RAF Tarrant Rushton
Encyclopedia
RAF Tarrant Rushton was a Royal Air Force
station near the village of Tarrant Rushton
east of Blandford Forum in Dorset
, England
from 1943 to 1947.
It was used for glider operations during World War II and later revived for civilian operations. It is currently disused, though some buildings survive.
Horsa gliders from Tarrant Rushton left for France on the eve of D-Day
, to begin Operation Tonga
with an action that would later become known as Pegasus Bridge
. Among the glider pilots was Jim Wallwork
, on a Horsa nicknamed Lady Irene. The Tarrant Rushton gliders landed in occupied France
shortly after midnight. Wallwork's aircraft was the first to touch down, but it landed heavily: the force of the impact catapulted both Wallwork and his co-pilot John Ainsworth through the front of the cockpit
. Although stunned, this made them the first Allied troops to touch French soil on D-Day
.
As part of Operation Tonga, a few Tetrarch tank
s of 6th Airborne's Reconnaissance Regiment were also flown from Tarrant Rushton in Hamilcar
gliders, towed by Halifax bombers, to land on the French coast near the mouth of the Orne river
.
Other gliders were later flown from the airfield to Arnhem
to take part in Operation Market Garden
.
During the closing stages of WWII, aircraft were used for SOE
operations.
In September 1946 the airfield was placed on Care and Maintenance status until abandoned in December 1947. However, 6 months later, in June 1948, Flight Refuelling Ltd
arrived to begin 30 years of occupancy. Almost immediately Flight Refuelling became involved in the Berlin Airlift and, between July 1948 and August 1949, carried out nearly 4500 sorties using Lancastrian
s and Lancaster
s.
In the following 30 years most activity was centred around conversion of aircraft for in-flight refuelling and drone aircraft development, with FR Aviation refining their "Universal Drone Pack" on aircraft flown from the air field. The system allowed the test pilot to fly the aircraft from take-off to touch-down using only the push-buttons on a console identical to that of the ground operator of the drone, turning the button pushes into control surface and throttle movements.
During this time, Tarrant Rushton was the home of 8 Sea Vixens, among them XP924, (now G-CVIX), the only Sea Vixen to remain in flying condition.
In the 70s Flight Refueling left the airfield and flying operations moved to Hurn
. After that, it was only used by gliders and occasionally by light aircraft until it was officially closed on 30th of September 1980.
A memorial to the men who served at the airfield is located by the roadside next to one of the surviving hangars.
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...
station near the village of Tarrant Rushton
Tarrant Rushton
Tarrant Rushton is a village in north Dorset, England, situated in the Tarrant Valley five miles east of Blandford Forum. The village has a population of 105 ....
east of Blandford Forum in Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
, 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...
from 1943 to 1947.
It was used for glider operations during World War II and later revived for civilian operations. It is currently disused, though some buildings survive.
History
Building of the airfield commenced in May 1942, the airfield being intended for the use of airborne forces of 38 Wing. On 17th May 1943 the base was handed over while still unfinished. Glider operations finally started in October 1943 and continued until 1945.Horsa gliders from Tarrant Rushton left for France on the eve of D-Day
D-Day
D-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar...
, to begin Operation Tonga
Operation Tonga
Operation Tonga was the codename given to the airborne operation undertaken by the British 6th Airborne Division between 5 June and 7 June 1944 as a part of Operation Overlord and the Normandy Landings during the Second World War....
with an action that would later become known as Pegasus Bridge
Pegasus Bridge
Pegasus Bridge is a bascule bridge , built in 1934, that crossed the Caen Canal, between Caen and Ouistreham, in Normandy, France....
. Among the glider pilots was Jim Wallwork
Jim Wallwork
Staff Sergeant Jim Wallwork DFM was a member of the Glider Pilot Regiment who achieved fame as the pilot of the first Horsa glider to land at Pegasus Bridge in the early hours of 6 June 1944. This remarkable achievement was described as "the greatest feat of flying of the second world war" by Air...
, on a Horsa nicknamed Lady Irene. The Tarrant Rushton gliders landed in occupied France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
shortly after midnight. Wallwork's aircraft was the first to touch down, but it landed heavily: the force of the impact catapulted both Wallwork and his co-pilot John Ainsworth through the front of the cockpit
Cockpit
A cockpit or flight deck is the area, usually near the front of an aircraft, from which a pilot controls the aircraft. Most modern cockpits are enclosed, except on some small aircraft, and cockpits on large airliners are also physically separated from the cabin...
. Although stunned, this made them the first Allied troops to touch French soil on D-Day
D-Day
D-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar...
.
Tetrarch tank
The Light Tank Mk VII , also known as the Tetrarch, was a British light tank produced by Vickers-Armstrong in the late 1930s and deployed during World War II. The Tetrarch was originally designed as the latest in the line of light tanks built by the company for the British Army...
s of 6th Airborne's Reconnaissance Regiment were also flown from Tarrant Rushton in Hamilcar
Hamilcar
Hamilcar was a common name in the Punic culture. There are several different transcriptions into Greek and Roman scripts. The ruling families of ancient Carthage often named their members with the traditional name Hamilcar...
gliders, towed by Halifax bombers, to land on the French coast near the mouth of the Orne river
Orne River
The Orne is a river in Normandy, within northwestern France. It discharges into the English Channel at the port of Ouistreham. Its source is in Aunou-sur-Orne, east of Sées...
.
Other gliders were later flown from the airfield to Arnhem
Arnhem
Arnhem is a city and municipality, situated in the eastern part of the Netherlands. It is the capital of the province of Gelderland and located near the river Nederrijn as well as near the St. Jansbeek, which was the source of the city's development. Arnhem has 146,095 residents as one of the...
to take part in Operation Market Garden
Operation Market Garden
Operation Market Garden was an unsuccessful Allied military operation, fought in the Netherlands and Germany in the Second World War. It was the largest airborne operation up to that time....
.
During the closing stages of WWII, aircraft were used for SOE
Special Operations Executive
The Special Operations Executive was a World War II organisation of the United Kingdom. It was officially formed by Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Minister of Economic Warfare Hugh Dalton on 22 July 1940, to conduct guerrilla warfare against the Axis powers and to instruct and aid local...
operations.
In September 1946 the airfield was placed on Care and Maintenance status until abandoned in December 1947. However, 6 months later, in June 1948, Flight Refuelling Ltd
Cobham plc
Cobham plc is a British manufacturing company based in Wimborne Minster, Dorset, England. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index...
arrived to begin 30 years of occupancy. Almost immediately Flight Refuelling became involved in the Berlin Airlift and, between July 1948 and August 1949, carried out nearly 4500 sorties using Lancastrian
Avro Lancastrian
|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Franks, Richard A. The Avro Lancaster, Manchester and Lincoln: A Comprehensive Guide for the Modeller. London: SAM Publications, 2000. ISBN 0-9533465-3-6....
s and 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...
s.
In the following 30 years most activity was centred around conversion of aircraft for in-flight refuelling and drone aircraft development, with FR Aviation refining their "Universal Drone Pack" on aircraft flown from the air field. The system allowed the test pilot to fly the aircraft from take-off to touch-down using only the push-buttons on a console identical to that of the ground operator of the drone, turning the button pushes into control surface and throttle movements.
During this time, Tarrant Rushton was the home of 8 Sea Vixens, among them XP924, (now G-CVIX), the only Sea Vixen to remain in flying condition.
In the 70s Flight Refueling left the airfield and flying operations moved to Hurn
Bournemouth Airport
Bournemouth Airport is an airport located north-northeast of Bournemouth, in southern England...
. After that, it was only used by gliders and occasionally by light aircraft until it was officially closed on 30th of September 1980.
A memorial to the men who served at the airfield is located by the roadside next to one of the surviving hangars.