The Fighting Cocks

43 (Fighter) Squadron

Jimmy Bedle

• Publisher: Pen & Sword Military
• Year: 2020
• Print ISBN: 9781848843851
• eBook ISBN: 9781473814134
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: Military & Maritime History
• Index: History

In April 1916, a group of early aviators gathered in the fields beneath the crags and ramparts of Stirling Castle to form what was to become one of the Royal Air Forces most distinguished fighter squadrons.Few squadrons can match the history of 43 Squadron which has included being the first to undertake ground attack operations during the First World War, shooting down the first enemy aircraft over England in the Second World War, and achieving the remarkable double of shooting down 6 enemy aircraft in one day in both World Wars. Its distinctive emblem of the Fighting Cock embodies the spirit and resilience of a fighter squadron that has been in the vanguard of RAF operations for almost a century. Perhaps the Fighting Cocks finest period occurred during the Battle of Britain when its Hurricanes destroyed 60 enemy aircraft with a further thirteen probables and twenty-five more damaged.With the advent of the jet age, 43 Squadron became the first unit to fly the Hunter, seeing operational duties in Aden, before re-equipping with the Phantom until the end of the Cold War. This new edition of the Fighting Cocks history brings the story up to date and covers its 20 years of service with the Tornado F3, including the Gulf War, NATO operations over Bosnia, and the Iraq War. * This new edition of the Fighting Cocks history brings the story up to date * Few squadrons can match the history of 43 Squadron* Fighting Cock embodies the spirit and resilience of a fighter squadron that has been in the vanguard of RAF operations for almost a century

Contents

Foreword to first and second editions

Foreword to third edition

CHAPTER

1 Not as Other Men Are

2 First Faltering Steps

3 ‘And History was Made’

4 Camel Captains

5 ‘Our Airmen have Established … A Superiority’

6 Mother Meyrick’s Own

7 Fastest in the World

8 The Stiffening of the Sinews

9 Unglamorous Beginning

10 Bomber Harvest

11 The Glorious First of June

12 Ruin and Restoration

13 Undaunted by Odds

14 Forty-four for Three

15 Fateful Fortnight

16 Thirteen Group

17 Acklington Revisited

18 Last Summer at Home

19 43 Will Take Off Regardless …

20 Spitfires in the Spring

21 Sicilian Summer, Autumnal Avalanche

22 Rome via Anzio

23 Vive la France

24 The Strife is O’er

25 After the End

26 Old Ways Refound

27 Supersonic

28 Near East, Middle East

29 Martin’s Magnificent Men

30 Cocks O’ The North

31 Cold War Guardians

32 The Tornado Arrives

33 Back to Iraq

34 Gloria Sine Finis

Potscript

Apendix 1 - Commanding Officers

Appendix 2 - Insignia and Markings

Appendix 3 - 43 Squadron Gallery

Appendix 4 - Squadron Bases

Appendix 5 - Aircraft Performance details

Appendix 6 - Squadron Aircraft

Appendix 7 - Squadron Affiliations

Appendix 8 - Operation QUICKFIRE

Appendix 9 - Glossary

Index - General

Index - People

Foreword to first and second editions

MARSHAL OF THE ROYAL AIR FORCE
LORD DOUGLAS of KIRTLESIDE GCB MC DFC

I am happy to commend this history of one of the best-known squadrons of the Royal Air Force, one
moreover which has special associations for me because I formed it in 1916 and led it into action on
the Western Front in France in the following year. Ever since those early days 43 Squadron’s record
has been outstanding both in war and peace. The first to undertake ground-attack as a deliberate act
in 1917 it was also the first to perform squadron aerobatics in tied-together formation. In the Second
World War it fully maintained its high reputation, first with Fighter Command at home and
afterwards in the Mediterranean theatre.

The first squadron to equip with the Hawker Hunter, it became as well known for its formation
aerobatics with this aircraft as it had been a quarter of a century earlier with the biplane Fury. This is
essentially a story of succeeding generations of men for whom duty to their country has been of
paramount importance, greater, if needs be than life itself. For such men the history of 43 Squadron
will, it is hoped prove an acceptable tribute.

Third Edition Acknowledgements

Alan Carlaw, Norman Franks and Wing Commander Andy Moir OBE MVO for their
considerable research, editorial and production roles in the preparation of this third edition.

The many former members of the Squadron for their cheerful responses to continuing
requests for information and reminiscences.

Most photographs and illustrations are from the 43 Squadron collection.
Permission to print photographs is acknowledged as under,
Flight International, Topix, Imperial War Museum,
Press Association Photos Ltd, MOD (RAF) Crown Copyright Reserved,
D C Thompson & Co Ltd, Time-Life International,
Portsmouth & Sunderland Newspapers Ltd, The Sun (News Group Newspapers),
Dugald Cameron, Alan Carlaw, Chris Golds, Gill Howie, Paul Lightbody, Roger Lindsay,
Barry Mayner, Roy Mclntyre, Andy Moir, Mike Pugh, Andrew Rennie,
Andy Saunders, Berry Vissers (Squadron Prints Ltd), Alan Winkles.

Bibliography

Lord Balfour of Inchrye PC MC – An Airman Marches, Hutchinson 1933
Bill Pegg OBE – Sent Flying, Macdonald 1959
Lord Douglas of Kirtleside GCB MC DFC – Years of Combat, Collins 1963
John Rawlings – Fighter Squadrons of the RAF, Macdonald & Jane’s Publishers Ltd 1976
Francis Mason – Hawker Hunter, Patrick Stephens Ltd 1985
James Halley – The Squadrons of the RAF & Commonwealth 1918–1988, Air Britain 1988
Peter R Foster – RAF Phantom, Ian Allan Ltd 1989
Steve Hazell – Warpaint Series No 31 Phantom, Hall Park Books Ltd 1992 Ken Delve – The Source Book of the RAF, Airlife 1994 Andy Saunders – No 43 ‘Fighting Cocks’ Squadron, Osprey 2003
Roger Lindsay – Cold War Shield, Roger Lindsay 2009

Air Chief Marshal Sir Simon Bryant KCB CBE ADC MA BA CDIR FCIPD RAF C-in-C Air Command

Foreword to the Third Edition

AIR CHIEF MARSHAL
SIR SIMON BRYANT KCB CBE ADC MA CDir FCIPD RAF

By 2009 almost 25 years had passed since the second edition of 43 Fighter Squadron’s history had been published. Much had occurred during this period, not least the end of 43’s operations with the Phantom and its completion of 40 years’ continuous service at RAF Leuchars. Most significantly, the period spanned the entire in-service life of the Tornado F3 with The Fighting Cocks, active service in three wars and the award of two Battle Honours, the first since 1944. It was therefore clear that a further revision was due and the 43 (Fighter) Squadron Association undertook to co-ordinate this task, securing the support of the publisher, Pen and Sword. Sadly the original author, Jimmy Beedle, had by then died, and so in deciding to produce this third edition of the history assistance was sought from elsewhere. Experienced aviation historian and author Norman Franks was approached and agreed to help. A former Commanding Officer, Wing Commander Andy Moir, provided support to Norman in a research and editorial capacity, acting as his point of contact with the Association. Those who had served on 43 Squadron during the preceding 25 years were contacted and invited to contribute their recollections. Many answered the call, notably former Chief Technician Jim Campbell who had served on the squadron continuously from 1992 to 2006 and Flight Lieutenant Roy Macintyre who completed three periods of duty with the squadron between 1986 and 2009. Both proved to be committed supporters of the project. Another association member, Alan Carlaw, who had served during Hunter days and had subsequently pursued a career in aviation art and publishing, was a rich source of advice and endeavour. His contribution to the new presentation and illustrations speaks for itself. The results of this dedicated team provide a more contemporary view of fighter operations and complete 43 Squadron’s record of service since the early days of the Royal Flying Corps.

It was my privilege to fly the Phantom, to operate the Tornado F3 in my capacity as Squadron Commander of the Fighting Cocks and later to command RAF Leuchars. It follows that I have very strong ties, not just with the Fighting Cocks but with their operational base and the era covered by these new chapters. I congratulate the editorial team on their excellent work and am honoured to be associated with this important piece of RAF history.

“Ready for the Battle”

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CHAPTER 1

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Not as Other Men Are

‘A gamecock stripped and armed for fight
Doth the rising sun affright.’
(WILLIAM BLAKE)

THE gamecock, or Indian bush bird, was referred to in the writings of Aristotle. It was introduced to Britain by the Romans and is therefore more British than most things that lay claim to that title. When trained for the cockpit it is a formidable adversary. It shows the normal healthy interest in the female of the species. Its manner and bearing are such that the verb ‘to cock’ means to hold up the head or to strut with a haughty and proud demeanour. All in all it was a most appropriate symbol to emblazon the banner of 43 Squadron in the Summer of 1939.

43 Squadron, the Fighting Cocks. Cocky by name and by nature, though not offensively so, for the cockiness was not a form of arrogance but the manifestation of an inward self-assurance, the outward display of what it knew to be true of itself; that it could do all things as well as anybody and do a great deal of them better than most. It was intensely proud of itself. In the universal order of things it might have given precedence to the Almighty but would have placed itself second. Grudgingly it might have admitted that No 1 Squadron, for fourteen years at Tangmere its greatest friend and deadliest rival, could on one of its better days just about be its equal. But that was all. The rest of the field was nowhere.

The Squadron possessed a tribal war chant that was peculiar to itself:

We’ll defend your blue skies, over land and sea,
Through shot and shell we’ll fight like hell
And merry men are we…

It was known in the Unicorn and the Nag’s Head in Chichester. In messes and canteens at Tangmere it was roared forth, most often short of musical refinement but never lacking in spirit.

So if you go to Sussex, whoever you may be,
You can tell them all that we’ll fight or fall
In the Fighting Forty-Three.

If primarily a song to be sung when the ale was flowing it possessed more sober overtones for it was a declaration of the Squadron’s confidence in itself to take on anything that might be thro...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Full Title
• Copyright Page
• Contents