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38-587: North Ice was a research station of the British North Greenland Expedition (1952 to 1954) on the inland ice of Greenland . The coordinates of the station were 78°04′N 38°29′W  /  78.067°N 38.483°W  / 78.067; -38.483 , at an altitude of 2,341 metres (7,680 ft) above sea level . The British North Greenland Expedition had its main base camp in Britannia Lake , Queen Louise Land . It

76-770: A radial engine ) in January 1933, continuing its operations in support of the Sudan Defence Force and floatplane patrols over the Red Sea. In July 1936 the squadron re-equipped with the Vickers Vincent , although some float-equipped Gordons were kept until June 1939. In June 1939 the squadron started to operate the Vickers Wellesley monoplane, retaining a flight of Vincents for Army co-operation purposes. To counter Italian forces entering

114-427: A rocket assisted USAF Douglas C-47 . In early 1953 glaciological studies began, while seismic and gravimetric teams worked between North Ice and Britannia Sø. Observations were continued throughout the second winter, and in 1954 a party traversed the ice cap from North Ice to Thule. Attempts to measure the thickness of the ice sheet by seismic soundings failed, but markers placed on the ice, enabled information about

152-855: A record low value of −66.1 °C (−87 °F) was recorded. The members of the expedition were: No. 47 Squadron RAF No. 47 Squadron is an inactive squadron of the Royal Air Force . Formed in 1916, it saw service during the First World War in the UK and in Greece. Between the wars it served in Egypt and Sudan, and at the outbreak of the Second World war undertook bombing operations against Italian positions in Eritrea. Later it

190-502: A series of parachute drops, was making the second in series of free fall drops at an altitude of only 50 feet (15 m), when it was caught in a white-out , and made a forced belly landing . Three members of the crew were injured, and sheltered in the intact fuselage of the aircraft until air-lifted out by a Grumman HU-16 Albatross of the United States Air Force. The rest of the crew were recovered two days later by

228-534: A suitable place for landing and he named it Britannia Lake (Britannia Sø) after the future expedition. The exploration team stayed three weeks in the area, following which the Sunderland returned to bring the party back to Britain. In July 1952 the expedition sailed from Deptford aboard the former Norwegian sealer Tottan , while another cargo ship, loaded with four Weasel tracked vehicles, sailed from Hull. The expedition team consisted of 25 men; fifteen from

266-408: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . British North Greenland Expedition The purpose of BNGE was primarily to carry out scientific studies in glaciology , meteorology , geology and physiology . Gravimetric and seismological surveys were made, and radio wave propagation was also studied from their station codenamed " North Ice ". It also provided information useful to

304-884: The Dardanelles after the Battle of Imbros , three 47 Squadron aircraft were sent to attack the stranded ship. Despite continual attacks from these and other aircraft little damage was done to the Goeben owing to the light bombs used. On 1 April 1918, the Royal Flying Corps became part of the Royal Air Force , and the fighter flights (by now equipped with the Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5 A) of both 47 Squadron and No. 17 Squadron were detached to form 150 Squadron . 47 Squadron, now divested of its fighters, and solely equipped with Armstrong Whitworth F.K.8s ,

342-496: The Distinguished Service Order . No. 47 Squadron was disbanded on 7 October 1919, being re-designated 'A' Squadron, Royal Air Force Instructional Mission, South Russia. Although it was not a fighter unit, the squadron did have at least two aces serve in it: Samuel Kinkead and Charles Green . On 1 February 1920 the squadron was re-formed at RAF Helwan in Egypt when 206 Squadron was re-numbered. It

380-814: The Lockheed C-130K Hercules , moving to RAF Lyneham in September 1971. During the Falklands War , the squadron airlifted supplies to Ascension Island and, later, air dropped men and supplies to ships of the British task force in the South Atlantic. To make the trip from Ascension to the Falklands, several Hercules were given additional fuel tanks and fitted with refuelling probes. No. 47 Squadron also prepared to fly elements of

418-525: The North Ice station about 230 miles (370 km) to the west. The Weasels were landed on the coast and drove the 100 miles inland as far as the base camp. Once the party arrived at the site of North Ice, their stores and equipment, more than 86 tons of it, were air-dropped from two RAF Handley Page Hastings transport aircraft, flying from Thule . During the supply operation, on 16 September 1952, Hastings No. WD492 of 47 Squadron , having already made

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456-928: The Polar Medal in November 1954, while Commander Simpson was also presented with the Patron's Medal from the Royal Geographical Society in 1955, and was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) on 2 January 1956. In the 1980s the abandoned huts of the expedition field camp were destroyed by a surge of the Britannia Glacier . During the expedition temperatures below −59.4 °C (−75 °F) were recorded at North Ice on 16 occasions, and on 9 January 1954,

494-869: The Special Air Service to Argentina for the aborted Operation Mikado . The Hercules C.1/C.3s were withdrawn from service on 28 October 2013. No. 47 Squadron received its first Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules on 21 November 1999. The squadron was subsequently heavily involved in Operation Telic in Iraq in the 2000s and then in Operation Ellamy in Libya in 2011. The squadron moved to RAF Brize Norton in 2011. On 25 August 2017, Hercules C4 ZH873 , operated by

532-623: The Western Desert Air Force during the Second World War), carried out the first RAF round trip flight between Egypt and Kano , Nigeria , covering 6,500 miles in 24 days, with 85 hours flying time. In October 1927 the squadron moved completely to Khartoum and in December it discarded its aging DH.9As in favour of Fairey IIIFs , becoming the first Squadron to receive this aircraft. The squadron co-operated with

570-773: The Armed Forces about operating in Arctic environments, and the majority of the team were serving members. Travel over the icecap was either on foot, by dog sled , or by M29 Weasel tracked vehicles. Expedition members also made pioneering ascents in the Barth Mountains and Queen Louise Land . Simpson made a preparatory exploration in 1951. A Short Sunderland flying boat landed in Seal Lake and from there Simpson walked across Storstrommen to Queen Louise Land . There he found an ice-free glacial lake that would be

608-584: The DH.9 flown by William Elliot was shot down. On seeing this, the DH.9 flown by Captain Anderson , despite itself receiving damage that required his gunner, Lt Mitchell to climb onto the wing and block a leaking fuel tank with his thumb, landed next to the stricken aircraft to rescue its crew. Anderson and Mitchell were recommended for the Victoria Cross for this action, but in the end they were awarded

646-775: The Halifax from RAF Fairford in the Army support role. The Squadron moved to RAF Dishforth in September 1948, where it became the first RAF Squadron to receive the Handley Page Hastings four-engined transport. The conversion process was rushed as the aircraft were needed to support the Berlin Airlift , with the Squadron moving to Schleswigland, near Kiel in West Germany on 1 November 1948. The aircraft

684-599: The RAF's last Hercules operational flight when Hercules C4 ZH871 returned from RAF Akrotiri , Cyprus, to RAF Brize Norton. On 8 June 2023, No. 47 Squadron held its disbandment parade at RAF Brize Norton, in a service led by the Princess Royal , ahead of its official stand down on 21 September 2023 due to the retirement of the Hercules. On 14 June 2023 No.47 Squadron led a three aircraft flypast round all four nations of

722-686: The Squadron, by now based in Tunisia, re-equipped with Bristol Beaufighters . Now better equipped at striking against enemy shipping, they carried out armed reconnaissance in different areas of the Mediterranean and Aegean sea looking for shipping to attack. The squadron moved with the Beaufighters to India in March 1944, re-equipping with de Havilland Mosquitos in October that year. This

760-516: The Sudan Defence Force, regularly carrying out border patrols, while a flight of IIIFs was fitted with floats, flying patrols over the River Nile and the Red Sea . It also continued to carry out long range flights, flying from Egypt to The Gambia in 1930, and carrying out four training flights to South Africa. The Squadron replaced its IIIFs with Fairey Gordons (effectively IIIFs powered by

798-539: The United Kingdom,taking in many sites linked to the history of the Hercules and 47 Squadron. On 23 June 2023, at a farewell party for the Hercules at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, 47 Squadron's band performed in front of a Hercules rear cargo ramp, joined by vocalist Bruce Dickinson for songs by Dickinson's band Iron Maiden . The squadron disbanded on 21 September 2023, after the squadron standard

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836-492: The armed services and the merchant navy, nine civilian scientists, and a Danish army officer. After collecting sledge dogs in south-west Greenland, the two ships sailed to Young Sund in the north-east coast. From there RAF Sunderland flying-boats airlifted the expedition to Britannia Lake in Queen Louise Land and set up the main base camp of the expedition. Commander Simpson then led a party on dog sleds to establish

874-474: The end of the war. After the war it moved to Java to operate against Indonesian nationalist forces but it was disbanded at Butterworth on 21 March 1946. On 1 September 1946 the squadron was re-formed at RAF Qastina in Palestine when 644 Squadron was renumbered. It was now a transport squadron using converted four-engined Handley Page Halifax bombers. It soon returned to the United Kingdom where it flew

912-719: The final Italian surrender in Gondar in November 1941. The squadron moved to Egypt using the now old Wellesleys in anti-submarine patrols in RAF Kasfareet , while in July 1942 it acquired a detachment of Bristol Beaufort torpedo bombers from 42 Squadron . It flew its first anti-shipping strikes against enemy convoys supplying the Afrika Korps in Libya on 8 October 1942. It carried on operating Beauforts on anti-shipping as well as convoy escort duties until 1943. In June 1943

950-456: The large aircraft were used on Transport Command trooping and freight routes. The squadron also supported operations in Cyprus, Kuwait and East Africa and carried out mercy flights related to floods, droughts and natural disasters. The Beverley was withdrawn and the squadron disbanded on 31 October 1967. The squadron was re-formed at RAF Fairford , Gloucestershire, on 25 February 1968 to operate

988-692: The movement of the ice sheet and the accumulation of snow to be gathered. At North Ice ice cores to a depth of 14 metres (46 ft) were recovered. The expedition suffered its only fatality in 1953, when Captain H. A. Jensen of the Danish Army , a qualified surveyor, fell to his death on a steep snow slope. In August 1953, the expedition was re-supplied by sea and air, and eight team members, who had signed on for only one year, left to be replaced by five more. The expedition returned to England by ship in August 1954. The entire expedition team were awarded

1026-651: The squadron was sent to Salonika in Greece , to support forces fighting on the Macedonian Front , arriving on 20 September 1916, although two flights were left behind in Yorkshire, joining 33 Squadron . Whilst in Greece, it retained a mixture of aircraft, with two flights being used for reconnaissance and bombing while the third flight operated fighters. When the German battlecruiser Goeben ran aground in

1064-804: The squadron's strength (47 Squadron had already lost 36 Wellesleys to enemy action, accidents or mechanical failure). The squadron was further reinforced in April 1941, when it received Wellesleys from 223 Squadron when that squadron reequipped with Martin Marylands , with 47 Squadron becoming the only Wellesley-equipped unit operating over East Africa. 47 Squadron continued to bomb Italian forces in Eritrea until they surrendered in May 1941, and then flying operations in support of British and Commonwealth forces in Ethiopia, including dropping supplies to allied troops, until

1102-614: The squadron, was seriously damaged in flight operations during Operation Shader . In response to an issue of "crew fatigue" over this incident, the RAF approved an uplift of trained aircrews for the C-130J from 20 to 28. In March 2020, the squadron was awarded the right to emblazon a new battle honour on its squadron standard , recognising its role in War in Afghanistan between 2001 and 2014. On 4 June 2023, No. 47 Squadron carried out

1140-582: The war the squadron moved north to Erkowit and flew its first combat mission of the Second World War against Asmara airfield in Eritrea on 11 June 1940. The Vincent equipped D Flight was split off to form No. 430 Flight in August 1940, that flight continuing in support of Orde Wingate 's Gideon Force . In December 1940, 14 Squadron , which had re-equipped with Bristol Blenheims , passed its old Wellesleys on to 47 Squadron, helping to restore

1178-632: Was a day bomber squadron equipped with the DH.9, re-equipping with Airco DH.9As in 1921. One of the duties was policing in Sudan and the squadron detached aircraft to Khartoum. Another important task carried out during the Squadron's early years in Egypt was to help survey and mark out the route of the Cairo to Baghdad air route , and to carry air mail along that route. Between 27 October and 19 November 1925, three aircraft, led by Squadron Leader Arthur Coningham (later an Air Vice Marshal and commander of

North Ice - Misplaced Pages Continue

1216-471: Was based at RAF Brize Norton , Oxfordshire , until it was disbanded in 2023. No. 47 Squadron Royal Flying Corps was formed at Beverley , East Riding of Yorkshire on 1 March 1916 as a home defence unit, protecting Hull and East Yorkshire against attack by German Zeppelins , being equipped with a mix of aircraft, including Armstrong Whitworth F.K.3s , FK.8s and Royal Aircraft Factory BE.12s . After six months training and flying defensive patrols,

1254-670: Was based in Libya and Tunisia, taking part in anti-shipping operations in the Mediterranean. In 1944 the squadron moved to India, and began operations against the Japanese in Burma and elsewhere. After the end of the war, it became a transport squadron, and returned to the United Kingdom. In 1968 it began a long association with the Lockheed Hercules , becoming part of the Lyneham Transport Wing . Subsequently it

1292-448: Was included in the mission in order to carry out operational sorties. It was equipped with a mixture of aircraft, with flights equipped with Airco DH.9 and DH.9A bombers and Sopwith Camel fighters. The squadron's flights operated independently, carrying out bombing and strafing missions against Bolshevik forces. One notable incident occurred on 30 July 1919, when, during an attack by C Flight DH.9s on Bolshevik gunboats at Tcherni-Yar,

1330-761: Was led by Commander James Simpson RN. The station recorded a temperature of −66.1 °C (−87.0 °F) on 9 January 1954, which made it the lowest temperature ever recorded in North America up until that time. It was superseded by an observation of −69.6 °C (−93.3 °F) at the Greenland Ice Sheet on 22 December 1991. The name of the station contrasts to the former British South Ice station in Antarctica . 78°04′N 38°29′W  /  78.067°N 38.483°W  / 78.067; -38.483 This Greenland location article

1368-406: Was mainly used to carry coal, carrying out 3,000 trips to Berlin and carrying 22,000 tons of supplies. When the blockade ended the Squadron returned to the United Kingdom, moving to RAF Topcliffe on 22 August 1949, operating in support of airborne forces, moving to RAF Abingdon in May 1953. In May 1956 the squadron became the first to re-equip with the Blackburn Beverley heavy-lift transport,

1406-594: Was not a success as the Mosquito was almost immediately grounded owing to failures of the wooden structure due to the hot and humid Indian climate, and it re-acquired the Beaufighter in November. They were soon supporting operations in Burma in both day and night attacks with rockets. The squadron partly re-equipped with Mosquitos in February 1945, with both its Beaufighters and Mosquitos being heavily used to support General Slim 's 14th Army in its attack against Mandalay . It completely re-equipped with Mosquitos in April 1945, continuing operations against Japanese forces until

1444-465: Was used mainly in the Corps Reconnaissance role, but were used to bomb the retreating Bulgarian forces following the Allied offensive of September 1918. After the end of World War I , in April 1919, the squadron was sent to Southern Russia to help General Denikin 's White Russian forces in their fight against the Bolsheviks in the Russian Civil War . While the RAF's ostensible mission was purely to provide training to Denikin's forces, No. 47 Squadron

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