May 10, 2005 raf commands the place for raf researchers. Having miraculously survived their first tour of duty, during which dad and charlie sergeant were awarded the dfm, most of the crew volunteered to go directly on to a second tour, this time in the elite pathfinder force. Welcome to forces reunited the place where you can find information and friends from raf oakington we are the largest and fastest growing community of uk forces veterans on the web with over 500,000 members. From 1950 it was part of training command before being transferred to the army in 1975 and then used as an immigration reception centre between 1999 and 2010. Raf oakington in the second world war 19391945 the. Raf mildenhall was established in 1934, however people living in the area had long been accustomed to the sight of aircraft in the skies overhead. After the war, the base became home to a variety of training and transport facilities before becoming an army barracks for the royal anglia regiment. Former fighter pilot michael napiers the royal air force, a centenary of operations shows how aircraft became a formidable part of uk defences. Detailing his flying training, operations flown and instructor duties. This is a book that must be read by anybody seriously interested in our aviation history he really does spill the beans and then some. Most of them date from the second world war but there are some from the 1920s and 1930s and a few from the first world war. This article is within the scope of the military history wikiproject. The wartime memories project will give them a good home and ensure that they are used for educational purposes.
Churchill at oakington, 1942 raf pathfinders archive. To use this banner, please see the full instructions. No 7 was the first squadron to received the first of the rafs fourengined heavy bombers, the stirling in 1940, but serious problems meant that operational sorties could not be carried out until february 1941 when the squadron attacked oil storage tanks at rotterdam. This page was last edited on february 2019, at 07. The good news is that technical buildings such as boilerrooms and hangars arent on the irc site. If you have any unwanted photographs, documents or items from the first or second world war, please do not destroy them. No 62 operational training unit 15 jul 1943 6 jun 1945 durham university air sqn 25 mar 31 dec 1944, sep 1946 2 feb 1949, 15 oct 1957 1 aug 1963 no 1508 gee training flt 24 jun 8 aug 1944 no 80 french operational training unit jul 1945 8 mar 1946 no 22 service flying training school 31 may 1946 feb 1948. Courtesy of new zealand bomber command associationcraw the newly installed jet clock in the control tower at oakington, 1957. Operational use started in july 1940 when it was used for 218 squadron 2 group, which had recently returned from france, with the first offensive operation in august 1940. An updated short history of the raf regiment from 1942 to 1982 with a brief account of the approach to the problems of airfield defence in the royal air force from 1918 until the formation of its own defence corps in 1942.
The following comes from the air britain series of books. Ap3036 raf plant equipment used by the raf airfield construction service and for airfield maintenance. Taking off from raf oakington in cambridgeshire at about 10. This article has been rated as startclass on the quality assessment scale. The crew had formed whilst training with 12 otu operational training unit based at chipping norden, england. Word processed history by barry blunt 321pp, privately published of no 571 squadron, no 8 group bomber command april 1944 september 1945 while they were based at raf oakington, cambridgeshire flying mosquito mk xvi bomber aircraft, including monthly details of the squadrons activities, anecdotes about the air crews and ground crew, a list of squadron commanders, descriptions of the minelayi. Oakington immigration reception centre was a uk home office immigration detention centre located in cambridgeshire, england. Raf marham the operational history of britains frontline base from 1916 to the presnt day by delve, ken and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Courtesy of new zealand bomber command associationcraw the newly installed jet clock in the control tower at oakington. The crew had recently returned from a 3 week leave having completed 35 operations. Please get in touch for the postal address, do not sent them to our po box as packages are not accepted. After reforming in september, the squadron moved to france in april 1915 immediately joining the second battle of ypres. Raf marham the operational history by delve ken abebooks.
Ap2782d raf radio vehicles in use from 1956 approx ap2782e book 1 raf mt prime movers in use post 1973 approx ap2782e book 2 raf mt trailers in use post 1973 approx marine craft. Many people new to the subject have become interested because of a family connection they are researching. A brief history of raf mildenhall i am indebted to mr. Members of no 7 squadron at oakington during the second world war. X9752 214sqn crashed 1m sw of oakington, engine cut on ferry flight and crashed in forced landing. Jul 08, 2014 raf oakington, cambridge, cambridgeshire. H dring for allowing me to use material from his fathers mr. Today, waddington is one of the rafs busiest operational airfields and its squadrons and personnel are involved in supporting operations all around the world. The design was derived from the avro lancaster heavy bomber, several sections of the york and lancaster being identical. Texel 626 raf bomber squadron at raf wickenby during world. As joe patient dfc quotes in his most excellent book pilot.
Cambridgeshire aviation heritage trail further reading. Aug 23, 2006 raf oakington closed many years ago in 1999 to be precise. There were one passenger and five crew members on board. What follows is only a representative selection of the available reading on the subject of cambridgeshire and its aviation heritage. Oakington mt 1960 barry lafberry royal land rover 55 aa 89 1960 barry lafberry sick quarters 1960 barry lafberry. Royal air force operations record books 19111963 the. Record details for robert george thorne raf oakington. The vulcans were hastily modified for airtoair refuelling duties for these raids. Raf oakington cambridge, cambridgeshire military base.
Explore this photo album by chris england on flickr. A 52 page document detailing the history of john blairs raf service from 1942 to 1963, and his childhood in jamaica. The avro york was a british transport aircraft developed by avro during the second world war. Raf waddington provided the vulcans for the black buck raids that bombed port stanley. He was stationed at raf penhold, raf hatfield, raf prestwick, raf dishforth, raf.
Raf oakington was an expansion period aerodrome constructed in 1939 and placed under bomber command during world war ii. A year later the domestic areas were turned into a high security immigration reception centre. The stirling taxiing in the background has a 7 squadron identification code of mg. Operational history 1916 to 2019 published by the marham aviation heritage centre with all profits going to support the work of the ahc. In 1943 archies plane, an avro lancaster serial no jb 303, nickname freddie, was on a bombing raid targeting berlin, germany. Raf oakington project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks. Eight cantilevered pillboxes at the former raf oakington. Raf oakington in the second world war 19391945 the wartime. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page, where you can join the project and see a list of open tasks.
New book captures history of royal air force daily mail. Introductory note says it was based on a taped interview with john blair by his nephew in 1997. During the 1950s raf oakington was an advanced flying training school, no. Oakington airfields of britain conservation trust uk. This grainy image from wartime footage shows churchill at oakington in 1942. No sooner had no 7 squadron formed at farnborough on 1 may 1914, when it was disbanded to bring other squadrons up to strength. I had been with the flight only fortysix days but already three out of the other seven crews had perished.
On his third mission on the evening of 20th january 1942, the wellington in which he was the second pilot was shot down. Raf regiment books raf regiment association official. In september 1940 oakington became part of 3 group when it was chosen as the base for the first stirling squadron 7 squadron. Each book includes an accurate record of operations carried out by the unit. Files are available under licenses specified on their description page. The crew with johnny boden, the pilot, in the centre, at 7 squadron, flying for the pathfinders. He was shipped to england and joined 7 squadron pathfinders raf bomber command based at oakington, 4 miles north of cambridge, england. Back to albums list raf oakington 1967 show more 2 photos 49 views.
He reported to 101 squadron at raf oakington near cambridge. Raf oakington, in 1942 written by emden operation dad wrote a book of stirlings and stalags. The orbs, in series air 27, were created to provide a complete record of a unit from the time of its formation. A vital part was played by the royal air force and their other support establishments during the second world war, especially those fighter and bomber bases located throughout norfolk. June 23 1942 saw them posted to 7 sqn, at raf oakington. Pilots flying log book for a e edmunds, covering the period from 18 august 1941 to 4 october 1945. Originally a world war ii airfield, raf oakington, during the war it was used for short stirling bomber forces, as well as other assorted units. On arrival they were al billeted in rooms big enough for three crews. The base contracted after the war, and much evidence of its former presence is visible in farmland surrounding the current. There is also a book containing the war stories behind the tombstones of many of the graves. Royal air force oakington or more simply raf oakington is a royal air force station located north of. The first raf aircraft, xx475, a rebuilt radlett built civil example, flew april 1973, with the type entering service initially with the central flying school at raf little rissington on 12 september 1973 for handling and operational trials, and with 5fts at raf oakington in december 1973, though as defence cuts reduced the need for such.
I am looking for information on the mission which 7 squadron would have participated in on 26 may 1943. Dring book entitled a history of raf mildenhall in this account. Raf airfields in norfolk during the second world war. Raf oakington oakington will always be the spiritual home of 7 squadron yet the squadron was based there only from october 1940 to july 1945 but being unique in bomber command having been based at the same station throughout its world war ii operational career.