No. 2 Squadron RAF Regiment

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No. 2 Squadron RAF Regiment is based at RAF Honington in Suffolk. It is a parachute-trained Field Squadron in the RAF Regiment which is capable of inserting by parachute and securing forward airfields.

The unit was formed as II Armoured Car Company at Hellopolis, Egypt on 7 April 1922 and placed under the command of Squadron Leader M Copenan. The Company was equipped with Rolls Royce Armoured Cars and Morris Tenders, which it retained until 1944.

1924 found the unit engaged in active operations against the Wahabl tribe who were causing unrest in Transjordan, then a British Protectorate. The actions took the form of a series of ground and air attacks against the fanatical tribesmen near the city of Amman. During the course of the battle II ACC captured one of Wahabi Tribe's coveted Banners.

The Company's second battle honour was won during the Palestine troubles 1936-1939, again enforcing British rule in the Middle East. They were involved in reconnaissance patrols and convoy escorts as well as joint operations with the Army.

Throughout World War II the Company's expertise in Desert Operations, gained in the previous 2 decades, was put to good use. They fought in Egypt, Libya, Syria and Iraq perhaps most notably providing vital airfield protection during the battle of El Alamein. Throughout its time in the Western Desert the Company was in almost constant contact with enemy tank formations.

II Armoured Car Company was incorporated into the RAF Regiment on 3 October 1946 and was renumbered 2702 Armoured Car Squadron. Undoubtedly due to the pressure from veterans, it was again renumbered to II Armoured Car Squadron on 25 February 1947. The Squadron continued to operate in Palestine until the British Mandate ended in May 1948.

The unit moved to Iraq for the next 7 years and relinquished its Armoured Cars to become II (Field) Squadron RAF Regiment. From there it was on to Cyprus in 1955 and Malta in 1959, where the first Standard was presented on 25 November by Air Chief Marshal Sir Hubert Patch.

On 1 October 1960 the Squadron arrived in the United Kingdom for the first time during its 38 year history. After a brief spell at RAF Felixstowe II (Field) Squadron moved to RAF Colerne in Wiltshire and adopted a Parachute Capability. Throughout the 1960s the Squadron was tasked with Internal Security Operations in Cyprus, Aden and Ulster. On 1 January 1970 the Squadron title changed again, this time to II Squadron RAF Regiment. In July of the same year Support Weapons Flight were present at Salalah, Oman, when Sultan Qaboos overthrew his father in a coup. Other detachments during this time included RAF Muharraq in the Gulf and Hong Kong.

RAF Colerne was left in favour of Catterick in 1976 when II Squadron became part of 3 Wing, but within 4 years, the unit had moved back to Wiltshire, to RAF Hullavington. On 19 August 1981 the Squadron returned to the original Armoured Reconnaissance role when it re-equipped with CVR(T) and was assigned to support the Harrier Force in Germany.

During the Gulf War in 1990, II Squadron provided Internal Security and Defence of RAF Akrotiris' Airfield until the return of 34 Sqn from the Gulf region..

The 70th Anniversary of the Squadron in 1992 saw more changes, the demise of CVR(T) in the Regiment and the return to RAF Catterick. II Squadron also undertook further deployments to Northern Ireland.

II sqn deployed to Bosnia during 1996 and operated in Banja Luka and Split under the overall command of NATO. The sqn also took part in Exercise Purple Star the largest airborne exercise ever, involving 5th Airborne Brigade, The SAS,SBS and Paratroopers from the United States

1998 saw the sqn deploy to Kuwait on OP Bolton to provide protection to Ali Al Salem airbase and the air assets within, which were overseeing the no fly zones along the Kuwait/Iraq border. It was on this operation that the sqn lost one of its gunners, SAC Brian Conel, who was killed in an RTA.

The early part of 1999 saw the sqn coming to within 12 hours of jumping in to Pristina Airfield (Kosovo), as part of the newly formed 16 Air Assault Brigades contribuition to The NATO lead intervention force. II Sqn eventually deployed to Kosovo and operated at three different locations in the Country for a 3 month period. During this tour SAC Stuart Nash was awarded the Queens Commendation for Bravey, for 2 acts of courage; firstly running through a mined area to give life saving treatment to an injured local who had stood on an anti-personnel mine and then secondly removing a live cluster bomb, that was bought into the VCP buy locals, that exploded seconds after Nash moved it into dead ground.

In July 2000 OC II Sqn was tasked with assisting 22 SAS in their release efforts of Major Harrison in Sierra Leone. C Flt patrolled in Lunghi and the surrounding areas for over month period and provide protection for the air assets and UKSF personnel, which eventually secured the release of Major Harrison.

On the 13th of January 2001 II Sqn RAF Regiment Parachuted onto Yongro DZ Sierra Leone, to show that Britain could mount a rapid reaction force into the country if needed. After the succesful jump the sqn conducted jungle warfare training for a 16 day period. This was the first Operational jump carried out by British forces since 3 Para in Egypt in 1956.