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- RAF North Weald during the Second World War -


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World War 2 Two II WW2 WWII 1939 1945

RAF North Weald



    RAF North Weald first opened 1916 to protect London from the Zeppelin raids of the First World War. The airfield again saw action during the Second World War being an 11 Group Fighter Command airfield in the front line of The Battle of Britain

The airfield was in RAF hands until 1964, today it is used as a museum and for private flying.

Squadrons stationed at RAF North Weald

  • No. 25 Squadron
  • No. 56 Squadron
  • No. 249 Squadron
  • No. 71 "Eagle" Squadron
  • No. 111 Squadron
  • No. 121 "Eagle" Squadron
  • No. 151 Squadron
  • No. 331 Norwegian Squadron
  • No. 332 Norwegian Squadron


 

3rd September 1939 Patrols

22nd October 1939 On the Move

Jan 1940 Home Defence

January 1940 Shipping escorts

16th Jan 1940 Night patrols

18th February 1940 Air accident

22nd February 1940 On the Move

28th February 1940 Detachment

23rd March 1940 New Hurricanes

16th Apr 1940 On the Move

13th May 1940 Squadron reunited

16th May 1940 Move into France

20th May 1940 Retreat

21st May 1940 Battle of France

22nd May 1940 Back to England

22nd May 1940 Three sorties over France

23rd May 1940 Civilian supply aircraft crashed

25th May 1940 Mid-air collision

27th May 1940 Air cover

28th May 1940 Dunkirk

28th May 1940 Operation Dynamo

29th May 1940 Three Hurricanes shot down over Dunkirk

30th May 1940 Aircraft Lost

30th May 1940 Moved again

31st May 1940 On the Move

2nd June1940  Bailed out

2nd June 1940 Evening patrol

6th June 1940 Safe behind British lines

6th June 1940 Force-landed in France

7th June 1940 Inconclusive combat over France

8th June 1940 Escape across France

18th June 1940 Two Hurricanes shot down

19th June 1940 Convoy protection

19th June 1940 Pilot killed

27th June 1940  Royal visit

28th June 1940 Airman Drowned

30th June 1940 Squadron Leader shot down

1st July 1940 Stood down

9th July 1940 Air Battle

10th July 1940 New recruits

12th July 1940 Hurricane pilot missing

14th July 1940 Three enemy aircraft shot down

15th July 1940 More new pilots

24th July 1940 Pilot killed in flying accident

5th August 1940 New C/O

15th August 1940 Five Hurricanes lost

16th August 1940 Aftermath of Eagle Day

18th August 1940 Three Hurricanes lost

19th August 1940 Respite

19th August 1940 New C/O

21st August 1940  Special Duties Flight formed

23rd August 1940 Agent dropped into Holland

24th August 1940  Airfields bombed

25th August 1940 Temporary move

31st August 1940  Battle of Britain

1st Sept 1940 Move

1st September 1940 Aircrew exchanged

2nd Sept 1940 Battle of Britain

3rd September 1940 Airfield attacked

3rd September 1940 Airfields bombed

5th September 1940 Battle of Britain

September 1940 Battle of Britain reminiscences

10th September 1940 Special Duties flight relocated

21st October 1940 Lysander lost in Scotland

29th November 1940 Squadron movements

23rd June 1941 New role

26th June 1941  On the Move

20th July 1941 Attack raids on France

August 1941 Re-equipped

1st November 1941 Night fighters

14th December 1941 Recuperation

15th December 1941 Moved air base

11th January 1942 Reorganisation

19th February 1942 Reorganisation

3rd June 1942 Relocated

9th Sep 1942 Posting

7th November 1942 On the move

19th November 1942 PoW

22nd December 1942 Aircraft arrive

29th December 1942  Respite

21st January 1943 High altitude capability

17th February 1943 Escorts shot down

1st March 1943 High Altitude Spitfire goes into service

1st March 1943 Relocated for Exercise Spartan

10th March 1943 Detachments

12th March 1943 Exercise Spartan ends

26th July 1943 Move to Northolt

17th Sept 1943 Training Exercises

14th Nov 1943 Moves

30th Nov 1943 Tactical reconnaissance

30th November 1943 On the move

14th January 1944 Pilot from Chile killed

16th January 1944 Naval work resumed

March 1944 Back to RAF Odiham

8th April 1944 Packed up for Britain

23rd April 1944 Moved to Britain

24th April 1944 Return to Britain

24th April 1944 Back to Britain

15th May 1944 Attacks on France

16th May 1944 Moved airbase

2nd July 1944 Squadron HQ relocated

27th August 1944 Squadron HQ relocated

19th Sept 1944 

14th Jan 1945 Reconnaissance

30th Jan 1945 Reconnaissance Squadron disbanded

5th May 1945 Move back to Britain

30th May 1945  Move to Scotland


If you can provide any additional information, please add it here.



Those known to have served at

RAF North Weald

during the Second World War 1939-1945.

  • Bayley. Edward Alan . Sgt/Plt. (d.10th Oct 1940)
  • Bryks MBE.. Josef J.. F/Lt.
  • Hughes Reginald W.. Sgt. (d.7th June 1943)
  • Kennard. Hugh . Sqd Ldr
  • Kopecky DFC.. Vaclav. F/O.
  • Mooney. Jack .
  • Pattullo William Blair . Pilot Officer
  • Robinson. Peter .
  • Robinson. Thomas Kenneth . Pilot Officer (d.8th Dec 1941 )
  • Tilley. Reade .
  • Vaughan Arthur James. Sgt. (d.26th April 1941)

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



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Want to know more about RAF North Weald?


There are:107 items tagged RAF North Weald 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.


Sgt. Arthur James Vaughan 242 Squadron (d.26th April 1941)

I live on the south coast in a place called Telscombe Cliffs, near to Newhaven Harbour. About 2 miles going inland from the coast is a little hamlet of about 6 cottages and a lovely old Saxon church and it goes by the name of Southease. In the little churchyard the graves go back 200 plus years apart from one and it is a typical war grave headstone with the RAF arms on the front, buried in the grave is Pilot Sgt. Vaughan. What we would like to unravel is the mystery of how Sgt. Vaughan came to be buried in our little churchyard. We are more than honoured to have Sgt. Vaughan in our church grounds but it would be nice just to know a little more about this very brave man.

Sgt. Vaughan was flying Hurricanes in 242 Squadron, being based at Stapleford Tawney, North Weald from April 9th to May 22nd and was shot down and killed near Chartham in Kent. We know he was married to a lady called Christine. Another strange thing was his age, he was 41 when he was shot down. As he was RAF Volunteer Reserve could he have been a ferry pilot who was in the wrong place at the wrong time? Does anybody know how Sgt. Vaughan came to be laid to rest in our little churchyard? If there is anyone with any clues no matter how small we would love to be able to put his story to rest.

We always place flowers on his grave on the anniversary of his death and say a little pray and thanks for the ultimate price he paid so we can tell this story.

G.Millard



F/O. Vaclav Kopecky DFC. 111 Squadron

Vaclav Kopecky crashed after take-off with his Supermarine Spitfire Mk.VB (coded JU-?) from North Weald Airfield, due to engine failure after striking a gull which got into the carburettor air intake on 18th of December 1941, a few minutes after 10:30. He suffered heavy injuries and was taken to St. Margaret Hospital in Epping, where his right leg had to be amputated.

Zd. Klima



F/Lt. Josef J. Bryks MBE. 242 Squadron

Josef Bryks was a Czechoslovak cavalryman and fighter pilot who escaped the German occupation of Czechoslovakia and became a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. He flew a Hawker Hurricane with No. 242 Squadron RAF until he was shot down over German-occupied France on 17th of June 1941, whilst flying in Operation Circus 14 from North Weald.

Michael J Williams



Sgt. Reginald W. Hughes 10 Squadron (d.7th June 1943)

Sgt. Pilot Reginald Hughes served in the RAF Volunteer Service. He was the son of H.A Hughes and Rose Hughes of Holloway, Bath, Somerset. He was injured in an aircraft accident at RAF North Weald, Epping, Essex on the 16th of October 1941. He died on the 7th of June 1943 aged 21.

Mike Bishop







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