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Debden
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1962
(© Harry Holmes)
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RAF
Debden -
Battle of Britain airfield
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Airfield Today:
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Army
Barracks
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Tower Type:
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1937 Pre War Fort type
1959/34 (brick), with later tower extension
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Tower:
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Demolished
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Other
Buildings:
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Not
known
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History:
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04/37 to 1942, A pre-war RAF Fighter Station, was a Sector Station with
Operations Block for No. 11 Group during the Battle of Britain. Many different
RAF Sqns here including 1, 17, 29, 65, 73, 80, 85, 87, 111, 157, 418,
504 and 601. Airfield attacked several times during the Battle of Britain.
1941, 52 OTU here. 05/42 to
09/42, RAF 71, 121 and 133 Eagle Sqns here with Spitfires V's, transferred
to the 8th USAAF. 09/42 to
07/45, 71, 121 and 133 RAF Eagle Squadrons became 334th, 335th, and 336th
Fighter Squadrons of the USAAF 4th Fighter Group 'The Eagles' with Spitfire
V's. 1/43, converted to P-47 Thunderbolts, 2/44, converted to P-51 Mustangs,
lost 241 aircraft in action, ended the war as the highest scoring US FG
with 583 air and 469 ground kills claimed, moved to Steeple
Morden.
10/44, 616 Sqn here with Meteors./46 to /60, diversion airfield for Duxford, Technical Training School /60 to /75, RAF Police Depot, after the RAF left became an army barracks. |
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1945
(© USAAF)
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RAF and USAAF Station
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Airfield:
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Operational Fighter
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Opened:
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22/04/1937
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Closed:
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/1975
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ID Code:
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DB
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USAAF Station:
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356
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Runways:
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Grass, 2 concrete from
1940
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Hangars:
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3x - C Type, 1x - Bellman,
11x - Blister
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County:
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Essex
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Location:
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2 miles SE of Saffron
Walden
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OS Ref:
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TL562351
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Links:
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©:
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All photographs
© copyright as stated
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RAF
Debden airfield 1937-75 - 4th FG 'The Eagles'-
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1944
(© USAAF)
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RAF
Debden airfield 1947
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Hello,
I was a National Serviceman from 1946 to 48 and stationed for most of that time at RAF Debden. Although you have a fine picture of the control tower, I thought you may like to see a photo I took in early 1947. I was a Runway Controller there and responsible for the caravan. One day whilst towing it back to its parking place beside the tower, I saw a fox and gave chase, just for fun. The heating in the caravan was by means of a coke-burning stove and, during my chase, it fell over tipping its red-hot coke all over the floor. I parked and went off to the Mess for supper. On my return next morning I saw the stove lying on the ground underneath the caravan, having fallen through the hole it had burnt in the floor. The inside of the van was thick with soot and ruined of |
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I naturally thought my job was over - I would lose my stripes and be banished to the cookhouse for pan-scouring duties. However, I discovered that my C.O. hated the old caravan, and this was his excuse for getting a new purpose-built one. The fire was termed a freak accident and I was dispatched to Sheffield in a Bedford 30-cwt truck to tow back a brand new four-wheeled caravan - complete with electric heating! I attach three pictures for your interest - the tower with the old caravan; a colleague and myself (on the jeep) with the old caravan (in the background can just be seen an HP Halifax which was named Mercury and the new caravan with an Avro Lincoln. Best wishes, Brian Willey |
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RAF
Debden
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1973
(© Steve Bond)
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RAF
Debden airfield 1937-75 - 4th FG 'The Eagles'-
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RAF
Debden 4th FG airfield + airport control tower pictures 4th FG = www.controltowers.co.uk
© robert truman 2002
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