Shortly after 1pm on 15th Aug 1940 radar operators picked up inbound echoes over the North Sea. This was Adlertag (Eagle) Day - the 2nd part of an attack on the North East coast in which the Luftwaffe hoped to eliminate the RAF before the German invasion.
Their target became clear - the RAF airfield at Driffield, 10m inland of Bridlington and home to 2 Whitley squadrons. It's uncertain how many aircraft reached the airfield (reports vary between 12-40), what is clear is that the airfield was devastated and 13 people were killed. This was the heaviest raid of the war on a RAF bomber station.
Driffield was first used in WW1 by the RFC, it was chosen for airfield construction in 1932 and was the first expansion period airfield to open in Yorkshire. At the outbreak of war 102 and 77 sqns were flying Whitleys until the attack described above.
The station reopened as a fighter base until Apr 1941 when 104 sqn was formed with Wellingtons which flew from Driff until May1942. Halifaxes were coming into use with 4 group and Driffs grass runways couldn't cope; the concrete runways were sorted and in Jun1944 466sqn arrived with its Halifaxes. 466sqn was later joined by 462sqn; they flew on most of the major raids in the later stages of the war.
Flying continued after the war until in 1958 Driff was converted to house Thor ballistic missiles, these remianed until 1963, the base was briefly used as a test centre for Buccaneer aircraft from Brough.
In 1977 it was acquired by the army for the school of mechanical transport, it became known as Alamein Barracks. The runways were removed and the air raid shelters disappeared, the hangers were converted to store surplus grain.
The army used Driff for driver training until RAF Leconfield was enlarged. In 1992 ownership passed back to the RAF, it was renamed RAF Staxton Wold - Driffield.
In June 1996 the RAF ensign was lowered for the last time at Driffield - which makes it fair game!
Visited with Chauffer and Bugsuperstar - thanks for the tour of the highlights fellas
The pics:
Squash court:
Barrack H Block:
Barracks In Use:
Officers Mess Entrance:
Kitchen's a Mess:
Mess Servery:
Dining Room:
Ballroom:
Feds have been using the place for a bit of training:
To the NAAFI, under the sofa they couldn't remove:
Inside the NAAFI there are exits here, here and here:
The Shopkeepers guide to profit:
Through the shot window:
Some old boilers:
Nice box:
Bug finds time to relax:
Lightning - now that's a proper plane:
Light and shade in stores:
That's all folks:
Thanks for looking.
Their target became clear - the RAF airfield at Driffield, 10m inland of Bridlington and home to 2 Whitley squadrons. It's uncertain how many aircraft reached the airfield (reports vary between 12-40), what is clear is that the airfield was devastated and 13 people were killed. This was the heaviest raid of the war on a RAF bomber station.
Driffield was first used in WW1 by the RFC, it was chosen for airfield construction in 1932 and was the first expansion period airfield to open in Yorkshire. At the outbreak of war 102 and 77 sqns were flying Whitleys until the attack described above.
The station reopened as a fighter base until Apr 1941 when 104 sqn was formed with Wellingtons which flew from Driff until May1942. Halifaxes were coming into use with 4 group and Driffs grass runways couldn't cope; the concrete runways were sorted and in Jun1944 466sqn arrived with its Halifaxes. 466sqn was later joined by 462sqn; they flew on most of the major raids in the later stages of the war.
Flying continued after the war until in 1958 Driff was converted to house Thor ballistic missiles, these remianed until 1963, the base was briefly used as a test centre for Buccaneer aircraft from Brough.
In 1977 it was acquired by the army for the school of mechanical transport, it became known as Alamein Barracks. The runways were removed and the air raid shelters disappeared, the hangers were converted to store surplus grain.
The army used Driff for driver training until RAF Leconfield was enlarged. In 1992 ownership passed back to the RAF, it was renamed RAF Staxton Wold - Driffield.
In June 1996 the RAF ensign was lowered for the last time at Driffield - which makes it fair game!
Visited with Chauffer and Bugsuperstar - thanks for the tour of the highlights fellas
The pics:
Squash court:
Barrack H Block:
Barracks In Use:
Officers Mess Entrance:
Kitchen's a Mess:
Mess Servery:
Dining Room:
Ballroom:
Feds have been using the place for a bit of training:
To the NAAFI, under the sofa they couldn't remove:
Inside the NAAFI there are exits here, here and here:
The Shopkeepers guide to profit:
Through the shot window:
Some old boilers:
Nice box:
Bug finds time to relax:
Lightning - now that's a proper plane:
Light and shade in stores:
That's all folks:
Thanks for looking.
