RAF Moreton-in-Marsh

RAF Moreton-in-Marsh
RAF Moreton-in-Marsh;
	The Fire Service Technical College on the old airfield site
	IATA: none; ICAO: none;
Summary
Airport type	Military
Owner	Air Ministry
Operator	Royal Air Force
Location	Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire
Built	1940
In use	1941-1955
Coordinates	51°59′42″N001°40′48″W / 51.99500°N 1.68000°W
Map
	RAF Moreton-in-Marsh Location in Gloucestershire
Runways
	Operational dates.

Last updated August 18, 2023

RAF Moreton-in-Marsh was a 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 World War II, a large area of this flat land to the east of the town was developed as an airfield and became the base of 21 OTU (Operational Training Unit) RAF, 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]

No. 1 Flying Training School RAF
No. 1 (Pilot) Refresher Flying Unit RAF
No. 1 Refresher School RAF
No. 21 (Pilots) Advanced Flying Unit RAF
No. 55 Operational Training Unit RAF
No. 311 Ferry Training Unit RAF
No. 1446 (Ferry Training) Flight RAF
Central Flying School

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]

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References

Citations

1 2 "Moreton-in-Marsh". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Archived from the original on 3 August 2012. Retrieved 13 May 2012.
↑ "Moreton in March Aifield". Pastscape. Historic England. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
↑ "Moreton-in-Marsh". Air of Authority. Archived from the original on 16 July 2017. Retrieved 5 November 2014.
↑ "Much Binding In The Marsh". Memorabilia UK. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
↑ Turner, Mark (2018). Moreton-in-Marsh Through Time. Amberley Publishing. ISBN 9781445684284.
↑ "History and Heritage". Fire Service College. Archived from the original on 12 June 2020. Retrieved 5 July 2020.

External links

The Wellington Aviation Museum. Includes a detailed history of the station

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[ABCT-1] 1 2 "Moreton-in-Marsh". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Archived from the original on 3 August 2012. Retrieved 13 May 2012.

[2] "Moreton in March Aifield". Pastscape. Historic England. Retrieved 5 July 2020.

[Air_of_Authority_-_A_History_of_RAF_Organisation-3] "Moreton-in-Marsh". Air of Authority. Archived from the original on 16 July 2017. Retrieved 5 November 2014.

[4] "Much Binding In The Marsh". Memorabilia UK. Retrieved 5 July 2020.

[5] Turner, Mark (2018). Moreton-in-Marsh Through Time. Amberley Publishing. ISBN 9781445684284.

[6] "History and Heritage". Fire Service College. Archived from the original on 12 June 2020. Retrieved 5 July 2020.

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