 216 Squadron RAF.

1 Feb 1920

No.207 Squadron re-forms at Bircham Newton as a cadre, from a nucleus from No.274 Squadron

May 1936

Edward VIII approves No.207 Squadron's badge of a winged lion statant, designed by JD Heaton, Chester Herald and Inspector of Royal Air Force Badges.

It reaches 207 on deployment at Gebeit in the Sudan and was presented at a Station Parade on 16 June 1936 by Gp Capt Raymond Collishaw.

19 Apr 1940

No.207 Squadron merges into 12 OTU at RAF Benson

1 Nov 1940

No.207 Squadron re-forms at RAF Waddington

23 Feb 1941

No.97 Squadron reformed from a nucleus supplied by No.207 Squadron at Waddington with Manchesters and flew these on its first operation on 8 April.

Mechanical problems with Manchesters restricted their use and some Hampdens were used to bridge the gaps in operational strength but in January 1942, Lancasters began to arrive.

This type was flown by 97 Squadron for the rest of the war, at first with the main force and from April 1943 as a unit of the Pathfinder Force for a year.

It remained in being as part of the post-war Bomber Command and re-equipped with Lincolns in July 1946, which it continued to fly until disbanded on 31 December 1955, its personnel being re-designated Arrow Squadron.

97 Squadron Association

1 Mar 1950

No.207 Squadron disbands at Mildenhall

4 Jun 1951

No.207 Squadron re-forms at Marham (other dates are 29 March, 29 May 1951) Disbands 27 March 1956

1 Apr 1956

No.207 Squadron re-forms at Marham

1 May 1965

No.207 Squadron Disbands Squadron Colours handed over to Queen's Colour Squadron at RAF Uxbridge.

1 Apr 1968

RAF Bomber Command disbands to be replaced by Strike Command No.207 Squadron Standard Laid Up in the Chapel at RAF Marham

1 Jan 1969

The Southern Communication Squadron based at Bovingdon is renamed Strike Command Communications Squadron and on 27 January 1969 moves to Northolt.

3 Feb 1969

No.207 Squadron is reformed at Northolt by redesignation of the Strike Command Communications Squadron

30 Jun 1984

No.207 Squadron disbands at Northolt. The Squadron does flyovers of past Squadron bases

14th Oct 1984

No.207 Squadron Standard is laid up in Leicester Cathedral

12 Jul 2002

No.2 Flying Training Squadron, No.1 Flying Training School, RAF Linton-on-Ouse, is awarded the 207 number plate as No.207 (Reserve) Squadron

25 Nov 2003

HRH Prince Andrew presents No.207R Squadron with its new Standard in a ceremony at RAF Linton-on-Ouse, to replace that laid up in Leicester Cathedral in 1984 where it must remain 'until dust'.

2011

As a result of Defence Cuts No.207 Reserve Squadron becomes a Flight of 72 Reserve Squadron at RAF Linton-on-Ouse.

72 Squadron Association

13 Jan 2012

No.207 Reserve Squadron's Disbandment Parade takes place at RAF Linton-on-Ouse.

3 Oct 2013

Laying up of No.207 Reserve Squadron's Standard in Lincoln Cathedral.

5 July 2017

The Squadron which will train future Royal Air Force and Royal Navy F-35B Lightning pilots at RAF Marham is announced as 207 Squadron 'standing up' at Marham on July 1st 2019.

207 Squadron 'stands up' at Marham on August 1st 2019.

link: A history of our badge

No.7 Squadron RNAS becomes No.207 Squadron RAF
On 20 January 1920 No.207 Squadron disbands at Uxbridge.

No.207 Squadron re-forms at Marham (other dates are 29 March, 29 May 1951)
Disbands 27 March 1956

No.207 Squadron Disbands
Squadron Colours handed over to Queen's Colour Squadron at RAF Uxbridge.

RAF Bomber Command disbands to be replaced by Strike Command
No.207 Squadron Standard Laid Up in the Chapel at RAF Marham

No.207 Squadron disbands at Northolt.
The Squadron does flyovers of past Squadron bases