Foulsham
FOULSHAM: Military aerodrome later private airfield/airstrip
Note: This picture (2017) was obtained from Google Earth ©
Another example of a WW2 airfield where much of the original infrastructure can still be clearly discerned.
Military users: RAF Bomber Command 2 Group
80 & 98 Sqdns (North American B-25 Mitchells)
100 (Special Duties) Group
192 (BS) Sqdn (Handley Page Halifaxs, Vickers Wellingtons, DH Mosquitos, Avro Ansons, Airspeed Oxfords & DH Tiger Moths!)
Note: The latter belonging to the Station Flight I suppose?)
This ‘Bomber Development Unit’ of 100 Bomber Support Group operating various types were employed on tasks such as identifying German radar patterns and wavelengths. Something like Counter-Intelligence operations today?
Location: 8nm NNE of Dereham
Period of operation: 1942 to 1945
Runways: 01/19 1737x46 hard 08/26 1280x46 hard
14/32 1234x46 hard
NOTES: Here’s a good example of a typical WW2 bomber aerodrome which makes me ask silly little questions which very slightly interested me when researching this Guide. Ostensibly a short term bomber base albeit well up to strength with, (in late 1944), 2135 RAF personnel (plus 355 WAAFs) on station. I assume there must have been a good reason for building two of the runways slightly shorter than usual with, for example, a 1900 yards length instead of the normal 2000 yards for 01/19 and 1350 yards length instead of the typical 1400 yards. Does anybody know why? Was it because there was never any intention to operate heavy bomber squadrons from FOULSHAM?
By 2010 I think I’ve discovered the answer? The ‘Special Duties’ largest aircraft based here took off at well below the AUW (All Up Weight) of bombers. But also, what role did the Ansons and Oxfords serve? Equipment test-beds perhaps?
SPECIAL DUTY RADAR DEVELOPMENT UNIT
The ‘Special Duty Radar Development Unit’ were based here for a period, and they were previously based at WEST RAYNHAM also in NORFOLK. So why did they have to move? This later became the ‘Bomber Support Development Unit’ flying Beaufighters, Halifaxs, Mosquitos and Stirlings.
The essential and very valuable work done by this ‘Unit’ is I think largely forgotten about today. In essence flying across with the bombers to both monitor and hopefully jam or interfere with German radar and radio communication frequencies. A very dangerous operation indeed.
THE TECHNOLOGY WAR
I was brought up in the 1950s fed with propaganda which stated that fighters fought and bombers bombed. What I didn't know was that behind the scenes a totally different war was also taking place. - on both sides. For the first time in history ‘The Technology War’ was also taking place, which developed expotentially during the ‘Cold War’ and of course is very much a major factor in modern warfare. The ‘War of the Boffins’. Just how effective this was in WW2 will I suspect never be quantified, but, by reading up on the subject it is clear that many people in high positions considered it was crucial to the defeat of the Nazi regime. This certainly applied to Photo-Reconnaissance which the Allies excelled at.
CROP SPRAYING
In 1977 it seems only the Piper PA-25 Pawnee 235s G-BDSR and G-BDWL of T M G Hanley Ltd were based here. However, crop spraying was still big business in England in those days.
Jim Everton
This comment was written on: 2020-09-09 14:16:00My father was stationed at Foulsham for the last 2-3 years of the war. His number was 1506052. I still have some photographs taken on the airfield.
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