RAF Stradishall

RAF Stradishall
RAF Stradishall;
	Latin: Vires de caelo; ("We form youth")
	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

Royal Air Force Station 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 east of Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England.

History

During 1952 I was stationed at Stradishall flying meteor 8's in 226 OCU. Barber The airfield was home to a number of squadrons during its lifetime:

No. 1 Squadron RAF,^[1] No. 9 Squadron RAF,^[2] No. 35 Squadron RAF,^[3] No. 51 Squadron RAF,^[4] No. 54 Squadron RAF,^[5] No. 75 Squadron RAF,^[6] No. 85 Squadron RAF,^[7] No. 89 Squadron RAF.^[7]

No. 101 Squadron RAF,^[8] No. 109 Squadron RAF,^[9] No. 115 Squadron RAF,^[10] No. 125 Squadron RAF,^[11] No. 138 Squadron RAF,^[12] No. 148 Squadron RAF,^[13] No. 149 Squadron RAF,^[13] No. 150 Squadron RAF,^[13] No. 152 Squadron RAF,^[14] No. 158 Squadron RAF,^[14] No. 186 Squadron RAF.^[15]

No. 207 Squadron RAF,^[16] No. 208 Squadron RAF,^[16] No. 214 Squadron RAF,^[17] No. 215 Squadron RAF,^[17] No. 236 Squadron RAF,^[18] No. 245 Squadron RAF,^[19] No. 254 Squadron RAF,^[20] No. 263 Squadron RAF.^[21]

No. 311 Squadron RAF.^[22]

World War II

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.

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

^ 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, MBE,BA ,RAF (Retd). 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

[Jefford1988p23-1] Jefford 1988, p. 23.

[Jefford1988p27-2] Jefford 1988, p. 27.

[Jefford1988p37-3] Jefford 1988, p. 37.

[Jefford1988p41-4] Jefford 1988, p. 41.

[Jefford1988p42-5] Jefford 1988, p. 42.

[Jefford1988p48-6] Jefford 1988, p. 48.

[Jefford1988p51-7] Jefford 1988, p. 51.

[Jefford1988p54-8] Jefford 1988, p. 54.

[Jefford1988p55-9] Jefford 1988, p. 55.

[Jefford1988p57-10] Jefford 1988, p. 57.

[Jefford1988p58-11] Jefford 1988, p. 58.

[Jefford1988p60-12] Jefford 1988, p. 60.

[Jefford1988p62-13] Jefford 1988, p. 62.

[Jefford1988p63-14] Jefford 1988, p. 63.

[Jefford1988p66-15] Jefford 1988, p. 66.

[Jefford1988p69-16] Jefford 1988, p. 69.

[Jefford1988p71-17] Jefford 1988, p. 71.

[Jefford1988p75-18] Jefford 1988, p. 75.

[Jefford1988p77-19] Jefford 1988, p. 77.

[Jefford1988p79-20] Jefford 1988, p. 79.

[Jefford1988p80-21] Jefford 1988, p. 80.

[Jefford1988p85-22] Jefford 1988, p. 85.

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