RAF Attlebridge
Encyclopedia
RAF Attlebridge is a former World War II RAF Station
and airfield in England. The field is located near Attlebridge
8 miles NW of Norwich
in Norfolk
.
light bomber
s, and was completed in August 1941. The airfield was used by No. 88 Squadron RAF
from August 1941 to September 1942 using Blenheim IVs
and Douglas Bostons
.
's 2nd Bomb Wing on 30 September 1942. It was given USAAF designation Station 120.
The flying field had runways of 1,220, 1,120 and 1,080 yards length but, when the base was earmarked for USAAF use, these were extended and the airfield was enlarged to meet heavy bomber
requirements. The main E-W runway was increased to 2,000 yards and the others to 1,400 yards each. The perimeter track was also extended and the number of hardstands was increased to fifty. In enlarging the airfield, several small, country roads were closed in the parish
of Weston Longville
, in which the larger part of the airfield was sited.
319th Bombardment Group (Medium)
The First American flying units at Attlebridge were squadrons of the 319th Bombardment Group (Medium) flying B-25 Mitchell
s which arrived at Attlebridge on 12 September 1942 from Harding Army Air Field Louisiana
.
The airfield was then a satellite field for RAF Horsham St. Faith where the Group HQ and some personnel were stationed. These were the first squadrons flying this type of medium bomber
to arrive in the UK from America.
The Mitchells moved out during November to St-Leu, Algeria
as part of Twelfth Air Force, and Attlebridge was used by a training airfield with a few B-24 Liberator
aircraft. No. 320 (Dutch) Squadron RAF, moved in during March 1943 flying B-25 Mitchells departing in February 1944.
466th Bombardment Group (Heavy)
The airfield was opened on 7 March 1944 and was used by the United States Army Air Force Eighth Air Force
466th Bombardment Group
(Heavy), arriving from Topeka Army Air Base Kansas
. The 466th was assigned to the 96th Combat Bombardment Wing, and the group tail code was a "Circle-L". It's operational squadrons were:
The group flew the B-24 Liberator
as part of the Eighth Air Force's strategic bombing campaign.
The 466th began operations on 22 March 1944 by participating in a daylight raid on Berlin. The group operated primarily as a strategic bombardment organization, attacking such targets as marshalling yards at Liege, an airfield at St Trond, a repair and assembly plant at Reims
, an airfield at Chartres
, factories at Brunswick
, oil refineries at Bohlen
, aircraft plants at Kempten
, mineral works at Hamburg
, marshalling yards at Saarbrücken
, a synthetic oil plant at Misburg, a fuel depot at Dulmen
, and aero engine works at Eisenach
.
Other operations included attacking pillboxes along the coast of Normandy
on D-Day
(6 June 1944), and afterwards striking interdictory targets behind the beachhead; bombing enemy positions at Saint-Lô
during the Allied breakthrough in July 1944; hauling oil and gasoline to Allied forces advancing across France in September; hitting German communications and transportation during the Battle of the Bulge
, December 1944-January 1945; and bombing the airfield at Nordhorn
in support of the airborne assault across the Rhine
on 24 March 1945.
The 466th flew last combat mission on 25 April 1945, striking a transformer station at Traunstein
. The unit returned to Sioux Falls AAF
South Dakota
in July and was redesignated the 466th Bombardment Group (Very Heavy) in August 1945 and was equipped with B-29 Superfortress
es.
Today, rows of turkey
houses line the runways. isolated from each other because this is an important requirement in escaping the infectious diseases to which turkeys are prone. The runways, perimeter track, and a few of the hardstands remain as does the control tower, now extensively renovated and used as offices by the owners of the airfield site. The briefing room and HQ block still exist, the latter being used as a private house.
The T-2 hangars have long since gone but a few of the old Nissen hut
s and other structures remain on some of the dispersed sites, used for a variety of purposes.
In August 1977, during a visit by a group of veterans, an ornamental village sign
was dedicated at Weston Longville commemorating the men who lost their lives serving with the 466th Bomb Group. All Saints
Church at Weston Longville
also contains a 466th Roll of Honor. During the 1992 reunion a new memorial was dedicated at a crossroads on Frans Green.
RAF station
A Royal Air Force station is a permanent Royal Air Force operations location. Many RAF stations are aerodromes, or airbases, being the home to one or more flying squadrons. Other RAF stations are training units, administrative units, headquarters , or carry out ground-based operational tasks...
and airfield in England. The field is located near Attlebridge
Attlebridge
Attlebridge is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. It is situated about 8 miles north-west of Norwich, where the A1067 crosses the River Wensum....
8 miles NW of Norwich
Norwich
Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
in Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
.
RAF Bomber Command use
Attlebridge was an early wartime station, laid out for use by No. 2 Group RAFNo. 2 Group RAF
Number 2 Group is a Group of the Royal Air Force which was first activated in 1918, served from 1918–20, from 1936 through the Second World War to 1947, from 1948 to 1958, from 1993 to 1996, was reactivated in 2000, and is today part of Air Command....
light bomber
Light bomber
A light bomber is a relatively small and fast class of military bomber aircraft which were primarily employed before the 1950s. Such aircraft would typically not carry more than one ton of ordnance....
s, and was completed in August 1941. The airfield was used by No. 88 Squadron RAF
No. 88 Squadron RAF
No 88 Squadron RAF was an aircraft squadron of the Royal Air Force formed at Gosport, Hampshire in July 1917.-Involvement in World War I:The squadron was moved to France in April 1918 where it undertook fighter-reconnaissance duties...
from August 1941 to September 1942 using Blenheim IVs
Bristol Blenheim
The Bristol Blenheim was a British light bomber aircraft designed and built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company that was used extensively in the early days of the Second World War. It was adapted as an interim long-range and night fighter, pending the availability of the Beaufighter...
and Douglas Bostons
Douglas DB-7
The Douglas A-20/DB-7 Havoc was a family of American attack, light bomber and night fighter aircraft of World War II, that served with several Allied air forces, principally those of the Soviet Union, United Kingdom, and United States. The DB-7 was also used by the air forces of Australia, South...
.
USAAF Eighth Air Force use
Attlebridge was assigned to the United States Army Air Force Eighth Air ForceEighth Air Force
The Eighth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana....
's 2nd Bomb Wing on 30 September 1942. It was given USAAF designation Station 120.
The flying field had runways of 1,220, 1,120 and 1,080 yards length but, when the base was earmarked for USAAF use, these were extended and the airfield was enlarged to meet heavy bomber
Heavy bomber
A heavy bomber is a bomber aircraft of the largest size and load carrying capacity, and usually the longest range.In New START, the term "heavy bomber" is used for two types of bombers:*one with a range greater than 8,000 kilometers...
requirements. The main E-W runway was increased to 2,000 yards and the others to 1,400 yards each. The perimeter track was also extended and the number of hardstands was increased to fifty. In enlarging the airfield, several small, country roads were closed in the parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
of Weston Longville
Weston Longville
Weston Longville is a civil parish in the English county of Norfolk, approximately north-west of Norwich. Its name is derived from the Manor of Longaville in Normandy, France, which owned the local land in the 12th century....
, in which the larger part of the airfield was sited.
319th Bombardment Group (Medium)
The First American flying units at Attlebridge were squadrons of the 319th Bombardment Group (Medium) flying B-25 Mitchell
B-25 Mitchell
The North American B-25 Mitchell was an American twin-engined medium bomber manufactured by North American Aviation. It was used by many Allied air forces, in every theater of World War II, as well as many other air forces after the war ended, and saw service across four decades.The B-25 was named...
s which arrived at Attlebridge on 12 September 1942 from Harding Army Air Field Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
.
The airfield was then a satellite field for RAF Horsham St. Faith where the Group HQ and some personnel were stationed. These were the first squadrons flying this type of medium bomber
Medium bomber
A medium bomber is a bomber aircraft designed to operate with medium bombloads over medium distances; the name serves to distinguish them from the larger heavy bombers and smaller light bombers...
to arrive in the UK from America.
The Mitchells moved out during November to St-Leu, Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
as part of Twelfth Air Force, and Attlebridge was used by a training airfield with a few B-24 Liberator
B-24 Liberator
The Consolidated B-24 Liberator was an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and a small number of early models were sold under the name LB-30, for Land Bomber...
aircraft. No. 320 (Dutch) Squadron RAF, moved in during March 1943 flying B-25 Mitchells departing in February 1944.
466th Bombardment Group (Heavy)
The airfield was opened on 7 March 1944 and was used by the United States Army Air Force Eighth Air Force
Eighth Air Force
The Eighth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana....
466th Bombardment Group
466th Bombardment Group
The 466th Bombardment Group is an inactive United States Army Air Force unit. Its last assignment was to the Second Air Force, being stationed at Davis-Monthan Field, Arizona. It was inactivated on 17 October 1945...
(Heavy), arriving from Topeka Army Air Base Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
. The 466th was assigned to the 96th Combat Bombardment Wing, and the group tail code was a "Circle-L". It's operational squadrons were:
- 784th Bombardment Squadron784th Bombardment SquadronThe 784th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 466th Bombardment Group. It was inactivated at Davis-Monthan Field, Arizona on 17 October 1945.-History:...
(T9) - 785th Bombardment Squadron785th Bombardment SquadronThe 785th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 466th Bombardment Group. It was inactivated at Davis-Monthan Field, Arizona on 17 October 1945.-History:...
(2U) - 786th Bombardment Squadron786th Bombardment SquadronThe 786th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 466th Bombardment Group. It was inactivated at Davis-Monthan Field, Arizona on 17 October 1945.-History:...
(U8) - 787th Bombardment Squadron787th Bombardment SquadronThe 787th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 466th Bombardment Group. It was inactivated at Davis-Monthan Field, Arizona on 17 October 1945.-History:...
(6L)
The group flew the B-24 Liberator
B-24 Liberator
The Consolidated B-24 Liberator was an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and a small number of early models were sold under the name LB-30, for Land Bomber...
as part of the Eighth Air Force's strategic bombing campaign.
Reims
Reims , a city in the Champagne-Ardenne region of France, lies east-northeast of Paris. Founded by the Gauls, it became a major city during the period of the Roman Empire....
, an airfield at Chartres
Chartres
Chartres is a commune and capital of the Eure-et-Loir department in northern France. It is located southwest of Paris.-Geography:Chartres is built on the left bank of the Eure River, on a hill crowned by its famous cathedral, the spires of which are a landmark in the surrounding country...
, factories at Brunswick
Braunschweig
Braunschweig , is a city of 247,400 people, located in the federal-state of Lower Saxony, Germany. It is located north of the Harz mountains at the farthest navigable point of the Oker river, which connects to the North Sea via the rivers Aller and Weser....
, oil refineries at Bohlen
Bohlen
Bohlen is a surname shared by several notable people, among them being:Bohlen* Charles E. Bohlen , American diplomat* Avis Bohlen , American diplomat* Jim Bohlen, American-born Canadian political activist...
, aircraft plants at Kempten
Kempten
Kempten can refer to:* Kempten im Allgäu, a town in Bavaria, Germany* Kempten ZH, a district of the town of Wetzikon in the canton of Zurich, Switzerland* Kempton Park, Gauteng, a city in South Africa which was named after Kempten in Bavaria...
, mineral works at Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
, marshalling yards at Saarbrücken
Saarbrücken
Saarbrücken is the capital of the state of Saarland in Germany. The city is situated at the heart of a metropolitan area that borders on the west on Dillingen and to the north-east on Neunkirchen, where most of the people of the Saarland live....
, a synthetic oil plant at Misburg, a fuel depot at Dulmen
Dülmen
Dülmen is a municipality in the district of Coesfeld, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.-Geography:Dülmen is situated in the south part of the Münsterland area, between the Lippe river to the south, the Baumberge hills to the north and the Ems river to the east...
, and aero engine works at Eisenach
Eisenach
Eisenach is a city in Thuringia, Germany. It is situated between the northern foothills of the Thuringian Forest and the Hainich National Park. Its population in 2006 was 43,626.-History:...
.
Other operations included attacking pillboxes along the coast of Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
on D-Day
D-Day
D-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar...
(6 June 1944), and afterwards striking interdictory targets behind the beachhead; bombing enemy positions at Saint-Lô
Saint-Lô
Saint-Lô is a commune in north-western France, the capital of the Manche department in Normandy.-History:Originally called Briovère , the town is built on and around ramparts. Originally it was a Gaul fortified settlement...
during the Allied breakthrough in July 1944; hauling oil and gasoline to Allied forces advancing across France in September; hitting German communications and transportation during the Battle of the Bulge
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was a major German offensive , launched toward the end of World War II through the densely forested Ardennes mountain region of Wallonia in Belgium, hence its French name , and France and...
, December 1944-January 1945; and bombing the airfield at Nordhorn
Nordhorn
Nordhorn is the district seat of Grafschaft Bentheim in Lower Saxony's southwesternmost corner near the border with the Netherlands and the boundary with North Rhine-Westphalia.- Name's origin :...
in support of the airborne assault across the Rhine
Operation Varsity
Operation Varsity was a successful joint American–British airborne operation that took place toward the end of World War II...
on 24 March 1945.
The 466th flew last combat mission on 25 April 1945, striking a transformer station at Traunstein
Traunstein
Traunstein is a town in the south-eastern part of Bavaria, Germany, and is the administrative center of a district by the same name. It is situated at the heart of a region called Chiemgau, approximately 11 km east of Lake Chiemsee between Munich and Salzburg, 15 km north of the Alps, and...
. The unit returned to Sioux Falls AAF
Sioux Falls Regional Airport
Sioux Falls Regional Airport , also known as Joe Foss Field, is a joint civil and military use airport located three nautical miles northwest of the central business district of Sioux Falls, a city in Minnehaha County, South Dakota, United States...
South Dakota
South Dakota
South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
in July and was redesignated the 466th Bombardment Group (Very Heavy) in August 1945 and was equipped with B-29 Superfortress
B-29 Superfortress
The B-29 Superfortress is a four-engine propeller-driven heavy bomber designed by Boeing that was flown primarily by the United States Air Forces in late-World War II and through the Korean War. The B-29 was one of the largest aircraft to see service during World War II...
es.
Postwar use
After the war, Attlebridge was placed in "care and maintenance" status for a few years, eventually being closed in 1950. It was sold during 1959-62 and was chosen as a site for extensive poultry rearing operations.Today, rows of turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
houses line the runways. isolated from each other because this is an important requirement in escaping the infectious diseases to which turkeys are prone. The runways, perimeter track, and a few of the hardstands remain as does the control tower, now extensively renovated and used as offices by the owners of the airfield site. The briefing room and HQ block still exist, the latter being used as a private house.
The T-2 hangars have long since gone but a few of the old Nissen hut
Nissen hut
A Nissen hut is a prefabricated steel structure made from a half-cylindrical skin of corrugated steel, a variant of which was used extensively during World War II.-Description:...
s and other structures remain on some of the dispersed sites, used for a variety of purposes.
In August 1977, during a visit by a group of veterans, an ornamental village sign
Village sign
A village sign in some areas of England is a symbol of a village's history, heritage, or culture. They differ from regular road signs in that they are decorative, with the designs usually depicting some aspect of the history of the village...
was dedicated at Weston Longville commemorating the men who lost their lives serving with the 466th Bomb Group. All Saints
All Saints
All Saints' Day , often shortened to All Saints, is a solemnity celebrated on 1 November by parts of Western Christianity, and on the first Sunday after Pentecost in Eastern Christianity, in honour of all the saints, known and unknown...
Church at Weston Longville
Weston Longville
Weston Longville is a civil parish in the English county of Norfolk, approximately north-west of Norwich. Its name is derived from the Manor of Longaville in Normandy, France, which owned the local land in the 12th century....
also contains a 466th Roll of Honor. During the 1992 reunion a new memorial was dedicated at a crossroads on Frans Green.