RAF Appledram

RAF Appledram
Apuldram, West Sussex in England
RAF Appledram Shown within West Sussex Show map of West Sussex RAF Appledram RAF Appledram (the United Kingdom) Show map of the United Kingdom
Coordinates	50°48′36″N 000°48′21″W
Type	RAF advanced landing ground
Code	AO[1]
Site information
Owner	Air Ministry
Operator	Royal Air Force
Controlled by	RAF Second Tactical Air Force * No. 83 Group RAF * No. 84 Group RAF
Site history
Built	1943 (1943)
Built by	RAF Airfield Construction Service
In use	May 1943 - November 1944 (1944)
Battles/wars	European theatre of World War II
Airfield information
Elevation	7 metres (23 ft)[1] AMSL
Runways Direction Length and surface 00/00  Sommerfeld Tracking 00/00  Sommerfeld Tracking

Royal Air Force Appledram or more simply RAF Appledram is a former Royal Air Force Advanced Landing Ground 2.3 miles (3.7 km) southwest of Chichester, West Sussex, England and 12.2 miles (19.6 km) east of Portsmouth, Hampshire.^[2]

History

Authorisation was given to build an Advanced Landing Ground south-west of Chichester and near the village of Apuldram in December 1942.^[3] Advanced Landing Grounds were temporary airfields with limited facilities intended for the upcoming invasion of France. A total of 23 Advanced Landing Grounds were built in the South and South-East of England in 1943–1944.^[4] Work began on the airfield in February 1943, with two runways made of Sommerfeld tracking being laid.^[3] Accommodation consisted largely of tents,^[3][5] with one Blister hangar and metal mesh hardstanding for aircraft added during the autumn/winter of 1943–44.^[6][7] The airfield was completed in May that year.^[3]

The first users of the airfield were the Hawker Typhoon fighters of three squadrons of 124 Airfield, (175, 181 and 182 Squadrons), which moved in on 2 June 1943. They carried out attacks against airfields, communications centres and radar stations before leaving for airfields in Kent early in July 1943, with the airfield temporarily being used for grazing farm animals.^[8][9]

The next user of the airfield was 134 Airfield, which consisted of the Czechoslovakian-manned, Supermarine Spitfire-equipped 310, 312 and 313 Squadrons, which moved in on 3 April 1944.^[6] The three squadrons carried out a mixture of fighter sweeps, bomber escort and attacks against V-weapon launch sites. On 6 June 1944, as Operation Overlord (the invasion of German-occupied Europe) took place, the wing's aircraft provided fighter cover over the beaches. These operations continuing until 22 June when the wing moved to RAF Tangmere to intercept V-1 flying bombs. The wing was replaced by the Polish-manned No. 131 Wing RAF (302, 308 and 317 Squadrons), which carried out ground attack operations in support of the advancing allied troops before leaving for RAF Ford on 16 July and then transferring to airfields in France.^[6][10][11]

RAF Appledram saw no further operational use, and it was released for farming in November 1944, with the hangar, runways and dispersals removed in January 1945.^[6]

Posted units

• No. 175 Squadron RAF^[12]
• No. 181 Squadron RAF^[12]
• No. 182 Squadron RAF^[13]
• No. 302 Polish Fighter Squadron^[14]
• No. 308 Polish Fighter Squadron^[15]
• No. 310 Squadron RAF^[15]
• No. 312 (Czechoslovak) Squadron RAF^[16]
• No. 313 Squadron RAF^[16]
• No. 317 Polish Fighter Squadron^[16]

Units

• No. 124 Airfield RAF (June - July 1943)^[17]
• No. 131 (Polish) (Fighter) Wing RAF (June - July 1944)^[18]
• No. 134 Airfield RAF (April 1944) became No. 134 (Czech) (Fighter) Wing RAF (May - June 1944)^[19]
• No. 411 (Polish) Repair & Salvage Unit (July - August 1944)^[20]
• No. 420 Repair & Salvage Unit (March - July 1944)^[20]
• No. 1312 Mobile Wing RAF Regiment^[2]
• No. 1315 Mobile Wing RAF Regiment^[2]

See also

• List of former Royal Air Force stations

References

Citations

1. Falconer 2012, p. 36.
2. "RAF Appledram". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
3. Ashworth 1985, p. 44.
4. Ashworth 1985, pp. 25–28.
5. Brooks 1993, p. 150.
6. Lee 2010, p. 43.
7. "Appledram Airfield". Pastscape. English Heritage. Retrieved 20 May 2012.
8. Brooks 1993, pp. 150–151.
9. Ashworth 1985, pp. 44–45.
10. Ashworth 1985, p. 45.
11. Brooks 1993, pp. 151–153.
12. Jefford 1988, p. 65.
13. Jefford 1988, p. 66.
14. Jefford 1988, p. 84.
15. Jefford 1988, p. 85.
16. Jefford 1988, p. 86.
17. Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 53.
18. Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 322.
19. Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 323.
20. Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 261.

Bibliography

• Ashworth, Chris (1985). Action Stations: 9. Military airfields of the Central South and South-East. Wellingborough, UK: Patrick Stephens Limited. ISBN 0-85059-608-4.
• Brooks, Robin J. (1993). Sussex Airfields in the Second World War. Newbury, UK: Countryside Books. ISBN 1-85306-259-6.
• Falconer, J (2012). RAF Airfields of World War 2. UK: Ian Allan Publishing. ISBN 978-1-85780-349-5.
• Jefford, C.G. (1988). RAF Squadrons. A comprehensive record of the movement and equipment of all RAF squadrons and their antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury: Airlife. ISBN 1-85310-053-6.
• Lee, David W. (2010). Action Stations Revisited: The complete history of Britain's military airfields: No. 3 South East England. Manchester, UK: Crécy Publishing Limited. ISBN 9-780859-791106.
• Sturtivant, R; Hamlin, J; Halley, J (1997). Royal Air Force flying training and support units. UK: Air-Britain (Historians). ISBN 0-85130-252-1.