RAF Yatesbury
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| RAF Yatesbury | |
|---|---|
| Name | RAF Yatesbury |
| Location | Yatesbury, Wiltshire |
| Country | England |
| Coordinates | 51.428°N 1.996°W |
| Type | Royal Air Force station |
| Used | 1916–1963 |
| Owner | Ministry of Defence |
| Occupants | Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force |
RAF Yatesbury RAF Yatesbury was a British Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force training establishment near Yatesbury, Wiltshire, England. Founded during World War I and reactivated in World War II, it became prominent for wireless and radar training linked to Signals Training and airborne operations in Europe and the Middle East. The station contributed personnel to campaigns such as the Battle of Britain and the Normandy landings through technical and airborne preparation.
History
Established in 1916 as a Royal Flying Corps site adjacent to the A4 road and the Salisbury Plain training area, the station trained pilots and observers during World War I and hosted squadrons moved from RFC Upavon and RFC Boscombe Down. After the 1918 formation of the Royal Air Force, the base became part of a nationwide reorganisation including stations such as RAF Cranwell, RAF Manston, and RAF Hendon. Closed in the interwar reductions of the 1920s, it reopened in 1939 for the buildup to World War II, focusing on technical training coordinated with establishments like RAF Bletchley Park intelligence efforts and RAF St Athan electronics schools. During the Cold War period, the site supported Royal Navy and Army Air Corps liaison before airfield operations wound down in the early 1960s amid defence cuts influenced by the Sandys Defence Review and changing Nuclear deterrent posture.
Facilities and Infrastructure
The site comprised grass runways, hangars, technical training blocks, and married quarters similar to layouts at RAF Halton and RAF Sealand. Notable infrastructure included wireless telegraphy schools with transmitter halls and antenna farms modeled on Marconi Company installations and reinforced concrete structures akin to those at RAF Defford. The station housed workshops for VHF and UHF equipment, echoing technical facilities at RAF Yatesbury-era counterparts such as RAF Cosford and RAF Sparrows Herne. Recreational amenities served personnel billeted in Nissen huts and brick married quarters, while nearby transport links connected to Swindon, Calne, and the Great Western Railway network.
Units and Training Roles
RAF and RFC squadrons rotated through for pilot and observer training, with early units including cadres transferred from No. 1 Squadron RFC and No. 6 Squadron RFC during First World War expansions. In the Second World War the station hosted units specializing in wireless and radar instruction such as schools influenced by Air Ministry curricula and collaborative training with Signals Command. Elementary and advanced courses prepared aircrew and technicians for postings to operational wings including those on RAF Coastal Command and RAF Fighter Command. Post-1945, the site accommodated trade training for Radio Mechanics Course students, linking to centralized training at No. 1 School of Technical Training and exchanging instructors with RAF Hooton Park.
Aircraft and Equipment
Aircraft operating from the grass airfield included early types such as the Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2 and Airco DH.4 during World War I, while later years saw training types like the Avro Tutor, de Havilland Tiger Moth, and the Miles Magister employed for elementary flying instruction. Ground-handled equipment encompassed wireless sets derived from Marconi Company designs, radar gear related to Chain Home developments, and maintenance tools comparable to those used at Royal Aircraft Establishment (RAE). Technical curricula covered components from manufacturers including RCA, Philips, and AEI that featured in airborne radio and radar suites fitted to types such as the Avro Lancaster and Handley Page Halifax by allied maintenance depots.
Accidents and Incidents
Training hazards at the site mirrored incidents across RFC and RAF training stations, including forced landings and ground accidents involving types like the Bristol F.2 Fighter and Tiger Moth. Nearby emergency responses involved personnel from St. John Ambulance units and local volunteer brigades linked to Wiltshire Fire Brigade. Occasional accidents prompted inquiries conducted under Air Ministry regulations and reports coordinated with investigators from the Accident Investigation Branch predecessors, producing safety recommendations later reflected in standing orders at stations such as RAF Leeming and RAF Leconfield.
Post-military Use and Preservation
After closure in 1963 the site’s hangars, technical blocks, and married quarters were repurposed by civilian enterprises, property developers, and heritage groups similar to conversions at RAF Carlisle and RAF Hurn. Portions of the airfield were adapted for industrial estates, agricultural use, and limited residential redevelopment connecting to Wiltshire Council planning frameworks and conservation initiatives by groups linked to the Defence Estates heritage programme. Preservation efforts engaged local history societies and aviation charities akin to Friends of the Museum of Army Flying to document oral histories, archive photographs, and salvage radio equipment for display in regional museums such as the Bristol Aerospace Museum and Imperial War Museum Duxford. The site remains a focus for archaeologists studying First World War airfield layouts and for enthusiasts tracing links to other stations like RAF Upavon and RAF Boscombe Down.