Page 2 - RAF Regiment

The defence of RAF Fiskerton airfield was charged to two RAF Regiment units
(known as Squadrons) during the airfields active service. These units were 2753
Squadron (when 576 squadron were at the airfield) and 2799 Squadron (during 49
Squadron’s tenue).

The following is a short history of the Regiment and these two units.

In January 1942 King George VI signed a Royal Warrant for 'a Corps formed as an
integral part of the RAF', and the RAF Regiment was born. The first Depot was
opened in Filey, North Yorkshire with Instructional staff seconded from the Brigade of
Guards and the Royal Marines.
The Regiment's motto is Per Ardua - Through Adversity. They were also known by
the RAF personnel as ‘Rock Apes’!

The RAF Regiments first headquarters was established at RAF Alma Park,
Grantham, Lincolnshire and the Regiments depot moved from Filey to RAF Belton
Park, near Grantham. The RAF Regiment grew to a force of over 85,000 men in 240
squadrons of 185 men each (each Squadron including five Officers). Squadrons
usually consisted of a Headquarters Flight, three Rifle Flights, an Air-Defence Flight,
and an Armoured Car Flight. The Flights were grouped together into Wings as
needed. It also operated six armoured Car squadrons to provide an area response
capability to several RAF stations.

The Corps first units were little more than platoons or ‘Flights’ in strength and
equipped with a variety of machine guns and 20mm Hispano cannon. From these
beginnings the RAF Regiment developed 2 distinct types of squadron in response to
the ground and air threats to RAF installations. The light anti-aircraft units were
equipped with Bofors L40/60 guns; whilst the rifle or field squadrons deployed with
the same variety of infantry weapons available to the Army. Squadron organisation
varied and their armouries included 3inch mortars, anti-tank guns and armoured
cars.

In late June 1944, with the British Army fighting in Normandy where they were
sustaining heavy losses and at the same time suffering from a severe shortage of
manpower and therefore desperate for more men, it was decided to transfer 25,000
officers and men of the RAF Regiment to the Army, mostly to the Infantry and the
Foot Guards, to be retrained. They proved to be of exceptionally high quality.