RAF Stradishall

Royal Air Force Stradishall or more simply RAF Stradishall is a former Royal Air Force station located 7 miles (11 km) north east of Haverhill, Suffolk and 9 miles (14 km) south west of Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England. Part of the site remains in use as Stradishall Training Area.[2]

RAF Stradishall
Stradishall, Suffolk in England
Latin: Vires de caelo
("Might from the sky")
Aerial view in 1945
RAF Stradishall is located in Suffolk
RAF Stradishall
RAF Stradishall
Shown within Suffolk
RAF Stradishall is located in the United Kingdom
RAF Stradishall
RAF Stradishall
RAF Stradishall (the United Kingdom)
Coordinates52°08′06″N 000°30′51″E
Grid referenceTL720515[1]
TypeRoyal Air Force station
Site information
OwnerMinistry of Defence
OperatorRoyal Air Force
Controlled byRAF Bomber Command 1938-49
* No. 3 Group RAF
RAF Fighter Command 1949-61
* No. 12 Group RAF
RAF Flying Training Command 1961-70
Site history
Built1937 (1937)
In useFebruary 1938 - 1970 (1970)
Battles/warsEuropean theatre of World War II
Airfield information
Elevation116 metres (381 ft) AMSL
Runways
Direction Length and surface
02/20  Concrete
06/24  Concrete
12/30  Concrete

History

In his memoirs,[3] Murray Peden, a Royal Canadian Air Force pilot, recounts his training at Stradishall. In the RAF's "heavy conversion unit" (No. 1657 Heavy Conversion Unit[4]) at the airfield, he and others were trained to fly Short Stirling bombers. He describes in detail his experiences flying there, and the life on the ground of aircrew who were shortly to begin operations over Nazi Germany as part of RAF Bomber Command during the Second World War.

The airfield was home to a number of squadrons during its lifetime:

The following units were also here at some point:[27]

214 Squadron Wellington being repaired and overhauled at RAF Stradishall

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.

The Airfield is a Solar Farm with grazing for cattle and nature walk. It is open from dawn to dusk.

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
  1. Birtles 2012, p. 48.
  2. "DTE East Public Information Leaflet" (PDF). Retrieved 16 December 2020.
  3. Peden, Murray, "A Thousand Shall Fall," Dundurn (1 April 2003)
  4. Sturtivant, Ray; Hamlin, John F. (2007). RAF Flying Training And Support Units since 1912. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. ISBN 0-85130-365-X.
  5. Jefford 1988, p. 23.
  6. Jefford 1988, p. 27.
  7. Jefford 1988, p. 37.
  8. Jefford 1988, p. 41.
  9. Jefford 1988, p. 42.
  10. Jefford 1988, p. 48.
  11. Jefford 1988, p. 51.
  12. Jefford 1988, p. 54.
  13. Jefford 1988, p. 55.
  14. Jefford 1988, p. 57.
  15. Jefford 1988, p. 58.
  16. Jefford 1988, p. 60.
  17. Jefford 1988, p. 62.
  18. Jefford 1988, p. 63.
  19. Jefford 1988, p. 66.
  20. Jefford 1988, p. 69.
  21. Jefford 1988, p. 71.
  22. Jefford 1988, p. 75.
  23. Jefford 1988, p. 77.
  24. Jefford 1988, p. 79.
  25. Jefford 1988, p. 80.
  26. Jefford 1988, p. 85.
  27. "Stradishall". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 7 March 2023.

Bibliography
  • Birtles, P. (2012). UK Airfields of the Cold War. Midland Publishing. ISBN 978-1-85780-346-4.
  • Jefford, C.G. 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.
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