border patrols were recommenced at Beihan as a result of reports of U.A.R. reconnaissance aircraft operating in that area. During the morning of 2nd December one of the patrols spotted a U.A.R. Crate aircraft on Lawdar strip. During the afternoon an interception was carried out on another U.A.R. Crate over Protectorate territory; this aircraft ran for home ignoring all signals ordering it to land.


On 30th December the Squadron Commander led a formation flypast over the funeral cortege of the Assistant High Commissioner, Mr. George Henderson, who died from injuries received when a bomb was thrown at the High Commissioner’s party at Aden airport on 10th December, 1963. Routine tasks in the W.A.P. involved patrols and escort duties to Supply dropping aircraft and practice “scrambles” to strafe certain areas in the Radfan in support of the F.R.A.


At the end of February the Squadron was detached once more to RAF Muharraq, Bahrain for routine training in weaponry at Sharjah, Naval co-operation exercises and participation in a Forward Air Controlling exercise with the Trucial Oman Scouts.


Great value has always been obtained in training from high-low-high strikes with combat. The profile for such a sortie is that a four takes off and climbs to high level to fly towards the target area. The purpose of going for height is

History - 1956 - 1966 (9)

…...continued

Border patrols were resumed after Christmas though they had been reduced to twice-daily sorties. On 17th March the Squadron bade farewell to Squadron Leader Goodfellow and welcomed Squadron Leader G.N. Lewis, AFC. After the Usual detachments the Squadron was able to settle down to four months work at base from May to August, carrying out reconnaissance and “flag waves” over the Radfan.


On 8th and 9th July, operational flights were carried out at the request of the Federal Government. A local ruler was being besieged by a number of rebel tribesmen in a fort somewhere in Upper Yaffa. At first escort sorties were flown while supply dropping was taking place but later live cannon attacks were carried out on targets in the area occupied by the dissidents. These resulted in a truce being suggested by the rebel tribesmen.


The Squadron was detached once more to Bahrain during the last week in August and returned to Khormaksar at the end of October. By December

17 March 1963 Sqn Ldr G N Lewis AFC Takes command

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