The Wartime Memories Project

- RAF Acklington during the Second World War -


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World War 2 Two II WW2 WWII 1939 1945

RAF Acklington



   RAF Acklington in Northumberland. The site was first used as an airfield during the Great War under the name Southfields aerodrome. Although there is no record of any squadrons based there it is believed to have been used by RFC 77 Squadron. It was closed after WW1.

The base reopened on the 1st April 1938 as No7 Armament Training School, becoming 2 Air Observers School on 15th Nov 1938. At the out-break of war the school moved to Warmwell and the airfield was transferred to fighter command. The station code was Bluebell

The airfield remained in RAF hands until 1972, today it is the site of a prison.

Squadrons stationed at RAF Acklington

  • No. 152 Squadron 1st October 1939 to 12th July 1940
  • No. 607 Squadron 10 Oct to 14 Nov 1939
  • No. 43 Squadron 18 Nov 1939 to 26 Feb 1940 & 4 Oct 1941 to 16 Jun 1942
  • No. 72 Squadron from 6 June 1940
  • No. 74 Squadron.
  • No. 79 Squadron from 13 July 1940
  • No. 32 Squadron from 28 August 1940
  • No. 610 Squadron 31 Aug 1940 to 15 Dec 1940
  • No. 111 Squadron
  • No. 406 (Lynx) Squadron RCAF: Formed at RAF Acklington on 5th May 1941, to 1st Feb 1942
  • No. 410 Squadron. 6th Aug 1941 to 15th June 1941 and 20th Oct 1942 to 21st Feb 1943
  • No. 219 Squadron 23 June 1942 to 21 Oct 1942
  • No. 309 (Polish) Squadron
  • No. 409 Squadron. 23rd Feb 1943 to 19th Dec 1943 and 5th Feb 1944 to 1st March 1944
  • No. 25 Squadron 19th Dec 1943 and 5th Feb 1944


 

24th Sep 1939 Training

1st Oct 1939 Training

1st October 1939 New Fighter Squadron formed

9th Oct 1939 Training

10th October 1939 Crashed and killed on ferry flight

15th Oct 1939 First successful attack

27th October 1939 Move to the north

18th Nov 1939 Moved to the North

20th November 1939 Operational

24th November 1939 Crash on exercise

25th November 1939 Detachment to Shetland

29th November 1939 Heinkel shot down

7th Dec 1939 On the move

7th December 1939 Move to the Forth

16th December 1939 Spitfires arrive

6th January 1940 Spitfires operational

16th January 1940 New Spitfires damaged in snow

17th Jan 1940 Return to RAF Digby

18th Jan 1940 Mid-air collision

29th January 1940 Combat

30th Jan 1940 Two bombers shot down

2nd February 1940 First combat success

3rd Feb 1940 Bomber brought down

26th Feb 1940 Move to Scapa Flow

27th February 1940 Heinkel shot down

29th February 1940 C/O lost at sea

2nd March 1940 Moved again

April/May 1940 Readiness

23rd May 1940 Stand-by for Dunkirk

1st June 1940 Temporary attachment

5th June 1940 Killed in flying accident

15th June 1940 Escort for Canadian Troops

1st Jul 1940 Interception

2nd Jul 1940 Enemy Active

3rd Jul 1940 Patrols

4th Jul 1940 Plot

5th Jul 1940 Reports

6th Jul 1940 Threat of Attack

7th Jul 1940 Patrols

9th Jul 1940 Patrols

10th Jul 1940 Bad Weather

11th Jul 1940 Bad Weather

12th Jul 1940 Patrols

12th July 1940 Move to Dorset

13th July 1940 Northern patrols

13th Jul 1940 Patrols

14th Jul 1940 Poor Weather

15th Jul 1940 Patrol

16th Jul 1940 Patrols

17th Jul 1940 Poor Conditions

18th Jul 1940 Poor Conditions

19th Jul 1940 Patrols

20th Jul 1940 Interception

21st Jul 1940 Suspicious Aircraft

22nd Jul 1940 Patrols

24th Jul 1940 Patrols

25th Jul 1940 Change of Command

26th Jul 1940 Patrols

27th Jul 1940 Raids Reported

28th Jul 1940 Enemy Aircraft

29th Jul 1940 Patrols

30th Jul 1940 Air Raid

31st Jul 1940 Patrols

15th Aug 1940 Eagle Day

27th August 1940 Back to the front line

28th Aug 1940 On the Move

31st August 1940 Into battle

15th December 1940 Relocation

15th December 1940 Return to Acklington

11th April 1941 Reconnaissance plane shot down

22nd Apr 1941 Aircraft Lost

8th July 1941 New duties

9th July 1941 Gone North

20th Aug 1941 Aircraft Lost

3rd Sep 1941 Aircraft Lost

5th Sep 1941 Aircraft Lost

3rd October 1941 Move to Wales

4th Oct 1941 Relocated

12th October 1941 Mid-air collision

29th January 1942 Relocated

8th May 1942 Operational

June 1942 Move

16th June 1942 On the Move

8th July 1942 Re-equipped for new role

30th November 1943 Move to Northumberland

1st December 1943  Family killed in crash

19th Dec 1943 Fighters and bombers

22nd April 1944 Cover

4th January 1944 Return to Scorton

5th Feb 1944 Intercepting V1 flying bombs

15th February 1944 Refitting

27th February 1944 Heavy snow disrupts move

16th March 1944 Operations resumed


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



Those known to have served at

RAF Acklington

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 Acklington?


There are:94 items tagged RAF Acklington 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.


Dave Conning RAF Acklington

Does anyone remember my dad, Dave Conning, a big Yorkshireman, who served in the RAF at Acklington, during WW2? He married a local girl from Amble, Northumberland.

Jack Conning



Sgt. Thomas Pegler 219 Squadron

Dad, Tom Pegler was the navigator of Mosquito FK-E piloted by Jack Bremner, who was from the London area. He would never tell anyone what they were detailed to do, other than theirs was a Night Fighter Squadron. He did tell me, however, one summer morning retuning to Acklington over the North Sea, the tops of the clouds were perfectly flat, so being the 'good airmen' they were, they did several practice landings on the top of the clouds until they realised the rest of the section had disappeared. When they landed, everyone else had been back safely for several minutes and concern was shown for them. When he and Jack got to the briefing room, they were asked why they were late. 'Port engine, sir, got a bit hot so I shut it down' was the reply. After debrefing, they got their flying kit off and hit the sack. They hadn't been in bed long when the tannoy went, 'Will the crew of E for Easy report to the boss at once' (I use the word 'boss' because he never stated the rank of the man to whom they were answerable). They had to get their flying kit on again before they they went, but duly arrived. 'I've had that port engine run up - there's **** all wrong with it- now what were you actually doing?' '.'Practising landing on the clouds, sir.' I cannot repeat what was said, suffice it to say he went ballistic and their proverbial cards were marked. I believe they didn't do it again!

John Pegler



John Heron Lowes 5001 Squadron

John Lowes, 5001 Airfield Construction Squadron

John Heron met his second wife Christy Sarah Morrison, who was from the Isle of Harris and was managing the NAAFI, while serving at RAF Dyce, they were later together at RAF Acklington (I don't know if that was by design or coincidence, but expect it was the former). They married in late 1947 and were happily married for 29 years when John passed away in early 1977.

An Airfield Construction Squadron consisted of every known trade or profession involved in the building and construction industry. There would also be certain R.A.F. trades attached to a Flight or Squadron, e.g. cooks, clerks, medical, etc. This was essential under wartime conditions, when a flight or squadron arrived on a station to carry out a project or to repair bomb damage. The A.C. Squadrons with the Plant Squadrons and the Mechanical & Electrical Squadrons served in many locations in the period 1941 to 1946.

Andy Stuart







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