Here is the list of airfields I will be visiting in Chattie in 2015. They are all taken from my father’s own list, which he wrote in the back of his logbook, apart from Shobdon Airfield; this one appears on one of his air maps, clearly marked on a round trip from Weston Super Mare, and I also remember him talking about being entertained at the nearby Kington army camp.
This is the bare list of airfields. I will add notes to each of them over time. Those in bold are those Dad has listed as postings; ie, was with a squadron, on detachment or attachment, did a course, or got stuck for some reason or another for some length of time. His more permanent postings are in capitals.
Dad’s airfields list includes another 30 or so abroad, which are not included here, and are not included in my tour next year. Maybe the next project……!
I would be delighted to hear from you with any information and stories you may have (preferably from first-hand experience) of any of the airfields. Simply use the comment box putting the name of the airfield in bold or capitals first.
Acklington
Andover
Bath Racecourse (RAF North Stoke)
Bourne
BOXTED (25 SQUADRON, MOSQUITOS) – JANUARY 1946 TO JUNE 1946 AND DEMOB
Bradwell Bay
Brize Norton
Calveley
CASTLE CAMPS (25 SQUADRON, MOSQUITOS) – OCTOBER 1944 – JANUARY 1946 – It was here Dad bought his Singer Le Mans racing car
Church Fenton
Church Lawford
Colerne
COLTISHALL (25 SQUADRON, MOSQUITOS) – OCTOBER 1944
CRANFIELD (NO 5 OPERATIONAL TRAINING UNIT – AS FLYING INSTRUCTOR) – APRIL – OCTOBER 1944
Denham
Derby
Digby
East Fortune
Fairford
Filton
Gransden Lodge
Great Dunmow
Great Massingham
Hawarden
Hebblestowe (Hibaldstow)
HIGH ERCALL (NO 3 DELIVERY FLIGHT – ON ATTACHMENT FROM 256 SQUADRON) – FEB 7TH – FEB 14TH 1942
Honiley
Hullavingon
Leicester
Llandbedr
Llandow
Lossiemouth
Lulsgate Bottom (NO.3 FLYING INSTRUCTORS COURSE) – May – June 1944
Lyneham – January 1943
Manston
Middle Wallop
Padgate
Penrhos
Portreath – January 1943
PRESTWICK (No 12 ELEMENTARY FLYING TRAINING SCHOOL, TIGER MOTHS) – OCTOBER – NOVEMBER 1940
Scampton
Shawbury
Shobdon
Silloth
South Cerney
Speke
SQUIRES GATE (256 SQUADRON, DEFIANTS AND BEAUFIGHTERS) – NOV 1941 – FEB 1942
Stratford (RAF Atherstone up to May 1942)
SUTTON BRIDGE (NO 56 OPERATIONAL TRAINING UNIT, Hurricanes) – MAY 1941 – JUNE 1941
Swanton Morley
Twinwoods ‘Twinwoods Farm’
Uppingdon
VALLEY (456 (AUSTRALIAN) SQUADRON, DEFIANTS) – JULY 1941 – OCTOBER 1941
Watchfield (No 1 Blind Approach School) – March 1942
Weston Zoyland
Weston-Super-Mare
Whitchurch
WOODVALE (256 SQUADRON, BEAUFIGHTERS) – JUNE 1942 – DECEMBER 1942
Wrexham
Yale ?Yate
Where They Served 
Wasn’t Northolt, West London an airfield in the war? There is a lovely memorial to the Polish who died while there.
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Yes, Northolt was one of the earliest airfields, I believe, being started in 1915 – even before the first world war. There’s a great article about it on the RAF’s own website http://www.raf.mod.uk/rafnortholt/aboutus/history.cfm. It includes information about the famous Polish 303 Squadron. I was privileged to meet one of the ground crew from 303 in those days at Penrhos in Wales on my first visit. 303 Squadron played an outstanding part in the Battle of Britain.
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Hi Elizabeth
I’ve just read about your tour in the Singer Owners’ Club mag. I have a green 1.5 litre Singer Le Mans and we live about 4 miles from Castle Camps in Steeple Bumpstead. It would be good to meet you when you go to CC so let us know when you’ll be there.
Best wishes
Liz Heyer
01440 730579
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‘Parnall’s airfield’? Can you elaborate on that at all, Dave? You’re talking about the one just north of Bristol?
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Yes – I think it was an airfield – and I assume the Common, but it might also be the fields north of Yate station or something. I think they build washing machines now – I can imagine the old Parnall’s buildings being put to good use supporting Bristols at Filton, and being taken over after the war as an industrial estate.
By the way, it must be getting past my bedtime – I mean Yatesbury not Yately for that last airfield on the list. Yately is a village in Hampshire.
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By the way just to clarify – the one just north of Bristol is Filton – Airbus’s UK HQ. I know because I work there! Yate is just to the north-east.
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I have a similar need to visit old airfields but just for the hell of it – and to see the ghosts. But I now live near many of these in the south west area so I should look out for you I think.
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Yate is possible but was Parnall’s airfield – more likely Yately over near Avebury?
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Thanks, Guy, I will indeed. It was great to meet you at RIAT and I hope it was a good weekend for you both.
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Let me know when you are going to South Cerney – Guy
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