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  • 21 Aug, 2019

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RAF Khormaksar
Royal Air Force Khormaksar or more simply RAF Khormaksar is a former Royal Air Force station in Aden, Yemen. Its motto was "Into the Remote Places". During the 1960s, it was the base for nine squadrons and became the RAF's busiest-ever station as well as the biggest staging post for the RAF between the United Kingdom and Singapore.

It later became Aden International Airport.

History

Established in 1917, RAF Khormaksar was enlarged in 1945 as the British spread their influence deeper into the Arabian Peninsula. No. 8 Squadron RAF arrived in 1927, and stayed until 1945, operating the Fairey IIIF, Vickers Vincent, Hawker Demon, Martin Maryland, Fairey Swordfish, and the Lockheed Hudson.

On 10 June 1940, Italy declared war on Britain and France, and Aden quickly became an important British base for the East African Campaign. Khormaksar launched its first combat sorties three days later, when 8 Squadron sent nine Bristol Blenheims to bomb an airfield at Assab in Italian Eritrea, across the Red Sea from Aden on 12 June. Five Vincents attacking the same airfield that night. On 5 August 1940, Italy invaded British Somaliland, and 8 Squadron's Blenheims flew missions against advancing Italian troop columns. The Italians heavily outnumbered the British and Commonwealth defences, and the port of Berbera, immediately south of Aden across the Gulf of Aden, was occupied by the Italians on 19 August.

After December 1941, the station became a stopover and refueling point for the USAAF Air Transport Command. 8 Squadron continued to be based at Khormaksar equipped with Blenheims. The squadron flew Vickers Wellington XIIIs were flown from December 1943 until May 1945.

In 1943 a Communication Squadron, HQ British Forces Aden Communication Squadron, was established here. It changed names twice in 1951 and 1955 before being disbanded in 1956.

In 1958, a state of emergency was declared in Aden as Yemeni forces occupied nearby Jebel Jehaf and RAF squadrons were involved in action in support of the British Army. In the 1960s, during operations around Rhadfan, the station reached a peak of activity, becoming overcrowded and attracting ground attacks by rebels. In 1966, the newly elected Labour government in the United Kingdom announced that all forces would be withdrawn by 1968.

Belvedere HC.1 of 26 Squadron based at Khormaksar c. 1964

In May 1967, it was expected that planned final force levels at Khormaksar ahead of the January 1968 withdrawal would be:

*The Army element, comprising Tactical Headquarters Aden Brigade, one commando, one battalion, one armoured car troop, one light artillery troop, one engineer troop and elements of the small Joint Headquarters. Total of some 1,150 personnel.

*The RAF element, comprising a squadron of Hunters and a Wessex flight (both with servicing support parties), a visiting aircraft servicing party, the Communications Centre, elements of an ATOC, movements, airfield services and elements of the Joint Headquarters. Total of some 350 personnel.

Khormaksar played a role in the evacuation of British families from Aden in the summer of 1967. The station closed on 29 November 1967.

Units and aircraft

Inter war years and Second World War
Unit Dates Aircraft Variant Notes
No. 8 Squadron RAF 27 February 1927 - 1 May 1945 Fairey III
Vickers Vincent
Hawker Demon
Bristol Blenheim
Martin Maryland
Fairey Swordfish
Lockheed Hudson
Vickers Wellington 		F
.
I
I
I
I
VI
XIII 		Disbanded
No. 12 Squadron RAF 20 October 1935 - 25 November 1935
23 March 1936 - 18 May 1936
28 July 1936 - 11 August 1936 		Hawker Hart I Moved to RAF Robat
Moved to RAF Robat
Moved to RAF Andover
No. 41 Squadron RAF 20 October 1935 - 18 March 1936 Hawker Demon I Moved to RAF Sheikh Othman
No. 94 Squadron RAF 26 March 1939 - 2 May 1939 Gloster Gladiator I & II Moved to RAF Sheikh Othman
No. 114 Squadron RAF 23 September 1945 - 1 May 1946 Douglas Boston
de Havilland Mosquito 		V
VI 		Reduced to a Cadre
No. 203 Squadron RAF 18 May 1940 - 16 April 1941 Bristol Blenheim IV Moved to RAF Kabrit
No. 216 Squadron RAF 27 November 1942 - 15 July 1945 Lockheed Hudson
Douglas Dakota 		VI
I 		Detached from RAF Cairo West
No. 244 Squadron RAF 17 March 1944 - 1 May 1945 Vickers Wellington XIII Detached from RAF Masirah
No. 259 Squadron RAF 14 September 1943 - 1 May 1945 Consolidated Catalina IB Detached from RAF Dar es Salaam
No. 265 Squadron RAF 1 April 1943 - 1 May 1945 Consolidated Catalina IB Detached from RAF Diego Suarez
No. 459 Squadron RAAF 1 July 1942 - 5 April 1944 Lockheed Hudson III Detached from LG227 and LG143
No. 621 Squadron RAF 5 December 1943 - 12 November 1945 Vickers Wellington XIII & XIV Moved to RAF Mersah Matruh
Cold War
Unit Dates Aircraft Variant Notes
No. 8 Squadron RAF 1 September 1946 - 14 August 1950 de Havilland Mosquito
Hawker Tempest
Bristol Brigand
Avro Anson
Auster 		FB.6
F.6
B.1
C.19
AOP.6 		Moved to RAF Nicosia
No. 8 Squadron RAF 25 September 1950 - 31 May 1951 Bristol Brigand
Avro Anson
Auster 		B.1
C.19
AOP.6 		Moved to RAF Shaibah
No. 8 Squadron RAF 8 September 1951 - 23 February 1952 Bristol Brigand
Avro Anson
Auster 		B.1
C.19
AOP.6 		Moved to RAF Nicosia
No. 8 Squadron RAF 9 April 1952 - 7 July 1953 Bristol Brigand
de Havilland Vampire 		B.1
FB.9 		Moved to RAF Nicosia
No. 8 Squadron RAF 23 November 1953 - 24 July 1956 de Havilland Vampire
de Havilland Venom 		FB.9
FB.1 & FB.4 		Moved to RAF Habbaniyah
No. 8 Squadron RAF 20 December 1956 - 30 June 1961 de Havilland Venom
Gloster Meteor
Hawker Hunter 		FB.1 & FB.4
FR.9
FGA.9 & FR.10 		Moved to RAF Bahrain
No. 8 Squadron RAF 14 October 1961 - 8 August 1967 Hawker Hunter FGA.9 & FR.10 Moved to RAF Masirah
No. 21 Squadron RAF 1 June 1965 – 9 September 1967 Scottish Aviation Twin Pioneer
Douglas Dakota
Hawker Siddeley Andover 		CC.1
I
CC.2 		Disbanded
No. 26 Squadron RAF 1 March 1963 – 30 November 1965 Bristol Belvedere HC.1 Disbanded
No. 37 Squadron RAF 21 August 1957 – 7 September 1967 Avro Shackleton MR.2 Disbanded
No. 43 Squadron RAF 1 March 1963 – 7 November 1967 Hawker Hunter FGA.9 Disbanded
No. 73 Squadron RAF 30 July - 21 December 1956 de Havilland Venom FB.1 Moved to RAF Nicosia
No. 78 Squadron RAF 15 April 1956 – 13 October 1967 Scottish Aviation Pioneer
Scottish Aviation Twin Pioneer
Percival Pembroke
Westland Wessex 		CC.1
CC.1
C.1
HC.2 		Moved to RAF Sharjah
No. 84 Squadron RAF 31 December 1956 – 3 September 1967 Vickers Valetta
Bristol Sycamore
Percival Pembroke
Blackburn Beverley
Hawker Siddeley Andover 		C.1
HR.14
C.1
C.1
C.1 		Moved to RAF Sharjah
No. 105 Squadron RAF 15 June 1962 – 6 August 1967 Armstrong Whitworth Argosy C.1 Moved to RAF Muharraq
No. 208 Squadron RAF 26 March - August 1956 (Det)
15 November - 30 November 1961
30 November - 9 December 1961 (Det)
9 December 1961 - 8 June 1964 		Gloster Meteor
Hawker Hunter
Hunter
Hunter 		FR.9
FGA.9
FGA.9
FGA.9 		Sqn at RAF Akrotiri
Moved to RAF Eastleigh
Sqn at RAF Eastleigh
Det at RAF Muharraq
No. 233 Squadron RAF 1 September 1960 – 31 January 1964 Vickers Valetta C.1 Disbanded
No. 683 Squadron RAF 18 December 1951 - 10 June 1952 Avro Lancaster
Vickers Valetta 		PR.1
C.1 		Moved to RAF Habbaniyah
Units
Unit Dates Aircraft Variant Notes
No. 1417 Flight RAF 1958 – 1960
1 March 1963 – 8 September 1967 		Gloster Meteor
Hawker Hunter 		FR.9
FR.10 / T.7 		Reabsorbed into No. 8 Squadron RAF
Aden Communication Squadron RAF 1 December 1951 – 1 September 1955 Various Various Became Aden Protectorate Communication and Support Squadron RAF
Aden Protectorate Communication and Support Squadron RAF 1 September 1955 – 31 December 1956 Various Various Redesignated No. 84 Squadron RAF
Headquarters British Forces Aden Communications Flight RAF 21 March 1943 – 1 January 1944
January 1946 - 1 December 1951 		Various Various Became Aden Communication Squadron
Aden Communication Unit RAF 1 January 1944 - January 1946 Various Various Reverted back to the HQ British Forces Aden Communications Flight RAF
No. 131 Maintenance Unit 9 March 1942 - 1 November 1945
1 November 1958 - 31 August 1967 		Blackburn Beverley
Armstrong Whitworth Argosy
Scottish Aviation aircraft
Bristol Belvedere 		Various Aircraft Repair & General Engineering Sections
Search and Rescue Flight RAF, Khormaksar 13 June 1958 - 1 July 1967 Bristol Sycamore
Westland Whirlwind 		HR.14
HAR.2/HAR.4 		Disbanded

See also

References

Citations

  1. ^ Pine, L.G. (1983). A dictionary of mottoes (1 ed.). London: Routledge & Kegan Paul. p. 115. ISBN 0-7100-9339-X.
  2. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 26.
  3. ^ Shores 1996, p. 18–19.
  4. ^ "The Ethiopian Campaign - 1940-1941". 8 Squadron Royal Air Force, 4 September 2006. Retrieved 19 September 2012.
  5. ^ Shores 1996, pp. 45–54.
  6. ^ R. Frank Futrell, “The Development of Base Facilities,” in The Army Air Forces in World War II, vol. 6, Men and Planes, Wesley Frank Craven and James Lea Cate, eds. (Washington, D.C., Office of Air Force History, new imprint, 1983), 157, 160; John D. Carter, “The Air Transport Command,” The Army Air Forces in World War II, vol. 7, Services Around the World, ed. Wesley Frank Craven and James Lea Cate, 42, 44–45 (Washington, D.C., Office of Air Force History, new imprint, 1983).
  7. ^ Sturtivant & Hamlin 2007, p. 32.
  8. ^ Brian Lapping, 'End of Empire,' Guild Publishing, London, 1985.
  9. ^ Air Forces Middle East. "(extracts from) Operational Order AFME/S216/Air, dated 23 May, 1967". radfanhunters.co.uk. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
  10. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 28.
  11. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 38.
  12. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 52.
  13. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 57.
  14. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 68.
  15. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 71.
  16. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 77.
  17. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 79.
  18. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 81.
  19. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 93.
  20. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 101.
  21. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 31.
  22. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 33.
  23. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 37.
  24. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 39.
  25. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 47.
  26. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 48.
  27. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 50.
  28. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 54.
  29. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 69.
  30. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 75.
  31. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 105.
  32. ^ Sturtivant & Hamlin 2007, p. 120.
  33. ^ Sturtivant & Hamlin 2007, p. 181.
  34. ^ Sturtivant & Hamlin 2007, p. 232.

Bibliography

  • Jefford, C G (1988). RAF Squadrons. A comprehensive record of the movement and equipment of all RAF squadrons and their antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury: Airlife. ISBN 1-85310-053-6.
  • Sturtivant, R.; Hamlin, J. (2007). Royal Air Force flying training and support units since 1912. UK: Air-Britain (Historians). ISBN 978-0851-3036-59.
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