The honour of being presented with the Battle Standard of this historic Squadron is accepted with full grace. Having servered 36 years in the RAF at many different Units, it is very fitting to be presented with this Standard, being based 12 of those years, at different times, at Wyton.

139 Squadron was re-equipped at Wyton with Blenheim Aircrafts in July 1937 and then in September 1939, where it carried out the first RAF operation of World War Two, a reconnaissance of the German fleet in Wilhelmshaven.

Donald Campbell

Royal Air Force No 139 (Jamaica) Squadron Battle Standard

Donald Campbell

Royal Air Force No 139 (Jamaica) Squadron Battle Standard

Motto: Si placet necamus (We destroy at will)

During the early years of the war, a Jamaican newspaper, The Daily Gleaner, started a fund to buy bombers for Britain. The money Jamaica subscribed was the foundation of the “Bombers for Britain” Fund, to which many other Colonies and Dominions subsequently contributed. Jamaica herself contributed enough money to buy twelve Blenheims by 1941 and in recognition of this service it was decided, in the words of Lord Beaverbrook, the wartime Minister of Aircraft Production, “that Jamaica’s name shall evermore be linked with a squadron of the Royal Air Force”.

I was Jamaican born. I completed school in Birmingham England. I enlisted in the RAF age 18, September 1969 as a Survival Equipment Technition (Life Support, Assisted Escape & Survival). I served at Wyton on four different tours with various Squadrons and different types of aircrafts:

1971-1972 Victor Aircraft 543 Squadron

(with streamed Brake Parachute)

1979-1981 Canberra Aircraft 39 PR

Nimrod Aircraft 51 Squadron

1985-1992 Canberra detachment in Norway

Hawk Aircraft 100 Squadron

My fourth and final tour at Wyton, 2004-2005, was as a Desk Officer for Assisted Escape Equipment on fast jets Royal Air Force wide.

It is for these reasons that I am extremely proud to be associated with Wyton, its history and indeed to be presented with the 139 (Jamaica) Squadron Battle Standard.

I promise to protect and care for the Standard of the Jamaica ‘139’ squadron, and continue to follow in the footsteps of our ancestors, to honour the memory of those who fought and died as well as those currently serving, as they strive to make this a better world for us all.

Donald Campbell
Warrant Officer
Ex Royal Air Force