WORLD WAR 2 - 19 SQUADRON - RAF FOWLMERE

Museum

A brief history
By Vic Flintham

The first world war

There have been three airfields at Fowlmere. The first one was built on an even older landing ground on the east of the B1368 Flint Cross to Fowlmere road. It was a very large permanent aerodrome with three double and one single Belfast Truss hangars, similar to those at Duxford, and a very large domestic site on the opposite side of the road. The new aerodrome was opened early in 1918 as Number 31 Training Depot Station for the newly independent Royal Air Force. Training squadrons were to be based here but the first unit was No 165 US Aero Squadron on 15 March 1918. The first RAF units were numbers 124, 125 and 126 squadrons with D.H.4 and D.H.9 bombers which transferred from Old Sarum from 1 March 1918, all to be disbanded on 17 August well before the war’s end. They were used to train bomber crews.

After the armistice the need for aerodromes diminished and Fowlmere was selected for closure, Duxford having better road and rail links. Giant Handley Page 0/400 bombers were stored here for a time, but the aerodrome was closed in 1922 and all buildings and hardstandings demolished in 1923. There is now no sign of the original WWI aerodrome despite its size.

Battle of Britain

In Spring 1940 a satellite landing ground for Duxford was prepared around Manor Farm this time on the west of the B1368 looking north. This second incarnation designated Fowlmere simply as airfield G1 and later WA1. From 1 July Spitfires of 19 Sqn RAF were detached here with crews using tented accommodation plus several Nissen huts throughout the Battle of Britain period. These Spitfires were remarkable for including some of the first cannon-armed models; constant blockages restricted their use in the Battle, though. One newly-trained member of 19 Sqn to visit Fowlmere was ‘Johnnie’ Johnson, later to become the RAF’s top-scoring ace. Defiant fighters of 264 Sqn and Hurricanes of the Czech 310 Sqn were also based here briefly in July and the autumn respectively. Duxford’s detached fighters were active throughout the Battle, and especially on 31 August when the aerodrome was bombed, although most of the attackers’ bombs finished up along the nearby railway line. Duxford and Fowlmere were protected by 3” anti-aircraft artillery based at Thriplow as well as Bofors guns on the former airfield. After the Battle, Fowlmere ceased to be simply an overspill for Duxford and units were now based here directly. American units have long had an association with the airfield and this was typified by the basing of Hurricanes of 133 (Eagle) Sqn RAF, comprising US volunteers, for a few days in October 1941.

From now until the Spring of 1944 various RAF units were based at Fowlmere usually just for a few days before moving on. The exception was 154 Sqn with Spitfires which formed at the airfield on 17 November 1941 departing for Church Fenton in May 1942. Other, more short-term, attachments included 174 Sqn (Hurricane, July 1942), 111 Sqn (Spitfire, October 1942), 655 Sqn (Auster, February 1943), 411 Sqn (Spitfire, March 1943) and 2 Sqn (Mustang I, March and April 1943).

In June 1942 the dummy superstructure of HMS Kelly was built on the airfield as part of a film set. It was filmed being attacked by a Ju 88 of Duxford’s 1426 Enemy Aircraft Flight for incorporation in the propaganda film In Which we Serve.

With the 411 (Canadian) Sqn deployment, Fowlmere played a key part in the preparation for D-Day. Operation Spartan was a major exercise held between 1 and 12 March 1943. It involved British and Canadian forces and was conducted across southern and central England to test a wide range of procedures and tactics. The attackers, Z force, started in Southland (a notional bridgehead around Southampton) attacking X Force (German) in Eastland (just to the west and north of London) via neutral Westland (Salisbury Plain). Ten divisions were involved including four armoured. Each side was allocated a nineteen squadron air force, 411 Sqn being part of X force. From the experience gained the RAF 2nd Tactical Air Force was formed with composite groups and self-contained mobile wings based around one airfield.