RAF Moreton-in-Marsh explained

RAF Moreton-in-Marsh
Ensign:Ensign of the Royal Air Force.svg
Ensign Size:90px
Location:Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire
Country:England
Type:Royal Air Force Station
Coordinates:51.995°N -1.68°W
Pushpin Map:Gloucestershire#UK
Pushpin Map Caption:Shown within Gloucestershire
Pushpin Label:RAF Moreton-in-Marsh
Ownership:Air Ministry
Operator:Royal Air Force
Controlledby:RAF Flying Training Command
Used:1941 -
Battles:European theatre of World War II
Footnotes:Operational dates.[1]
R1-Number:00/00
R1-Surface:Asphalt
R2-Number:00/00
R2-Surface:Asphalt
R3-Number:00/00
R3-Surface:Asphalt

Royal Air Force Moreton-in-Marsh or more simply RAF Moreton-in-Marsh is a former Royal Air Force station near Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire. It was opened in November 1940 with three concrete and tarmac runways and five aircraft hangars.[2] It closed for operational flying in early 1948. The base remained in use as a relief runway and for training. After a period of care and maintenance, the Station was handed over to the Home Office in 1955.

The town's environs are quite flat and low-lying although it is situated at the northern extremity of the Cotswold Hills range. During the Second World War, a large area of this flat land to the east of the town was developed as an airfield and became the base of No. 21 Operational Training Unit RAF (OTU), flying mainly Vickers Wellington bombers.[3] It is highly likely that the airfield inspired the title of the radio comedy series Much Binding in the Marsh.[4] Two of the programme's stars, Kenneth Horne and Richard Murdoch, had served there as flying instructors.[5]

Units

The following units were also here at some point:[1]

Current use

The former airfield is now home to the Fire Service College where senior fire officers from brigades all over the UK undergo operational, management and leadership training.[6]

References

Citations

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Moreton-in-Marsh . . 13 May 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120803052915/http://www.abct.org.uk/airfields/moreton-in-marsh . 3 August 2012 . live .
  2. Web site: Moreton in March Aifield . Pastscape . Historic England . 5 July 2020.
  3. Web site: Moreton-in-Marsh . Air of Authority . 5 November 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170716021900/http://www.rafweb.org/Stations/Stations-M.htm#Moreton . 16 July 2017 . live .
  4. Web site: Much Binding In The Marsh . Memorabilia UK . 5 July 2020.
  5. Book: Turner . Mark . Moreton-in-Marsh Through Time . 2018 . Amberley Publishing . 9781445684284 .
  6. Web site: History and Heritage . Fire Service College . 5 July 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200612232945/https://www.fireservicecollege.ac.uk/about/history-and-heritage/ . 12 June 2020 . live .