Airfields Index

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RAF Drem    RAF Drem started life in 1916 as a home defence landing ground and was then called West Fenton. In 1939 the airfield became home to no. 13 Flying Training School. Then in October 1939 Drem received its first fighters in the form of Spitfires with 609 squadron from Acklington, an the airfield was transferred to Fighter Command. Drem was home to 72 sqd from October 1939. The Drem Lighting System was invented here by a Spitfire pilot who was experimenting with lights on the runway. Many of buildings around the airfield survive including the Battle Command Building. Squadrons Based at RAF Drem No 609 Squadron from 1936 to 1939 No 72 Squadron from October 1939 No. 111 Squadron No. 197 Squadron from 21st November 1942 No: 263 Squadron No. 607 Squadron from 8 Nov 1940 to 12 Dec 1940 & 2 Mar 1941 to 16 Apr 1941   16th Oct 1939 Air Raid damages shipping 1st December 1939 Moved again 7th December 1939 Move to the Forth 27th February 1940  Defence of Scapa Flow 4th April 1940 Move to Scotland 10th May 1940 Move to the south 6th Jul 1940 Threat of Attack 15th Aug 1940 Eagle Day 20th August 1940 Move 8th September 1940 Back to the Forth 12th October 1940 Moved further north 15th October 1940 Back on ops 22nd October 1940 Relocation 12th Dec 1940  17th May 1941 New duties 6th August 1941 Relocation 22nd September 1941 Relocated to the far north 4th Oct 1941 Relocated 10th November 1941 Back to Drem 16th Nov 1941 New role 1st December 1941 North Sea patrols 29th January 1942 Relocated 24th August 1942 Squadron relocated for refitting 26th September 1942  Back to Scotland 30th November 1942 New Typhoon Squadron formed 8th December 1942 Pilots arrive 23rd December 1942 Bad prang 29th December 1942  Respite 3rd January 1943 Aircraft carrier training 21st January 1943 High altitude capability 24th January 1943 Unexplained crash 28th January 1943 Structural failure 31st January 1943 First operational sortie 14th February 1943 Two pilots killed 20th February 1943 Patrols 12th March 1943 Bandit flying too high 20th March 1943 Move ordered 27th March 1943 Relocation disrupted 29th March 1943 Move to Cornwall 30th March 1943 Recuperation 27th April 1943 New army cooperation squadron formed 30th April 1943 Back on operations 12th May 1943 New device under test June 1943 No aircraft for new squadron 3rd August 1943 Squadron moved on 3rd September 1943 Defensive role 8th November 1943 Move South 17th March 1944 Re-equipped 23rd April 1944 Normandy If you can provide any additional information, please add it here. Those known to have served at RAF Drem during the Second World War 1939-1945. Sayer . Flt Sgt. (d.28th Mar 1944) The names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed, please Add a Name to this List The Wartime Memories Project is the original WW1 and WW2 commemoration website. Announcements The Wartime Memories Project has been running for 24 years. If you would like to support us, a donation, no matter how small, would be much appreciated, annually we need to raise enough funds to pay for our web hosting and admin or this site will vanish from the web. 22nd April 2024 - Please note we currently have a huge backlog of submitted material, our volunteers are working through this as quickly as possible and all names, stories and photos will be added to the site. 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There are:49 items tagged RAF Drem available in our Library   These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Second World War. Flt Sgt. Sayer 91 Sqd. (d.28th Mar 1944) I am doing some research into 91 squadron and believe they were stationed at Drem on the 8th March 1944 (flying from Castle Camps) arriving at 13.45. They left Drem for West Malling on the 23rd April. I think they were grounded due to the weather for a while but on the 12th March Flt Sgt Sayer crashed and was killed. On the 28th March 1944 15 members of the squadron went to Edinburgh to visit factories. Peter Williams Add to this record. Recomended Reading. Available at discounted prices. Links

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