Excellency the Governor, Sir Charles Johnston whose arrival was heralded by a flypast of eight 208 aircraft. Before the departure of the Squadron to Bahrain on the next detachment two of the pilots fired their guns in anger for the first time, against dissident tribesmen in the Western Aden Protectorate.


On 28th May the aerobatic team gave a display for H.E. Sheik Khalifa bin Sulman al Khaif a, brother of the ruler of Bahrain, and, to his obvious pleasure. presented him with a Squadron plaque. During this Bahrain detachment a new air to ground range was opened at Jebajib, near Sharjah, on the Trucial Coast. The Squadron celebrated the occasion by providing a fire-power demonstration in the presence of the Ruler of Dubai. In between these events of course, the Squadron was busy endeavouring to improve its standard of proficiency in each of its five basic roles, namely: close support, interdiction, counter-air, air-defence and visual reconnaissance. The aerobatics commitment enabled the team to take part in the Nairobi Royal Show in September and the Uganda Independence Day ceremonies in October.


On 19th October the Squadron returned to Khormaksar and was immediately involved in patrolling the Yemen Border from dawn till dusk looking for hostile aircraft. These patrols continued daily until the end of November when the Squadron moved to Bahrain for a rest and Christmas festivities.

History - 1956 - 1966 (8)

…...continued

The first week in December was spent practising for a flypast at the Tanganyika Independence celebrations to be attended by H.R.H. Duke of Edinburgh. For this event nine aircraft were detached to Mombasa while the rest of the Squadron were taking leave prior to the move to Khormaksar. At this time 8 and 208 were each spending two months at Bahrain and after settling in at Khormaksar by mid-January, the Squadron was off once more to the Gulf. This detachment was used as an intensive training period for tactics, high-low strike navigation and weaponry.


On their return the Squadron’s aerobatic team, consisting of Squadron Leader M.S. Goodfellow. Flying Officer A.D. Doige, Flight Lieutenant F.G. Marshall, Flying Officer R.A. Harper and Flight Lieutenant P.D. Westropp, began concentrated practice for their display at the second Khormaksar open day. The Queen’s official birthday for 1962 was celebrated in Aden on 21st April. The Squadron Standard was paraded along with those of other British Units and those of Arab troops. The parade was reviewed by His

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