Royal Air Force Bridgnorth or more simply RAF Bridgnorth is a former
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the Air force, air and space force of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. It was formed towards the end of the World War I, First World War on 1 April 1918, on the merger of t ...
station
Station may refer to:
Agriculture
* Station (Australian agriculture), a large Australian landholding used for livestock production
* Station (New Zealand agriculture), a large New Zealand farm used for grazing by sheep and cattle
** Cattle statio ...
, created after the outbreak of the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
on 6 November 1939, at Stanmore, to the east of
Bridgnorth
Bridgnorth is a market town and civil parish in Shropshire, England. The River Severn splits it into High Town and Low Town, the upper town on the right bank and the lower on the left bank of the River Severn. The population at the United Kingd ...
,
Shropshire
Shropshire (; abbreviated SalopAlso used officially as the name of the county from 1974–1980. The demonym for inhabitants of the county "Salopian" derives from this name.) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the West M ...
,
England
England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...
. However, as
RAF Stanmore Park
Royal Air Force Stanmore Park or more simply RAF Stanmore Park is a former Royal Air Force station in Stanmore, Middlesex (now the London Borough of Harrow). It was opened in 1939 and closed in 1997.
History
The station was opened in 1939 and ...
already existed in
Middlesex
Middlesex (; abbreviation: Middx) is a Historic counties of England, former county in South East England, now mainly within Greater London. Its boundaries largely followed three rivers: the River Thames, Thames in the south, the River Lea, Le ...
, it was named RAF Bridgnorth. Although during its existence various static aeroplanes were displayed as
gate guardian
A gate guardian or gate guard is a withdrawn piece of equipment, often an aircraft, armoured vehicle, artillery piece, or locomotive, mounted on a plinth and used as a static display near to and forming a symbolic display of "guarding" the main ...
s, RAF Bridgnorth never had a runway.
The first unit stationed there was No. 4 Recruit Centre. Their role was to carry out the basic training of new recruits in the RAF, originally designed for 2,000 recruits and 500 permanent staff. In 1940 spare accommodation at Bridgnorth enabled it to be used as a transit and kitting out centre for troops returning from France. In August 1941 the Station was renamed No. 1
Women's Auxiliary Air Force
The Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF), whose members were referred to as WAAFs (), was the female auxiliary of the British Royal Air Force during the World War II, Second World War. Established in 1939, WAAF numbers exceeded 181,000 at its peak ...
Depot involved with the training of WAAF recruits. By September 1942 saw another change of name to the No. 1 Elementary Air Navigation School. Other changes subsequently took place as dictated by the needs of the war effort. From its inception until after the war, the station also had a 114-bed hospital.
Second World War
The site was used for training WAAF, airmen and aircrew during the Second World War. It was also a reception centre for forces personnel returning from the
Dunkirk evacuation
The Dunkirk evacuation, codenamed Operation Dynamo and also known as the Miracle of Dunkirk, or just Dunkirk, was the evacuation of more than 338,000 Allied soldiers during the Second World War from the beaches and harbour of Dunkirk, in the ...
which included Czech, Dutch and French forces too.
Aircrew training consisted of No. 1 Elementary Air Navigation School, the
Empire Air Navigation School, No.s 14, 18, 50, 70, 80 & 81 Initial Training Wings (ITW's) which covered training in air gunnery, navigation, bomb-aiming and wireless operating. From 1939 until well into 1946, the station had a 114-bed hospital. However, besides the 3,000 – 4,000 station personnel to cater for, the station hospital also served around 3,000 people from the local area, which saw the bed numbers rise to 140 by 1940.
Post Second World War
Only after the war ended in 1945 could the Station revert to its original task of providing basic training to recruits, as the No. 7 School of Recruit Training.
It retained that name until closure in 1963. The
unit badge carried the Latin motto ''Haec porta moenia viri'' (This is the gate, the walls are men).
In December 1943, a
flu
Influenza, commonly known as the flu, is an infectious disease caused by influenza viruses. Symptoms range from mild to severe and often include fever, runny nose, sore throat, muscle pain, headache, coughing, and fatigue. These sympto ...
epidemic on the station meant that all the WAAF personnel were moved off camp so that their quarters and living areas could be fumigated. Training continued with basic recruits being billeted in hangars around the base.
On
Armistice Sunday 6 November 1949, a massed parade of 3,400 men supported the Mayor of Bridgnorth. On 12 April 1950 the Borough of Bridgnorth granted RAF Bridgnorth the Freedom of Entry to the town. It was the first RAF Station to be granted Freedom of Entry in the United Kingdom.
Also in 1950, No 7 School of Recruit Training was 'adopted' by Training Command under a patronage scheme that saw all 5 recruit training schools being adopted by one of the Royal Air Force Commands.
On 7 June 1951, RAF Bridgnorth exercised its right for the first time to march through the town, via the North Gate, with bayonets fixed, drums beating and colours flying. An
Avro Lancaster
The Avro Lancaster, commonly known as the Lancaster Bomber, is a British World War II, Second World War heavy bomber. It was designed and manufactured by Avro as a contemporary of the Handley Page Halifax, both bombers having been developed to ...
flew overhead. That was only possible after the RAF Service had received the King's Colours on 26 May 1951.
Tens of thousands of recruits passed through Bridgnorth for their initial eight weeks training or ‘square bashing’ as it was called and included entertainer
Des O’Connor, comedian
Ronnie Corbett
Ronald Balfour Corbett (4 December 1930 – 31 March 2016) was a Scottish actor, broadcaster, comedian and writer. He had a long association with Ronnie Barker in the BBC television comedy sketch show ''The Two Ronnies''. He achieved promine ...
and ex-test cricketers
Cyril Washbrook
Cyril Washbrook (6 December 1914 – 27 April 1999) was an English cricketer, who played for Lancashire and England. He had a long career, split by World War II, and ending when he was aged 44. Washbrook, who is most famous for opening the batt ...
and
Raman Subba Row
Raman Subba Row (29 January 1932 – 17 April 2024) was an English cricketer who played for the national team, Cambridge University, Surrey and Northamptonshire.
Life and career
Born in Streatham, Surrey, England on 29 January 1932, to an I ...
.
One of the notable commanders on recruit training after the Second World War was Squadron Leader
George 'Johnny' Johnson, one of the aircrew who took part in the
Dambusters Raid
Operation Chastise, commonly known as the Dambusters Raid, was an attack on Nazi Germany, German dams carried out on the night of 16/17 May 1943 by No. 617 Squadron RAF, 617 Squadron RAF Bomber Command, later called the Dam Busters, using spe ...
.
The Station closed down on Friday 8 February 1963.
A commemorative plaque was unveiled on the former '3' Wing mess hall / cook house chimney on 28 May 1994.
The chimney is now in the part of the former RAF Station that has been designated a Country Park.
References
Bibliography
*
*
*
* ''The Official Programme for the Ceremony of the Closure of Royal Air Force Station Bridgnorth''
External links
RAF Bridgnorth web site; over 1,200 photographs of the former RAF StationBritish Pathé Film of " The RAF receive 'Freedom on Entry' of Bridgnorth"
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bridgnorth RAF
Royal Air Force stations in Shropshire
Military units and formations established in 1939
RAF