RAF Westley

RAF Westley
Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk in England
Site information
Type	Royal Air Force airfield
Owner	Air Ministry
Operator	Royal Air Force
Controlled by	RAF Army Cooperation Command
Location
RAF Westley Shown within Suffolk
Coordinates	52°14′55″N000°40′55″E / 52.24861°N 0.68194°E / 52.24861; 0.68194
Site history
Built	1938 (1938)
In use	1938-1946 (1946)
Airfield information
Elevation	60 metres (197 ft) AMSL
Runways Direction Length and surface 00/00  Grass

RAF Westley is a former Royal Air Force satellite airfield located to the west of Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England, between 1938 and 1946. It was established by the Straight Corporation which set up the West Suffolk Aero Club in May 1938, ^[1] before the airfield was taken over by the RAF Volunteer Reserve.

History

In 1942 No. 652 AOP Squadron moved in to provide training, using de Havilland Tiger Moths and Taylorcraft Austers. This continued until 1943. ^[2]

The following units were also here at some point:

• No. 241 Squadron RAF (April - July 1941) ^[3]
• No. 268 Squadron RAF (September 1940 - April 1941 ^[4]
• No. 656 Squadron RAF (December 1942 - March 1943) ^[5]
• No. 657 Squadron RAF (May - June 1943) ^[5]
• No. 662 Squadron RAF (February - June 1944) ^[6]
• No. 103 Gliding School RAF (October 1943 - April 1944 & June - December 1946) ^[7]

Current use

By 1946 the airfield closed and is now the site of the Westley suburb of Bury St Edmunds.

References

Citations

1. "Westley". UK Airfields Guide. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
2. Jefford 1988, p. 102.
3. Jefford 1988, p. 76.
4. Jefford 1988, p. 81.
5. Jefford 1988, p. 103.
6. Jefford 1988, p. 104.
7. Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 165.

Bibliography

• Jefford, C G (1988). RAF Squadrons. A comprehensive record of the movement and equipment of all RAF squadrons and their antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury: Airlife. ISBN   1-85310-053-6.
• Sturtivant, R.; Hamlin, J.; Halley, J. (1997). Royal Air Force flying training and support units. UK: Air-Britain (Historians). ISBN   0-85130-252-1.