RAF Catterick
Encyclopedia
RAF Catterick is a former Royal Air Force
airfield located near Catterick, North Yorkshire
in England
.
aerodrome with the role of training pilots and to assist in the defence of the North East of England
. It came under RAF administration in 1918 and housed Number 49 Training Depot.
In 1927, it temporarily came under the administration of the British Army
, under the Army Air Co-Operation Command which would supply the army with any air support needs that would be required. This continued until 1939 when the station was handed back to the RAF.
During World War II
, the airfield operated a small satellite station called RAF Scorton
near the village of Scorton.
Catterick's runway
could not be extended from its existing 3350 ft (1,021.1 m) for the jet
age due to the perimeter being bounded by the Great North Road (A1) and the River Swale
. Therefore, Catterick's importance declined after World War II, though it still housed training institutes for many years.
The airfield was used as a location for The Way to the Stars
, the 1945 film starring John Mills.
Catterick served as a RAF Regiment
depot occupied by operational Squadrons and was the training base for the RAF Regiment from 1946-1994 when the Regiment's training facilities moved to RAF Honington
. Catterick was also the training centre for the RAF Fire Service until the 1990s.
As a fire school it had a "rescue set" the mock up of a house to simulate seach and rescue scenarios. It also had a burning area where real ex service aircraft were covered in fuel and set alight including in 1983 a complete Vulcan Bomber. There were also a number of retired airframes used for practice rescues and deployments. The Fire Fighting & Rescue sqadren moved to RAF Manston in 1989.
The base was handed over to the Army
in 1994 and now is named Marne Barracks
and is part of the huge Catterick Garrison
complex. It currently houses 5th Regiment Royal Artillery
and the 1st Battalion Mercian Regiment
formerly the Cheshires.
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
airfield located near Catterick, North Yorkshire
Catterick, North Yorkshire
Catterick , sometimes Catterick Village, to distinguish it from the nearby Catterick Garrison, is a village and civil parish in the Richmondshire district of North Yorkshire, England...
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
History
Catterick airfield first opened in 1914 as a Royal Flying CorpsRoyal Flying Corps
The Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery co-operation and photographic reconnaissance...
aerodrome with the role of training pilots and to assist in the defence of the North East of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It came under RAF administration in 1918 and housed Number 49 Training Depot.
In 1927, it temporarily came under the administration of the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
, under the Army Air Co-Operation Command which would supply the army with any air support needs that would be required. This continued until 1939 when the station was handed back to the RAF.
During 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...
, the airfield operated a small satellite station called RAF Scorton
RAF Scorton
RAF Scorton was a satellite station of RAF Catterick during World War II. It was located near the village of Scorton in North Yorkshire, England...
near the village of Scorton.
Catterick's runway
Runway
According to ICAO a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and take-off of aircraft." Runways may be a man-made surface or a natural surface .- Orientation and dimensions :Runways are named by a number between 01 and 36, which is generally one tenth...
could not be extended from its existing 3350 ft (1,021.1 m) for the jet
Jet engine
A jet engine is a reaction engine that discharges a fast moving jet to generate thrust by jet propulsion and in accordance with Newton's laws of motion. This broad definition of jet engines includes turbojets, turbofans, rockets, ramjets, pulse jets...
age due to the perimeter being bounded by the Great North Road (A1) and the River Swale
River Swale
The River Swale is a river in Yorkshire, England and a major tributary of the River Ure, which itself becomes the River Ouse, emptying into the North Sea via the Humber Estuary....
. Therefore, Catterick's importance declined after World War II, though it still housed training institutes for many years.
The airfield was used as a location for The Way to the Stars
The Way to the Stars
The Way to the Stars, also known as Johnny in the Clouds, is a 1945 British war drama film made by Two Cities Films and released by United Artists. It was produced by Anatole de Grunwald and directed by Anthony Asquith...
, the 1945 film starring John Mills.
Catterick served as a RAF Regiment
RAF Regiment
The Royal Air Force Regiment is a specialist airfield defence corps founded by Royal Warrant in 1942. After a 32 week trainee gunner course, its members are trained and equipped to prevent a successful enemy attack in the first instance; minimise the damage caused by a successful attack; and...
depot occupied by operational Squadrons and was the training base for the RAF Regiment from 1946-1994 when the Regiment's training facilities moved to RAF Honington
RAF Honington
RAF Honington is a Royal Air Force station located south of Thetford near Ixworth in Suffolk, England. Although used as a bomber station during the Second World War, RAF Honington is now the RAF Regiment depot and home to the Joint CBRN Regiment.-RAF use:...
. Catterick was also the training centre for the RAF Fire Service until the 1990s.
As a fire school it had a "rescue set" the mock up of a house to simulate seach and rescue scenarios. It also had a burning area where real ex service aircraft were covered in fuel and set alight including in 1983 a complete Vulcan Bomber. There were also a number of retired airframes used for practice rescues and deployments. The Fire Fighting & Rescue sqadren moved to RAF Manston in 1989.
The base was handed over to the Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
in 1994 and now is named Marne Barracks
Marne Barracks
Marne Barracks is located at the site of the former RAF Catterick alongside the A1 on the outskirts of Catterick Village. Operationally it falls under the command of Catterick Garrison....
and is part of the huge Catterick Garrison
Catterick Garrison
Catterick Garrison is a major Army base located in Northern England. It is the largest British Army garrison in the world with a population of around 12,000, plus a large temporary population of soldiers, and is larger than its older neighbour...
complex. It currently houses 5th Regiment Royal Artillery
5th Regiment Royal Artillery
5th Regiment Royal Artillery is a regiment of the Royal Artillery in the British Army. It currently serves in the Surveillance and Target Acquisition role equipped with various weapon locating equipment using radars and acoustic sound ranging, it also provides Special Observation Post...
and the 1st Battalion Mercian Regiment
Mercian Regiment
The Mercian Regiment is an infantry regiment of the British Army, formed by the amalgamation of three existing regiments on 1 September 2007.The regiment has three regular army battalion's and one Territorial Army or reserve battalion...
formerly the Cheshires.
See also
- List of RAF stations
- Laurence St.Lyon Former RAF Firefighter (1983-1989)Passed out FRTS RAF Catterick 1983