8 Squadron operations - 1961

Into the New Year and inter-tribal fighting in the Hilyan area and attacks on the APL in Mahfidh area was responded to on 4 January by flag waves and a supply drop by Valetta to friendly tribes.

On the 13th, while on patrol, one of the unit’s Hunters, XG128, crashed into a hillside and the pilot, Flt Lt Swain, was killed. While searching for the crashed aircraft, an 8 Squadron Meteor FR.9 and a Hunter FGA.9 were hit by ground fire. In response, two FGA.9s strafed the village of Am Dharb in the Wadi Yahar.

Following attacks on camels and their drivers a few days later, four FGA.9s, flown by Flt Lt Edmondston, Flt Lt Kelly, Fg Off Haig-Thomas and Fg Off Perreaux, gave warning of repercussions by performing a fire power demonstration with rockets and ball ammunition at Mahfidh on 17 of the month.

On 7 February, further supply drops in the Am Darb area by Valetta and Shackleton aircraft were supported by Hunters flying top cover. As ground fire was encountered, two Hunters were dispatched on the 9th to fire warning bursts as a Shackleton performed its leaflet drop but, as this failed to quell the assailants, a second pair was called in to strafe a fort near Am Dharb. A third pair were called-up from Khormaksar to strafe the village and a fort on Red Hill, one of the aircraft sustaining a bullet strike in the process. On the following day, four more strikes were carried out on the same targets and, as a further warning, two pairs of Hunters were dispatched to Wadi Rihab on the 24th and 25th respectively, to kill animals belonging to the Illahi.

Despite this being a busy period, four Hunters from ‘A’ Flight departed on detachment to Sharjah on 13 February.

There were no operations in the WAP in March on account of the ‘A’ Flight detachment to Sharjah. While in the area, the opportunity was taken for live firing and performing flag-waves over the Jebel Akta on the 16th and 17th of the month. Mention was made in the ORB for the hard work put in by the groundcrew with Flt Sgt Welsh (I/C), Cpl Clark (the sole electrician) and SAC Meek (Engines) singled out for their efforts. Just as the planned end date for the detachment approached, Sharjah was hit by sandstorms and high tides, delaying their return to Khormaksar until 24 March.

Back at Khormaksar, an exercise with the 11^th Hussars called Roulade saw four 8 Squadron Hunters fly 124 sorties in five days with scramble times of 4¼ minutes. The objective of Roulade was to provide air support to Royal Marine Commandos from HMS Bulwark during their landings at Ker Unsa and subsequent ‘battle’  up the coast at Ras Imrea. As the F540 states, “This proved to be good value to both sides, gave the Squadron some much needed experience in attacking moving targets such as tanks and ferret cars and spoke volumes for the efforts and keenness of the groundcrew”.

On 17 March, Sqn Ldr L.A. Jones was posted in from 74 Squadron as the new CO. Having handed over command, Sqn Ldr R. Knight enjoyed a farewell party on the last day of March before departing for the UK.

The only operation in April consisted of a pair of FGA.9s performing a flag wave over the Al Kara and Mudiyah areas. At this time, Squadron strength stood at twenty pilots, sixteen of whom were operational. Over the weekend 23 and 24 April, Sqn Ldr Jones took four aircraft up to Bahrain to take part in an Army exercise at Jazirat Al Yas, a small island off the Trucial Oman. The other three pilots were Flt Lts Edmondston, Trowern and Fg Off Horsley.

Having achieved its monthly target of 330 flying hours by the 27^th, and producing ten aircraft (one in reserve) for the Queen’s birthday diamond-nine formation flypast over Steamer Point, the groundcrew were personally thanked by the CO and given three days stand-down - once they had polished-off six crates of ‘Slops’ provided by the pilots.

The undoubted highlight was the arrival on the 29^th of the month of three Hunter FR.Mk.10s, replacements for the Meteors.

In contrast to April, May was a busy month with 48 operational sorties, carried out in co-operation with 37 Squadron (Shackletons) and 233 Squadron (Valettas) and split into two phases. Phase 1 was intended to flush out a known trouble-maker, Mohamed Aidrus, from his hides in Al Qara and surrounding areas and the destruction of his house. The second phase, to remove Mohamed Aidrus from within the Aden Protectorate, required a dawn till dusk standby by pairs of Hunters. The tactic employed in the attack on Aidrus’s house was one of surprise, two pairs of FGA.9s diving out of the sun from 20,000 ft, from a distance of six miles, before unleashing salvos of rocket projectiles or strafing the compound with 30 mm cannon when in range of the target.

The squadron regularly supplied pilots to act as Forward Air Controllers (FAC) for the Dhala convoy, a task that was not relished by the individuals concerned. The FAC’s job was to liaise by radio with Hunter squadron HQ when the convoy came under attack and direct supporting aircraft to the area from which the dissidents were firing. On 3^rd, the convoy was ambushed 5 miles south of Thumair, with one vehicle being hit but with no casualties being incurred. A pair of FGA.9s was called in but the attackers had disappeared by the time they arrived.

A 4^th FR.Mk.10 was delivered to the squadron to complete the unit’s complement, plus another (XF460) as Command reserve.

Four Mark 9s carried out a rocket attack on Messalio House in the village of Dhi Surrah on 26 June. As the damage, which was photographed by a Mk 10, was not as extensive as hoped for, it was attacked again by a pair of Mark 9s on the following day.

Operation Vantage

During the last week of June, excitement had been rising in the squadron as an impending detachment to Rhodesia drew near. This was somewhat dampened, however, following its cancellation as it had been discovered that General Kassim of Iraq was massing his troops along the border with Kuwait and threatening to invade the tiny state. Instead, the squadron was brought to standby status on the morning of 29^th and at 12:00 the order to move up to Bahrain came through. All available aircraft had been prepared and squadron packups and personnel were ready to move by the evening. An advanced party of six pilots, groundcrew and spares left Khormaksar for Bahrain by Beverley transport at 21:30. The following day, eight Hunters departed Khormaksar for Bahrain, flying the 1,300 miles non-stop in 2½ to 2¾ hours.

To say that July 1961 would be an extremely busy month would be a gross understatement. A second party of groundcrew plus a further four aircraft flew out on 1 July, leaving a small reserve of six pilots, twelve groundcrew two FGA.9s, two FR.10s and two T.7s to maintain operations at Khormaksar.

Aircraft movements to Bahrain:

Having arrived at Bahrain with the advanced party, Flt Lt Sandy Burns was flown by 152 Squadron Pembroke to assess the suitability of Kuwait Civil Airport for Hunter operations. He declared it unfit and advised that the squadron divert to Kuwait New airport instead, which it duly did. Situated 15 miles to the south of the old airport, Kuwait New was still under construction with only the runway complete. Construction work on the buildings was still under way and there were limited services such as water and electricity. Nevertheless, the squadron was declared at a state of readiness at 15:00, just 1½ days after the order to move from Khormaksar was given.

On the 2nd, all twelve aircraft were armed with 4 x 135 HE ammunition and rockets and placed on 30-minute standby. From 06:45 a pair was dispatched every 90-minutes for recce and flagwaves on a trajectory ten miles from the Iraqi border.

On the 3rd, two aircraft were scrambled at 09:30 to recce unidentified vehicles near the border. Flying continued throughout the day until curtailed by poor visibility at 15:15 when the readiness state was handed over to 208 Squadron whose Hunters had arrived from Nairobi.

The readiness state was soon revised to two pairs at 30-minutes and one at 15-minutes on the 4th, however, poor visibility prevented any flying, although essential operations would have been carried out if necessary. Visibility in Kuwait was generally good in the early hours but decreased rapidly after 09:00, due mainly to haze and dust. Temperatures of 115°F in the shade and 139°F in the cockpit of a Hunter made life extremely uncomfortable for both pilots and groundcrew.

To keep the squadron on its toes, practice scrambles were carried out with the best time recorded at 7 minutes. Further practice scrambles saw this time drop to a more acceptable 2¼ minutes from the time the alarm was given.

After a single dawn recce in the border area on 9 July, 8 Squadron was given the order to return to Bahrain and be prepared to rotate with 208 Squadron every five days. All but four of the aircraft departed for Bahrain on the 10th the rest of the squadron personnel following on in a Beverley. The aircraft and personnel remaining in Kuwait were used to bolster the eight aircraft 208 had managed to fly up from Kenya. As events transpired, the squadron remained at Bahrain for the remainder of the month, although three Hunters were sent back to Kuwait on 30th/31st to participate in an exercise. Throughout the month, there had been no engagement with Iraqi forces along the border, although intelligence suggested the build up on the ground was ongoing, and no Iraqi Air Force aircraft were sighted.

Back at Khormaksar - the T.7 in action

If the personnel remaining in Aden thought they might have any easy time to look forward to, they were sadly mistaken, as operations in the WAP steadily increased throughout July. The six pilots and six aircraft, which included two T.7s, flew 27 operational sorties, mainly in conjunction with the flushing out of Mohamed Aidrus and the destruction of all houses in which he was known to have taken refuge. The first of these occurred on 17 July using the unlikely combination of an FR.10 (XE589 - Flt Lt Seabrook) and a T.7 (XL565 - Flt Lt Morrell and Fg Off Gaiger). Two days later, the same T.7 was in action again, this time with Flt Lt Seabrook and Fg Off Gaiger in the cockpit accompanied by Flt Lt Morrell in FGA.9, XE655. The remaining operational sorties were flown by combinations of FGA.9s and FR.10s. The attacks had their destructive effect, with each aircraft unleashing their loads of 30-mm cannon and eight squash-head rockets. No defensive fire was detected, probably due to the element of surprise.

Aircraft remaining at Khormaksar:

During early July, the Awabitma and Khamma tribes had been making regular attacks on vehicles using the Mukalla – Hadhramat road. The Mukalla Regular Army and Hadrami Bedouin Legion responded by sending their forces to bring these tribes to heel, but events turned disastrously wrong as the dissidents were waiting for them. On 19 July the force was ambushed and sustained 50 casualties, 28 of them fatal. Following a request for air support, two Meteor FR.9s from the 8 Squadron Recce Flight were dispatched to Riyan on 20 July to participate in what transpired to be their final operations in the Middle East. They were initially used for armed recce and flag waves of the area around Wadi Idim and Wadi Hawayrah.

Immediately upon arrival at Riyan, Flt Lt Seabrook began series of Meteor operations against dissident targets, working in co-operation with a 78 Squadron Twin Pioneer acting as FAC. A total of 23 sorties were flown in which he fired 10,000 rounds of 20 mm ammunition and the damage claimed amounted to 1,000 goats, a few donkeys and camels and some of the dissidents themselves. The offending tribesmen surrendered and their hostages sent safely to Mukalla, the Meteors returning to Khormaksar on the final day of the month.

Life on the Squadron

The following notes, extracts from the unit’s F540, illustrates the appreciation acknowledged by the pilots of the important contribution made by the groundcrew during the crisis.

“Although the cancellation of the detachment to Rhodesia was a big disappointment, the groundcrew pulled their weight throughout their stay in Kuwait, despite the rough going. Aircraft serviceability was excellent. The groundcrew worked day and night for the first few days, not only maintaining our Hunters but also many types of transport aircraft passing through, such as; Britannia, Hastings, Valletta, Beverley and Twin Pioneer. These were quickly turned-round, refuelled and serviced to ensure a continuous flow of troops into and around the Persian Gulf. In all, over 50 transport aircraft were turned-round during those first few days and 68 sorties were flown by the squadron’s Hunters. This alone was due to the hard work and team spirit of the NCOs and airmen on the squadron.

A mention must also be made of the squadron personnel who stayed in Khormaksar for the equally sterling job they did in conjunction with Tech Control, turning round the many transport and fighter aircraft which passed through Aden.

Accommodation in Kuwait was basic to say the least, a half-built hangar being requisitioned by the groundcrew as a billet. No fans, no air conditioning and temperatures reaching 130°F! The aircrew had the initial luck of obtaining accommodation at the Kuwait Oil Company’s Guest House. During the rest-up period in Bahrain, everyone was able to relax and the month concluded with a squadron bash. Sqn Ldr  Jones wrote: “Although hot in body the means by which to cool it down were amply provided”. 

Bahrain/Kuwait

After a month recuperating and servicing in Bahrain, the squadron flew eight aircraft back to Kuwait to relieve 208 Squadron in early August, the remaining pilots and groundcrew being flown up in two 84 Squadron Beverleys. On arrival it was placed on immediate alert due to reported troop movement over the Iraqi border. This alert state continued throughout August and comprised one pair of armed aircraft on dawn to dusk standby, requiring the operation of a shift system for personnel. The opportunity was taken to partake in three exercises, Firebird IV, V and VI, with the Army, primarily for air support and FAC training. The standby pair was ordered in the air three times, once for the interception of two aircraft which turned out to be new Indonesian Gannets on ferry fights out of the UK and slightly off course, and twice for border violations by Iraqi Hawker Sea Furies.

Aden – EAP

On 3 August, two Hunter FGA.9s, XE655 (Flt Lt Powell), XF455 (Flt Lt Ferguson) and an FR.10, XE599 (Fg Off Stott), flew up from Khormaksar and carried out rocket and cannon attacks on Fort Bin Jebli, completely destroying it. In order for the Hunters to deliver their maximum useful stores, they were forced to jettison their 230-gallon drop tanks, thus limiting their time in the target area. This brought to an end the Meteor operation carried out by Flt Lt Seabrook in July.

Aden – WAP

Meanwhile, in the WAP, as Mohamed Aidrus’s tribesmen continued to attack the post at Serar, three Hunter 9s, XE655 (Flt Lt Ferguson), XG136 (Fg Off Stott) and XF455 (Fg Off Free), were dispatched at 09:00 on 2 August to carry out rocket attacks on one of the ringleader’s houses. Seventeen rockets hit their target, severely damaging the rear of the building. A further two sorties, XE655 (Flt Lt Powell) and XF455 (Fg Off Stott) attacked the target later that morning, their twelve projectiles causing extensive damage to the main section and tower.

On the 15th, a 233 Squadron Valetta was dispatched to the area to drop leaflets accompanied by a Hunter FR.10, XE589 (Fg Off Perreaux) flying top cover, but this did not prevent the transport returning to base with a bullet hole in its tailcone.

Bahrain/Kuwait

Serviceability of the Hunters in Kuwait was excellent although recurring snags were experienced with the pressure instruments thought to be due to the extremes of temperature (radiant ground temperatures up to 150°F while up at 40 000 ft it was -50°F). Nevertheless, during the period in Kuwait and average of 9 out of 12 aircraft were available for operational tasks. The squadron was relieved in Kuwait by 208 Squadron and returned to Bahrain in two sections on 8 and 9 September. Although on operational standby, no operational sorties were flown during the month.

September in the Gulf was basically a rest-up period, the accent being on serviceability rather than flying. Apart from the swimming and sailing available at Bahrain, a groundcrew versus pilots cricket match had to be declared a draw as, with both sides trying to out drink the other, play was abandoned because the players were ‘beer-logged’. At a can a wicket, no wonder!

On the 25th, the unit played host to flights from Nos. 1 and 54 Squadrons on ‘Gulf Rangers’ as their Hunters passed through on their way to Aden. Once there, they were given a birds-eye-view of the WAP by the small 8 Squadron contingent, giving them a feel of what life was like on a ‘real’ Hunter ground attack squadron.

Aden – WAP

Two Hunters, FR.10, XE589, (Flt Lt Hayr) and FGA.9, XE654 (Flt Lt Seabrook), were carrying out photo-recce sorties in the Wadi Satman and Upper Yaffa areas on 5 September when the former received Cat 3 damage on being struck by a bullet from a dissident’s gun. On the 20th, two FGA.9s, XE654 (Flt Lt Hayr) and XE655 (Flt Lt Morrell), carried out a strike on a target near Jamili with twelve rockets, six of which hit south west of the target; the other aircraft aborted. A re-strike was carried out later the same day by the same pilots in the same aircraft, this time four of the twelve rockets finding their target.

No operational flights were carried out by the squadron during October as it continued to maintain standby at Bahrain until the 14th, when it returned to Khormaksar, three months after the Kuwait crisis began. With little preventive maintenance having been carried out over the period in the Gulf, an intensive servicing programme was instigated to ensure that the high serviceability levels were maintained.

In early November, a local Caleph in the Dhi Surra area was identified as being the cause of the death of a Government official. Disciplinary action was decided upon and the Squadron was ordered to carry out R/P attacks on the Caleph’s house. Located on a small hill, it was a solid structure built out of stone and measuring 70 ft by 60 ft. The first attacks were carried out on the 3rd and comprised three FGA.9s, XF455 (Sqn Ldr Jones), XE620 (Fg Off Griffith) and XK150 (Fg Off Voller) in the morning; a fourth aircraft, XE654 (Fg Off Gosnell) had to abort due to the undercarriage failing to retract. Six R/Ps were fitted to each aircraft and fired as a single salvo. Recce photographs showed that only limited damage had been done so a second wave comprising four aircraft, XK150 (Sqn Ldr Jones), XE654 (Fg Off Gosnell), XE581 (Flt Lt Hayr) and XE649 (Fg Off Blackgrove) carried out a second attack in the afternoon. A further recce confirmed that the damage inflicted on the house was insufficient to render it uninhabitable, so a third R/P strike using two aircraft, XE654 (Flt Lt Edmondston) and XF455 (Fg Off Horsley) was carried out on the 7th, destroying part of the tower and roof. As the damage inflicted was not sufficient for it to be deemed destroyed, another attack using a pair of FGA.9s, XG135 (Flt Lt Elgey) and XF455 (Fg Off Gaiger) on the 9th, completed the task and the building declared irreparably damaged and uninhabitable.

Analysis of the G.90 film showed that a high proportion of hits were scored on all sorties and the assumption made that the house was of stronger construction than normal for the WAP.

On 15 November, the squadron moved on detachment to Bahrain to relieve 208 Squadron, signalling the beginning of a two-monthly cycle of alternating detachments with 208 Squadron.

The phenomenon known as runaway tail plane claimed it’s first Squadron fatality on 22 November when Fg Off R.A. Gaiger lost control of his Hunter due to runaway nose-down trim during a tail chase. As he could not recover his aircraft (XE581), even with his foot behind the stick, he decided to eject while in a steep dive at about 15,000 ft and was killed in the process.

December proved to be another quiet month with no operational sorties, but the Squadron was placed on 6-hour readiness following reports of renewed activity by the Iraqi’s close to the Kuwait border. This was raised to immediate readiness on the morning of the 27th when HQ Persian Gulf (HQPG) warned of a possible invasion by the Iraqi’s, but was relaxed once the threat had receded.

A second incident of runaway tail-plane was experienced on the 12th by Fg Off M. Webbon, also during a tail chase. He too decided to eject but was unable to do so and tried to regain control of his aircraft. By forcing the control column fully forward with his feet he managed to recover the Hunter at 4,000 ft under very high negative ‘g’ forces, and land it safely back at base.

Due in part to there being no Hunter stores facility at Bahrain and to 208 running down the pack-up kits, no less than 84 items were on AOG order and serviceability was poor. Only 150 flying hours were managed in December. The issue was resolved, once the Hunter stores facility was transported up from Eastleigh.

Down at Khormaksar, four operational sorties were flown by a pair of Mark10s (XE599 and XF436) on the last two days of the year, acting as top cover for a helicopter carrying a political agent between Mukeiras and Hiyan.