Kalaa Djerda Airfield
Encyclopedia
Kalaa Djerda Airfield is an abandoned military airfield in Tunisia
approximately 40 km south-southwest of El Kef
and 190 km southwest of Tunis
.
The airfield was built prior to World War II
by the French Air Force
Armée de l'Air. In 1939, GB I/19 and II/19 "Gascogne" of Snisian FA South stationed Bloch MB.210
bombers at the airfield. After the Battle of France
in 1940, the Vichy French Air Force
(Armée de l'Air de Vichy) continued to use the airfield until its abolition in November 1942 after the Operation Torch
Landings in French North Africa and the German takeover of Tunisia afterward.
The airfield was seized by during February 1943 by elements of the United States Army II Corps during the Tunisian Campaign and was turned over to the USAAF Twelfth Air Force 31st Fighter Group, which had moved east from Youks-les-Bains Airfield
, Algeria, during the North African Campaign
for use against the German Afrika Korps
.
The 31st Fighter Group based three squadrons (307th, 308th, 309th) of Supermarine Spitfire
s at the airfield from 21 February to 11 March 1943. It then moved to Thelepte Airfield
, and afterwards, the airfield was used in a support role for transport and re-supply and evacuation flights by C-47s. After operational forces moved into Sicily and southern Italy, the airfield was abandoned.
It appears that the village of Kalaat Khasba expanded onto the land previously used by the airfield, as two streets appear to be former runways of the base.
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
approximately 40 km south-southwest of El Kef
El Kef
El Kef , also known as Le Kef, is a city in north western Tunisia and the capital of the Kef Governorate.Situated in the northwest of the country, to the west of Tunis and some east of the border between Algeria and Tunisia, El Kef has a population of . The old town is built on the cliff face...
and 190 km southwest of Tunis
Tunis
Tunis is the capital of both the Tunisian Republic and the Tunis Governorate. It is Tunisia's largest city, with a population of 728,453 as of 2004; the greater metropolitan area holds some 2,412,500 inhabitants....
.
The airfield was built prior to World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
by the French Air Force
French Air Force
The French Air Force , literally Army of the Air) is the air force of the French Armed Forces. It was formed in 1909 as the Service Aéronautique, a service arm of the French Army, then was made an independent military arm in 1933...
Armée de l'Air. In 1939, GB I/19 and II/19 "Gascogne" of Snisian FA South stationed Bloch MB.210
Bloch MB.210
-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Green, William. War Planes of the Second World War: Bombers and Reconnaissance Aircraft, Volume Seven. London: Macdonald, 1967.-External links:***...
bombers at the airfield. After the Battle of France
Battle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
in 1940, the Vichy French Air Force
Vichy French Air Force
The Vichy French Air Force was the aerial branch of the armed forces of Vichy France - the government of France that collaborated with the Axis powers following the defeat of France by Germany in 1940....
(Armée de l'Air de Vichy) continued to use the airfield until its abolition in November 1942 after the Operation Torch
Operation Torch
Operation Torch was the British-American invasion of French North Africa in World War II during the North African Campaign, started on 8 November 1942....
Landings in French North Africa and the German takeover of Tunisia afterward.
The airfield was seized by during February 1943 by elements of the United States Army II Corps during the Tunisian Campaign and was turned over to the USAAF Twelfth Air Force 31st Fighter Group, which had moved east from Youks-les-Bains Airfield
Youks-les-Bains Airfield
Youks-les-Bains Airfield is an abandoned military airfield in Algeria, located about 20 km northwest of Tebessa. The airfield today consists of several agricultural fields, with the faint remains of its main runway, parts of a taxiway and a few aircraft dispersal hardstands visible in aerial...
, Algeria, during the North African Campaign
North African campaign
During the Second World War, the North African Campaign took place in North Africa from 10 June 1940 to 13 May 1943. It included campaigns fought in the Libyan and Egyptian deserts and in Morocco and Algeria and Tunisia .The campaign was fought between the Allies and Axis powers, many of whom had...
for use against the German Afrika Korps
Afrika Korps
The German Africa Corps , or the Afrika Korps as it was popularly called, was the German expeditionary force in Libya and Tunisia during the North African Campaign of World War II...
.
The 31st Fighter Group based three squadrons (307th, 308th, 309th) of Supermarine Spitfire
Supermarine Spitfire
The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s...
s at the airfield from 21 February to 11 March 1943. It then moved to Thelepte Airfield
Thelepte Airfield
Thelepte Airfield is an airfield in Tunisia, located about 20 km southwest of Kasserine. It currently is active and in use.It was used by the United States Army Air Force Twelfth Air Force in 1943 during the North African Campaign against the German Afrika Korps...
, and afterwards, the airfield was used in a support role for transport and re-supply and evacuation flights by C-47s. After operational forces moved into Sicily and southern Italy, the airfield was abandoned.
It appears that the village of Kalaat Khasba expanded onto the land previously used by the airfield, as two streets appear to be former runways of the base.