Sixty Squadron R.A.F.: A History of the Squadron from Its Formation: No 23 (Vintage aviation library) - Hardcover

Scott, Captain A. J. L.; Warne, D.W.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1853670499 ISBN 13: 9781853670497

Publisher: Greenhill Books, 1989

Synopsis

No. 60 (Reserve) Squadron of the Royal Air Force was formed in 1916 at Gosport. It is currently part of the Defence Helicopter Flying School based at RAF Shawbury in Shropshire. The Squadron crest is a markhor's head and was approved by King George VI in December 1937. Chosen to commemorate many years of service in North-West India, the markhor being a mountain goat frequenting the Khyber Pass. The horns of a markhor were presented to the Squadron in 1964. The Squadron motto is Per ardua ad aethera tendo - 'I strive through difficulties to the sky'. Formed at Gosport on 30 April 1916, barely a month had passed before the unit and its Morane-Saulnier N's were despatched to France. The squadron's initial pilot officers included Harold Balfour and Peter Portal, later Under-Secretary for Air and Chief of the Air Staff respectively, while Robert Smith-Barry, later to revolutionise British pilot training, was a flight commander and (from July to December 1916), the squadron's commanding officer. After suffering heavy losses during the Battle of the Somme, the Squadron re-equipped with Nieuport Scouts and soon acquired a first-class reputation for itself. On 2 June 1917, Captain WA "Billy" Bishop received the Victoria Cross for his solo attack on a German aerodrome destroying three enemy aircraft in the air and several 'probables' on the ground before returning unhurt in a badly damaged aircraft. A month later, S.E.5 fighters arrived and these remained with the Squadron until it was disbanded on 22 January 1920. The squadron claimed 320 aerial victories. Twenty-six flying aces served in the squadron during the war; notable among them were: Albert Ball - Victoria Cross winner Alexander Beck James Belgrave Alan Duncan Bell-Irving William Avery Bishop- Canadian Victoria Cross winner Keith Caldwell - future Air Commodore Robert L. Chidlaw-Roberts John Doyle Art Duncan Gordon Duncan William M. Fry John Griffith Harold A. Hamersley H. George Hegarty Spencer B. Horn William Molesworth Sydney Pope John William Rayner Alfred William Saunders Alan Scott Frank O. Soden Robert Kenneth Whitney

About this title

About the Author

Group Captain Alan John Lance Scott CB MC AFC (29 June 1883 – 16 January 1922) was an officer in the Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force during World War I and the following years. Scott was born in Christchurch, New Zealand, on 29 June 1883[3] and was originally an officer in the British Army's Sussex Yeomanry, Scott later transferred to the Royal Flying Corps. Scott never became a very good pilot; in fact, in training, he crashed and broke both legs. He continued training on canes, and had to be assisted into the cockpit. However, he was a pugnacious dogfighter whose solo missions sometimes got him into trouble. For instance, on 28 May 1917, he survived being Leutnant Karl Allmenröder's 21st victory. In July 1917 Scott was awarded the Military Cross - Capt. (temp Maj.) Alan John Lance Scott Yeo., and R.F.C. For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He has on several occasions attacked and destroyed enemy aircraft and taken successful photographs under heavy fire. He has constantly shown the greatest courage in attacking numerous hostile machines single-handed, during which on two occasions his own machine was considerably damaged. His great coolness, dash, and resource have set an excellent example to his squadron. Scott was a flight commander on No. 43 Squadron RFC until 10 March 1917 when he took up command of No. 60 Squadron RFC. He remained as No. 60 Squadron's commander until 11 July 1917, the day after he was wounded in action. From some time in 1917 to 1918, Scott was the Commandant of the Central Flying School. Notably, Scott acted as Winston Churchill's flying instructor. In 1920, Scott's book "Sixty Squadron RAF: A history of the squadron from its formation" was published. Scott died on 16 January 1922 in London, England aged 38.

Edition details

• Publisher: Greenhill Books
• Publication date: 1989
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1853670499
• ISBN 13: 9781853670497
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 168