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RAF Ibsley
RAF Ibsley was situated 2 miles north of Ringwood in Hampshire. The base opened in Febuary 1941 and was home to Hurricanes, Spitfires, Whirlwinds, Mustangs and Typhoons of 19 different Squadrons. In June 1942 the base was handed over to USAAF control. It returned to RAF control between December 1942 and January 1944 with the USAAF using the base again until July 1944. Ibsley was then allocated to No.11 Group RAF, and used by to No.7 Flying Instructors School of Training Command. until March 1945 when Transport Command Glider Pick-Up Training Flight arrived with Dakotas towing Horsa gliders.
Flying ceased in October 1945 and in late 1946 the site returned to agriculture.
Today the site is used for quarrys and lakes, the runways and all buildings have vanished, except the control tower, which is in a very poor state.
Squadrons stationed at RAF Ibsley
- No: 32 Squadron.
- No: 66 Squadron.
- No: 118 Squadron.
- No: 129 Squadron.
- No: 165 Squadron.
- No: 234 Squadron.
- No: 263 Squadron.
- No: 302 Squadron.
- No: 310 Squadron.
- No: 312 Squadron.
- No: 313 Squadron.
- No: 421 Squadron.
- No: 453 Squadron.
- No: 501 Squadron.
- No: 504 Squadron.
- No: 616 Squadron.
- 71st Fighter Squadron, 1st Fighter Group. August to October 1942
- 94th Fighter Squadron. August to October 1942
- 492nd Fighter Squadron, 48th Fighter Group. March 44 to July 44
- 493rd Fighter Squadron, 48th Fighter Group. March 44 to July 44
- 494th Fighter Squadron, 48th Fighter Group. March 44 to July 44
- 371st Fighter Group. April to May 1944
- 14th Liaison Squadron. July to Aug 1944
- 392nd Fighter Squadron, 367th Fighter Group. July 1944
- 393rd Fighter Squadron, 367th Fighter Group. July 1944
- 394th Fighter Squadron, 367th Fighter Group. July 1944
- No.7 Flying Instructors School
- Transport Command Glider Pick-Up Training Flight.
16th February 1941 Sorties over France
27th April 1941 Move
14th Oct 1941 Poor Weather
17th Oct 1941 Operations
9th February 1943 Move to Orkney
13th February 1943 Move to the south coast
28th February 1943 Gunnery training
1st March 1943 Exercise Spartan
2nd March 1943 Exercise Spartan
3rd March 1943 Exercise Spartan
4th March 1943 Exercise Spartan
4th March 1943 Exercise Spartan
4th March 1943 Exercise Spartan
5th March 1943 Exercise Spartan
6th March 1943 Exercise Spartan
6th March 1943 Exercise Spartan
6th March 1943 Exercise Spartan
7th March 1943 Exercise Spartan
7th March 1943 Exercise Spartan
8th March 1943 Exercise Spartan
8th March 1943 Exercise Spartan
9th March 1943 Exercise Spartan
9th March 1943 Exercise Spartan
10th March 1943 Detachments
10th March 1943 Exercise Spartan
10th March 1943 Exercise Spartan
11th March 1943 Exercise Spartan
11th March 1943 Exercise Spartan
12th March 1943 Exercise Spartan
12th March 1943 Exercise Spartan ends
13th March 1943 Return to operations
13th March 1943 Exercise Spartan ends
28th June 1943 Tactical Airforce Established
30th June 1943 Back on intruder sorties
25th July 1943 Two Spitfires lost
27th July 1943 Move to Exeter
3rd December 1943 Outpost at Ibsley
26th December 1943 Crashed in fog
If you can provide any additional information, please add it here.
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Those known to have served at RAF Ibsley during the Second World War 1939-1945. 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 Ibsley? There are:38 items tagged RAF Ibsley 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. |
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F/Lt. Mervyn F.S. Young 129 Sqn, 72 Sqn   A good friend of mine was based at RAF Hornchurch in 1943 - Flt Lt Mervyn Young of 129 Sqn & later 72 Sqn in Italy & Europe. He flew Spitfire DV-R (Serial No MH384).
Mervyn told me that he was inspired to become a fighter pilot after watching the Howard Hughes Movie Hells Angels about WW1 Fighter pilots. He said his flight commander ‘Wag’ Haw had the same thoughts after seeing the movie.
He flew many missions in Europe including Ram-rod missions in support of the daylight bombing raids, mostly B17’s including the famous Memphis Belle at one time.
On one sortie his No 2 Sgt Carmichael was shot down & killed but in 2003 his aircraft was recovered & in Sept' 2003 Mervyn was among the memorial parade with full miltary honours for Sgt Carmichael; lost on a sortie over Belgium & located 60 years later, the fateful sortie was flown while Mervyn was based at RAF Hornchurch.
Sadly Mervyn passed away in March 2006, I enclose a photo taken at RAF Ibsley in his Spit' DV-R (MH384) complete with his mascot logo of Jiminy Cricket.
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Cpl? Cyril Simmons RAF Ibsley My father served at RAF Ibsley sometime between 1941 and 1946. I think he may have had something to do with ground radar and may have been a corporal.
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