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RAF Ouston

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Coordinates:55°01′29″N01°52′21″W/ 55.02472°N 1.87250°W/55.02472; -1.87250
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For current use, seeAlbemarle Barracks, England.

RAF Ouston
Ouston,Northumberlandin England
WW2 Pillbox at RAF Ouston
RAF Ouston is located in Northumberland
RAF Ouston
RAF Ouston
Shown within Northumberland
Coordinates55°01′29″N01°52′21″W/ 55.02472°N 1.87250°W/55.02472; -1.87250
TypeRoyal Air Force station
CodeOS
Site information
OwnerAir Ministry
OperatorRoyal Air Force
1941-74
British Army
1974-
Controlled byRAF Fighter Command
Site history
Built1940(1940)/41
In useMarch 1941 – 1974(1974)
Battles/warsEuropean theatre of World War II
Airfield information
Elevation137 metres (449 ft)[1]AMSL
Runways
Direction Length and surface
04/22 5,970 feet (1,820 m)Concrete
08/26 3,770 feet (1,150 m) Concrete
14/32 4,300 feet (1,300 m) Concrete

Royal Air Force Oustonor more simplyRAF Oustonis a formerRoyal Air Forcestationthat was located near the village ofStamfordhamand the village ofHeddon-on-the-WallonHadrian's WallnearNewcastle upon Tyne.It was built as aSecond World Waraerodromeand is today used by theBritish Army.Just north of the airfield is Richmond Hill, Northumberland, in the parish of Stamfordham.

History

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In late 1938, theAir Ministryinstructed a group of officials to go to Ouston to evaluate the possibility of building an airfield there. Unfortunately, the signal sent out by the ministry wasn't specific enough and some of the officials went to the one located a few miles southwest ofHexham.However, the intent at the time was for an airfield at the Ouston 12 mi (19 km) west of Newcastle and north of theStanegateRoman road toCarlisle,Cumbria.[2]

Construction work was slow to begin with because the area was quite remote from communication lines and there was some opposition from the local farming community, despite the land being of quite low quality. The station was built to a fairly standard design, having a mixture of prewar-style buildings and the utility types which came later. A "J" -typehangardominated theairfield,with thecontrol towersituated in front of it.[3]

The station opened on 10 March 1941 as aFighter SectorHQ underNo. 13 Group RAF(13 Gp) to replaceRAF Usworth,with its staff mainly being drawn from that station.[4]The station's badge was a lion rampant in front of a Roman helmet. This was influenced by the nearbyHadrian's Walland the lion is taken from the Percy family arms (the Percys being local landowners).[5]The station motto underneath the badge was 'Persist'.[6]

The first squadron at the station wasNo. 317 Polish Fighter Squadron,which had been transferred over fromRAF Acklingtonat the end of April 1941. Equipped withHawker Hurricanes,the recently formedPolishunit claimed its first kill on 2 June when aJunkers Ju 88was sent into theNorth Sea.Relieved byNo. 122 Squadron RAF(122 Sqn) fromRAF Turnhouseon 26 June 1941; 317 Sqn then went south toRAF Colerne.[7]

In July 1941,No. 232 Squadron RAFarrived with Hurricanes and thenNo. 122 Sqntransferred toRAF Catterickin August 1941, leaving No. 232 Squadron which eventually left for theMiddle Eastin November.No. 131 Squadron RAF(131 Sqn), reformed at Ouston on 20 June 1941 with a large proportion ofBelgianpilots but soon moved to Catterick too.[8]

Another squadron that didn't register any kills whilst at Ouston wasNo. 81 Squadron RAF,which had moved in fromRAF Turnhouseby early 1942. Its Spitfires returned to RAF Turnhouse five weeks later, although a further month was spent at Ouston during the early Summer of the same year.[9]

Throughout 1941, the station had also served as a satellite landing ground forNo. 55 Operational Training Unit RAFHurricanes fromRAF Usworthuntil No. 55 OTU moved toRAF Annanat the end of April 1942.[10]

The Spitfires ofNo. 242 Squadron RAFwere at Ouston for two weeks in May and June 1942. They were replaced by the reformedNo. 243 Squadron RAFon 1 June. No. 243 Sqn became operational within a fortnight and flew coastal patrols and scrambles in defence of the North East until moving to RAF Turnhouse at the beginning of September.No. 72 Squadron RAF(72 Sqn) were at RAF Ouston briefly in the autumn of 1942 to re-equip before an overseas posting.[4]

To cover Air-Sea Rescue off the East coast,No. 281 Squadron RAF(281 Sqn) had been formed at Ouston on 29 March 1942, equipped initially withBoulton Paul Defiants.[11]In February 1943,Supermarine Walrusamphibians were added and by June, when the squadron moved toRAF Woolsington,the Defiants replaced byAvro Ansons.[12]

Also in 1942, a flight fromNo. 410 Squadron RCAF(410 Sqn) was detached to Ouston for night-fighter patrol usingBoulton-Paul Defiantsinitially, re-equipping withBristol Beaufighters,despite some reluctance on the part of the crews.[4]

No. 613 Squadron RAF,an Army Co-operation (AC) squadron, arrived in August 1942 flyingNorth American Mustang Is,and exercised with local army units before departing at the beginning of March 1943.[4]It was joined for a while in August byDouglas BostonsofNo. 226 Squadron RAF,who were unfortunate enough to suffer three aircraft lost through crashes on their first day at Ouston. Other unusual lodgers were the Hurricanes of804 Naval Air SquadronfromRAF Machrihanishwho arrived in early June 1943 and left forRNAS Twatton 4 February the following year.[9]

Austersappeared on 31 January 1943 whenNo. 657 Squadron RAFformed at Ouston,[13]flying many Army exercises atOtterburnuntil leaving forNorth Africain August.[14]No. 198 Squadron RAF(198 Sqn) flew itsHawker Typhoonsin fromRAF Digbylate in January 1943, but transferred toRAF Acklingtonsoon after to complete its familiarization on the new type.[15]

The last operational squadron to be based at RAF Ouston wasNo. 350 (Belgian) Squadron RAF.They spent most of June and July 1943 flying coastal and convoy patrols before returning to Acklington.[14]On 21 June 1943, No. 62 Operational Training Unit began to move in fromRAF Usworth,which had been found increasingly unsuitable for its work. The unit continued to train radar operators for the night-fighter force until disbanding on 6 June 1945.[16]Ansons were used at first, but in the final monthsVickers Wellingtonsbegan to replace them.[17]

No. 80 Operational Training Unit RAF which specialized in the training of French pilots on Spitfires, came to RAF Ouston fromRAF Morpethin July 1945 and flew from here prior to disbanding in March 1946.[18]TheNorth American HarvardsofNo. 22 Service Flying Training School RAFwere displaced fromRAF CalveleyinCheshireto Ouston in May 1946, before moving on toRAF Syerstonin February 1948.[8]

Under the aegis of theRoyal Auxiliary Air Force,No. 607 Squadron RAFreformed with Spitfires on 10 May 1946,[19]converted tode Havilland Vampiresin 1951 and operated them up to March 1957 when it disbanded.[20]No. 1965 Flight RAFembedded withinNo. 664 Squadron RAF,was also based at Ouston from 1 September 1949 until 14 February 1954 withAuster AOP.6s.[21]

Continuing in its reserve role, the station housedNorthumbrian Universities Air Squadron,[22]No. 11 Air Experience Flight RAF(11 AEF),No. 641 Gliding School RAF(641 GS),[23]and was employed as an RLG by theBAC Jet ProvostsofNo. 6 Flying Training School RAF(6 FTS) from Acklington.[24]In 1967 Ouston became the North East Regional Airport for five months whileNewcastle Airport's runway was being lengthened and renovated.[15]

Up to the mid-1960s the servicing ofPercival ProvostsandBAC Jet ProvostsofNo. 6 Flying Training School RAF(6 FTS), was carried out by a civilian firm at Ouston under contract to the RAF.

HQNo. 13 Group RAFwas located at Ouston until 1961, when it was disbanded by being redesignatedNo. 11 Group RAF.

Cold war

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As part of the nuclear deterrent, Ouston had its 04/22 main runway extended to 6,000 ft (1,800 m) and Operational Readiness Platforms added at each end of the extended runway, for use by aircraft dispersed from their parent stations.[citation needed]

Units

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The following units were here at some point:[25]

Motor Sport

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Ouston
LocationNorthumberland,England
Opened1962

There is a possibility that racing first took place at Ouston as early as 1961, but it is certain that theNewcastle & District Motor Cluborganised a race meetings there on 24 June 1962, 23 June 1963 and 21 June 1964, the last named being a joint car and motorcycle event.Jackie Stewartwas a competitor at the 1963 meeting driving aJaguar E-Type;he won the race and this is believed to have been his first victory.[citation needed]

Jim Clarkattended the meeting in 1964 and was driven round the circuit in an open-topped Jaguar E-Type and then presented the prizes. It is possible that this may have been the last car meeting at Ouston asCroft Circuitin North Yorkshire had reopened in 1964.[32]

In 1965,Motor Cyclemagazine commented, when reporting on a motorcycle race meeting organised by the Newcastle Club held on Sunday 20 June, that there were 20,000 spectators present.[33]

Current use

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Main article:Albemarle Barracks, England

RAF Ouston is now Albemarle Barracks.[14]

References

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  1. ^Falconer 1998,p. 69.
  2. ^Smith 1983,p. 166.
  3. ^Smith 1983,pp. 166–167.
  4. ^abcdSmith 1983,p. 167.
  5. ^Langley, William (19 November 2011)."Would Pippa dare marry into this family?".The Daily Telegraph.London.Retrieved11 January2017.
  6. ^Pine, L.G. (1983).A dictionary of mottoes(1st publish. ed.). London [u.a.]: Routledge & Kegan Paul. p.175.ISBN0-7100-9339-X.
  7. ^Delve 2006,p. 205.
  8. ^abDelve 2006,p. 207.
  9. ^abSmith 1983,pp. 167–168.
  10. ^Delve 2006,p. 264.
  11. ^Lake 1999,p. 252.
  12. ^Delve 2006,p. 277.
  13. ^Lake 1999,p. 274.
  14. ^abcDelve 2006,p. 206.
  15. ^abSmith 1983,p. 168.
  16. ^abLake 1999,p. 150.
  17. ^"Ouston".forgottenairfields.com.Retrieved11 January2017.
  18. ^abLake 1999,p. 151.
  19. ^Lake 1999,p. 270.
  20. ^"The Black Thursday battle for the North-East's skies".The Northern Echo.27 October 2010.Retrieved11 January2017.
  21. ^Lake 1999,p. 101.
  22. ^"RAF – NUAS History".raf.mod.uk.Retrieved11 January2017.
  23. ^"Stations-O".rafweb.org.Retrieved11 January2017.
  24. ^Delve 2006,p. 27.
  25. ^"Ouston".Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust.Retrieved10 February2016.
  26. ^Lake 1999,p. 121.
  27. ^Lake 1999,p. 112.
  28. ^Lake 1999,p. 88.
  29. ^Lake 1999,p. 92.
  30. ^Lake 1999,p. 57.
  31. ^Lake 1999,p. 141.
  32. ^Peter Swinger, "Motor Racing Circuits in England: Then & Now" (Ian Allan Publishing,ISBN0 7110 3104 5,2008)
  33. ^Motor Cycle,24 June 1965, p.855Ouston Mix-upRoad race report and results table. Retrieved 24 February 2015

Bibliography

[edit]
  • Delve, Ken.The military airfields of Northern England – County Durham, Cumbria, Isle of Man, Lancashire, Merseyside, Manchester, Northumberland, Tyne & Wear, Yorkshire.Marlborough, Wiltshire, UK: Crowood Press, 2006.ISBN1-86126-809-2.
  • Falconer, J (1998).RAF Fighter Airfields of World War 2.UK: Ian Allan Publishing.ISBN0-7110-2175-9.
  • 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.ISBN1-85310-053-6.
  • Lake, Alan.Flying Units of the RAF; the ancestry, formation and disbandment of all flying units from 1912.Shrewsbury, Shropshireshire, UK: Airlife, 1999.ISBN1-84037-086-6.
  • Smith, David J.Action Stations 7; Military airfields of Scotland, the North East and Northern Ireland.Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, UK: Patrick Stephen Publishing, 1983.ISBN0-85059-563-0.
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