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Number 19 Squadron (sometimes written as No. XIX Squadron) of the Royal Air Force, is the squadron number plate of the UK's Control and Reporting Centre which has responsibility for NATO Air Policing Area 1. The unit was allocated the role in 2021.

No. XIX Squadron RAF
No. XIX Squadron badge
Active	1 September 1915 – 1 April 1918 (RFC) 1 April 1918 – 31 December 1919 (RAF) 1 April 1923 – 31 December 1976 1 January 1977 – 9 January 1992 23 September 1992 – 24 November 2011 1 April 2021–
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	Royal Air Force
Type	Non-flying squadron
Role	Control and Reporting Centre
Home station	RAF Boulmer
Motto(s)	Latin:Possunt quia posse videntur (Translation: "They can because they think they can")[1]
Battle honours	Western Front (1916-1918)* Somme (1916)* Arras Ypres (1917)* Somme (1918) Lys Amiens Hindenburg Line Dunkirk* Home Defence (1940-1942) Battle of Britain (1940)* Channel and North Sea (1942-1942) Fortress Europe (1942-1944)* Dieppe Normandy 1944* Arnhem France & Germany (1944-1945) Honours marked with an asterisk(*) are those actually emblazoned on the Squadron Standard[2]
Insignia
Squadron Badge heraldry	Between wings elevated and conjoined in base, a dolphin, head downwards.[1][2]
Squadron Roundel
Squadron Codes	WZ (Oct 1938 – Sep 1939)[3][4] QV (Sep 1939 – Sep 1945)[5][6] A (1989 – 1991)[7]

Formed on 1 September 1915 as a Royal Flying Corps squadron, the unit served during the First World War. No. 19 Squadron was the first squadron in the RAF to operate the Supermarine Spitfire on 4 August 1938, which it flew for the majority of the Second World War. The squadron operated several different types during the Cold War from the Gloster Meteor F.4 to the McDonnell Douglas Phantom FGR.2 as No. 19 (Fighter) Squadron. From September 1992 until November 2011, the unit was designated No. 19 (Reserve) Squadron. The unit most recently operated the BAe Hawk T.1, T.1A and T.2 from RAF Valley until it was disbanded on 24 November 2011.

History

First World War

No. 19 Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps was formed on 1 September 1915, from members of No. 5 Squadron, at Castle Bromwich[8][9] training on a variety of aircraft before being deployed to France in July 1916 flying Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.12 and re-equipping with the more suitable French-built SPAD S.VIIs.[10]

From November 1917, the squadron started to receive Sopwith Dolphins to replace its Spads, it being fully equipped with the Dolphin during January 1918, flying its first operational patrol with the new fighter on 3 February.[11][12] By the end of the war, 19 Squadron had had 22 flying aces among its ranks, including Albert Desbrisay Carter, John Leacroft, Arthur Bradfield Fairclough, Oliver Bryson, Gordon Budd Irving, Frederick Sowrey, future Air Commodore Patrick Huskinson, Cecil Gardner, Roger Amedee Del'Haye, future Air Chief Marshal James Hardman, Finlay McQuistan, Alexander Pentland, John Candy, Cecil Thompson and John Aldridge.[13]

Commanding officers during this time included H.D. Harvey-Kelly who was the first RFC pilot to land in France in the First World War. At least one of the 19 Squadron airmen, a Canadian, George Robert Long, was captured on 6 October 1917 in the Lille area and spent the rest of the war in a number of POW camps, including Holzminden POW camp. It was his very first flight, in a Spad VII, B3508. The squadron was flying out of Bailleul (Asylum Ground) at the time. He was shot down by Gefreiter J. Funk, flying with Ja30. He had first been a member of the C.E.F. in the infantry and was wounded a number of times. He wasn't repatriated until 14 December 1918, to return home to Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.[14]

Interwar period

No. 19 Squadron was disbanded after the First World War on 31 December 1919.[15] On 1 April 1923, the squadron was reformed at RAF Duxford with the Sopwith Snipe, initially operating as part of No. 2 Flying Training School (No. 2 FTS).[15][16] After becoming independent No. 2 FTS, No. 19 Squadron remained at Duxford flying number of different fighters such as the Gloster Grebe, Armstrong Whitworth Siskin Mk.IIIa and the Bristol Bulldog Mk.IIa.[9] In May 1935, the unit became the first squadron to be equipped with the Gloster Gauntlet which they flew until March 1939.[17] In 1938, No. 19 Squadron became the first squadron in the RAF to operate the Supermarine Spitfire Mk.I,[18][19] when K9789 was delivered on 4 August.[20] The squadron lost its first Spitfire when K9792 crashed on landing at RAF Duxford on 20 September 1938, having only been delivered on 16 August.[21]

Second World War

No. 19 Squadron was stationed at RAF Duxford after the outbreak of the Second World War in September 1939, and was part of No. 12 Group, RAF Fighter Command.[22] Douglas Bader was posted to the squadron in February 1940.[23] In May and June 1940, the squadron helped provide air cover over the Dunkirk beaches.[16] In June 1940, No. 19 Squadron began the receive Spitfire Mk.Ibs, which were armed with the Hispano cannon, however due to reliability issues the unit soon reverted to the Spitfire Mk.Ia.[9] No. 19 Squadron formed part of the Duxford Wing, No. 12 Group's 'Big Wing' formation during the Battle of Britain.[2]

Later versions of Spitfires were flown until the arrival of North American Mustang Mk.IIIs for close-support duties in early 1944.[24] After D-Day, No. 19 Squadron briefly went across the English Channel before starting long-range escort duties from RAF Peterhead, Scotland, for Coastal Command off the coast of Norway.[25] The Squadron converted to the Mustang Mk.IV in April 1945 while based at RAF Peterhead.[26]

Cold War

Relocating south to RAF Acklington on 13 May 1945, No. XIX (Fighter) Squadron exchanged their Mustangs for Spitfire Mk.XVIs.[26][27] While at RAF Wittering in October 1946, No. 19 (F) Squadron converted to the de Havilland Hornet Mk.I which were operated until January 1951 when the Squadron received their first jet aircraft – the Gloster Meteor F.4.[28] These were soon exchanged for the Meteor F.8 in April 1951 which were flown until October 1956 when No. 19 (F) Squadron received the Hawker Hunter F.6.[16] The Squadron moved to RAF Leconfield, Yorkshire in 1959 where they converted to the English Electric Lightning F.2 in November 1962.[28]

The Squadron and her sister unit, No. 92 (F) Squadron, were deployed forwards in September 1965 to RAF Gütersloh, close to the inner German border, as part of Second Allied Tactical Air Force (2ATAF).[16] Subsequently, the squadron re-equipped with the longer-range Lightning F.2A version.[29]

On 31 December 1976, No. 19 (F) Squadron disbanded with the Lightning, followed by No. 92 (F) Squadron in March 1977, and reformed the next day at RAF Wildenrath,[24] further back west of the Rhine, with the McDonnell Douglas Phantom FGR.2 still in the air defence role.[29]

Because of restricted airspace in then West Germany, both No 19 Squadron and its sister No 92 Squadron deployed regularly out of theatre over these years for annual Missile Practice Camps at RAF Valley, using the Aberporth Range in Wales, to RAF St Mawgan in Cornwall and RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus for Armament Practice Camps (gunnery), to Italian Air Force Decimommanu in Sardinia to use the NATO Air Combat Manoeuvring Instrumented Range, and latterly to Eglin and Nellis Air Force Bases in Florida and Nevada to participate respectively in multi national Exercises Green and Red Flags.[30]

On 17 August 1990, No. XIX (F) Squadron, along with No. 92 (F) Squadron, were sent to RAF Akrotiri, Cyprus, in order to provide air defence for the island after Tornado F.3s from No. V (AC) Squadron and No. 29 (F) Squadron deployed from Akrotiri to Dhahran Airfield due to the Iraqi Invasion of Kuwait (ahead of Operation Granby).[31] No. 19 (F) Squadron operated their Phantoms from here until 28 February 1991 when a ceasefire was called between the coalition forces and Iraq.[16]

On 9 January 1992, the squadron disbanded as part of agreed post-Cold War force reductions and their aircraft were scrapped.[28][32]

Hawk (1992–2011)

The number plate was then assigned to the former No. 63 Squadron, one of the Hawk squadrons at RAF Chivenor, in September 1992, becoming No. 19 (Reserve) Squadron. The squadron was a 'Shadow' identity of No. 2 Tactical Weapons Unit (2 TWU). Following the closure of Chivenor to jet flying the squadron was moved to RAF Valley in September 1994 to provide advanced fast jet training on the BAE Hawk.[33]

As a consequence of the UK's Strategic Defence and Security Review in 2010, the Air Force Board decided in 2011 that 19 Squadron's training role with the Hawk T2 at RAF Valley should be transferred to a resurrected No. 4(R) Squadron. No. 19(R) Squadron, one of the last surviving Battle of Britain squadrons, disbanded on 24 November 2011, 96 years after it was first formed.[34]

The disbandment event, held at RAF Valley, was led by the Wg Cdr Kevin Marsh, the last Commanding Officer of 19 Squadron. In attendance were the Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Dalton KCB ADC BSc FRAeS CCMI RAF, former Air Chief Marshal Sir William Wratten, GBE, CB, AFC and Flt Lt Ken Wilkinson AE who flew Spitfires in the Battle of Britain on 19 Squadron.[35]

Control and Reporting Centre (2021 – present)

In 2021, the squadron number plate was allocated to the RAF's Control and Reporting Centre (CRC) based at RAF Boulmer in Northumberland.[36] The CRC has responsibility for radar control and surveillance within NATO Air Policing Area 1 and provides tactical control for quick reaction alert operations.[37]

Aircraft operated

Aircraft operated by No. 19 Squadron RAF[38][39]

From	To	Aircraft	Version
September 1915	October 1915	Farman MF.11 Shorthorn
September 1915	October 1915	Avro 504
September 1915	October 1915	Caudron G.3
October 1915	December 1915	Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2	c
December 1915	December 1915	Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.7
February 1916	July 1916	Avro 504
February 1916	July 1916	Caudron G.3
February 1916	July 1916	Bristol Scout
February 1916	July 1916	Martinsyde S.1
February 1916	July 1916	Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2	c
February 1916	July 1916	Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2	b
February 1916	July 1916	Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.5
February 1916	July 1916	Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.7
June 1916	February 1917	Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.12
October 1916	January 1918	SPAD S.VII
June 1917	January 1918	SPAD S.XIII
November 1917	February 1919	Sopwith Dolphin
April 1923	December 1924	Sopwith Snipe
December 1924	April 1928	Gloster Grebe
March 1928	September 1931	Armstrong Whitworth Siskin	Mk.IIIa
September 1931	January 1935	Bristol Bulldog	Mk.IIa
January 1935	March 1939	Gloster Gauntlet	Mk.I
September 1936	February 1939	Gloster Gauntlet	Mk.II
August 1938	December 1940	Supermarine Spitfire	Mk.I
June 1940	September 1940	Supermarine Spitfire	Mk.Ib
September 1940	November 1941	Supermarine Spitfire	Mk.IIa
October 1941	August 1943	Supermarine Spitfire	Mk.Vb
September 1942	March 1943	Supermarine Spitfire	Mk.Vc
August 1943	January 1944	Supermarine Spitfire	Mk.IX
January 1944	April 1945	North American Mustang	Mk.III (P-51 B/C)
April 1945	March 1946	North American Mustang	Mk.IV (P-51D)
March 1946	November 1946	Supermarine Spitfire	LF.16e
October 1946	May 1948	de Havilland Hornet	F.1
March 1948	January 1951	de Havilland Hornet	F.3
January 1951	June 1951	Gloster Meteor	F.4
April 1951	January 1957	Gloster Meteor	F.8
October 1956	February 1963	Hawker Hunter	F.6
November 1962	October 1969	English Electric Lightning	F.2
January 1968	December 1976	English Electric Lightning	F.2a
January 1977	January 1992	McDonnell Douglas F-4M Phantom	FGR.2
September 1992	November 2011	BAe Hawk	T.1 / T.2

See also

• List of Royal Air Force aircraft squadrons

References

Notes

Bibliography

External links

• Royal Air Force: 19 Squadron
• 19(F) Squadron All Ranks Association

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