No. 73 Squadron RAF
| No. 73 Squadron RAF | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1 July 1917 - 2 July 1919 15 March 1937 - 3 February 1969 |
| Country |
 United Kingdom
|
| Branch |
 Royal Air Force
|
| Motto(s) |
Latin: Tutor et Ultor ("Protector and Avenger") |
| Battle honours | Western Front, 1918*, Maine, 1918*, Lys, Amiens, Arras, Hindenburg Line, France & Low Countries, 1939-40*, Battle of Britain, 1940*, Egypt & Libya, 1940-43*, Mediterranean, 1941-43*, El Alamein*, El Hamma, South East Europe 1943-45*, Italy 1943-45 Honours marked with an asterisk are those emblazoned on the Squadron Standard |
| Insignia | |
| Squadron Badge heraldry | A demi-Talbot rampant, charged on the shoulder with a maple leaf. During World War Two the squadron was commanded by Major Hubbard and his aircraft carried a representation of Old Mother Hubbard's dog looking into an empty cupboard. In order to retain its association with this unofficial badge the squadron adopted a heraldic dog and put a maple leaf on it to associate with its Canadian personnel. |
| Squadron Codes |
HV Oct 1938 - Sep 1939 TP Sep 1939 - Nov 1940 |
No. 73 Squadron, Royal Air Force was formed on 2 July 1917 during the First World War. It was disbanded in 1969.
It was initially a unit of the Royal Flying Corps and was formed out of the Central Flying School, based at Upavon, Wiltshire. Eight days after, the new unit moved to RFC Lilbourne, near Rugby.
The squadron, only for a matter of days led by Lieutenant C A Mercer, came under the command of Major H F A Gordon and started a phase of training at Lilbourne. From September 1917, this became more specifically targeted towards operating in combat when a Programme of Development was received, instructing the unit to prepare for an overseas deployment on 22 December.
This training phase saw a number of accidents and incidents, not uncommon in military aviation at that time. On one day, 29 October 1917, the squadron had four aircraft damaged in accidents: two in a mid-air collision, when one aircraft had its propeller damaged, the other lost part of its lower left wing and aileron; one aircraft was damaged when it had to be crash-landed after its pilot became lost; a fourth aircraft was damaged when the pilot crashed at the aerodrome. All incidents are shown in the squadron records as applying to 'A' Flight.
The squadron's first fatality occurred when 2nd Lieutenant Rawbone crashed at the aerodrome on 7 December 1917 and died from his injuries on 18 December.
By stages, the unit deployed to France through January 1918; by the 20th, the full squadron complement was based at Liettres and available for operations. Due to bad weather, the first patrols were not sent up until 30 January. Two flights each comprising six machines undertook practice patrols, one along the balloon lines from Boesinghe to Flerbaix and then Bethune to Arras.
The first offensive patrols over enemy lines took place on 18 February 1918. On the 20th, all 18 Camels, divided into three 'Flights' patrolled a line between Roeselare and Menin and the first combat report was completed by Captain Gus Orlebar, submitting that an Albatros D.V may have been damaged. It was the start of a combat record that would show ten aces serving in the squadron, including Owen Baldwin, Gavin L. Graham, William Stephenson, William Henry Hubbard, Emile John Lussier, Robert Chandler, Norman Cooper, Maurice Le Blanc-Smith, Thomas Sharpe, and future Air Vice-Marshal Geoffrey Pidcock.
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