Royal Air Force Debden or more simply RAF Debden 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 ...

located southeast of

Saffron Walden Saffron Walden is a market town and civil parish in the Uttlesford district of Essex, England, north of Bishop's Stortford, south of Cambridge and north of London. It retains a rural appearance and some buildings of the medieval period. Th ...

and approximately north of the village of Debden in north

Essex Essex ( ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the East of England, and one of the home counties. It is bordered by Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, the North Sea to the east, Kent across the Thames Estuary to the ...

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 ...

History

The airfield was opened in April 1937 and was first used by the

. One of Debden's early and most bizarre experiences was when the airfield was chosen as a location for the film '' It's in the Air'' in which

George Formby George Formby, (born George Hoy Booth; 26 May 1904 – 6 March 1961), was an English actor, singer-songwriter and comedian who became known to a worldwide audience through his films of the 1930s and 1940s. On stage, screen and record he ...

was to pilot a Hawker Fury through Hangar No. 3. The rather sharper angle of the hangars at Debden built around the tarmac apron allowed free access at both ends of the end hangar. The flying for the sequence was actually done by Flying Officer R. H. A. Lee who disappeared on 18 August 1940 when he was last seen ten miles north of Foulness Point chasing three German aircraft out to sea.

RAF Fighter Command use

Hard surface runways were laid in 1940. During the early years 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 ...

it was a Sector Station, with an Operations Block for No. 11 Group RAF during the

Battle of Britain The Battle of Britain () was a military campaign of the Second World War, in which the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) of the Royal Navy defended the United Kingdom (UK) against large-scale attacks by Nazi Germany's air force ...

. Many different RAF units were posted to Debden, including No 17, 29, 65, 73, 80, 85, 87, 111, 157, 257, 418, 504 and 601 Squadrons. The airfield was attacked several times during the Battle of Britain. The first air-raid sounded on 18 June 1940, although the first bombs were not dropped on the airfield until seven days later. Then, on 2 August, came a heavy attack which destroyed several buildings, killing five, to be followed by another severe raid on 31 August. During August and September, Debden fighters claimed seventy aircraft destroyed, thirty probables and forty-one damaged. In 1970, Peter Townsend, the commander of 85 Squadron, which operated from Debden during the Battle of Britain, published a best-selling history of the Battle, ''Duel of Eagles''. On 28 January 1941, the station was visited by King

George VI George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George; 14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952) was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until Death and state funeral of George VI, his death in 1952 ...

and Queen Elizabeth, and the following month by a German aircrew; it was on 4 February 1941 that a German pilot landed his aircraft and taxied to the watch office (control tower), at which point the German pilot must have realised his mistake as he took off in a hurry. During May through into September 1942 Debden was used by No. 71 and 121 " Eagle Squadrons" with

Supermarine Spitfire The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and other Allies of World War II, Allied countries before, during, and after World War II. It was the only British fighter produced conti ...

Vs. Squadrons: ;Units

United States Army Air Forces use

The airfield was transferred on 12 September 1942 to the

United States Army Air Forces The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...

Eighth Air Force The Eighth Air Force (Air Forces Strategic) is a numbered air force (NAF) of the United States Air Force's Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC). It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. The command serves as Air Forces S ...

. Debden was assigned USAAF designation Station 356. USAAF Station Units assigned to RAF Debden were: * 33rd Service Group : 41st and 45th Service Squadrons; HHS 33d Service Group * 18th Weather Squadron * 24th Station Complement Squadron * 225th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Searchlight Battalion * 1030th Signal Company * 1063rd Military Police Company * 1126th Quartermaster Company * 1192nd Military Police Company * 1770th Ordnance Supply & Maintenance Company * 2119th Engineer Fire Fighting Platoon * 546th Army Postal Unit

4th Fighter Group

With the transfer of the airfield and the entry of the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

into the war, Americans serving in the RAF Eagle squadrons were transferred into the American ranks, with 71, 121 and 133 RAF Eagle Squadrons becoming the

4th Fighter Group The 4th Fighter Group was an American element of the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) Eighth Air Force during World War II. The group was known as the Debden Eagles because it was created from the three Eagle Squadrons of the Royal Air Forc ...

. The group was under the command of the 65th Fighter Wing of the

VIII Fighter Command The VIII Fighter Command was a United States Army Air Forces unit of command above the wings and below the numbered air force. Its primary mission was command of fighter operations within the Eighth Air Force. In the World War II European Thea ...

. Aircraft of the group were identified by red around their cowlings and tails. The group consisted of the following squadrons: * 334th Fighter Squadron (QP) (Former 71 Squadron) * 335th Fighter Squadron (WD) (Former 121 Squadron) * 336th Fighter Squadron (VF) (Former 133 Squadron) The 4th Fighter Group destroyed more enemy aircraft in the air and on the ground than any other fighter group of the Eighth Air Force. The group operated first with

s but changed to

Republic P-47 Thunderbolt The Republic P-47 Thunderbolt is a World War II-era fighter aircraft produced by the American company Republic Aviation from 1941 through 1945. It was a successful high-altitude fighter, and it also served as the foremost American fighter-bombe ...

s in March 1943 and to

North American P-51 Mustang The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang is an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II and the Korean War, among other conflicts. The Mustang was designed in 1940 by a team headed by James H. Kin ...

s in April 1944. On numerous occasions the 4th FG escorted

Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress is an American four-engined heavy bomber aircraft developed in the 1930s for the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC). A fast and high-flying bomber, the B-17 dropped more bombs than any other aircraft during ...

and

Consolidated B-24 Liberator The Consolidated B-24 Liberator is an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and some initial production aircraft were laid down as export models desi ...

bombers that were attacking factories, submarine pens, V-weapon sites, and other targets in

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

, the Low Countries, or

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

. The group went out sometimes with a small force of bombers to draw up the enemy's fighters so they could be destroyed in aerial combat. At other times the 4th attacked the enemy's air power by strafing and dive-bombing airfields. They also hit troops, supply depots, roads, bridges, rail lines, and trains. The unit participated in the intensive campaign against the

German Air Force The German Air Force (, ) is the aerial warfare branch of the , the armed forces of Germany. The German Air Force (as part of the ) was founded in 1956 during the era of the Cold War as the aerial warfare branch of the armed forces of West Ger ...

and aircraft industry during

Big Week Operation Argument, after the war dubbed Big Week, was a sequence of raids by the United States Army Air Forces and RAF Bomber Command from 20 to 25 February 1944, as part of the Combined Bomber Offensive against Nazi Germany. The objective o ...

, 20–25 February 1944. They received a

Distinguished Unit Citation The Presidential Unit Citation (PUC), originally called the Distinguished Unit Citation, is awarded to units of the uniformed services of the United States, and those of allied countries, for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed e ...

for aggressiveness in seeking out and destroying enemy aircraft and in attacking enemy air airfields during the period 5 March – 24 April 1944. The 4th FG flew interdictory and counter-air missions during the

invasion of Normandy Operation Overlord was the codename for the Battle of Normandy, the Allied operation that launched the successful liberation of German-occupied Western Europe during World War II. The operation was launched on 6 June 1944 ( D-Day) with the ...

in June 1944 and supported the airborne invasion of the Netherlands in September. They participated in the

Battle of the Bulge The Battle of the Bulge, also known as the Ardennes Offensive or Unternehmen Die Wacht am Rhein, Wacht am Rhein, was the last major German Offensive (military), offensive Military campaign, campaign on the Western Front (World War II), Western ...

, December 1944-January 1945, and provided cover for the airborne assault across the Rhine in March 1945. In October 1944, No. 616 Squadron RAF, the first RAF jet unit, had a detachment of

Gloster Meteor The Gloster Meteor was the first British jet fighter and the Allies' only jet aircraft to engage in combat operations during the Second World War. The Meteor's development was heavily reliant on its ground-breaking turbojet engines, pioneere ...

s at Debden to practise affiliation tactics with the 4th Fighter Group. With the cessation of hostilities, the group was briefly moved to RAF Steeple Morden in early July 1945, then on 10 November 1945 the group returned to the US and was inactivated at Camp Kilmer

New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...

Postwar Royal Air Force use

RAF Debden was returned to

control on 5 September 1945. Debden became a station of RAF Technical Training Command. Its first major occupant was the Empire Radio School from 7 March 1946. The schools operated Tiger Moths and Percival Proctors. As of 20 October 1949, became the Signals Division of the RAF Technical College. Thereafter, later, the Debden Division of the Royal Air Force Technical College. The signals training activities were later being joined by a Bomb Disposal Unit and a Motor Transport Repair Unit. Debden became home to No. 614 Volunteer Gliding School RAF (614 VGS) in 1966. The School remained at RAF Debden until the British Army required the airfield for tank training and the school was found a new home at

RAF Wethersfield MDP Wethersfield is a Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom), Ministry of Defence facility in Essex, England, located north of the village of Wethersfield, Essex, Wethersfield, about north-west of the town of Braintree, Essex, Braintree. Original ...

from June 1982. In 1967 Debden became an overspill training centre for civilian police covered by No. 5 district. On 18 October 1973 a Nissen hut, officially designated Building 210 which had been used by the 4th Fighter Group during the war was presented to the USAF to be flown to

Wright-Patterson Air Force Base Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (WPAFB) is a United States Air Force base and census-designated place just east of Dayton, Ohio, in Greene County, Ohio, Greene and Montgomery County, Ohio, Montgomery counties. It includes both Wright and Patte ...

Ohio Ohio ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Erie to the north, Pennsylvania to the east, West Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Indiana to the ...

, to be re-assembled and displayed in the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. The RAF Police School had moved to Debden in 1960 and the unit became The RAF Police Depot. From 1968, the Provost & Security Support Squadron was also based at Debden. In the 1960s, the Unit also trained members of the Air Force Department Constabulary (until that force was amalgamated into the

Ministry of Defence Police The Ministry of Defence Police (MDP) is a civilian special police force#United Kingdom, special police force which is part of the United Kingdom's Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom), Ministry of Defence. The MDP's primary responsibilities are ...

). On 5 June 1973, RAF Debden was subject of a Royal Review by

Princess Margaret Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon (Margaret Rose; 21 August 1930 – 9 February 2002) was the younger daughter of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother. She was the younger sister and only sibling of Queen Elizabeth II. ...

. The RAF Police Dog School had moved to Debden from Netheravon in 1962. Apart from RAF Police, the Dog School also trained UK-based USAF Police to handle RAF Police Dogs. The School hosted the RAF Police Dog Demonstration Team which, apart from its appearances over many years in the UK, toured America in September 1969. In 1974, the RAF Police School moved to RAF Newton, Nottinghamshire, whilst the Dog School remained at Debden. In July 1975, the RAF Police Dog School hosted Debden's final RAF Police Dog Trials before the Dog School also moved to join the rest of RAF Police Training at RAF Newton in late Summer 1975. The station officially closed on 21 August 1975. ;Units:

British Army

After the RAF left the site became Carver Barracks. Due to its postwar use, the airfield and technical site is almost completely intact from its Second World War configuration, although all but one of the three Type-C hangars made famous by Formby have now been demolished on the main airfield and two other hangars remaining to the south of the main site. Hangar 3 was demolished after 1988, after the

Royal Armoured Corps The Royal Armoured Corps is the armoured arm of the British Army, that together with the Household Cavalry provides its armour capability, with vehicles such as the Challenger 2 and the Warrior tracked armoured vehicle. It includes most of the Ar ...

moved away from Carver Barracks.

References

Citations

Bibliography

* * * Freeman, Roger A. (1978) ''Airfields of the Eighth: Then and Now.'' After the Battle * Freeman, Roger A. (1991) ''The Mighty Eighth The Colour Record''. Cassell & Co. * * * Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). ''Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories 1947-1977''. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. . *

External links

www.controltowers.co.uk Debden

www.littlefriends.co.uk 4th FG

* ttps://web.archive.org/web/20140407071658/http://www.pastscape.org/hob.aspx?hob_id=1393426 Detailed historic record about RAF Debden
4th Fighter Group Association website

{{DEFAULTSORT:Debden Airfields of the VIII Fighter Command in the United Kingdom Royal Air Force stations in Essex Military units and formations established in 1937 Royal Air Force stations of World War II in the United Kingdom