No. 100 Group RAF

No. 100 (Bomber Support) Group was a special duties group within RAF Bomber Command. The group was formed on 11 November 1943 to consolidate the increasingly complex business of electronic warfare and countermeasures in one organisation. The group was responsible for the development, operational trial and use of electronic warfare and countermeasures equipment. It was based at RAF stations in East Anglia, chiefly Norfolk.

No. 100 Group RAF
Active1943–1945
Country United Kingdom
Branch Royal Air Force
RoleElectronic countermeasures
Part ofRAF Bomber Command
Motto(s)Confound and Destroy[1]
Royal Air Force Ensign
Commanders
Notable
commanders		Edward Addison
Insignia
Group badgeThe head of Medusa azure/or/sable.
The group specialised in electronic countermeasures, so used the head of Medusa who confounded her enemies.[2]
Aircraft flown
Electronic
warfare		Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, Consolidated B-24 Liberator, Handley Page Halifax, Short Stirling, Vickers Wellington
FighterBristol Beaufighter, de Havilland Mosquito

The group was a pioneer in countering the formidable force of radar-equipped Luftwaffe night fighters, using a range of electronic 'homers' fitted to de Havilland Mosquito fighters which detected night fighter radar and radio emissions and allowed the RAF fighters to home in onto the Axis aircraft and either shoot them down or disrupt their missions against the bomber streams. Other Mosquitoes would patrol around Luftwaffe fighter airfields ready to attack night fighters as they landed.

This constant harassment had a detrimental effect on the morale and confidence of many Luftwaffe crews and indirectly led to a high proportion of aircraft and aircrew wastage from crashes as night fighters hurried in to land to avoid the Mosquito threat (real or imagined).

From 1944–45, the Mosquitos of 100 Group claimed 258 Luftwaffe aircraft shot down for 70 losses. The gradually increasing threat from the RAF fighters also created what the Luftwaffe crews nicknamed Moskito Panik as the night fighter crews were never sure when or where they may come under attack from the marauding 100 Group fighters.

A Lancaster with Airborne Cigar (ABC) radio jamming equipment - the two vertical aerials on the fuselage

Top Mosquito ace with 100 Group was Wing Commander Branse Burbridge of 85 Squadron, with 21 claims from 1944–45.

The bomber squadrons of 100 Group utilised various specialist electronic jamming devices to disrupt German radio communications and radar. During 100 Group's existence over 32 different devices were evaluated and used. Specially equipped 100 Group aircraft would fly in the bomber stream. Much of this equipment was developed at the Telecommunications Research Establishment (TRE).

Special equipment used included Airborne Cigar (ABC) jammer, Jostle (jammer), Mandrel (jammer), Airborne Grocer (jammer), Piperack (jammer), Perfectos (homer), Serrate (homer), Corona (spoofer), Carpet (jammer) and Lucero (homer), used against German equipment such as Lichtenstein, Freya, and Wurzburg radars.

The combination of the Pathfinders' operations, the activities of No. 100 Group, the British advantage in radar, jamming and Window techniques, combined with intelligent attacking tactics, as well as the discipline and bravery of the RAF crews, have been remarkable. We had our (sic) severe problems in trying to defend Germany in the air

— General der Jagdflieger, Adolf Galland., Lancaster - the Biography[3]

Order of battle
An electronic warfare Fortress III of 214 Squadron with nose-mounted H2S radome

No. 100 Group was headquartered at Bylaugh Hall, Norfolk from January 1944, a central location from which to administer the group's airfields in north Norfolk. No 100 Group operated from eight airfields with approximately 260 aircraft, 140 of which were various marks of Mosquito night fighter intruders with the remainder consisting of Handley Page Halifaxes, Short Stirlings, Vickers Wellingtons, Fortresses and Liberators carrying electronic jamming equipment. The group also operated the Bristol Beaufighter for a short time.

The group disbanded on 17 December 1945. During its existence it had one commander, Air Vice-Marshal Edward Addison.

100 (Special Duties) Group order of battle[4]
Squadron Aircraft First 100 Group operation Base
192 Mosquito II, B.IV, B.XVI, Wellington B.III, Halifax IVDecember 1943RAF Foulsham
141 Beaufighter VI, Mosquito II, VI, XXXDecember 1943RAF West Raynham
239 Mosquito II, VI, XXX20 January 1944RAF West Raynham
515 Mosquito II, VI 3 March 1944 RAF Little Snoring, RAF Great Massingham
169 Mosquito II, VI, XIX 20 January 1944 RAF Little Snoring
214 Fortress II, III 20/21 April 1944 RAF Sculthorpe, RAF Oulton
199 Stirling B.III, Halifax B.III1 May 1944RAF North Creake
157 Mosquito XIX, XXX May 1944 RAF Swannington
85 Mosquito XII, XVII 5/6 June 1944 RAF Swannington
23 Mosquito VI 5/6 July 1944 RAF Little Snoring
223 Liberator VI, Fortress II, III September 1944 RAF Oulton
171 Stirling II, Halifax III15 September 1944RAF North Creake
462 (RAAF) Halifax III13 March 1945RAF Foulsham

Other units and stations:

See also

References

Citations
  1. Pine, L.G. (1983). A dictionary of mottoes (1 ed.). London: Routledge & Kegan Paul. p. 37. ISBN 0-7100-9339-X.
  2. Delve, Ken (2005). Bomber Command 1939-1945 : a reference to the men - aircraft & operational history. Barnsley: Pen & Sword Aviation. p. 174. ISBN 1-84415-183-2.
  3. Iveson & Milton 2009, p. 122.
  4. Moyes 1976, p. 307.

Sources
  • Bond, Steve & Forder, Richard Special Ops Liberators 2239Bomber Support0 Squadron, 100 Group and the Electronic War. Grub Street 2011 ISBN 978-1-908-11714-4.
  • Bowman, Martin W. 100 Group (Bomber Support): RAF Bomber Command in World War II. Barnsley, South Yorkshire, UK: Pen & Sword/Leo Cooper, 2006. ISBN 1-84415-418-1.
  • Bowman, Martin W. and Tom Cushing. Confounding the Reich. Barnsley, South Yorkshire, UK: Pen & Sword/Leo Cooper, 2004. ISBN 1-84415-124-7.
  • Iveson, Tony, DFC; Milton, Brian (2009). Lancaster - the Biography. London: Andre Deutsch. ISBN 978-0-233-00270-5.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  • Moyes, Philip J. R. (1976) [1964]. Bomber Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft (rev. ed.). London: Macdonald and Jane's. ISBN 0-354-01027-1.
  • Peden, Murray. A Thousand Shall Fall: the True Story of a Canadian Bomber Pilot in World War Two. Toronto, Ontario, Canada: Stoddart Publishing Co. Ltd., 1988 (reprinted in 2000). ISBN 0-7737-5967-0.
  • Streetly, Martin. Confound & Destroy. London: Macdonald and Jane's (Publishing) Company Ltd., 1978. ISBN 0-354-01180-4.
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