On 10 August 1944, at the formation of the First Allied Airborne Army, General Eisenhower visited RAF Leicester East to review 12,000 troops of the 82nd Airborne Division who were camped nearby and at other locations around Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire. He was accompanied by Brigadier General James M. Gavin, who had recently taken Command of the Division, Major General Matthew Ridgway, who had recently taken Command of the XVIIIth Airborne Corps and Lieutenant General Lewis H. Brereton who would take Command of the First Allied Airborne Army, having previously Commanded the US 9th Army Air Force. Also present were small contingents of the five Groups that made up the US 52nd Troop Carrier Wing, the Wing mostly responsible for delivering the 82nd Airborne Division to combat in WWII.
On 19 February 1945, a Dakota of No. 107 OTU returning to Leicester East with personnel who had attended training at RAF Zeals, Wiltshire, crashed soon after taking off with the loss of 21 RAF, RAAF and RCAF lives.[4]
In March 1945 all operational military aircraft left Leicester East, and the airfield was placed on Care and Maintenance until its closure on 31 December 1947.
Leicester Airport Control Tower - geograph.org.uk - 119520
Current use
Today, the former RAF Leicester East is now known as Leicester Airport, and was previously known as Stoughton Aerodrome.
The airfield, control tower, and other smaller buildings are now used by the Leicestershire Aero Club.
