75 Squadron RAF, 1916 to 1919

Formed 1 Oct 1916
As No 75 Sqn Royal Flying Corps
Royal Flying Corps and Royal Naval Air Service Amalgamate to become Royal Air Force 1 April 1918
Disbanded 13 June 1919

C. O. s

Maj, H. A. Petre. 1 October 1916 to July 1917
DSO, MC,
Maj, T. O. B. Hubbard. July 1917 to July 1917
Maj, T. F. Rutledge. July 1917 to October 1917
Maj, C. S. Ross. October 1917 to November 1918
Maj, C. A. Ridley. November 1918 to 13 June 1919

BASES

Goldington, Bedford, 1 October 1916 to September 1917
Elmswell, September 1917 to June 1918
North Weald, Essex. June 1918 to 13 June 1919

AIRCRAFT FLOWN

BE 2 C, D, E, 1 October 1916 to September 1917
Avro 504 NF 1 October 1916 to May 1918
Sopwith Pup
Sopwith Camel F1, F2
BE 12 , B September 1917 to May 1918
Sopwith Camel F1, F2 December 1918 to 13 June 1919
Sopwith Snipe March 1919 to 13 June 1919
Bristol F2B

ROLE

Home Defence

BATTLE HONOURS

WORLD WAR 1

• Home Defence 1916 – 1918
  For interception operations against enemy aircraft and Zeppelins raiding Great Britain

                    B E 2

AVRO 504

Sopwith Camel

B E 12 b

Bristol F2

Formed at Tadcaster on 1 October 1916, with a nucleus from No 33 Squadron,

The HQ was moved to Goldington on 12th October 1916, with flights detached to Yelling [A Flight],
Old Weston [B Flight] and Therfield [C Flight].

They also flew from Biggleswade, Clipston, Coldham, Cottenham, Finedon, Flitwick, Fowlmere [later developed into an aerodrome] Goldington, Hanslope, Horseheath, Kingscliffe, Lavendon, Litchborough, Little Downham, Little Staughton, Moulton, Orton, Thaxted, Thrapston, Willian, Wyton [an existing aerodrome]

The HQ was moved to Elmswell on 9th September 1917, with flights detached to Harling Road [A Flight], Elmswell [B Flight], and Hadleigh [C Flight], the establishment of aircraft in Autumn 1917 is recorded as 24 Avro 504K [NF].

Between September 1917 to August 1918 the Squadron flew at least 16 interception sorties, [there are very few records left from this period.]

They also flew from Bedford, Bury, [both the old and new site], Clipston, Coldham, Cottenham, Earsham, Finedon, Flitwick, Fowlmere [later developed into an aerodrome], Goldington, Hanslope, Harling Road [an existing aerodrome], Horseheath, Kingscliffe, Lavendon, Litchborough, Little Downham, Martlesham Heath [an existing aerodrome], Moulton, Newmarket [an existing aerodrome], Orton, Port Meadow, [an existing aerodrome], Sible Hedingham, Stutton, Thaxsted, Therfield [an existing areodrome], Tibenham, Willian, Wormingford, Wyton [an existing aerodrome], Yelling.

On 7 November 1918, A Flight was moved to North Weald, Bassett, B & C Flight were moved there on 23rd May 1919, and the Squadron was disbanded on 13th June 1919.

At North Weald, the Squadron was tasked with Night Fighting,

The OS grid reference for the landing ground is TL070510.
As a Night Landing Ground, [NLG] it was for use in emergency only by the BE2e and BE12 machines operated at the time, [for fuel shortage, mechanical trouble, adverse weather].
The 3 flights of 75 (HD) [Home Defense]Squadron were based at Yelling, Old Weston and Therfield. The HQ building was requisitioned because it was convenient to all 3 flight stations.
It was realized that the squadron was located too far westward for its purpose and relocated to sites in Suffolk.
Bases
Formed at Tadcaster 1.10.1916 with a nucleus from 33 Squadron.
HQ to Goldington 12.10.1916 with flights detached to Yelling (A Flt), Old Weston (B Flt) and Therfield (C Flt).
HQ to Elmswell 9.9.1917 with flights at Harling Road (A Flt), Elmswell (B Flt) and Hadleigh (C Flt).
The intended establishment at 6.1918 set at 22 Bristol F2B. A Flight to Hadleigh and C Flight to Elmswell 9.1918.
Autumn 1918 establishment given as 24 Avro 504K (NF). A Flight to North Weald Bassett 7.11.1918, followed by B & C Flights 23.5.1919. Disbanded 13.6.1919.

Representative Aeroplanes († allotted, not delivered)
Avro 504A/J B8742.
Avro 504K (NF)[Night Fighter] D6240, D6241, D6242, D6243, D6244, D6245, D7633, D9323, D9324, D9331, D9333, D9348, D9350, D9351, D9353, D9355, D9356, D9357, E1721, E1722, E4153, E4179, E4182, F8706.
RAF BE2e 7166†, 7253, A8701, B706, B723, B4455, B4456, B4514, B4518, B4538, B4542, B4574, B9462.
RAF BE12 6160, A6312, A6343, A6344, B9462, C3183, C3231, C3259, C3279.
RAF BE12a A6325, A6349.
RAF BE12b C3086, C3088, C3089, C3090, C3113.
Sopwith Pup B1769, B1772, B2216.
Sopwith F1 Camel C3349, C359, C6768, C8349, D6662, E5169, F1398, F2109, F2117, F2175, F2181, F2182, F5179, F5191†, F5192†, F5193†, F5194†, F5195†, F6344†, F6362†, F8681†, F8682†, F8689, H734, H3996†, H3997†, H3998†, H3999†, H4000†, H4001†, H4002†, H7375†, H7377†, H7378†, H7379†, H7381†, H7382†.
Sopwith 7F1 Snipe E7570, E7571, E7572, E7573, E7574, E7575, E7576, E7577, E7578, R7579, E7580, E7581, E7582, E7584.
Info from

Situated seven miles north of the Cambridgeshire market town Huntingdon, RAF Upwood has a fascinating and varied history that dates back almost 100 years.

The station was opened as a Royal Flying Corps aerodrome in 1917, when 160 acres of farmland was requisitioned outside Upwood village.

Despite having no permanent flying units, it wasn’t long before the BE.2 biplanes of No. 75 Squadron were using the grass field as a night-landing ground.

The station that would become RAF Upwood initially served as a satellite airfield for Elmswell, a nearby RFC aerodrome across the county boundary in Suffolk, and by the summer of 1918 was equipped with five rudimentary hangars and a series of huts. Nos. 190 and 191 (Night) Training Squadrons moved in, but when the First World War came to an end in November 1918, Upwood was returned to the local community and its permanent structures demolished.

Info from

with thanks to son-of-satire for the banner