Former RAF Driffield / Alamein Barracks

United Kingdom / England / Great Driffield /
 RAF - Royal Air Force, draw only border, closed / former military, driving training area

RAF Driffield was a Royal Air Force station situated near Driffield in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. Situated between Kelleythorpe and Eastburn on the A614 road, there stands an aerodrome. In recent times, it was known as Alamein Barracks and used as an Army driving school. But the site was once a busy military airfield that operated for many years – spanning the development of aviation technology, and the history of the Royal Air Force.

Sadly, like many disused airfields, Driffield lost its control tower, and by the early 1980s saw all three runways removed and the hangars converted to store grain. In 1992, the camp changed hands again and was renamed RAF Staxton Wold – Driffield Site, until finally closing on June 28th 1996. The actual airfield is now used by the Army Training Estate (ATE) as a "Dry Training Area", while the hangars, once owned by the Rural Payments Agency finally closed during the summer of 2003 and have now been sold to a property development company. In late 2006 the Ministry of Defence announced the camp itself was surplus to requirements and was subsequently sold to Strawsons Property in 2007.

www.driffieldaerodrome.co.uk/introduction/introduction....
www.driffieldaerodrome.co.uk/future/proposal.htm

History/Chronology

1916-1920, Grass aerodrome called Eastburn used by the Royal Flying Corps in WW1, with seven hangars on a 240 acre site.

1936-1938, Used by several Bomber Cammand Squadrons, including 58, 215, 75, 215 and 51.

1938-1940, 77 and 102 Sqns from Honington with Wellesley and Heyford bombers, 10/38 both converted to Whitley bombers. 15/8/40, The airfield was bombed by Ju88's of KG30 and approximately 170 bombs fell on the airfield killing 14 people and destroying 12 Whitleys. 77 Sqn then moved to Linton-on-Ouse and 102 to Leeming.

1940-1941, Airfield closed for repairs and used as a decoy airfield.

1941-1941, Airfield used by Fighter Command Squadrons.

1941-1941, Airfield again controlled by Bomber Command and 104 Sqn reformed here with Wellington bombers, moved to Malta.

1941-1942, 405 (Vancouver) Sqn, RCAF, formed here with Wellingtons, the first Canadian Squadron in Bomber Command, moved to Pocklington.

1942-1942, 158 Sqn formed here, moved to East Moor.

10/42 to 12/42, 466 Sqn RAAF and 196 Sqn formed here, moving to Leconfield.

Airfield then closed and rebuilt with concrete runways.

1944-1945, 466 Sqn RAAF returned from Leconfield with Halifaxes. 5/45, transferred to Transport Command, 9/45, moved to Bassingbourn.

1944-1944, 462 Sqn RAAF formed here, moved to Foulsham.

1945-1945, 426 Sqn RCAF with cargo Liberators, moved to Tempsford.

1946-1955, Flying Training Command with Anson, Wellington, Mosquito, Meteor, etc.

1955-1957, Transferred to Fighter Command flying Venoms and the Fighter Weapons School.

1958-1963, Used as a Thor missile base by 98 Sqn, then by Army and RAF units until closure in 1996.
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   53°59'41"N   -0°28'41"E

Comments

  • The full name for this place was ASMT Driffield. ASMT stood for Army School of Mechanical Transport. Chances are that if you learned to drive in the Army, Air Force or Navy, then you learned here.
This article was last modified 12 years ago