Talbenny
TALBENNY: Military aerodrome
Note: This picture (2013) was obtained from Google Earth ©
Military users: WW2: RAF Coastal Command
248 Sqdn (Beaufighters)
Possibly detached to Coastal Command (?) 304 (Polish) Sqdn (Vickers Wellingtons)
307 FTU (Douglas A-20 Havocs)
RAF Transport Command 44 Group
11 Ferry Unit
3 Overseas Aircraft Despatch Unit
4 Armament Practise (Lysanders)
Location: SW of Talbenny, N of B4327, 5.5nm NW of Milford Haven
Period of operation: 1942 to 1946
Runways: 03/21 1463x46 hard 09/27 1006x46 hard
17/35 1006x46 hard
NOTES: Possibly the first operational squadron to be based here was 248 Squadron with Bristol Beaufighters in September 1942. This it appears was a direct response to the Luftwaffe basing Junkers Ju.88s and Focke-Wulf FW.200s to defend the Bay of Biscay and these were shooting down Coastal Command patrols left, right and centre. Sixteen aircraft being shot down by the Luftwaffe in October 1942. 235 Squadron posted to CHIVENOR (DEVON), were also flying Beaufighters and were the other piece in this deterrent.
Before researching this Guide I would have regarded this aerodrome, (even if I’d heard of it which I don’t think is the case), as being a far-flung outpost especially in late 1944. But it had a whopping strength of 2456 RAF male personnel and 316 WAAFs. The obvious question is of course why did this now Transport Command station have so many people here, of all places, at that time? The D-Day invasions had occurred during the summer so I would now expect to find Transport Command quickly moving to aerodromes further south and east where they would be better situated to support the war effort.
Grant Thomas
This comment was written on: 2021-02-01 14:35:31Please contact me for motor event ASAP Based in Pembrokeshire myself. 07847 858584 Grant Thomas
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