Mepal
MEPAL: Military aerodrome
Picture by the author in June 2015.
Military users: WW2: RAF Bomber Command 3 Group
75 (New Zealand) Sqdn (Stirlings & Lancasters)
44 (Rhodesia) Sqdn (Lancasters)
Post WW2: Thor missile base
Location: S of Mepal & N of Sutton villages, bisecting & closing the A142 during WW2, 6nm W of Ely
Period of operation: 1943 to 1963
Runways: WW2: 04/22 1280x46 hard 07/25 1829x46 hard
13/31 1280x46 hard
NOTES: 75 Sqdn served here from 1943 to 1945. Towards the end of WW2 44 (Rhodesia) Squadron arrived as part of the Tiger Force, intended to bomb Japan. The dropping of two atomic bombs, the first on Hiroshima and then a second on Nagasaki, thankfully brought the war to a close before the Tiger Force could be fully deployed.
It appears that the airfield was probably 'moth-balled' until 1957 when a Thor missile base was established in the north-east part.
WHO BUILT THE AIRFIELD?
I have no idea if this airfield was built mostly by Irish labour? A great many were though. Despite the Irish Republic pretending to be neutral it is often alledged that they did everything possible to assist the Nazi regime, as did the Swiss of course and the Swedes weren’t far behind either. The irony being that so many airfields in England were being built by Irish labour and they usually sang their anti- British songs in the pubs at night! I expect the locals didn’t understand the language?
These poor souls, probably mostly illiterate, lived in conditions of considerable deprivation and were shamelessly exploited. I think their story should now be told. By contrast I’d imagine, their employers, the directors of these companies must surely have been having an endless party? Feasting on the spoils from ‘an enemy country’ forced by circumstance to require their services and quite possibly ‘paying through the nose’? Rumours abound.
Bob Caudwell
This comment was written on: 2015-07-23 11:46:21Hello. I was struggling to find a lot of information about Mepal online and certainly didn't realise that New Zealand were based there! What a wealth of information you have here - thank you! Bob
Reply from Dick Flute:
I am very pleased you found the web-site useful. Many thanks for the kind comments, Dick
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