RAF Stradishall: Difference between revisions

RAF Stradishall
RAF Stradishall;
	Latin: Vires de caelo; ("Might from the sky")
	Aerial view in 1945
	IATA: none; ICAO: none;
Summary
Airport type	Military
Owner	Ministry of Defence
Operator	Royal Air Force
Location	Stradishall, Suffolk
Built	1937
In use	1938-1970
Elevation AMSL	381 ft / 116 m
Coordinates	52°08′06″N 000°30′51″E / 52.13500°N 0.51417°E
Map
	RAF Stradishall Location in Suffolk
Runways

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Revision as of 17:16, 21 February 2022

Royal Air Force Stradishall or more simply RAF Stradishall is a former Royal Air Force station located 4.7 miles (7.6 km) north east of Haverhill, Suffolk and 9 miles (14 km) south west of Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England. Part of the site remains in use as Stradishall Training Area.^[1]

History

In his memoirs,^[2] Murray Peden, a Royal Canadian Air Force pilot, recounts his training at Stradishall. In the RAF's "heavy conversion unit" (No. 1657 Heavy Conversion Unit) at the airfield, he and others were trained to fly Short Stirling bombers. He describes in detail his experiences flying there, and the life on the ground of aircrew who were shortly to begin operations over Germany as part of Bomber Command.

The airfield was home to a number of squadrons during its lifetime:

Current use

The airfield closed in 1970 and is now the site of two category C prisons: HMP Highpoint North and HMP Highpoint South. Part of the former airfield remains a Ministry of Defence training site which is not accessible to the public.

The airfield has been sold to a private buyer to be converted into farm land and is out of bounds to the public.

Update 2021: The Airfield is now a Solar Farm with grazing for cattle and nature walk. It is open from dawn to dusk.

There is a memorial to RAF Stradishall outside Stirling House which was once part of the officers quarters and is now a training unit for the Prison service.

References

Citations

^ "DTE East Public Information Leaflet" (PDF). Retrieved 16 December 2020.
^ Peden, Murray, "A Thousand Shall Fall," Dundurn (April 1, 2003)
^ Jefford 1988, p. 23.
^ Jefford 1988, p. 27.
^ Jefford 1988, p. 37.
^ Jefford 1988, p. 41.
^ Jefford 1988, p. 42.
^ Jefford 1988, p. 48.
^ ^a ^b Jefford 1988, p. 51.
^ Jefford 1988, p. 54.
^ Jefford 1988, p. 55.
^ Jefford 1988, p. 57.
^ Jefford 1988, p. 58.
^ Jefford 1988, p. 60.
^ ^a ^b ^c Jefford 1988, p. 62.
^ ^a ^b Jefford 1988, p. 63.
^ Jefford 1988, p. 66.
^ ^a ^b Jefford 1988, p. 69.
^ ^a ^b Jefford 1988, p. 71.
^ Jefford 1988, p. 75.
^ Jefford 1988, p. 77.
^ Jefford 1988, p. 79.
^ Jefford 1988, p. 80.
^ Jefford 1988, p. 85.

Bibliography

Jefford, C.G. RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive Record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing, 1988. ISBN 1-84037-141-2.

External links

[1] "DTE East Public Information Leaflet" (PDF). Retrieved 16 December 2020.

[2] Peden, Murray, "A Thousand Shall Fall," Dundurn (April 1, 2003)

[Jefford1988p23-3] Jefford 1988, p. 23.

[Jefford1988p27-4] Jefford 1988, p. 27.

[Jefford1988p37-5] Jefford 1988, p. 37.

[Jefford1988p41-6] Jefford 1988, p. 41.

[Jefford1988p42-7] Jefford 1988, p. 42.

[Jefford1988p48-8] Jefford 1988, p. 48.

[Jefford1988p51-9] Jefford 1988, p. 51.

[Jefford1988p54-10] Jefford 1988, p. 54.

[Jefford1988p55-11] Jefford 1988, p. 55.

[Jefford1988p57-12] Jefford 1988, p. 57.

[Jefford1988p58-13] Jefford 1988, p. 58.

[Jefford1988p60-14] Jefford 1988, p. 60.

[Jefford1988p62-15] Jefford 1988, p. 62.

[Jefford1988p63-16] Jefford 1988, p. 63.

[Jefford1988p66-17] Jefford 1988, p. 66.

[Jefford1988p69-18] Jefford 1988, p. 69.

[Jefford1988p71-19] Jefford 1988, p. 71.

[Jefford1988p75-20] Jefford 1988, p. 75.

[Jefford1988p77-21] Jefford 1988, p. 77.

[Jefford1988p79-22] Jefford 1988, p. 79.

[Jefford1988p80-23] Jefford 1988, p. 80.

[Jefford1988p85-24] Jefford 1988, p. 85.

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 ==History==
-In his memoirs,<ref>Peden, Murray, "A Thousand Shall Fall," Dundurn (April 1, 2003)</ref> [[Murray Peden]], a [[Royal Canadian Air Force]] pilot, recounts his training at Stradishall. In the RAF's "heavy conversion unit" at the airfield, he and others were trained to fly [[Short Stirling]] bombers. He describes in detail his experiences flying there, and the life on the ground of aircrew who were shortly to begin operations over Germany in Bomber Command.
+In his memoirs,<ref>Peden, Murray, "A Thousand Shall Fall," Dundurn (April 1, 2003)</ref> [[Murray Peden]], a [[Royal Canadian Air Force]] pilot, recounts his training at Stradishall. In the RAF's "heavy conversion unit" (No. 1657 Heavy Conversion Unit) at the airfield, he and others were trained to fly [[Short Stirling]] bombers. He describes in detail his experiences flying there, and the life on the ground of aircrew who were shortly to begin operations over Germany as part of Bomber Command.
 The airfield was home to a number of squadrons during its lifetime: