RAF Regiment Squadron standards and Battle Honours

What is a Battle Honour?

 Battle Honours are an official acknowledgement of the part played in a successful campaign or engagement by the ships, units and squadrons which receive them. They serve as a permanent record of achievement of which past, present and future generations of Service personnel can be proud

Why does the RAF have two levels of Battle Honour?

In 1987, Her Majesty The Queen approved a proposal by the Air Force Board to allow battle honours approved by Her Majesty to be emblazoned on squadron Standards. Those squadrons which were required to operate under constant threat of attack and had demonstrated gallantry and spirit during combat operations may be awarded a Battle Honour with the right to emblazon the honour on their squadron Standard. Squadrons which participated in operations, albeit at a slightly lower level of danger, are awarded the Battle Honour without the right to emblazon the honour on their Standards.

Sqn Number - Squadron Standard Emblazoned

"Swift And Sudden"

No 1 Squadron RAF Regiment

 Habbaniya - Iraq 1941 - Egypt & Libya 1941-43 - Gulf War 1991

Note: 1 Sqn RAF Regt where the only Sqn to have the Gulf 1991 emblazoned as they where in direct contact with the enemy.

No. 1 Armoured Car Company incorporated into the RAF Regiment and re-numbered 2701 Squadron 3rd October 1946 at Quastina (Palestine).

Re-numbered 1 (Armoured Car) Squadron 25th February 1947. Ramleh August 1947. Disbanded Ramleh—Re-formed Sundern — Lubeck — Luneberg — Wunstorf Disbanded Wunstorf Re-formed — El
Adem — Butterworth — Bicester — Laarbruch — Op Desert Storm 1991

"Never Unprepared"

No 2 Squadron RAF Regiment

 Egypt & Libya 1940-43 - Iraq 1941 -
Syria 1941 - El Alamein North Africa 1943
 

No. 2 Armoured Car Company incorporated into the RAF Regiment and re-numbered 2702 Squadron 3rd October 1946 in Palestine. Re-numbered 2 (Armoured Car) Squadron 25th February 1947 at Ramleh (Palestine). Amman — Habbaniya — Sharjah — Habbaniya — Nicosia — Luqa — Felixstowe —
Coleme (Parachute role) — Catterick — Hullavington. Op Granby 1990.

'Bold in Adversity'

No 3 Squadron RAF Regiment
 

Re-numbered 3 Squadron from 2757 Squadron 21st August 1947 at Gutersloh —Disbanded Oldenburg —Re-formed from 168 Squadron Disbanded Oldenburg — Re-formed  Hullavington — Aldergrove

"Action Reaction"

No 26 Squadron RAF Regiment

Formed Yatesbury 27th August 1951 —Abu Sueir — Habbaniya — Amman — Tymbou — Nicosia — Changi — Bicester — Gutersloh — Laarbruch. Op Granby and Op Desert Storm 1990-91.
 

"United in Defence"

No 20 Squadron RAF Regiment

Re-numbered 20 Squadron 1St May 1949 from 64 Squadron at Gutersloh — Disbanded — Reformed Operation Granby 1991

"Fire From Iron"

No 34 Squadron RAF Regiment

Formed Yatesbury 19th November 1951 — El Hamra — Kasfareet — Abu Sueir — Nicosia — Akrotiri — Khormaksar — Mehrabad — Cyprus. Op Granby 1990.

No 19 Squadron RAF Regiment

Re-numbered 19 Squadron 1st May 1949 from 55 Squadron
at Gutersloh — Disbanded Laarbruch — Re-formed Brize
Norton.

"Swift to Defend"

No 51 Squadron RAF Regiment

France and Germany 1944-45

Re-numbered 51 Squadron from 2713 Squadron at Luneburg 21st August 1947 — Utersen — Fassberg — Celle — Disbanded Celle — Reformed Catterick — Wittering. Op Granby and Op Desert Storm 1990-91.

"Come Who Dares"

No 58 Squadron RAF Regiment

Home Defence 1941-42 - North Africa 1942-43 - Italy 1943-45 - Gustav Line May 1944 - France 1944 - South East Asia 1944-45

Re-numbered 58 Squadron (Rifle) from 2788 Squadron 8th
June 1947 at Walj Road (Palestine) — Aden — Disbanded
Khormaksar — Re-formed North Luffenham Laarbruch —
Catterick — Op Desert Storm 1991.

"Watch And Ward"

63 Squadron

Italy 1943-45 - France and Germany 1945 -
South Atlantic 1982
 

Re-numbered 63 Squadron from 2865 21st August 1947 at
Gatow. Fassberg  Upavon — Middleton St.George — Pembrey — Ouston — Felixstowe — Malta — Felixstowe — Cyprus — Tengah — North Luffenham — Gutersloh. Op - Corporate 1982
 

"Strike Hard Strike Fast"

66 Squadron - Nil

Re-numbered 66 Squadron from 2899 Squadron 8th June
1947 at Lydda — El Hamra — Aden 1948 — Disbanded Aden
Re-formed North Luffenham Bruggen — Catterick -Disbanded Catterick — Re-formed West Raynham Op Granby - and Op Desert Storm 1990-91.

Standard Not Emblazoned

Kurdistan 1922-23
Kurdistan 1930-31
Palestine 1936

1 Squadron RAF Regiment, were flown into Al Qaysumah to reinforce the base from Germany. Equipped with Scorpion and Spartan armoured vehicles they reinforced Muharraq and crossed into Iraq with 1(BR) Arm Div as the reconnaissance screen for the Division, ending the war astride the Kuwait-Basra highway.

Iraq 2003
 

Transjordan 1924
Palestine 1936-39
Iraq 2003
 

No Standard

3 Squadron - Iraq 1923-35
France - Germany 1944-45

Gulf War 1991

26 Squadron RAF Regiment, Deployed 28 Nov 90 to 14 FEB 91. GBAD

 

No Standard

Home Defence 1941-42
France - Germany 1944-45

20 Squadron RAF Regiment deployed to Cyprus August 1990. One flight deployed to Muharrag late August 1990, In October the Whole Sqn was deployed to Bahrain

Gulf War 1991
34 Squadron RAF Regiment Deployed to Bahrain and Dahrhan

Iraq 2003
 

No Standard

Home Defence 1941-42
France - Germany 1944-45

Gulf War1991

Gulf War 1991

Nil

No Standard

Home defence 1941-42
France - Germany 1944-45

 Gulf War 1991