LYNEHAM OLD BOYS ASSOCIATION

In July 1960 the Britannia squadrons sent aircraft to Ghana to assist the United Nations peace-keeping force in the Congo, flying many trips into Leopoldville. The next year saw a major effort by the Station in the deployment to the Middle east of men and freight, in response to the claim by Iraq on the state of Kuwait. The Lyneham squadrons carried many of the 7,500 troops and much of the 750 tons of equipment for this operation, and also brought them back afterwards. On the humanitarian side, six Britannias and a ground detachment were based temporarily in Jamaica to assist in hurricane relief in Belize.

Number 216 Squadron's capability was greatly enhanced in the early sixties by the acquisition of Comet C4s to supplement their C2s. The new aircraft carried over twice as many passengers at a higher speed, and for a greater distance. The last C2 was disposed of in 1967, leaving the unit equipped with 5 of the later mark.

The Britannia squadrons were kept busy for many months from 1965, when they became involved in the airlift of oil into Zambia following the shutting off of the oil pipeline through Southern Rhodesia. By the time the operation ended in October 1966, 99 and 511 had airlifted over 3,500,000 gallons of fuel for Zambia.

A change of major significance took place on 1 August 1967, when Number 36 Squadron took delivery of its first Lockheed Hercules. The squadron had arrived from Colerne a month or so earlier, and was the first RAF operational unit to be equipped with this very capable aircraft. Its arrival at Lyneham coincided with the demise of Transport Command, and the transfer of the Station to the newly-formed Air Support Command. This reflected the new dual strategic and tactical role of the Station.

The new squadron was quickly into action with the other 3 when they took part in the successful evacuation under occasional fire of British personnel from Aden.

An era came to an end at Lyneham on 31 December 1967. The Station's first occupant, Number 33 Maintenance Unit, was disbanded on that day. There were now far fewer aeroplanes in the RAF's inventory, and the need for several storage units no longer existed. In the previous few years 33 MU had become a holding unit for, mainly, various marks of Canberra and Lightning aircraft. Its task and staffing level had progressively decreased, and its headquarters had been taken over by Number 216 Squadron. Its last aircraft had now been flown out, and after 27 years the Maintenance Unit closed.

In recognition of the importance of its new dual role, and also of the rank or status of many of the VIP passengers using the Station, the post of Station Commander was elevated to one of Air Commodore rank in January 1968. This change was to last for 3 years before reverting to the more usual Group Captain level.

In February 1968 Number 24 Squadron moved the 15 miles from Colerne to Lyneham to become the second Hercules squadron on the Station.

In a rationalisation of the strategic and tactical transport forces in June 1970, Numbers 99 and 511 Squadrons were posted out. Thus Lyneham lost what at that time was its longest- resident flying squadron, 511 having spent a total of 25 years and 2 months on the Station. The 2 Britannia units departed for the nearby aerodrome of Brize Norton, which was now designated as the strategic base.

Lyneham was to be the tactical transport base, and this was emphasised in February 1971 when Numbers 30 and 47 Squadrons flew their Hercules in from their old base at Fairford. They were followed in September by Number 48 Squadron from Singapore. This gave a total of five tactical Hercules squadrons at Lyneham, as well as the VIP transport Comet squadron.

Whilst the Hercules was ideal for the tactical role it also had a good range and reasonable speed for use in longer range work. They demonstrated this in 1972 when they took part in the initial evacuation of British personnel from Malta, and also deployed troops to Belize to counter the threat of invasion by Guatemala. In September that year the Station was transferred to the control of Number 46 Group, Strike Command.

1973 saw a big effort by detachments from Lyneham to assist in several areas that were hit by famine conditions. These included southern Sudan, and West African countries including Senegal and Mali. In addition a detachment of 4 aircraft and support staff airdropped food to remote mountainous areas of Nepal. These operations resulted in the award to the Station of the Wilkinson Sword of Peace.

These famine operations continued into 1974 with the dropping of supplies to the inhabitants St Helena, and the provision of assistance to the City of Darwin, which was devastated by a cyclone.

The major Station commitment in 1974, however, was its contribution to the conflict between Turkish and Greek factions in Cyprus. All four Hercules squadrons and the Comets took part in the airlift of troops and their kit to the island, and the evacuation on the return flights of over 8,000 people of 46 nationalities. The Station personnel and their families set up a reception organisation to deal with these evacuees on their arrival at Lyneham.

In that year the United Kingdom Mobile Air Movements Squadron came to Lyneham from Abingdon. They became responsible for all aspects of freight and passenger loading onto the Lyneham aircraft, both at home and overseas. The responsibility for the loading and despatch of airdropped stores lay with Number 47 Air Despatch Squadron of the Royal Corps of Transport, permanently based at Lyneham.

In 1976 the Station became the largest operational base in the RAF with the arrival from Cyprus of Number 70 Squadron with its Hercules. There were now 6 Hercules squadrons and one Comet squadron based here. In addition, the Hercules Operational Conversion Unit, Number 242, transferred from Thorney Island, and the Hercules deep servicing organisation moved in from Colerne.

This state of affairs did not last too long, for in the six months from 30 June 1976 Numbers 36, 48 and 216 Squadrons all disbanded, leaving 4 operational Hercules squadrons at Lyneham. Two of them relinquished the tactical role, leaving just numbers 47 and 70 Squadrons carrying out this task, Numbers 24 and 30 squadrons flying only route tasks. All 4 squadrons were kept busy until the end of the seventies with relief flights to Turkey, Nicaragua, Yugoslavia and Kampuchea, and in a third reinforcement of the British garrison in Belize.