RAF Downham Market
Encyclopedia
RAF Downham Market was a Royal Air Force
airfield in the west of the county
of Norfolk
in the United Kingdom which operated during the second half of World War II.
in the Summer of 1942. The station was equipped with three concrete runways, one of 1,900 yards and two of 1,400 yards. Originally there were 36 hardstandings, although this dropped to 34 when an additional B1 hangar was added in the north west of the station. Six T2 hangars were built, three of which were for the storage of gliders. Accommodation was provided for 1,719 males and 326 females, with Bexwell Hall being used as the officer's mess. In October 1943 the station was equipped with the FIDO fog dispersal system.
The first operational squadron at the station was 218 Squadron
, operating Short Stirling
aircraft, who arrived from Marham in July 1942. In August 1943, 623 Squadron
formed at Downham, also operating Stirling aircraft. This Squadron was disbanded four months later, when the station was re-equipped with Avro Lancaster
aircraft.
In March 1944 the station passed to No. 8 Group
, with 218 Squadron leaving for RAF Woolfox Lodge
, being replaced by 635 Squadron
, also using Lancaster aircraft. 571 Squadron
, equipped with de Havilland Mosquito
aircraft, formed at Downham in April 1944, but had moved to RAF Oakington
within a month.
608 Squadron
re-formed at Downham in August, equipped with Canadian-built Mosquito aircraft as part of No. 8 Group's policy of having one Lancaster and one Mosquito squadron at each base.
No. 608 and 635 Squadron's operated from Downham to the end of the war, and both were disbanded in late summer of 1945. 170 aircraft either failed to return or crashed during the operations from RAF Downham Market; 109 Stirlings, 40 Lancasters and 21 Mosquitos, including Mosquito KB364 which crashed on Bawdeswell's church.
) in the late 1970s when much of the runways / taxiways where used as hard core for the road project. Today the majority of the site has been returned to agriculture, with the technical site becoming an industrial estate. There is an unmanned radio relay station located in one corner of the former base. Adjacent to St. Marys Church Bexwell, and opposite the former guardroom, is a small plaque to commemorate the station's existence.
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 in the west of the county
County
A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain modern nations. Historically in mainland Europe, the original French term, comté, and its equivalents in other languages denoted a jurisdiction under the sovereignty of a count A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain...
of Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
in the United Kingdom which operated during the second half of World War II.
History
RAF Downham Market opened as a satellite station for RAF MarhamRAF Marham
Royal Air Force Station Marham, more commonly known as RAF Marham, is a Royal Air Force station; a military airbase, near the village of Marham in the English county of Norfolk, East Anglia....
in the Summer of 1942. The station was equipped with three concrete runways, one of 1,900 yards and two of 1,400 yards. Originally there were 36 hardstandings, although this dropped to 34 when an additional B1 hangar was added in the north west of the station. Six T2 hangars were built, three of which were for the storage of gliders. Accommodation was provided for 1,719 males and 326 females, with Bexwell Hall being used as the officer's mess. In October 1943 the station was equipped with the FIDO fog dispersal system.
The first operational squadron at the station was 218 Squadron
No. 218 Squadron RAF
No. 218 Squadron RAF was a squadron of the Royal Air Force. It was also known as No 218 Squadron after the Governor of the Gold Coast and people of the Gold Coast officially adopted the squadron.-World War I:...
, operating Short Stirling
Short Stirling
The Short Stirling was the first four-engined British heavy bomber of the Second World War. The Stirling was designed and built by Short Brothers to an Air Ministry specification from 1936, and entered service in 1941...
aircraft, who arrived from Marham in July 1942. In August 1943, 623 Squadron
No. 623 Squadron RAF
No. 623 Squadron RAF was a heavy bomber squadron of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War.-History:The squadron was formed on 10 August 1943 at RAF Downham Market in Norfolk from 'C' Flight of 218 Squadron, as well as receiving crews from No.3 L.F.S. and No.1653 Conversion Unit. It was...
formed at Downham, also operating Stirling aircraft. This Squadron was disbanded four months later, when the station was re-equipped with Avro Lancaster
Avro Lancaster
The Avro Lancaster is a British four-engined Second World War heavy bomber made initially by Avro for the Royal Air Force . It first saw active service in 1942, and together with the Handley Page Halifax it was one of the main heavy bombers of the RAF, the RCAF, and squadrons from other...
aircraft.
In March 1944 the station passed to No. 8 Group
No. 8 Group RAF
No. 8 Group RAF was a Royal Air Force group which existed during the final year of World War I and during World War II.-Formation in World War II:...
, with 218 Squadron leaving for RAF Woolfox Lodge
RAF Woolfox Lodge
Royal Air Force Station Woolfox Lodge is a former RAF aerodrome next to the A1 road in Rutland, UK. The airfield is split between the parishes of Empingham and Greetham. It was open from 1940 until 1965....
, being replaced by 635 Squadron
No. 635 Squadron RAF
No. 635 Squadron RAF was a heavy bomber squadron of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War.-History:635 squadron was formed at RAF Downham Market in Norfolk on 20 March 1944 from two flights drawn from No. 35 Squadron and No. 97 Squadron, equipped with Lancaster Mk.I bombers, as part of...
, also using Lancaster aircraft. 571 Squadron
No. 571 Squadron RAF
No. 571 Squadron RAF was a Second World War Royal Air Force pathfinder squadron operating the de Havilland Mosquito.-History:The squadron was formed on the 7 April 1944 at RAF Downham Market, Norfolk to operate the de Havilland Mosquito XVI as part of the No. 8 Group...
, equipped with de Havilland Mosquito
De Havilland Mosquito
The de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito was a British multi-role combat aircraft that served during the Second World War and the postwar era. It was known affectionately as the "Mossie" to its crews and was also nicknamed "The Wooden Wonder"...
aircraft, formed at Downham in April 1944, but had moved to RAF Oakington
RAF Oakington
RAF Oakington was an RAF base situated in Cambridgeshire, England.Construction was started in 1939, but was affected by the outbreak of war, the original plan called for Type C hangars two type J were erected instead. It was used by No. 2 Group in July 1940 for No. 218 Squadron which had recently...
within a month.
608 Squadron
No. 608 Squadron RAF
No. 608 Squadron was an Auxiliary Air Force squadron of the Royal Air Force during World War II. It flew during its existence as a bomber, fighter and reconnaissance unit and was the only RAF squadron to be equipped with the unsuccessful Blackburn Botha torpedo bomber.-Formation and early years:...
re-formed at Downham in August, equipped with Canadian-built Mosquito aircraft as part of No. 8 Group's policy of having one Lancaster and one Mosquito squadron at each base.
No. 608 and 635 Squadron's operated from Downham to the end of the war, and both were disbanded in late summer of 1945. 170 aircraft either failed to return or crashed during the operations from RAF Downham Market; 109 Stirlings, 40 Lancasters and 21 Mosquitos, including Mosquito KB364 which crashed on Bawdeswell's church.
Current use
After closure as an operational airfield in 1946, the airfield remained in a derelict state until it was finally sold in 1957. In approximately 1950 a large proportion of the "domestic" site was re-developed as a short term housing estate, renamed "Stone Cross Estate", which finally closed in 1963. The airfield remained almost intact until the construction of the Downham Market by-pass (A10A10 road
The A10 is a major road in England. Its southern end is at London Bridge in the City of London, and its northern end is the Norfolk port town of King's Lynn...
) in the late 1970s when much of the runways / taxiways where used as hard core for the road project. Today the majority of the site has been returned to agriculture, with the technical site becoming an industrial estate. There is an unmanned radio relay station located in one corner of the former base. Adjacent to St. Marys Church Bexwell, and opposite the former guardroom, is a small plaque to commemorate the station's existence.
Downham Market aircraft
Several types of aircraft have operated out of Downham Market, among these:- Short StirlingShort StirlingThe Short Stirling was the first four-engined British heavy bomber of the Second World War. The Stirling was designed and built by Short Brothers to an Air Ministry specification from 1936, and entered service in 1941...
- Avro LancasterAvro LancasterThe Avro Lancaster is a British four-engined Second World War heavy bomber made initially by Avro for the Royal Air Force . It first saw active service in 1942, and together with the Handley Page Halifax it was one of the main heavy bombers of the RAF, the RCAF, and squadrons from other...
- de Havilland MosquitoDe Havilland MosquitoThe de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito was a British multi-role combat aircraft that served during the Second World War and the postwar era. It was known affectionately as the "Mossie" to its crews and was also nicknamed "The Wooden Wonder"...
- Airspeed HorsaAirspeed HorsaThe Airspeed AS.51 Horsa was a British World War II troop-carrying glider built by Airspeed Limited and subcontractors and used for air assault by British and Allied armed forces...
Downham Market squadrons
- No. 218 Squadron RAFNo. 218 Squadron RAFNo. 218 Squadron RAF was a squadron of the Royal Air Force. It was also known as No 218 Squadron after the Governor of the Gold Coast and people of the Gold Coast officially adopted the squadron.-World War I:...
- No. 623 Squadron RAFNo. 623 Squadron RAFNo. 623 Squadron RAF was a heavy bomber squadron of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War.-History:The squadron was formed on 10 August 1943 at RAF Downham Market in Norfolk from 'C' Flight of 218 Squadron, as well as receiving crews from No.3 L.F.S. and No.1653 Conversion Unit. It was...
- No. 571 Squadron RAFNo. 571 Squadron RAFNo. 571 Squadron RAF was a Second World War Royal Air Force pathfinder squadron operating the de Havilland Mosquito.-History:The squadron was formed on the 7 April 1944 at RAF Downham Market, Norfolk to operate the de Havilland Mosquito XVI as part of the No. 8 Group...
- No. 608 Squadron RAFNo. 608 Squadron RAFNo. 608 Squadron was an Auxiliary Air Force squadron of the Royal Air Force during World War II. It flew during its existence as a bomber, fighter and reconnaissance unit and was the only RAF squadron to be equipped with the unsuccessful Blackburn Botha torpedo bomber.-Formation and early years:...
- No. 635 Squadron RAFNo. 635 Squadron RAFNo. 635 Squadron RAF was a heavy bomber squadron of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War.-History:635 squadron was formed at RAF Downham Market in Norfolk on 20 March 1944 from two flights drawn from No. 35 Squadron and No. 97 Squadron, equipped with Lancaster Mk.I bombers, as part of...
External links
See also
- Norfolk AirfieldsNorfolk AirfieldsThis is a list of current or former military airfields within the English county of Norfolk, East Anglia. They may have been used by the Royal Flying Corps, Royal Naval Air Service, Royal Air Force, Army Air Corps or the United States Air Force....
- Royal Air Force station
- List of RAF stations
- List of Royal Air Force aircraft squadrons