Major C. Gordon Burge
Published: 2012-04-05
Total Pages: 219
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100 Squadron was a pioneer night bombing unit, and was the first to be raised specifically for that purpose by Hugh Trenchard, the 'father of the RAF' who contributes a forwrod to this history, commending the squadron, and its willingness to go out and bomb in all weathers, and the ability of its groundcrew to keep their aircraft airbourne in all conditions. This book traces the squadron's story from its formation in March 1917 to the Armistice in November 1918. Equipped with F.E.2B and BE2 aircraft, the squadron, based at Izel Le Hameau airfield, commenced its life with a raid against Douai aerodrome. In May 1917 the squadron transferred to Trexennes airfield near Aire, where, according to the author 'the concert pitch of the Squadron's work was achieved'. Forced to evacuate this site during the German advance of 1918, 100 transferred to Ochey in Alsace-Lorriane from where it carried out night raids on Germany itself - including on Frankfurt, Mannheim and Ludwigshafen. Shortly before the war ended, the squadron took delivery of the new and advanced Handley-Page bombers. This full history of the squadron’s activities included many photographs of its men, its machines, and reconnaisance shots of the damage it did.