No. IX Squadron
Motto:Per noctum volamus - Throughout the night we fly
Badge:A bat - approved by HRH King Edward VIII in November 1936 as an authorised version of a badge highlighting the Squadron's night-bombing duties.
Battle Honours:Western Front 1915- 1918, Somme 1916, Ypres 1917, Amiens, Hindenburg Line, Channel and North Sea 1939-1945, Norway 1940, Baltic 1939-1945, France and Low Countries 1940, German Ports 1940-1945, Fortress Europe 1940-1944, Berlin 1941-1945, Biscay ports 1940-1945, Ruhr 1941-1945, France and Germany 1944-1945, Tirpitz, The Dams, Rhine, Gulf 1991.
Honours marked with and asterisk, are emblazoned on the Squadron Standard
After its initial formation at St Omer, France on 8 Dec 1914 by renaming the Wireless Flight of the RFC Headquarters, No. 9 Sqn was disbanded in March 1915 when its various elements were absorbed into other RFC Squadrons. Reformed a month later at Brooklands, the Squadron then joined the effort in France with its BE2Cs on reconnaissance and bombing tasks and subsequently with RE8s. Like many other Squadrons, it was disbanded in 1919 after a brief period in occupied Germany. It wasn't until 1 April 1924 that it was reformed, this time with Vickers Vimy night bombers at Upavon before moving to Manston where the hangars could accommodate the aircraft. In January 1925, the squadron received the first in a long line of Virginia heavy bombers which were followed by Heyfords in 1936. In February 1939, the Squadron moved to Honington received Wellingtons, and it was with these that it was involved in anti-shipping sorties in the early stages of World War II. These were replaced in turn by the famous Lancaster bomber in September 1942 and the unit became part of Bomber Command's strategic offensive against German targets and was now based at Waddington. Following a move to nearby Bardney, No. 9 Sqn specialised in dropping large bombs and the 12,000lb (5,440kg) 'Tallboy' in particular. During the attack on the Dortmund-Ems canal in January 1945, the Lancaster of Fg Off H Denton was hit and caught fire. The Squadron also took part in the successful mission to sink the German battleship Tirpitz in 1944. After the War, Lincolns replaced the Lancasters until 1952, when the Squadron took charge of Canberra jet-bombers. These aircraft were used during three-months of operations in Malaya in 1956, and then in the Suez crisis.
In March 1962, the Squadron became part of the V-Force when flying Vulcans and spent six years in Cyprus as part of the Near East Air Force before another disbandment in April 1982.
Four months later No. 9 Sqn was reformed as the first RAF Tornado squadron at Honington, and in 1986 moved to its current home of Bruggen in Germany.
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