RAF Hunmanby Moor explained

RAF Hunmanby Moor
Location:Hunmanby, Filey, East Riding of Yorkshire
Country:England
Pushpin Map:North Yorkshire

RAF Hunmanby Moor, (also known as RAF Filey), was a Royal Air Force training camp during the Second World War in Hunmanby, East Riding of Yorkshire, England. The site was commandeered at the outbreak of war and returned to civilian use as a holiday camp in 1945. From 1942, many RAF Regiment training courses were run at the site.

History

The Butlin's holiday camp at Filey was requisitioned at the outbreak of the Second World War to act as a training camp for recruits.[1] [2] Although located near the village of Hunmanby, it was intended to be known as, and post-war was called, Butlin's Filey. On initial commencement of military activity, the site was called RAF Filey.[3] In 1942, it became an RAF Regiment training depot, and during the next three years, until 1945, several RAF Regiment squadrons and training schools were allocated here. The RAF depot at Filey was the first of its type in the RAF, and so instructors from the Brigade of Guards and the Royal Marines were drafted in to help with training. The depot moved soon afterwards to RAF Belton Park in Lincolnshire, although Regiment training continued at Hunmanby Moor.

In 1944, The Times reported on the 2,000 men from the West Indies who had arrived at Hunmanby Moor for their 12-week basic training.[4] A fictionalised account of West Indian recruits at RAF Hunmanby Moor features in Andrea Levy's book Small Island.[5] A plaque to commemorate the Caribbean air crew who trained at the base, was unveiled in Filey, in April 2023. The BBC reporting that 4,000 men completed military exercises at the camp.

One of the last units to leave Hunmanby Moor was the RAF Regiment's LAA Gunnery School, which was posted to Nethertown in August 1945. Thereafter, the whole of the site was returned to the Butlin's company and civilian use.[6]

Based units

!Unit!Dates!Notes!Ref
No. 1 RAF Regiment SchoolFebruary 1942 – February 1944Moved from RAF Melksham as No. 6 Recruit Training Wing[7]
No. 2 Wing Aircrew Officers School8 February – 9 May 1944[8]
No. 3 RAF Regiment SchoolFebruary 1943 – 1945
No. 5 Anti-Aircraft Practice Camp
No. 21 Air Crew Holding UnitJanuary – February 1944
No. 2707 RAF Regiment Squadron1 January 1945 – 6 February 1945Arrived from Merston, moved to North Weald[9]
No. 2723 RAF Regiment Squadron21 November 1944 – 30 December 1944Arrived from West Malling, moved to Lympne[10]
No. 2749 RAF Regiment Squadron15 February 1942 – 6 April 1942Formed at Hunmanby Moor, posted to Wick[11]

Notable personnel

References

Sources

Notes and References

  1. News: Penfold . Phil . How stunning seaside town of Filey reinvented itself after Butlin's closure . 15 April 2021 . The Yorkshire Post . 30 May 2020.
  2. News: Filfield . Nicola . RAF Regiment marks its anniversary this weekend . 15 April 2021 . York Press . 30 January 2009.
  3. Web site: Butlins Camp, also known as RAF Filey and RAF Hunmanby Moor, Filey . www.heritagegateway.org.uk . 15 April 2021.
  4. Web site: RAF Hunmanby Moor . African Stories in Hull & East Yorkshire . 15 April 2021.
  5. James . Cynthia . "You'll Soon Get Used to Our Language": Language, Parody and West Indian Identity in Andrea Levy's Small Island . . 1 January 2007 . 5 . 1 . 3 . 10.33596/anth.89. free .
  6. News: The Dinosaur Coast . 15 April 2021 . infoweb.newsbank.com . 25 July 2015. subscription.
  7. Web site: Stations-F . www.rafweb.org . 15 April 2021.
  8. Web site: Stations-H . www.rafweb.org . 15 April 2021.
  9. Web site: 723 Defence Squadron, formed Oakington 11 August 1941; became 2723 Defence Squadron, RAF... . discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk . 15 April 2021.
  10. Web site: 2707 Squadron, RAF Regiment. Formed at Ballykelly (UK) 1 February 1942; moved to... . discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk . 15 April 2021.
  11. Web site: 2749 Squadron RAF Regiment, formed at Filey (UK) 15 February 1942. Moved to Wick 6 April... . discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk . 15 April 2021.
  12. Book: Jacobs . Peter . Stay the distance : the life and times of Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir Michael Beetham . 2011 . Frontline Books . London . 978-1-84832-552-4 . 20.