Country United Kingdom Base RAF Akrotiri | Branch Royal Air Force | |
Active 7 Jan 1917 - 30 Jan 1920
13 Aug 1920 - 20 Feb 1953
20 Feb 1953 - 31 Oct 1971
17 Jan 1972 - present Role Search and Rescue Squadron Part of Search and Rescue Force | ||
No. 84 Squadron of the Royal Air Force is at present a Search and Rescue Squadron based at RAF Akrotiri, it uses the Bell Griffin HAR.2 helicopter. It is currently the only operational part of the RAF Search and Rescue Force after the stand-down of the UK effort on 5th October 2015.
Contents
World War I
No. 84 Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) was formed on 7 January 1917 at East Bolder (Beaulieu) and moved to France in September 1917. It flew the SE.5a over the Western front, at one time based in Bertangles, France until it returned to the UK in August 1919.
Between the wars
The squadron was disbanded on 30 January 1920. Its aces included Andrew Beauchamp-Proctor, Hugh Saunders and Walter A. Southey.
The squadron was reformed on 13 August 1920 at Baghdad in Iraq, moving to Shaibah in September, where it remained for the next 20 years. Its initial equipment was DH.9As (until January 1929) and these were replaced by Wapitis (beginning July 1928), Vincents (December 1935) and Blenheims Mk.Is ( February 1939).
One of the squadrons artefacts is a pair of pink frilly knickers known as 'Jane's Panties'. These were presented to the squadron in 1936 by Jane Newman (a debutante from Australia) who was rescued by 84 squadron when her aircraft crashed in the Western Desert. This story may more accurately relate to the location and rescue by Vickers Vincent aircraft of 84 Squadron of Imperial Airways Handley Page H.P. 42E G-AAUC Horsa which forced landed on 29 August 1936, in the Arabian Desert south of Salwa Wells in Qatar, having overflown Bahrein airport. Miss Jane Wallace Smith, an American novelist is named as the presenter of the undergarments to the Squadron.
World War II
The Squadron moved to Egypt in September 1940.
It operated in Greece, Iraq, and the Western Desert before moving briefly to the Far East. No. 84 Squadron flew the Vultee Vengeance dive bomber from Assam in North-East India but, contrary to some reports, not the Commonwealth Boomerang fighter from New Guinea during World War II (this was done by No. 84 Squadron RAAF). The squadron re-equipped with the Mosquito in February 1945.
In March 1942, eleven members of 84 squadron commandeered a lifeboat and sailed away from Java to escape the advancing Japanese forces. They made land 47 days later in north-western Australia. The lifeboat was named 'Scorpion' in honour of the Squadron Badge.
Postwar
In November 1946 the squadron re-equipped with the Bristol Beaufighter which they flew until March 1949.
In 1949 No. 84 Squadron flew Bristol Brigands during Operation Firedog.
The squadron was disbanded on 20 February 1953, but 204 Squadron was renumbered to No. 84 Squadron on the same day. The squadron was the transport squadron for the RAF in the Middle East until 1971. Its Vickers Valetta flight was detached to become No. 233 Squadron RAF on 1 September 1960 at RAF Khormaksar to provide general transport for the British Army in the Aden Protectorate. The squadron was disbanded at Muharraq on 31 October 1971.
The squadron was reformed on 17 January 1972 from 1563 Flt and a detachment from 230 Sqn with Westland Whirlwind HAR.10s at RAF Akrotiri. The squadron was also based at Nicosia International Airport to aid UNFICYP operations and operate search and rescue. It later (December 1981) replaced the Whirlwind with the Westland Wessex HC.2 and later still (June 1984) with the Westland Wessex HU.5C. It was the last squadron to use the Westland Wessex.
No. 84 Squadron was the first RAF contingent into Beirut in the Lebanese Crisis of 1983. This resulted in the evacuation of the peace-keeping element from the city.
Since January 2003 the squadron has been assigned to British Forces Cyprus at RAF Akrotiri in the search and rescue role using the Bell Griffin HAR.2. The helicopters are leased from and maintained by a civilian company. 84 Squadron aircraft are also used for UN duties in maintaining the buffer zone separating Cypriot and Turkish forces. In recognition of this role the aircraft are always unarmed and carry a light blue band around their tail, matching the blue berets of UN peacekeepers.
84 Squadron is the only serving squadron never to have been based in the United Kingdom.
Symbols
The squadron's badge, approved by George VI in December 1936 is the scorpion, and its motto is Scorpiones pungunt, Latin for "Scorpions sting". As a result, a single pet scorpion named Frank is kept as a mascot at RAF Akrotiri.
The squadron is allocated the ICAO designator AKG and the callsign GRIFTER.
Aircraft operated
According to Jefford, the following is a comprehensive list of aircraft operated by 84 Squadron.