207 Squadron RAF

No.207 Squadron, RAF, formed at Coudekirke on 1 April 1918 from No. 7 Squadron, RNAS. This latter unit had its origins in 'B' Squadron of the 4th RNAS Wing at Eastchurch in August 1915. which became operational at Petite Synthe in April 1916 flying a mixture of Nieuport Scouts, Sopwith 1'½-Strutters, Caudron G.4s and Short Bombers.

In November 1916 it became No.7 Squadron, RNAS. and continued to serve in the same role, but in April 1917 it took the Sopwiths and Shorts to Coudekirke where it absorbed a unit which had brought out the first of the big Handley Page bombers. the 0/100s. By the end of June it was completely re-equipped with the Handley Pages. and these it now used against the bases from which the bombers attacking England were flying. In the early autumn it switched to tactical bombing, attacking rail and ammunition centres to interrupt the German offensive at Ypres.

At the same time a flight was detached to Redcar in Yorkshire to fly inshore anti-submarine patrols. the flight eventually becoming No. 16 Squadron. RNAS. The main squadron now extended it strategic bombing campaign. reaching out as far as Cologne. On 22 April 1918 the squadron (now No.207) returned to Netheravon and re-equipped with Handley Page 0 400s and after a workup returned to France (Ligescourt) in June. By the time of the Armistice it had participated in 120 raids. Early in the new year it became part of the Army of Occupation in Germany, this phase lasting until 23 August 1919 when it left its aircraft with another squadron and returned to Tangmere as a cadre, which eventually disbanded at Uxbridge on 20 January 1920.

The squadron was not left in limbo, for on 1 February 1920 it was reformed at Bircham Newton from disbanding No.274 Squadron's personnel. It was given D.H.9As as a day bomber unit, one of the few home based operational squadrons of the time. At the end of September 1922 the squadron sailed for Turkey to provide part of the force to deal with the Chanak crisis. After no action there it returned to Eastchurch a year later. In 1927 the D.H.9As were replaced by Fairey IIIFs and in 1932 by a re-engined version, the Fairey Gordon. In October 1935 another Middle Eastern crisis caused No.207 to go abroad, this time to the Sudan as reinforcement in light of the Italian invasion ofadjacent Abyssinia. It returned to the UK in August 1936, converting to Vickers Wellesleys in September 1937. It exchanged these for Fairey Battles in April 1938 and became a group training squadron, eventually disbanding into No.12 OTU on 8 April 1940.

On 1 November 1940 No.207 reformed at Waddington with Avro Manchesters. These were operated, despite incessant troubles, until March 1942, when Lancasters were received. The squadron remained in Bomber Command until disbanding on 1 March 1950 at Mildehhall, having converted to Lincolns late in 1949.

No.207 reformed at Marham on 29 May 1951 with Boeing Washingtons. These were replaced by Canberras in March 1954, but the squadron disbanded on 27 March 1956. No.207's final incarnation as a bomber squadron began on 1 April 1956 when it reformed with Vickers Valiants. The squadron retained these until the Valiant force was grounded, and it disbanded on 1 May 1965, having used its aircraft in anger at Suez.

The unit reformed at Northolt on 3 February 1969 by renumbering the Southern Communications Squadron. It disbanded in 1984 with the retirement of its ageing de Havilland Devons.