Citizendia
Your Ad Here

Royal Air Force Station Welford
Royal Air Force Station Welford Park
USAAF Station 474

Part of United States Air Forces in Europe (USAFE)
Located near Welford, Berkshire, England

501st Combat Support Wing
Type Royal Air Force Station
Coordinates 51°28′04″N, 1°23′50″W
Location code WF
Built 1943
In use 1943-1948,1955-Present
Current
owner		 Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
Controlled by Royal Air Force (1943,1945-1948)
United States Army Air Forces (1943-1945)
United States Air Force (1955-Present)
Garrison 420th Munitions Squadron
Occupants Royal Air Force
Eighth Air Force
United States Air Forces In Europe
Battles/wars European Theatre of World War II
Air Offensive, Europe July 1942 - May 1945
Events
RAF Welford (Berkshire)
RAF Welford
RAF Welford, shown within Berkshire

RAF Welford is a UK Royal Air Force station which is presently utilized by the United States Air Force. The United States Air Forces in Europe ( USAFE) is the United States Air Force component of U Welford is a Village and Civil parish in the English county of Berkshire, situated in the valley of the River Lambourn to the north England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland The Ministry of Defence ( MoD) is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters The United States Army Air Forces ( USAAF) was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II. Eighth Air Force is a Numbered Air Force (NAF of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command (ACC The United States Air Forces in Europe ( USAFE) is the United States Air Force component of U The European Theatre of Operations ( ETO) was an area of heavy fighting across Europe during World War II, from Nazi Germany's Invasion of Poland The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located A Royal Air Force Station is a permanent Royal Air Force operations location. It is one of the largest ammunition compounds for the United States Air Force in Western Europe for heavy munitions. An ammunition dump, ammunition compound, ammunition depot, bomb dump or ammo dump, is a Military storage facility for live Ammunition Western Europe at its most general meaning means 'all the countries in the West of Europe ' Ammunition, often referred to as ammo, is a generic term derived from the French language la munition which

Contents

Units

Welford is now under the command of the 420 Munitions Squadron, and comes under the command of the 501st Combat Support Wing, with headquarters at RAF Alconbury, which provides support to the Geographically Separated Units (GSU)s in the United Kingdom. RAF Alconbury is a Royal Air Force station adjacent to the Stukeleys near Alconbury and Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire in the United Kingdom

Its location on the Berkshire / Wiltshire border can be identified today by an access road enigmatically signposted "Works Unit Only", leading to the station from the eastbound M4 motorway to the west of the A34 junction with the M4. Berkshire (ˈbɑːkʃə or /ˈbɑːkʃɪə/ say Baak-shuh/-sheer sometimes abbreviated to Berks) is a Home County in the South Etymology The county formerly 'Wiltonshire' or 'Wiltunscir' (9th century is named after the former county town of Wilton (itself named after the River Wylye A frontage road (also access road, feeder, service drive, service road, outer road, and especially surface road) is The M4 motorway is a Motorway in Great Britain linking London with Wales. The A34 is a major road in England. It runs from the A6042 in Salford to Winchester in Hampshire. There is no access from the westbound motorway, so traffic leaving the station for the west must first travel east to the A34 junction before heading west. It is usually at its busiest when the US government deploys bombers to a forward air station at RAF Fairford. The federal government of the United States is the central United States Governmental body established by the United States Constitution. A bomber is a Military aircraft designed to attack ground and sea targets primarily by dropping Bombs on them RAF Fairford is a Royal Air Force station in Gloucestershire, England.

History

RAF Welford - May 1944. Note the many CG-4A gliders on the airfield.
RAF Welford - May 1944. Note the many CG-4A gliders on the airfield.
Horsa glider at Welford, May 1944.
Horsa glider at Welford, May 1944.

Welford airfield (also called Welford Park) was built as one of the many Operational Training Unit airfields for the Southern Counties and was intended originally as a base for No 92 group Bomber Command. The original design called for a standard RAF 3 runway layout with the main runway of 2000ft aligned NW/SE to be a satellite airfield for the nearby RAF Membury due to the high risk of Luftwaffe attack. RAF Membury was a World War II airfield in England located 6 miles north-west of Hungerford in Berkshire. ( German 'luftvafe is a generic German term for an Air force. By 1942 the plan had been modified to bring the dispersed accommodation site closer to the airfield .

RAF use

By April 1943 when the airfield was nearing completion, No 70 group assumed responsibility and the opening up party arrived on 10 June and used the WAAF site situated in a copse to the north of the site as the headquarters until construction work was finished and the 2 T-2 hangers complete. Events 1190 - Third Crusade: Frederick I Barbarossa drowns in the Sally River while leading an army to Jerusalem Additional hard standings for 50 dispersed aircraft was also provided.

USAAF use

With the need to find bases for the newly arriving USAAF forces, Welford was selected and the first contingent of Americans arrived on 6 September 1943, when the VIII Air Support Command took charge of the airfield. Events 3114 BC - According to the Proleptic Julian calendar the current era in the Maya Long Count Calendar started Year 1943 ( MCMXLIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. In October 1943 the airfield was allocated to Ninth Air Force IX Troop Carrier Command (TCC). Ninth Air Force (Air Forces Central is a Numbered Air Force in Air Combat Command (ACC

315th Troop Carrier Group

The 315th Troop Carrier Group arrived at Welford on 6 November 1943 from RAF Aldermaston flying C-47s and C-53s. The 315th Airlift Wing ( 315 AW) is a wing of the United States Air Force based out of Charleston Air Force Base, South Carolina Events 355 - Roman Emperor Constantius II promotes his cousin Julian to the rank of Caesar, entrusting him with Year 1943 ( MCMXLIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. For the post World War II use of this facility see Atomic Weapons Establishment RAF Aldermaston was a World War II airfield Its squadrons and fuselage codes were:

The 315th TCG was part of the 52nd Troop Carrier Wing.

At Welford, the 315th served as a transport unit for supplies within the UK, as most of its air echelon has been transferred to North Africa as part of the Operation Torch invasion. North Africa or Northern Africa is the Northernmost Region of the African Continent, separated by the Sahara from Sub-Saharan Operation Torch (initially called Operation Gymnast) was the British - American invasion of French North Africa in World War II

On 7 February 1944 the group was transferred to RAF Spanhoe to re-form the group before transferring it to Sicily as part of Fifteenth Air Force. Events 457 - Leo I becomes emperor of the Byzantine Empire. 1074 - Battle of Montesarchio in which the Prince Year 1944 ( MCMXLIV) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. RAF Spanhoe (originally known as RAF Wakerley) was a World War II airfield in Northamptonshire, England located 4-1/2 miles E of Uppingham Sicily ( Italian and Sicilian: Sicilia) is an autonomous region of Italy.

435th Troop Carrier Group

As part of the IX TCC's desire to have its C-47 groups commence training with paratroops of the 101st Airborne Division deployed in the Salisbury Plain area, the squadrons of the 435th Troop Carrier Wing arrived at Welford on 25 January 1944 from RAF Langar flying C-47s and C-53s. Salisbury Plain is a Chalk Plateau in central southern England covering. Events 41 - After a night of negotiation Claudius is accepted as Roman Emperor by the Senate Year 1944 ( MCMXLIV) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. RAF Langar is a former military airfield in England. The field is located 12 miles south-east of the centre of Nottingham in Nottinghamshire, a few miles Its squadrons and fuselage codes were:

The 435th TCW was assigned to the 53rd Troop Carrier Wing.

At Welford, the group began training for participation in the airborne operation over Normandy. Normandy (Normandie Norman: Normaundie) is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. On 6 February the 435th took part in the first joint airborne exercise when British and U. Events 46 BC - Julius Caesar defeats the combined army of Pompeian followers and Numidians under Metellus Scipio S. paratroops were dropped at Winterbourne Stoke. Intensive training activities continued, dropping paratroops and towing CG-4A Waco assault gliders. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout

The group entered combat on D-Day by dropping paratroops of 101st Airborne Division near Cherbourg in the early hours of 6 June, losing three aircraft. D-Day may also refer to Decimal Day in the United Kingdom. D-Day is a term often used in Military parlance to denote Events 1508 - Maximilian I Holy Roman Emperor, is defeated in Friulia by Venetian forces; he is forced to sign a three-year Later that same day, the group towed 12 Waco and 38 Horsa gliders carrying reinforcements to that area on the afternoon of D-Day and on the following morning. For these actions, the 435th received a Distinguished Unit Citation for its part in the Battle of Normandy. Please see " Presidential Unit Citation " for other nations' versions of this award The Presidential Unit Citation is awarded to units

In support of ground forces on the continent, the group carried out transport services following the landings in France and intermittently engaged in missions of this type until V-E Day. Victory in Europe Day ( V-E Day or VE Day) was May 7 and May 8, 1945, the dates when the World War II Allies It hauled supplies such as serum, blood plasma, radar sets, clothing, rations, and ammunition, and evacuated wounded personnel to Allied hospitals.

The group interrupted supply and evacuation missions to train for and participate in three major airborne assaults. On 20 July, about half of the crews and aircraft were sent to Tarquinia Italy to prepare for the the invasion of Southern France on 15 August. Events 1304 - Wars of Scottish Independence: Fall of Stirling Castle - King Edward I of England takes the last rebel stronghold Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest Operation Dragoon was the Allied invasion of southern France, on 15 August, 1944, as part of World War II. Events 778 - The Battle of Roncevaux Pass, at which Roland is killed They were replaced temporarily at Welford by the 90th TCS/438th TGG until 23 August. Events 79 - Mount Vesuvius begins stirring on the feast day of Vulcan the Roman god of fire During the invasion, the group dropped paratroops over the assault area on and released gliders carrying troops and equipment such as jeeps, guns, and ammunition. It flew a resupply mission over France on 16 August and then transported supplies to bases in Italy before returning to England at the end of the month. Events 1384 - The Hongwu Emperor of Ming China, Emperor Dong hears a case of a couple who tore paper money bills while fighting

On 17 September 1944 the group participated in the air attack on Holland, dropping paratroops of 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions and releasing gliders carrying reinforcements. Events 1176 - The Battle of Myriokephalon is fought 1462 - The Battle of Świecino (or Battle of Żarnowiec Year 1944 ( MCMXLIV) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Operation Market Garden ( September 17, 1944 – September 25, 1944) was an Allied military operation fought in the Netherlands Heavy flak knocked down and damaged 10 C-47s dropping the 82d, and damaged another eight in the 101st drop. Two squadrons of 30 C-47s each towing gliders were sent out with reinforcements on September 18 and although 17 were damaged, all managed to return. Events 96 - Nerva is proclaimed Roman Emperor after Domitian is assassinated On 19 September more missions were flown with gliders and three aircraft were lost. Events 335 - Dalmatius is raised to the rank of Caesar by his uncle Constantine I. The 435th TCG moved to its Advanced Landing Ground at Bretigny, France on 13 February 1945 for the airborne assault across the Rhine River on 24 March. Events 1258 - Baghdad falls to the Mongols, and the Abbasid Caliphate is destroyed Year 1945 ( MCMXLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar Events 1401 - Mongol emperor Timur sacks Damascus. 1603 - James VI of Scotland

After the Market-Garden activities, the 435th returned to the task of hauling supplies and equipment to and from the Continent. This continued until early February when the group was moved to an Advanced Landing Ground at Breigny France (A-48). From France the group supported the advance across Germany delivering supplies to the ground forces.

After V-E Day the group transported supplies to occupation forces in Germany and evacuated Allied prisoners of war. Victory in Europe Day ( V-E Day or VE Day) was May 7 and May 8, 1945, the dates when the World War II Allies

The group returned to Baer AAF, Indiana on 5 August and was inactivated on 15 November 1945. The State of Indiana ( was the 19th US state admitted into the union Events 642 - Battle of Maserfield - Penda of Mercia defeats and kills Oswald of Bernicia. Events 655 - Battle of Winwaed: Penda of Mercia is defeated by Oswiu of Northumbria.

Postwar use

With the end of hostilities, Welford was taken over by RAF Transport Command on the 30 June 1945 and No 1336 conversion unit was formed . Events 350 - Roman usurper Nepotianus, of the Constantinian dynasty, is defeated and killed by troops of the Usurper Year 1945 ( MCMXLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar By late August flying once more commenced using Dakotas, Horsas and a few Oxfords for navigation and instrument training. By March 1946 a number of courses had been completed when the base was closed and placed under care and maintenance.

In October 1946 the base was transferred to No 90 (Signals Group) eventually becoming Headquarters Southern Signals Area and renamed HQ Radio navigation Aids. The unit stayed until 1948 before the base was once again placed under care and maintenance.

USAF Use

On 1 September 1955 RAF Welford was again re-opened as a logistics site attached to the Third Air Force and was to remain in that role for the next 40 years. Events 462 - Possible start of first Byzantine indiction cycle. Year 1955 ( MCMLV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1955 Gregorian calendar) Third Air Force is a Numbered air force (NAF of the United States Air Forces in Europe (USAFE The 7531st Ammunition Squadron was the principal unit at Welford until it was replaced in 1959 by the 3115th Ammunition Squadron.

From about 1954 the site was rail connected via the Lambourn Valley Railway to the main line at Newbury. Year 1954 ( MCMLIV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1954 Gregorian calendar) Rolling stock Aelfred Chapman and Furneaux 0-6-0T built 1898 Eahlswith Chapman and Furneaux 0-6-0T built Newbury is a Civil parish and the principal Town in the west of the County of Berkshire in England. Rail traffic lasted into the 1970s, bombs being transported in open wooden-bodied wagons sheeted with tarpaulins.

On 1 November 1962 the 7234th Ammunition Supply Squadron (ASUPS) arrived at Welford as the host unit and until it was re-designated 7551st ASUPS in 1972 and in January 1993 became a direct reporting unit of the 3rd Air Force. Events 996 - Emperor Otto III issues a deed to Gottschalk Bishop of Freising which is the oldest known document using the name Ostarrîchi Year 1962 ( MCMLXII) was a Common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

With the deactivation of 3rd Air Force on 26 May 2004, the unit reported to the 38th Combat Support Wing at Sembach Annex, Germany. Events 451 - The Battle of Avarayr between Armenian rebels and the Sassanid Empire takes place "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " Sembach Annex (formerly Sembach Air Base is a United States Air Force installation near Kaiserslautern. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. The 38 CSW was in-turn deactivated and replaced by the 501st Combat Support Wing, with headquarters at RAF Alconbury. RAF Alconbury is a Royal Air Force station adjacent to the Stukeleys near Alconbury and Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire in the United Kingdom

See also

References

External links

© 2009 citizendia.org; parts available under the terms of GNU Free Documentation License, from http://en.wikipedia.org
 Dapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic