875:
407:
41:
207:
31:
214:
1647:
919:
In outlying areas to the main airfield site some of the airfield buildings still exist, such as the Sick
Quarters Site that has become a small industrial estate. Other buildings have been absorbed into the land-owning farm to become agricultural buildings; whilst the Gymnasium from the Communal Site
890:
Although cropspraying by air of the farm and other local fields was carried out by aircraft temporarily based on part of the remaining concrete perimeter track from 1959 until 1983 this was the only aerial activity carried out postwar from the airfield. A number of pill boxes and personnel shelters
355:
The airfield was used during the First World War as a night landing ground for fighter aircraft of the Home
Defence squadrons protecting London against attacks from German airships. During the inter-war period it was occasionally used for glider and civilian flying until 1937 when it became Mathams
422:
investigated the possibility of the squadron settling at
Mathams Wood ALG as no base, permanent or otherwise, had been allocated to the squadron. Thus 2 (AC) Squadron was the unit that established the location for the Second World War airfield that eventually became designated RAF Sawbridgeworth.
397:
A short-lived civilian gliding club operated from the
Shingle Hall site in 1928, and the British Hospitals Air Pageant visited what then became known locally as the Spellbrook Flying Ground on 17 May 1933 to give a flying display and passenger rides in their aircraft to the visiting public.
907:
three police officers near
Wormwood Scrubs prison in August 1966, was found hiding in after a 96-day manhunt - the longest in police history). Modern aerial shots of the airfield show the 'ghost' outlines of the reinforced grass runways, similar to what can be seen at nearby
923:
At the instigation of the
Hertfordshire Airfield Memorials Group, who are keen to record aviation history throughout the county, a memorial to the wartime use of the airfield was erected and dedicated on 14 May 2006 at the original Shingle Hall entrance to the airfield.
431:
to insert agents into
Occupied France. The majority of operations from Sawbridgeworth were photo-reconnaissance missions and generally linked to Army requests for battlefield coverage, but once equipped with the faster
367:
and the Air
Ministry in London. It ceased active operations in 1944 and, after a number of ground-based units operated from the site, was finally closed in mid-1946 and safeguarding relinquished by the RAF in May 1956.
398:
Additionally, Army Co-operation squadrons of the RAF used another area of farmland near to
Mathams Wood, a wooded area to the north of Blounts Farm, as a landing ground for 'resident' field training exercises in 1937.
436:
Mk 1 & 1a, and when the German V-weapon programme intensified, more and more sorties were flown against these targets and various radar installations prior to the Allied invasion of
Occupied France. (see
441:
for precise details). As well as 2 (AC) Squadron, who were based here between June 1940 and April 1944, with their Station Offices at Shingle Hall, many other squadrons operated from the airfield during the
916:, albeit they had 'hard' surfacing. The most visible indication of the extent of the airfield is the concrete perimeter track that is still visible for about 85% of its original length.
1482:
1218:
1671:
1352:
1228:
1274:
1248:
1434:
1223:
360:(named after the nearby wooded area). In 1940 it was renamed RAF Sawbridgeworth after correspondence between the 2(AC) Squadron (and station) Commanding Officer
1238:
1213:
206:
1157:
552:
427:
on its normal reconnaissance duties for the Army the squadron was also responsible for the initial selection and training of pilots to be used by the
1487:
874:
1503:
1429:
1377:
1269:
1082:
933:
329:
164:
89:
1569:
1533:
1528:
1451:
1362:
1676:
1612:
1243:
1208:
1175:
40:
1130:
406:
1392:
891:
are the only indication that there used to be anything here to do with the military. The control tower was demolished in 1953 and the
1477:
1413:
1115:
1508:
1332:
1264:
1198:
1635:
1602:
1564:
1233:
895:
reinforcement to the grass runways taken up to allow the land to be farmed again. Over a period of time the sole 'T2' and the
1630:
1367:
1203:
612:
607:
602:
1640:
1439:
1382:
1150:
1108:
RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive Record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912
558:
1597:
1554:
428:
157:
1446:
1372:
899:
hangars were removed, the last surviving Blister being blown down in the October 1987 gales (this was the hangar that
849:
789:
762:
661:
1650:
1387:
1300:
1295:
1290:
904:
1408:
1559:
1513:
1143:
900:
364:
1523:
357:
30:
1617:
1549:
1357:
535:
433:
147:
1125:(the story of Sawbridgeworth's airfields) Doyle Paul A, pub; Forward Airfield Research Publishing 1995.
361:
1592:
1347:
841:
834:
806:
781:
754:
725:
720:
715:
707:
688:
588:
583:
529:
523:
517:
511:
505:
499:
493:
487:
481:
475:
1607:
892:
680:
653:
469:
463:
457:
418:
After the retreat from France in 1940 by the British Expeditionary Force the commanding officer of
382:
278:
1587:
879:
451:
419:
1467:
1126:
1111:
424:
66:
55:
1342:
1337:
909:
883:
1472:
1322:
1166:
774:
673:
578:
389:
in Essex and, although little used, was in operation from April 1916 until November 1918.
386:
381:
A large field west of Shingle Hall farm was used as an emergency night landing ground for
326:
109:
920:
was moved into Sawbridgeworth town post-war, where it is now the town's Memorial Hall.
896:
814:
700:
411:
119:
1665:
1518:
861:
830:
345:
123:
1327:
913:
747:
443:
99:
1078:
414:(1942), shown in the colours of a unit that never flew Spitfires from the airfield
179:
166:
341:
349:
333:
248:
235:
1135:
873:
405:
337:
1139:
886:, a surviving part of the airfield's defensive perimeter.
1110:. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing, 1988.
626:
Details of some squadrons based at RAF Sawbridgeworth
1578:
1542:
1496:
1460:
1422:
1401:
1313:
1283:
1257:
1191:
1182:
410:"Spitfires at Sawbridgeworth, Herts" by war artist
234:
195:
156:
145:
137:
129:
115:
105:
95:
85:
80:
45:
Mustang aircraft at RAF Sawbridgeworth during WWII.
23:
1151:
8:
524:No. 613 (City of Manchester) Squadron RAuxAF
977:
975:
973:
971:
969:
967:
965:
1188:
1158:
1144:
1136:
629:
213:
20:
1672:Royal Air Force stations in Hertfordshire
332:located 5.2 miles (8.4 km) north of
16:Former Royal Air Force station in England
1083:Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust
1073:
1071:
1062:
1050:
1038:
1026:
1014:
1002:
990:
956:
949:
934:List of former Royal Air Force stations
1529:Commandant-General of the RAF Regiment
553:Nos. 3 & 247 Maintenance Units RAF
340:and 14.4 miles (23.2 km) east of
1452:List of equipment of the RAF Regiment
7:
1646:
1353:Princess Mary's RAF Nursing Service
559:No. 1495 (Target Towing) Flight RAF
476:No. 126 (Persian Gulf) Squadron RAF
1593:Combined Cadet Force (RAF section)
569:No. 4 Casualty Air Evacuation Unit
563:No. 3 Casualty Air Evacuation Unit
14:
903:, a criminal who with two others
596:No. 410 Repair & Salvage Unit
593:No. 409 Repair & Salvage Unit
1645:
1509:Assistant Chief of the Air Staff
566:No. 3 Concealment and Decoy Unit
446:, all these being shown below -
212:
205:
39:
29:
1603:RAF Centre of Aviation Medicine
1483:List of serving senior officers
572:No. 14 Personnel Transit Centre
104:
94:
613:No. 2809 Squadron RAF Regiment
608:No. 2770 Squadron RAF Regiment
603:No. 2759 Squadron RAF Regiment
579:No. 35 Reconnaissance Wing RAF
575:No. 34 Wing Communication Unit
439:Where the Lysanders were .....
383:No. 39 (Home Defence) Squadron
319:Royal Air Force Sawbridgeworth
1:
1123:Where the Lysanders were ....
420:2 (Army Cooperation) Squadron
429:Special Operations Executive
1677:East Hertfordshire District
1378:RAF Mountain Rescue Service
1373:RAF Search and Rescue Force
620:No. 3226 Servicing Commando
617:No. 3205 Servicing Commando
1693:
1534:Warrant Officer of the RAF
1229:Operational Training units
1626:
1478:List of notable personnel
1409:Royal Auxiliary Air Force
1275:Satellite Landing Grounds
1173:
423:Apart from operating the
255:
252:
247:
243:
226:Location in Hertfordshire
200:
50:
38:
1613:RAF Football Association
1514:Air Member for Personnel
1234:Schools / Training units
981:Where the Lysanders were
1524:Air Member for Materiel
599:No. 418 Air Stores Park
358:Advanced Landing Ground
152:318 ft / 97 m
90:Royal Air Force station
887:
850:North American Mustang
790:North American Mustang
763:North American Mustang
662:North American Mustang
536:809 Naval Air Squadron
434:North American Mustang
415:
1414:RAF Volunteer Reserve
877:
409:
1447:List of RAF missiles
1430:List of RAF aircraft
1348:RAF Medical Services
1333:RAF Chaplains Branch
835:RAF Martlesham Heath
726:Supermarine Spitfire
721:Supermarine Spitfire
716:Supermarine Spitfire
689:Supermarine Spitfire
589:No. 130 Airfield RAF
584:No. 123 Airfield RAF
530:No. 652 Squadron RAF
518:No. 268 Squadron RAF
512:No. 241 Squadron RAF
506:No. 239 Squadron RAF
500:No. 231 Squadron RAF
494:No. 182 Squadron RAF
488:No. 170 Squadron RAF
482:No. 168 Squadron RAF
308:Sommerfeld Tracking
294:Sommerfeld Tracking
180:51.84056°N 0.11639°E
1608:RAF Benevolent Fund
1543:symbols and uniform
1176:Ministry of Defence
893:Sommerfeld tracking
470:No. 80 Squadron RAF
464:No. 63 Squadron RAF
458:No. 16 Squadron RAF
385:which was based at
279:Sommerfeld Tracking
176: /
1588:Air Training Corps
1504:Chief of Air Staff
1368:RAF Music Services
888:
452:No. 4 Squadron RAF
416:
323:RAF Sawbridgeworth
220:RAF Sawbridgeworth
25:RAF Sawbridgeworth
1659:
1658:
1488:Personnel numbers
1383:RAF Marine Branch
1363:RAF ground trades
1309:
1308:
867:
866:
425:Westland Lysander
316:
315:
312:
311:
185:51.84056; 0.11639
1684:
1649:
1648:
1579:associated civil
1343:RAF Legal Branch
1338:RAF Intelligence
1224:Conversion units
1189:
1160:
1153:
1146:
1137:
1119:
1094:
1093:
1091:
1089:
1079:"Sawbridgeworth"
1075:
1066:
1060:
1054:
1048:
1042:
1036:
1030:
1024:
1018:
1012:
1006:
1000:
994:
988:
982:
979:
960:
954:
842:No. 268 Squadron
807:No. 182 Squadron
795:12 November 1943
782:No. 170 Squadron
771:30 November 1943
768:12 November 1943
755:No. 168 Squadron
708:No. 126 Squadron
670:30 November 1943
667:12 November 1943
630:
444:Second World War
402:Second World War
245:
244:
238:
216:
215:
209:
191:
190:
188:
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186:
181:
177:
174:
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73:
62:
43:
33:
21:
1692:
1691:
1687:
1686:
1685:
1683:
1682:
1681:
1662:
1661:
1660:
1655:
1622:
1598:RAF Association
1580:
1574:
1570:Heraldic badges
1538:
1492:
1456:
1418:
1397:
1323:Air Force Board
1315:
1305:
1279:
1253:
1184:
1178:
1169:
1167:Royal Air Force
1164:
1105:
1102:
1097:
1087:
1085:
1077:
1076:
1069:
1061:
1057:
1049:
1045:
1037:
1033:
1025:
1021:
1013:
1009:
1001:
997:
989:
985:
980:
963:
955:
951:
947:
942:
930:
872:
833:
827:30 January 1943
826:
825:17 January 1943
822:20 January 1943
821:
820:7 December 1942
798:15 January 1944
775:RAF North Weald
746:
745:
741:
739:
734:
732:
724:
719:
681:No. 80 Squadron
674:RAF North Weald
654:No. 63 Squadron
628:
623:
541:
404:
395:
387:RAF North Weald
379:
377:First World War
374:
372:Station history
365:A. J. W. Geddes
327:Royal Air Force
321:or more simply
236:
230:
229:
228:
227:
224:
223:
222:
221:
217:
184:
182:
178:
175:
170:
167:
165:
163:
162:
146:Elevation
110:Royal Air Force
76:
65:
54:
46:
34:
27:
26:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1690:
1688:
1680:
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1458:
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1444:
1443:
1442:
1437:
1426:
1424:
1420:
1419:
1417:
1416:
1411:
1405:
1403:
1402:reserve forces
1399:
1398:
1396:
1395:
1390:
1388:RAF Air Cadets
1385:
1380:
1375:
1370:
1365:
1360:
1355:
1350:
1345:
1340:
1335:
1330:
1325:
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1201:
1195:
1193:
1186:
1180:
1179:
1174:
1171:
1170:
1165:
1163:
1162:
1155:
1148:
1140:
1134:
1133:
1120:
1106:Jefford, C.G.
1101:
1098:
1096:
1095:
1067:
1055:
1043:
1031:
1019:
1007:
995:
983:
961:
948:
946:
943:
941:
938:
937:
936:
929:
926:
871:
868:
865:
864:
859:
856:
853:
847:
844:
838:
837:
828:
823:
818:
815:Hawker Typhoon
812:
809:
803:
802:
799:
796:
793:
787:
784:
778:
777:
772:
769:
766:
760:
757:
751:
750:
743:
736:
729:
713:
710:
704:
703:
701:RAF Hornchurch
698:
695:
692:
686:
683:
677:
676:
671:
668:
665:
659:
656:
650:
649:
646:
643:
640:
637:
636:Identification
634:
627:
624:
622:
621:
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615:
610:
605:
600:
597:
594:
591:
586:
581:
576:
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567:
564:
561:
556:
549:
548:
547:
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540:
539:
533:
527:
521:
515:
509:
503:
497:
491:
485:
479:
473:
467:
461:
455:
448:
412:Eric Ravilious
403:
400:
394:
391:
378:
375:
373:
370:
362:Wing Commander
314:
313:
310:
309:
306:
303:
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296:
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289:
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276:
273:
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232:
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198:
197:
193:
192:
160:
154:
153:
150:
143:
142:
139:
135:
134:
131:
127:
126:
120:Sawbridgeworth
117:
113:
112:
107:
103:
102:
97:
93:
92:
87:
83:
82:
78:
77:
75:
74:
63:
51:
48:
47:
44:
36:
35:
28:
24:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1689:
1678:
1675:
1673:
1670:
1669:
1667:
1652:
1644:
1642:
1639:
1637:
1634:
1632:
1629:
1628:
1625:
1619:
1616:
1614:
1611:
1609:
1606:
1604:
1601:
1599:
1596:
1594:
1591:
1589:
1586:
1585:
1583:
1581:organisations
1577:
1571:
1568:
1566:
1563:
1561:
1558:
1556:
1553:
1551:
1548:
1547:
1545:
1541:
1535:
1532:
1530:
1527:
1525:
1522:
1520:
1519:Air Secretary
1517:
1515:
1512:
1510:
1507:
1505:
1502:
1501:
1499:
1495:
1489:
1486:
1484:
1481:
1479:
1476:
1474:
1471:
1469:
1468:Officer ranks
1466:
1465:
1463:
1459:
1453:
1450:
1448:
1445:
1441:
1438:
1436:
1433:
1432:
1431:
1428:
1427:
1425:
1421:
1415:
1412:
1410:
1407:
1406:
1404:
1400:
1394:
1391:
1389:
1386:
1384:
1381:
1379:
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1374:
1371:
1369:
1366:
1364:
1361:
1359:
1356:
1354:
1351:
1349:
1346:
1344:
1341:
1339:
1336:
1334:
1331:
1329:
1326:
1324:
1321:
1320:
1318:
1312:
1302:
1299:
1297:
1294:
1292:
1289:
1288:
1286:
1282:
1276:
1273:
1271:
1268:
1266:
1263:
1262:
1260:
1256:
1250:
1247:
1245:
1242:
1240:
1237:
1235:
1232:
1230:
1227:
1225:
1222:
1220:
1217:
1215:
1212:
1210:
1207:
1205:
1202:
1200:
1197:
1196:
1194:
1190:
1187:
1181:
1177:
1172:
1168:
1161:
1156:
1154:
1149:
1147:
1142:
1141:
1138:
1132:
1128:
1124:
1121:
1117:
1116:1-84037-141-2
1113:
1109:
1104:
1103:
1099:
1084:
1080:
1074:
1072:
1068:
1065:, p. 81.
1064:
1059:
1056:
1053:, p. 66.
1052:
1047:
1044:
1041:, p. 65.
1040:
1035:
1032:
1029:, p. 64.
1028:
1023:
1020:
1017:, p. 58.
1016:
1011:
1008:
1005:, p. 49.
1004:
999:
996:
993:, p. 45.
992:
987:
984:
978:
976:
974:
972:
970:
968:
966:
962:
959:, p. 24.
958:
953:
950:
944:
939:
935:
932:
931:
927:
925:
921:
917:
915:
911:
906:
902:
901:Harry Roberts
898:
894:
885:
884:Allen's Green
881:
876:
869:
863:
862:RAF Dundonald
860:
858:26 March 1944
857:
854:
851:
848:
845:
843:
840:
839:
836:
832:
831:RAF Snailwell
829:
824:
819:
816:
813:
810:
808:
805:
804:
800:
797:
794:
791:
788:
785:
783:
780:
779:
776:
773:
770:
767:
764:
761:
758:
756:
753:
752:
749:
744:
740:30 April 1944
738:30 April 1944
737:
735:30 April 1944
733:30 April 1944
731:30 April 1944
730:
727:
722:
717:
714:
711:
709:
706:
705:
702:
699:
696:
694:24 April 1944
693:
690:
687:
684:
682:
679:
678:
675:
672:
669:
666:
663:
660:
657:
655:
652:
651:
647:
644:
641:
638:
635:
632:
631:
625:
619:
616:
614:
611:
609:
606:
604:
601:
598:
595:
592:
590:
587:
585:
582:
580:
577:
574:
571:
568:
565:
562:
560:
557:
554:
551:
550:
546:
543:
542:
537:
534:
531:
528:
525:
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346:Hertfordshire
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124:Hertfordshire
121:
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72:
68:
64:
61:
57:
53:
52:
49:
42:
37:
32:
22:
19:
1497:appointments
1328:RAF Regiment
1314:branches and
1244:Glider units
1131:09525 624 05
1122:
1107:
1100:Bibliography
1086:. Retrieved
1063:Jefford 1988
1058:
1051:Jefford 1988
1046:
1039:Jefford 1988
1034:
1027:Jefford 1988
1022:
1015:Jefford 1988
1010:
1003:Jefford 1988
998:
991:Jefford 1988
986:
957:Jefford 1988
952:
922:
918:
914:RAF Matching
889:
855:1 March 1944
748:RAF Culmhead
438:
417:
396:
380:
354:
325:is a former
322:
318:
317:
100:Air Ministry
86:Airport type
70:
59:
18:
1473:Other ranks
1239:Ferry units
1088:4 September
910:RAF Hunsdon
870:Current use
742:22 May 1944
183: /
171:000°06′59″E
158:Coordinates
1666:Categories
1618:RAF Museum
1393:Operations
1358:RAF Police
1316:components
1249:Misc units
1183:formations
940:References
801:Disbanded
697:5 May 1944
168:51°50′26″N
1461:personnel
1423:equipment
1296:Squadrons
1214:Squadrons
1185:and units
945:Citations
897:'Blister'
639:Equipment
342:Stevenage
249:Direction
141:1916-1956
1636:timeline
1560:Roundels
1284:Regiment
1258:stations
1199:Commands
928:See also
905:murdered
633:Squadron
393:Mid-wars
256:Surface
116:Location
106:Operator
1651:commons
1631:history
1565:Uniform
1435:current
1301:Flights
1219:Flights
880:pillbox
846:Unknown
786:Unknown
759:Unknown
658:Unknown
350:England
330:station
253:Length
237:Runways
81:Summary
1641:future
1550:Ensign
1440:future
1270:Former
1265:Active
1204:Groups
1129:
1114:
334:Harlow
305:1,234
302:4,050
299:01/19
291:1,280
288:4,200
285:06/24
275:1,585
272:5,200
269:13/31
138:In use
1555:Badge
1291:Wings
1209:Wings
1192:units
882:near
817:IA/IB
544:Units
356:Wood
338:Essex
130:Built
96:Owner
1127:ISBN
1112:ISBN
1090:2012
912:and
642:From
148:AMSL
133:1916
71:none
67:ICAO
60:none
56:IATA
728:IXB
648:To
261:ft
196:Map
1668::
1081:.
1070:^
964:^
878:A
852:IA
811:XM
792:IA
765:IA
723:VC
718:VB
712:5J
691:VB
685:W2
664:IA
645:To
352:.
348:,
344:,
336:,
264:m
122:,
69::
58::
1159:e
1152:t
1145:v
1118:.
1092:.
555:.
538:.
532:.
526:.
520:.
514:.
508:.
502:.
496:.
490:.
484:.
478:.
472:.
466:.
460:.
454:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
