RAF Oban 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 ...

(RAF)

flying boat A flying boat is a type of seaplane with a hull, allowing it to land on water. It differs from a floatplane in having a fuselage that is purpose-designed for flotation, while floatplanes rely on fuselage-mounted floats for buoyancy. Though ...

base located at the northern end of the island of

Kerrera Kerrera ( ; or ''Cearrara'') is an island in the Scottish Inner Hebrides, close to the town of Oban. In 2016 it had a population of 45, divided into two communities in the north and south of the island. Geography The island is around long ...

, in Ardantrive Bay west of

Oban Oban ( ; meaning ''The Little Bay'') is a resort town within the Argyll and Bute council area of Scotland. Despite its small size, it is the largest town between Helensburgh and Fort William, Highland, Fort William. During the tourist seaso ...

Argyll and Bute Argyll and Bute (; , ) is one of 32 unitary authority, unitary council areas of Scotland, council areas in Scotland and a lieutenancy areas of Scotland, lieutenancy area. The current lord-lieutenant for Argyll and Bute is Jane Margaret MacLeod ...

Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...

during 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 ...

History

Oban was surveyed by the RAF in the 1930s as a suitable base for flying boat operations. A fuel depot was set up on the island of Kerrera while

No. 209 Squadron RAF Number 209 Squadron of the British Royal Air Force was originally formed from a nucleus of "Naval Eight" on 1 February 1917 at Saint-Pol-sur-Mer, France, as No. 9 Squadron Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS)Rawlings 1978, p. 324. and saw active servi ...

began utilising the facilities operating the

Supermarine Stranraer The Supermarine Stranraer is a flying boat designed and built by the British Supermarine Aviation Works company at Woolston, Southampton. It was developed during the 1930s on behalf of its principal operator, the Royal Air Force (RAF). It wa ...

flying-boat in October 1939. An aircraft servicing area, new slip and jetty were constructed on the island. The base became operational in September 1938, with headquarters at Dungallan House, Oban. No. 209 Squadron re-equipped with Saro Lerwick flying-boats were based at RAF Oban. Aircrew based at RAF Oban were billeted in the main seafront hotels at Oban. No. 210 Squadron RAF equipped with the

Short Sunderland The Short S.25 Sunderland is a British flying boat Maritime patrol aircraft, patrol bomber, developed and constructed by Short Brothers for the Royal Air Force (RAF). The aircraft took its service name from the town (latterly, city) and port of ...

replaced No. 209 Squadron in July 1940. Anti submarine patrols, convoy escorts as part of 18 Group

Coastal Command RAF Coastal Command was a formation within the Royal Air Force (RAF). It was founded in 1936, when the RAF was restructured into Fighter, Bomber and Coastal commands and played an important role during the Second World War. Maritime Aviation ...

and ferry services were carried out from the base. No. 228 Squadron RAF, No. 10 Squadron

Royal Australian Air Force The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) is the principal Air force, aerial warfare force of Australia, a part of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Australian Army. Constitutionally the Governor-Gener ...

, No. 422 and

423 __NOTOC__ Year 423 ( CDXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known in Rome as the Year of the Consulship of Marinianus and Asclepiodotus (or, less frequently, year 1176 ''Ab urbe condita''). ...

Squadrons

Royal Canadian Air Force The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF; ) is the air and space force of Canada. Its role is to "provide the Canadian Forces with relevant, responsive and effective airpower". The RCAF is one of three environmental commands within the unified Can ...

, No. 330 (Norwegian) Squadron RAF. No. 302 Ferry Training Unit RAF (July 1943 – April 1945) and No. 4 Flying Boat Servicing Unit RAF (September 1942 – 1945) served at the base. A Flying Boat Maintenance Unit located to the north east at Ganavan provided maintenance for aircraft utilising the base. The base was reverted to care and maintenance on 28 April 1945.

Commanding officers

Group Captain Group captain (Gp Capt or G/C) is a senior officer rank used by some air forces, with origins from the Royal Air Force. The rank is used by air forces of many Commonwealth of Nations, countries that have historical British influence. Group cap ...

J.H.O. Jones – September 1938. *Group Captain J H Chaplin – December 1943.

References

Citations

Bibliography

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External links

RAF Oban InformationSecret Scotland
{{DEFAULTSORT:Oban, RAF

Airports established in 1938 Royal Air Force stations of World War II in the United Kingdom RAF