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Wattisham Squadrons 111 Squadron: 'Treble One' by Dave Eade Drawn from a nucleus of 14 Squadron at Deir-el-Ballah, Bristol Scouts were the initial mount for 'Treble One'. August 1918 saw the squadron's SE5s carrying out devastating attacks on the enemy in retreat, and at Wadi el Far’a in September, attacked the enemy troops with more than 100 20lb bombs and 13,000 rounds of ammunition. The attack left thousands of vehicles wrecked in the sand.
Acklington, Northumberland was where 'Treble One' received the news of the outbreak of the Second World War, and on 29 September 1939, a mere 26 days after hostilities commenced, the new C/O, a certain Squadron Leader Harry Broadhurst shot down a Heinkel 111 off the north-east coast. The Battle of Britain saw 111 Squadron at Croydon and Debden, and on 10 July 1949 they shot down three bombers from a force attacking a convoy in the English Channel. The battle increased during the following weeks, with Croydon itself becoming the Luftwaffe’s target on 15 August, with 'Treble One' accounting for three Me110s. By the early days of September, with the battle at its height, the squadron had 'bagged' 94 enemy, but suffered the loss of 14 pilots. It was time for a move to the North for well-deserved rest and recuperation. It was time also for a change of
mount to the speedier Spitfire, and duly rested the squadron returned
to the south, to North Weald and Debden, to harass the enemy with sorties
into France. Sicily, the Saleno landings and patrols over the front line enabled the unit to amass its 200th kill in May 1944 while giving close support to the 8th Army. A succession of bases in Italy played host to the Spitfire IXEs of 'Treble One' until the close of the war. 1947 saw disbandment for 111 Squadron
before reforming, again at North Weald, in December 1953 as a Meteor unit.
Hunters followed in 1955, and quickly that early record-breaking run by
the Hurricane was recreated when an F4 made the same trip at a more sprightly
717 mph. Later, perhaps the most famous era of the Squadron’s history
dawned with the appointment as CO of Squadron Leader Roger Topp. Prior
to 1957, many units throughout Fighter Command had their own four-ship
The painting of the teams aircraft in an all-black scheme led to the French press at the Paris Air Show 1957 to dub the team 'Les Fleches Noires', giving the Squadron their second well-known nick-name of the 'Black Arrows'. The need for a fighter base near to, and to protect, the city of London had receded, and with expansion at North Weald not being an option, the Squadron re-located in the Summer of 1958 to Wattisham after a brief stay at North Luffenham. The acceptance that something surprising always came from 'Treble One' culminated in the 1959 Farnborough Show when, still led by Topp, the team led an unheard of 22 Hunters through a formation loop and roll. To this day that feat has never been surpassed or equalled, and was only carried out then by borrowing aircraft from other squadrons. With the high cost of team preparation today, to say nothing of aircraft, this record is, I think, fairly safe in 'Treble One’s hands. When Topp left the unit, in 1959, leaving only seven of the previous year’s aircrew still on strength, the team continued its habit of innovation. Now under Squadron Leader Peter Latham, the idea of flying two formations allowed the crowd to see much more of the formations, and removed the pauses from the programme, while teams re-positioned for the next manoeuvre. Credit has never been given to 111 for this, but the idea of a second team, led by originally by Matt Kemp and later, Brian Mercer, was to influence many to follow – including today’s Red Arrows. Space does not permit me to elaborate but most of what we know in respect of formations and the actual theatre of aerobatic teams was born in the crew-rooms of Treble One.
In this world where the squadrons with great histories are no longer safe from the 'disbanders' sights, it is still impossible to imagine a Royal Air Force without a 'Treble One'.
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