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RAF Thorpe Abbotts is a former Royal Air Force station located 4 miles east of Diss, Norfolk. The station was built for the RAF use but handed over to the United States Army Air Forces in 1943 and upgraded for heavy bomber squadrons.
RAF Thorpe Abbotts was built during 1942 and early 1943 for the Royal Air Force (RAF) as a satellite airfield for RAF Horham but the rapid buildup of the Eighth Air Force resulted in both airfields being handed over to the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF). The thirty-six hardstandings originally planned were increased to fifty. Two T-2 hangars were erected, one on the east side of the flying field and one on the south side adjacent to the technical site. This and several of the domestic sites were in woodland stretching south and bordering the A143 Diss to Harleston road.
Thorpe Abbotts was given USAAF designation Station 139, (TA).
The 100th Bombardment Group (Heavy) arrived at RAF Thorpe Abbotts on 9th June 1943, from Kearney AAF Nebraska. The 100th was assigned to the 13th Combat Bombardment Wing, and the group tail code was a ''Square-D''. Its operational squadrons were:
▪︎349th Bombardment Squadron (XR)
▪︎350th Bombardment Squadron (LN)
▪︎351st Bombardment Squadron (EP)
▪︎418th Bombardment Squadron (LD)
The group flew the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress as part of the Eighth Air Force's strategic bombing campaign. In combat, the 100th operated chiefly as a strategic bombardment organization until the war ended. The group gained the nickname ''The Bloody Hundredth'' due to its heavy losses during eight missions to Germany when the group experienced several instances where it lost a dozen or more aircraft on a single mission, whereas most units suffered losses in consistent small amounts.
From June 1943 to January 1944, as part of the Combined Bomber Offensive the 100th Bomb Group concentrated its efforts against airfields in France and naval facilities and industries in France and Germany. The 100th BG received a Distinguished Unit Citation for seriously disrupting German fighter plane production with an attack on an aircraft factory at Regensburg as part of the Schweinfurt–Regensburg mission on 17th August 1943.
On 10th October 1943, the bomb raid that the 100th BG made on Münster, ended up with the only surviving 100th BG B-17 that went out on the raid, the ''Royal Flush'' (s/n 42-6087) commanded that day by Robert Rosenthal and flown by his regular crew, returning safely on just two working engines and both waist gunners seriously wounded, to RAF Thorpe Abbotts.
''Masters of the Air'' is a 2024 American war drama miniseries created by John Shiban and John Orloff for Apple TV+. It is based on the 2007 book of the same name by Donald L. Miller and follows the actions of the 100th Bomb Group, a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bomber unit in the Eighth Air Force in eastern England during World War II. Masters of the Air recounts the story of the 100th Bomb Group during World War II and follows bomber crews on dangerous missions to destroy targets inside German-occupied Europe, especially the doomed october 10th 1943 mission to Münster Germany, when only one B-17 flown by Robert Rosenthal came back.
The Bloody 100th bombed airfields, industries, marshalling yards, and missile sites in western Europe, January – May 1944. Operations in this period included participation in the Allied campaign against enemy aircraft factories during ''Big Week'' 20th – 25th February 1944. The group completed a series of attacks against Berlin in March 1944 and received a second Distinguished Unit Citation for the missions.
Beginning in the summer of 1944, oil installations became major targets. In addition to strategic operations, the group engaged in support and interdictory missions, hitting bridges and gun positions in the transportation plan preparations for the invasion of Normandy in June 1944. The unit bombed enemy positions at Saint-Lô in July and at Brest in August and September. Other missions were striking transportation and ground defences in the drive against the Siegfried Line, October – December 1944; attacking marshalling yards, defended villages, and communications in the Ardennes sector during the ''Battle of the Bulge'', December 1944 – January 1945; and covering the airborne assault across the Rhine in March 1945.
The 100th Bomb Group received the French Croix de Guerre with Palm for attacking heavily defended installations in Germany and for dropping supplies to French Forces of the Interior, June – December 1944. The 100th BG flew its last combat mission of World War II on 10th April 1945 which was number 306. In December 1945, the group returned to Camp Kilmer, New Jersey. Group personnel were demobilized and the aircraft sent to storage. The unit was inactivated on 21st December 1945 and redesignated as the 100th Bombardment Group (Very Heavy).
After the war, the airfield was transferred to the RAF on 27th June 1946. After many years of inactivity, RAF Thorpe Abbotts was closed in 1956. With the end of military control, the airfield was largely returned to agricultural use with most of the perimeter track, runways and hardstands removed. A small airstrip was built on a part of the former perimeter track which is used for light aircraft. The control tower was restored in 1977 and was turned into the 100th Bomb Group Memorial Museum. Several World War II era buildings remain in various states of decay.
Information sourced from – RAF Thorpe Abbotts - Wikipedia share.google/cnLUbGXlEH5WRKeVi
RAF Watton opened in 1937 it was used by both the RAF and USAAF during World War II. During the war it was used primarily as a bomber airfield, being the home of RAF Bomber Command squadrons until being used by the United States Army Air Forces Eighth Air Force as a major overhaul depot for Consolidated B-24 Liberator bombers and as a weather reconnaissance base. After the war, it was returned to RAF use until being turned over to the British Army in the early 1990's. It was closed then put up for sale. RAF Watton was a permanent RAF station built by John Laing & Son in 1937, and first used as a light bomber airfield housing for varying periods by RAF Bomber Command. The following squadrons and units were based at RAF Watton at some point during this time:
▪︎No. 18 Squadron RAF between 21st May 1940 and 26th May 1940. The squadron operated the Bristol Blenheim IV before moving to RAF Gatwick.
▪︎No. 21 Squadron RAF from 2nd March 1939 with the Blenheim I before upgrading to the Blenheim IV in September 1939. The squadron had detachments at RAF Bassingbourn, RAF Horsham St Faith and RAF Bodney before all of the squadron moved to RAF Lossiemouth on 24th June 1940 however this was not for long as on 30th October 1940 the squadron moved back to RAF Watton and had detachments at RAF Bodney, RAF Manston, RAF Lossiemouth and RAF Luqa. The squadron moved to Luqa on 25th December 1941.
▪︎No. 34 Squadron RAF was based at RAF Watton between 2nd March 1939 and 12th August 1939 with the Blenheim I before leaving for the Far east.
▪︎No. 82 Squadron RAF between 22nd August 1939 and 21st March 1942. The squadron operated the Blenheim I alongside the Mk IV until September 1939 when the Mk I was discontinued and the Mk IV started as the main type, 82 Squadron had detachments at RAF Odiham, RAF Lossiemouth, RAF Tangmere and RAF Luqa. The squadron then moved to the Far east.
▪︎No. 90 Squadron RAF reformed here on 3rd May 1941 with the Boeing Fortress I with an detachment at RAF Great Massingham before moving to RAF West Raynham on 15th May 1941.
▪︎No. 105 Squadron RAF between 10th July 1940 and 31st October 1940 operating the Blenheim IV before moving to RAF Swanton Morley.
▪︎No. 17 (Pilots) Advanced Flying Unit RAF until July 1943.
In 1943 RAF Watton was turned over to the United States Army Air Forces Eighth Air Force for use as an air depot. The airfield was originally grass surfaced but, during the American tenure, the airfield had a 2,000 yd long concrete runway constructed. A concrete perimeter track was built and a total of fifty-three hardstandings, of which forty-one were spectacle and twelve of the frying-pan type.
The four original C-type hangars, arranged in the usual crescent on the northern side of the airfield, were backed by the permanent buildings of the pre-war RAF camp. Additional hangars were added and three blister hangars at dispersals. The construction of the airfield necessitated the closure of two public roads. RAF Watton was given USAAF designation Station 376.
Under the American tenancy, RAF Watton was expanded to become the 3rd Strategic Air Depot, which was the major overhaul and repair of the Consolidated B-24 Liberator's of the 2nd Air Division. The air depot complex was adjacent to RAF Watton airfield and built in the village of Griston to the south, bordering the B1077 road. However, the depot was known officially as Neaton, given USAAF designation Station 505, a village located to the north of Watton town. The 3rd Strategic Air Depot remained operational until the American departure in July 1945.
RAF Watton was also the home of the 25th Bombardment Group (Reconnaissance) which was formed at RAF Watton as the 802nd Reconnaissance Group in February 1944. The unit was renamed the 25th on 9th August 1944. Its operational units were:
▪︎652d Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) B-17F/G, B-24J.
▪︎653d Bombardment Squadron (Light) de Havilland Mosquito Mk XVI.(WX)
▪︎654th Bombardment Squadron (Special) de Havilland Mosquito Mk XVI (BA), North American B-25 Mitchell, Martin B-26G Marauder, Douglas A-26 Invader.
The 652d Bomb Squadron originated as a provisional weather reconnaissance unit that was formed at RAF St Eval in Cornwall with Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresse's on 8th September 1943 for conducting meteorological fights over the Atlantic Ocean. In November 1943 the unit moved to RAF Bovingdon after flying 231 weather sorties. At RAF Bovington, the squadron was reorganized as the 8th Weather Reconnaissance Squadron on 28th March 1944, then transferred to RAF Watton on 12th April 1944.
The 653d and 654th Bomb Squadron's were established at RAF Watton on 12th April for special weather reconnaissance missions over enemy-occupied territory in advance of bomber formations and visual coverage of target strikes. Pilots for the Mosquito's came from former Lockheed P-38 Lightning of the 50th Fighter Squadron transferred from the 342d Composite Group based in Iceland.
From RAF Watton the 25th continued weather flights over the waters adjacent to the British Isles and occasionally to the Azores to obtain meteorological data along with night photographic missions to detect enemy activity; and daylight photographic and mapping missions over the Continent. Also, the group occasionally engaged in electronic-countermeasure missions in which chaff was spread to confuse enemy defences during Allied attacks. The 25th Bomb Group moved to Drew AAF, Florida during July–August 1945 and was inactivated on 8th September 1945. The group flew a total of 3,370 sorties for the loss of 15 aircraft.
After the war, RAF Watton reverted to RAF control on 27th September 1945. It was used by various flying units of RAF Signals Command, No. 199 Squadron RAF, for example being based at RAF Watton in the early 1950's with Mosquito NF36's operating with the Central Signals Establishment, and in 1953 116 Squadron operated with Avro Lincolns, a Hasting and a number of Mk. II Avro Anson's. The last three Lincoln's serving with No. 151 Squadron on signals duties were withdrawn in March 1963. The following squadrons and units were based at Watton at some point during this time:
▪︎No. 51 Squadron RAF reformed at RAF Watton on 21st August 1958 with the English Electric Canberra Mk. B.2 and B.6 and the de Havilland Comet C.2(R). The squadron also started the Handley Page Hastings C.1 from February 1963 however shortly after this on 31st March 1963 the squadron moved to RAF Wyton.
▪︎No. 97 Squadron RAF reformed here on 25th May 1963 with the Vickers Varsity T.1, Canberra Mk. B.2 and the Hastings C.2. On 2nd January 1967 the squadron was disbanded here.
▪︎No. 98 Squadron RAF between 1st October 1963 and 17th April 1969 with the Canberra B.2 before moving to RAF Cottesmore.
▪︎No. 115 Squadron RAF between 1st October 1963 and 9th April 1969 when the squadron moved to RAF Cottesmore. The squadron operated the Varsity T.1, Vickers Valetta C.1, Hastings C.2 and Armstrong Whitworth AW.660 Argosy E.1.
▪︎No. 116 Squadron RAF between 1st August 1952 and 21st August 1958. The squadron reformed here when 'N' Calibration Squadron was redesignated with the Avro Anson C.19, Avro Lincoln B.2, Hastings C.1 and the Varsity T.1. 116 Squadron was renumbered to 115 Squadron on 21st August 1958.
▪︎No. 151 Squadron RAF reformed here on 1st January 1962 being designated from the Signals Development Squadron. 151 Squadron operated the Lincoln B.2, Hastings C.1 & C.2, Varsity T.1 and the Canberra B.2 before being disbanded on 25th May 1963 still at RAF Watton.
▪︎No. 192 Squadron RAF reformed at Watton on 15th July 1951. The squadron operated the Mosquito PR 34, Lincoln B.2, Boeing Washington B.1, Canberra B.2 & B.6, Varsity T.1 and the Comet C.2(R). 192 Squadron were disbanded on 21st August 1958 still at RAF Watton.
▪︎No. 199 Squadron RAF reformed here on 15th July 1951 operating the Lincoln B.2 and the Mosquito NF 36 before moving to RAF Hemswell on 17th April 1952.
▪︎No. 245 Squadron RAF reformed at RAF Watton on 21st August 1958 with the Canberra B.2 before moving to RAF Tangmere on 25th August 1958.
▪︎No. 263 Squadron RAF operated Bristol Bloodhound Mk. I anti-aircraft missiles from 1st June 1959 to 30th June 1963.
▪︎No. 360 Squadron RAF formed here on 23rd September 1966 with the Canberra B.2, B.6 and T.17 before moving to RAF Cottesmore on 21st April 1969.
▪︎No. 527 Squadron RAF reformed here on 1st August 1952 as a redesignation of 'R' Calibration Squadron. The squadron operated the Mosquito B.35, Anson C.19, Lincoln B.2, Gloster Meteor NF 11 & NF 14, Varsity T.1, Canberra B.2 & PR 7 and the Meteor NF 11 before being disbanded here on 21st August 1958.
▪︎No. 24 (Air Defence Missile) Wing RAF.
▪︎No. 2724 Squadron RAF Regiment.
▪︎No. 4038 Anti-Aircraft Flight RAF Regiment.
▪︎No. 4179 Anti-Aircraft Flight RAF Regiment.
▪︎No. 4183 Anti-Aircraft Flight RAF Regiment.
▪︎No. 4219 Anti-Aircraft Flight RAF Regiment.
▪︎No. 4220 Anti-Aircraft Flight RAF Regiment.
▪︎Air Defence Missile Operations Training School (January 1960 – January 1961) became the Surface-to-Air Missile Operational Training School (June 1961 – January 1964)
▪︎Electronic Warfare Engineering and Training Unit (January 1971)
▪︎Electronic Warfare Support Wing (July 1965 – April 1969) became Electronic Warfare Support Unit (April 1969 – January 1971)
▪︎Ground Controlled Approach Operators School (September 1946 – March 1952)
▪︎Radio Warfare Establishment (April 1945 – September 1946) became CSE
▪︎RAF Watton Flying Club.
▪︎Signals Command Air Radio Laboratories (July 1965 – January 1969) became Signals Air Radio Laboratories (January 1969 – January 1971)
By the 1970's, the aircraft at RAF Watton had been replaced by technology and, at the beginning of 1973, the Matelo system of HF communication was supplied to Strike Command by Marconi Communications Systems. In 1969, 1970, 1989 and 1990 RAF Watton was the location of the annual Royal Observer Corps summer training camps when up to 400 observers per week attended specialist training. For the latter two years RAF Watton had already closed for active RAF use and was on a care and maintenance basis, temporary support catering and security staff being drafted in from nearby stations to support the ROC presence.
With the installation of secondary surveillance radar (SSR) at RAF Watton, the station became one of the five units in the joint military/civil National Air Traffic Services Organisation with Eastern Radar until the 1980's. Then in the 1990's, the airfield came into use by the Army in connection with the nearby Stanford Training Area (STANTA). In December 1990 Hockley Estate Agents on behalf of Defence Estates put up for sale the entire 157 post war NCO Married Quarter site located on the south side of the Norwich Road. The successful tenderer was Roger Byron-Collins' Welbeck Estate Group who, since 1980, has acquired 36 former MoD sites from HM Government including near to Watton the MoD sites at RAF West Raynham and RAF Sculthorpe. This entire married quarter estate were subsequently developed by Wallsend Properties.
The site was home to 611 VGS (Volunteer Gliding Squadron) flying Viking Gliders for the Air Cadet Organisation. 611 VGS ceased operations in April 2012, following the sale of most of the airfield to private landowners. A large part of the site has been developed into the Blenheim Grange housing estate, which is actually officially part of Carbrooke.
Information sourced from – en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Watton
Screw Pickets were used as supports for Barbed Wire Defences and were introduced in 1915 as a replacement for timber posts. The French name for this type of steel stake was ''Queue de Cochon'' or ''pigtail'', the World War One steel stake became known in the British Army as a ''Corkscrew Picket'' which was made from a steel bar which had its bottom end bent into a spiral coil, it had three (or sometimes four) loops or eyes, one at the top, one at midway and one just above the corkscrew spiral, the final product could be up to 8ft long.
The screw pickets replaced the timber posts (although screw pickets were less rigid than timber posts) but they could be installed rapidly and silently. The screw picket was screwed into the ground by turning it in a clockwise direction using an entrenching tool's handle or a stick inserted in the bottom eye of the picket for leverage, the bottom eye was used in order to avoid bending the vertical bar of the the corkscrew picket.
A brief history of RAF Watton 1939 to 1945 – The station was opened on the 4th January 1939 under the command of Group Captain F.J. Vincent as a station of 2 Group, Bomber Command. It was built as part of the RAF expansion programme of 1935 / 1936 on farmland that was well known locally as good mushroom land and under the right conditions mushrooms are still to be seen in quantity in the area.
The first two Squadrons to be based here were No. 21 and No. 34 flying mainly training flights until in August of 1939 No. 34 Squadron was posted to Egypt and replaced by No. 82 Squadron, who with 21 Squadron formed No. 79 Wing. These two Squadrons remained until mid 1942. 79 Wing operated from both RAF Watton and RAF Bodney flying from grass flying fields. The role of the Wing changed from Photo-Reconnaissance to Maritime-Reconnaissance during the “Cold War” but with the German invasion of Norway the missions became more aggressive and the Wing concentrated on targets in France and Belgium in support of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) until Dunkirk and then focused their attention on the invasion ports and targets in Germany.
Twice during the summer of 1940 No. 82 Squadron lost eleven out of twelve Blenheim's dispatched on raids in daylight and it was not until the middle of 1941 that the fighter escorts were available for operations. In 1942 No. 21 Squadron exchanged their Blenheim's for Mitchels although they did not fly any operations with these aircraft and in October of that year, the Squadron moved to RAF Methwold. At the same time No. 82 Squadron transferred to the Middle East and RAF Watton was occupied by No. 17 Advanced Flying Unit. They were equipped with Miles Masters and performed advanced flying training. In July 1943 No. 17 A.F.U. left and the Americans moved in.
Soon after their arrival the Americans expanded the airfield and built the single runway at RAF Watton and in July 1944 the 25th Bomb Group commenced operations, these were mainly to do with weather and photo reconnaissance, but also some O.S.S. (Secret Service) missions supporting the resistance organisations in Europe. Sharing the runway were also the 3rd Strategic Air Depot, operating on the South side of the Airfield at a site they called Neaton, their purpose was to provide engineering support for the 8th Air Force and many crippled aircraft landed at RAF Watton to be repaired by them. The Americans remained until August 1945 when the camp was returned to the Royal Air Force.
Information sourced from – A brief history of RAF Watton 1939 to 1945 - RAFWatton.uk share.google/MIFLLYopeZnVh6slo
▪︎Main Stores Building 12, (Airfield Site) Air Ministry Drawing Number 12773/41▪︎
Originally known as RAF Bury St Edmunds Airfield, Rougham Airfield is situated 3 miles east of the Suffolk market town of Bury St Edmunds. The airfield was built between 1941 and 1942, and had three intersecting concrete runways. The main runway was approximately 2,000 yards long, and ran in an east to west direction. It was designed for a United States Army Airforce unit (U.S.A.A.F) Bomb Group. Fifty concrete hardstands were constructed just off the encircling perimeter track. Two T2 type Hangars were erected, one on each side of the airfield, accommodation was provided for some 3,000 personnel in Nissen Huts and other temporary type buildings.
The airfield was opened in September 1942 and was used by the U.S.A.A.F Eighth Air Force, and given the designation Station 468 (BU). The first U.S.A.A.F group to use Bury St. Edmunds airfield was the 47th Bombardment Group (Light) arriving from Greensboro A.A.F North Carolina in mid-September 1942. The 47th was equipped with the Douglas A-20 Havoc bomber, but the group quickly moved to RAF Horham, as Bury St. Edmunds was still under construction. On 2nd November the 47th was ordered to North Africa, departing for Medina Air Field 15 miles south of Casablanca in Morocco. The 322nd Bombardment Group (Medium) arrived in December 1942 from Drane Army Airfield, Florida, a satellite installation of nearby MacDill Field, where the 322nd originally began their pre-deployment training. The group was assigned to the 3rd Bomb Wing and flew Martin B - Z6B/C Marauders.
Ongoing construction at RAF Bury St. Edmunds forced two of the group's squadrons to locate to RAF Rattlesden. The group's aircraft did not arrive until late in March 1943. Once operational, the 322nd flew two low-level bombing operations from RAF Bury St. Edmunds. The first, on the 14th of May when it dispatched 12 planes for a minimum-level attack on an electrical generating plant near Ijtnuiden. This was the first operational combat mission flown by B-26's. The second was a disastrous mission to the Netherlands on Monday, 17th May, when the group sent 11 aircraft on a similar operation from which none of the aircraft penetrating the enemy coast, returned. Sixty crewmen were lost to flak and interceptors. Group morale was not improved when, on the 29th of May, a B-26 crashed onto the airfield killing the crew and damaging a hangar. After these missions, the group was re-equipped and trained for medium-altitude operations for several weeks before returning to combat operations.
On the 13th of June, the 322nd moved to RAF Andrews Field in Essex. The 94th Bombarment Group (Heavy) arrived from RAF Earls Colne on the 15th of June 1943. The 94th was assigned to the 4th Combat Bombardment Wing, and the group tail code was a 'Square-A'. The group flew the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress as part of the Eighth Air Force's strategic bombing campaign and served chiefly as a strategic bombardment organization throughout the war.
The 94th flew its first mission on the 13th of June 1943, bombing an airfield at Saint Omer. After that, the group attacked such strategic objectives as the port of St Nazaire, shipyards at Kiel, an aircraft component parts factory at Kassel, a synthetic rubber plant at Hanover, a chemical factory at Ludwigshafen, marshalling yards at Frankfurt, oil facilities at Mersburg, and ball-bearing works at Eberhausen. The 94th took part in the campaign of heavy bombers against the enemy aircraft industry during ''Big Week'' between the 20th and the 25th of February, 1944. Prior to ''D-Day'' on June 1944, they helped to neutralize V-Weapon sites, airfields, and other military installations along the cob Industrial Estate.
The T2 hangars are still in use, for storage, the Control Tower was used for many years as a private dwelling, and has now been restored and is used as a museum. The airfield, once again known as Rougham Airfield, now has two grass runways available for civil use. Gliding and model aircraft flying are frequent and several open-air events are organised each year.
Information sourced from – military-history.fandom.com/wiki/RAF_Bury_St_Edmunds
– A.M.W.D Works Services Building (Building 147) –
– A.M.W.D Mechanical Plant Store (Building 148) A/M Drg No: WA7/287/41 –
RAF Ludham airfield opened late on in 1941 as a satellite to RAF Coltishall. This fighter airfield was home mostly to Supermarine Spitfire units throughout its life, the first of which was from No. 19 Squadron, arriving from RAF Matlaske for a mixture of offensive and defensive duties. In the spring of 1942 No. 19 Squadron’s Spitfire's essentially swapped airfields with No. 610 Squadron as more Spitfire's moved in from RAF Hutton Cranswick. Unusually for a Spitfire squadron, the squadron was employed to counter increased German nocturnal activity by German bombers.
No. 610 switched with No. 167 Squadron at RAF Castletown, bringing many Dutch pilots with more Spitfires to RAF Ludham. Hawker Typhoons were also a rare different type to operate from the airfield, arriving in May 1943 for a short period to fly more offensive and defensive missions. The site did suffer from a number of German fighter-bomber attacks during this time.
Major redevelopment took place in 1944 with the intention of RAF Ludham becoming a U.S.A.A.F fighter station (Station 177), three hard runways and fifty new dispersals being built. However, the Americans never arrived and instead the Fleet Air Arm moved in, RAF Ludham becoming HMS Flycatcher from the summer of 1944.
The following units were here at some point –
▪︎No. 1 Squadron RAF
▪︎No. 19 Squadron RAF
▪︎No. 91 Squadron RAF
▪︎No. 167 Squadron RAF
▪︎No. 195 Squadron RAF
▪︎No. 602 Squadron RAF
▪︎No. 603 Squadron RAF
▪︎No. 610 Squadron RAF
▪︎No. 611 Squadron RAF
▪︎No. 1489 (Fighter) Gunnery Flight RAF
▪︎No. 2819 Squadron RAF Regiment
▪︎No. 2893 Squadron RAF Regiment.
It was home to the headquarters of the Mobile Naval Airfield Organisation from 4th September and a number of their Mobile Naval Air Bases (MONAB's). MONAB's were a series of mobile self-contained units able to repair and prepare aircraft, engines and components for ships of the Fleet. Each MONAB was initially commissioned at Ludham before the headquarters moved to AAC Middle Wallop on 16th February 1945.
Two squadrons with more Spitfire's arrived a few days later to carry out the same duties as in earlier times, attacking air and ground targets. After leaving in April these units were replaced by No. 91 Squadron and a month later No. 1 Squadron, also with Spitfire's. Both units departed in July and the airfield was put under Care and Maintenance. Having transferred to No. 60 Group the airfield was used for housing personnel from nearby RAF sites, before activity essentially ceased by the end of 1945.
The airfield finally closed in the first half of 1946. By the early 1960's the Air Ministry had sold the land and farmers eventually reacquired the airfield. Although most of the runways were broken up a small stretch was kept and used from later the same decade as a private airstrip for light aircraft and cropsprayers. Unusually, one of the wartime Blister hangars was later re-erected at the end of the surviving runway, obstructing take offs and landings. The two control towers both survive and were restored in the early 2000's. Part of the perimeter track also remains, although most of the other buildings have been demolished.
Information sourced from –
Not sure why this bridge is still here. It looks like an old road bridge but it's some distance from the current road which goes from Kolossi to Akrotiri.
I need some old RAF servicemen here to help out... anyone who was posted there in the past, please?
Not sure why this bridge is still here. It looks like an old road bridge but it's some distance from the current road which goes from Kolossi to Akrotiri.
I need some old RAF servicemen here to help out... anyone who was posted there in the past, please?
In October 1945 the Station became the Radio Warfare Establishment, as such RAF Watton was the post-war centre to continue the research and development of radio (electronic) warfare for the RAF. As the Station’s new title implied, most of its activities were of a very highly classified nature. Within the bounds of the Station were a number of secret units. One of these was the Research Laboratory where civilian and service scientists worked on upgrading old and developing new electronic warfare equipment and techniques. Another unit had the task of monitoring or listening to both domestic and foreign signals traffic, in other words signals intelligence (sigint) gathering.
By September 1946, RAF Watton had been designated Central Signals Establishment (CSE) by the Air Ministry and absorbed the RWE. The CSE would operate at RAF Watton under the control of 90 (Signals) Group, which had its HQ at RAF Medmenham in Buckinghamshire and would be responsible for signals task within the RAF. As well as its primary work in electronic warfare research, RAF Watton was to take over the work of other RAF signals units and be given responsibility for a range of signals tasks. Among them were to be the calibration of air defence radar, the new Ground Controlled Approach (GCA) Landing system, and the installation, maintenance and calibration of RAF radio navigational aids and airfield landing aids.
The Inspectorate of Radio Installations and Services, ‘IRIS’ was formed at RAF Medmenham and its aircraft was based at RAF Watton. The Naval Air Radio Warfare Unit moved to CSE RAF Watton in March 1947 to work with the CSE but due to shortage of manpower, the Admiralty disbanded the unit later in the same year. This unit was again reformed at RAF Watton in 1951 as No. 751 Naval Air Squadron. For various reasons, but principally because of congestion, RAF Watton took on RAF Shepherds Grove as a satellite airfield and between 1945 and 1949 most of Flying Wing’s activities were conducted from there. By the end of 1949 all flying tasks were centred on RAF Watton and aircraft of the CSE no longer used the satellite airfield.
Part of the CSE’s remit was to provide Radio Countermeasures (RCM) aircraft for training exercises with RAF Commands as well as Western Union air, naval and ground forces. These exercises took on new meaning during the blockade of Berlin by Soviet and East German forces and by the invasion of South Korea by Communist North Korea. The CSE had several flying units, each being tasked with a particular facet of the work being carried out at RAF Watton. One of these units was concerned with airborne testing of the secret equipment being produced by the research facility. Other units carried out airborne calibration of radar installations and navigation and landing aids. One of the CSE’s Squadrons, 192 Squadron, was reformed at RAF Watton in 1951 for the task of airborne monitoring of potentially hostile radar and communications frequencies. This Squadron, later to be renumbered as 51 Squadron spent a great percentage of its flying time carrying out electronic reconnaissance around the borders of the Soviet Bloc.
During Watton’s post-war history, it’s older aircraft were gradually replaced by newer types, foremost among which were the Avro Lancaster, later to be replaced by the Avro Lincoln and the Vickers Varsity. There were others such as the Boeing B29 Washington (192 Squadron), the English Electric Canberra and a number of other types, the largest of which were the de Havilland Comet and the Armstrong Whitworth Argosy. In the post-war years the Station has had a number of visiting units, the least known of which was an American (US) unit operating Lockheed U2 high altitude reconnaissance aircraft. These aircraft flew from RAF Watton for a period during the latter part of 1958. RAF Watton also had lodger units attached to it. Among the lodger units were No. 24 (Surface to Air Guided Weapons) Wing, and its subordinate operating unit, 263 (SAGW) Squadron with their Bristol Ferranti Mk. 1 Bloodhound surface to air missiles, 1959-1963, – Eastern Radar Air Traffic Control Reporting Unit, 1965-1988 and later Border Radar Air Traffic Control Reporting Unit 1989-1992.
It was determined that the Station would cease to be an operational airfield by 1968. All flying units moved away to other Stations. By February 1971 Eastern Radar was the only operational unit at RAF Watton. Eastern Radar left RAF Watton in 1988 and Border Radar moved in to the radar site. When Border Radar left three years later the Station closed. The decision to dispose of RAF Watton was a long time in coming mainly because of political ineptitude. All maintenance of the buildings ceased in 1994 and the site was let to go. It wasn’t until 1998 that the Station was sold, by which time it was in a very run-down state. In May 2000 work began on the demolition of most of the buildings on the Station.
Toady, Most of RAF Watton is now gone. The technical area to the south of the Norwich Road has gone and is now been developed as Blenheim Grange. The airfield has been returned to agricultural use and the runway all but gone. The line of the old Watton to Griston road cut in 1943 has been restored as a Sustrans Cycleway. The 4 H Blocks and the Airman’s Mess to the North of Norwich Road still stand and are commercially used buildings now.
Information sourced from – RAF Watton history post 1945 in brief - RAFWatton.uk share.google/aNHrI5hye2u58C4nG