No. 201 Squadron RAF facts for kids

Quick facts for kids No. 201 Squadron RAF
Official Squadron badge of No. 201 Squadron RAF
Active	17 October 1914 – 21 June 1915 (RNAS) 6 December 1916 – 1 April 1918 (RNAS) 1 April 1918 – 31 December 1919 (RAF) 1 January 1929 – 28 February 1957 1 October 1958 – 26 May 2011 7 August 2021 – present
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	Royal Air Force
Type	Flying squadron
Role	Anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare and maritime patrol aircraft
Part of	No. 1 Group
Home station	RAF Lossiemouth
Nickname(s)	Guernsey's Own Squadron
Motto(s)	Latin: Hic et ubique ("Here and everywhere")
Commanders
Current commander	Wing Commander Adam Smolak
Notable commanders	Roderic Dallas Robert Marsland Groves
Insignia
Squadron Badge heraldry	A seagull, wings elevated and addorsed
Squadron codes	VQ (Apr 1939 – Sep 1939) ZM (Sep 1939 – Aug 1943) 1 (Nov 1943 – Mar 1944) NS (Jul 1944 – Apr 1951) A (Apr 1951 – Feb 1957)

Number 201 Squadron is a special flying unit of the Royal Air Force (RAF). It currently flies the Boeing Poseidon MRA1 aircraft from RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland. This squadron is known for its role in finding and tracking submarines and ships, and for watching over the seas.

It's the only squadron that has a special connection with Guernsey, one of the Channel Islands. This link started in 1935. You can even see things about it in the museum at Castle Cornet in Guernsey. The squadron's history is very old, even older than the RAF itself! It first started as No. 1 Squadron of the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) on October 17, 1914. Before its current aircraft, it flew the Hawker Siddeley Nimrod MR2 from RAF Kinloss between 1982 and 2010.

History of No. 201 Squadron

Early Days and World War I

People from No. 1 Squadron RNAS in late 1914.

A Sopwith Triplane (serial N5387) from No. 1 Naval Squadron.

Even though it has a high number, 201 Squadron is one of the oldest squadrons in the RAF. It began as No. 1 Squadron of the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) on October 17, 1914. It was later re-formed on December 6, 1916. When the RAF was created on April 1, 1918, all RNAS squadrons got new numbers by adding 200 to their old ones. That's how No. 1 Squadron became 201 Squadron.

A very brave act earned a Victoria Cross for a member of No. 1 Squadron RNAS. On June 7, 1915, Sub-Lieutenant R.A.J. Warneford successfully shot down a large German airship called Zeppelin LZ.37.

After World War I, the squadron was temporarily closed down on December 31, 1919. Many skilled pilots, known as flying aces (pilots who shot down five or more enemy aircraft), served in the squadron during the war. Some famous ones included Samuel Kinkead and Roderic Dallas.

R.A.J. Warneford, V.C. standing in front of a Maurice Farman Shorthorn plane.

Sub-Lieutenant Dallas of No. 1 Squadron RNAS, around 1916.

Flying Boat Era

The squadron was started up again on January 1, 1929, at RAF Calshot. It began by using Supermarine Southampton flying boats, which are planes that can land and take off from water. In 1936, these planes were replaced by Saro London flying boats. The squadron was still using these when World War II began.

By April 1940, the squadron started flying the Short Sunderland, a very large and powerful flying boat. This plane remained the squadron's main aircraft for nearly 17 years. The squadron was then closed down again on February 28, 1957, at RAF Pembroke Dock.

Shackletons and Nimrods

The squadron was re-formed once more at RAF St. Mawgan when another squadron, No. 220 Squadron RAF, was given the 201 Squadron number. For the next 12 years, the squadron flew the Avro Shackleton MR.3. This version of the Shackleton had a different type of landing gear compared to older models.

After the Shackleton planes were retired, the squadron switched to Nimrods in October 1970.

A Nimrod MR.1 from 201 Squadron at a special event in July 1977.

The squadron played an important role for over ten years in the Gulf region. They supported operations during the first and second Gulf Wars and later in the conflict in Afghanistan. Until March 2010, the squadron also helped with search and rescue missions in the UK, working 24 hours a day, every day of the year. They shared this duty with their sister unit, 120 Squadron, both flying from RAF Kinloss.

The Nimrod MR2 aircraft were taken out of service in March 2010. The squadron was officially closed down on May 26, 2011. They had been getting ready to fly a newer plane called the Nimrod MRA4, but this project was cancelled.

Reforming with the Poseidon

In July 2017, it was announced that No. 201 Squadron would be one of two RAF squadrons to fly the new P-8A Poseidon aircraft. These planes would be based at RAF Lossiemouth. It was later confirmed that the squadron would start up again in the summer of 2021. No. 201 Squadron officially re-formed on August 7, 2021. They even brought their Squadron Standard (a special flag) back from Government House in Guernsey on October 22.

Notable Squadron Members

• Reginald Alexander John Warneford (Royal Naval Air Service) - Won the Victoria Cross.
• Roderic Dallas (Royal Naval Air Service) - A famous flying ace.
• Richard Minifie (Royal Naval Air Service)
• John Harris (Royal Air Force) - Was the Officer Commanding from 1973 to 1975.

Aircraft Operated by the Squadron

A cross made from the propeller of an S.E.5 plane, marking Lt Col. R. Dallas's grave.

A monument made from an aircraft propeller in a church in Piddington, Oxfordshire. It remembers Lt. Richard Stone, a 201 Squadron pilot who died in 1918.

The squadron has flown many different types of aircraft throughout its history:

• Various types (Oct 1914 – Feb 1915)
• Nieuport 17 (Dec 1916 – Jan 1917)
• Sopwith Triplane (Dec 1916 – Dec 1917)
• Sopwith Camel (Dec 1917 – Feb 1919)
• Sopwith Snipe (Oct 1918 – Oct 1918)
• Supermarine Southampton Mk.II (Jan 1929 – Dec 1936)
• Saro London Mk.I (Apr 1936 – Jun 1938)
• Saro London Mk.II (Jan 1938 – 1938)
• Short Sunderland Mk.I (Apr 1940 – Jan 1942)
• Short Sunderland Mk.II (May 1941 – Mar 1944)
• Short Sunderland Mk.III (Jan 1942 – Jun 1945)
• Short Sunderland Mk.V (Feb 1945 – Feb 1957)
• Short Seaford Mk.I (Mar 1946 – Apr 1946)
• Avro Shackleton MR.3 (Oct 1958 – Dec 1970)
• Hawker-Siddeley Nimrod MR.1 (Oct 1970 – Feb 1983)
• BAe Nimrod MR2 (Jan 1982 – Mar 2010)
• Boeing Poseidon MRA1 (Aug 2021 – present)

Squadron Bases Over Time

The entrance to the No. 201 Squadron RAF museum at Castle Cornet in Saint Peter Port, Guernsey.

Here are the different places where No. 201 Squadron has been based:

Battle Honours

No. 201 Squadron has earned several special awards called battle honours. These are given for important actions in battles. The ones marked with an asterisk (*) can be shown on the squadron's official flag, called the squadron standard.

See also

• List of Royal Air Force aircraft squadrons