102 (Ceylon) Squadron

102 (Ceylon) Squadron was a mainstay of 4 Group from the outbreak of war to the end of hostilities, operating for the first time on the day after war was declared. 4 Group was equipped with the twin-engine Armstrong Whitworth Whitley, a slow but immensely reliable aircraft capable of remaining aloft for more than twelve hours. The Whitley was employed initially in a pioneering role to deliver propaganda leaflets to populations as far away as Poland, Czechoslovakia, and Austria. Such sorties exposed the crews to extremes of cold in unheated aircraft but taught them also how to navigate over a blacked-out Europe at night at a time when the rest of Bomber Command was trained only for daylight operations.\nThe squadron was attached to 18 Group of Coastal Command for a short period during the autumn of 1940 and undertook convoy protection duties. It was during this period that P/O Leonard Cheshire joined the squadron to begin an illustrious operational career that would see him progress through the ranks to command 76 Squadron and, later, the famous 617 Squadron (Dambusters), and to earn the award of a Victoria Cross. A contemporary of Cheshire was P/O Henry \ Reviews There are no reviews yet. Be the first to review “102 (Ceylon) Squadron” Cancel replyYour email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *Your rating * Rate… Perfect Good Average Not that bad Very poor Your review *Name * Email * Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.