RAF West Raynham

England

52.7870, 0.7377 — view on OpenStreetMap ↗

About

RAF West Raynham opened in Norfolk in 1939 as a Bomber Command station in No. 2 Group, its Bristol Blenheims of Nos. 101 and 114 Squadrons among the first to fly from it. After the war it was home to the Central Fighter Establishment and later a Bloodhound surface-to-air missile unit. The RAF left in 1994, and the site is now a business park and solar farm, several of its buildings listed.

Photographs

A old remaining building left behind from The old now closed raf base at [West Raynham](/airfields/6390/) in Norfolk that closed in 1994
ⓘ licence & creditNorfolks disused railways / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:RAF_West_Raynham_derelict_building.jpgView source & full licence →
Tower no access
ⓘ licence & creditPaul H from Norwich, UK / CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:RAF_West_Raynham_control_tower_-_paulpdh.jpgView source & full licence →
Old abandoned building at [Raf West Raynham](/airfields/6390/) near Fakenham in Norfolk.
ⓘ licence & creditNorfolks disused railways / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Raf_West_Raynham_chapel.jpgView source & full licence →
Old abandoned building at [Raf West Raynham](/airfields/6390/) near Fakenham in Norfolk.
ⓘ licence & creditNorfolks disused railways / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Raf_West_Raynham_abandoned_building.jpgView source & full licence →
Original photograph taken by an employee of the British government. Image found on: http://www.ww2incolor.com/gallery/British/mosquito_49
ⓘ licence & creditPublic domain, via Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mosquito_Fighter-bomber.jpgView source & full licence →
Across stubble towards control tower of former [RAF West Raynham](/airfields/6390/) See http://www.raf.mod.uk/bombercommand/s32.html for information on the airfield.
ⓘ licence & creditNigel Jones / CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Across_stubble_towards_control_tower_of_former_RAF_West_Raynham_-_geograph.org.uk_-_530628.jpgView source & full licence →
Accommodation block, former [RAF West Raynham](/airfields/6390/) Picture snatched on the corner of the grid square through a gap in the overgrown hedge. As the base remained open until 1994, there is an extensive estate still remaining including accommodation blocks and married quarters. All of it, as far as I can tell, is empty but in good order as the boundary fences are intact and a security firm guards the entrances. It obviously raises questions about affordable housing and housing shortages. Interestingly North Norfolk District Council passed this resolution in December 2005: 'To request that Norman Lamb MP [MP for North Norfolk] takes up with the Government, the issue of why the Ministry of Defence Minister is not following advice on sustainable development in respect of the RAF West Raynham site.'
ⓘ licence & creditNigel Jones / CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Accommodation_block_at_RAF_West_Raynham.jpgView source & full licence →
Old abandoned building at [Raf West Raynham](/airfields/6390/) near Fakenham in Norfolk.
ⓘ licence & creditNorfolks disused railways / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Abandoned_building_Raf_West_Raynham.jpgView source & full licence →

Home to

People connected to this base

29 persons cross-referenced to this airfield — through a posting here, a squadron based here, or aircrew who flew from it.

NameRankConnectionDates
Black, Allan Squadron Leader Aircrew (squadron based here) —
Brachi, Basil John Flight Lieutenant Aircrew (squadron based here) —
Breithaupt, William Ransom Flying Officer Aircrew (squadron based here) —
Bridge, John Desmond Flight Lieutenant Aircrew (squadron based here) —
Butler, Harry Clegg Flight Lieutenant Aircrew (squadron based here) —
Childs, Charles Phillip Dent Flying Officer Aircrew (squadron based here) —
Cullen, Laurence James Francis Flight Sergeant Aircrew (squadron based here) —
Dawson, Ronald Gordon Warrant Officer Aircrew (squadron based here) —
Doyle, Desmond Patrick Flying Officer Aircrew (squadron based here) —
Folley, Frank Smith Pilot Officer Aircrew (squadron based here) —
Forshaw, John Charles Noel Squadron Leader Aircrew (squadron based here) —
Gray, Richard Ernest Flight Sergeant Aircrew (squadron based here) —
Houston, John Kesson Warrant Officer Aircrew (squadron based here) —
Hurley, Alec Richard Flying Officer Aircrew (squadron based here) —
Kinchin, Ernest William Squadron Leader Aircrew (squadron based here) —
Knight, Earl Allan Flying Officer Aircrew (squadron based here) —
Lilley, Robert Warrant Officer Aircrew (squadron based here) —
Lovell, Victor Charles Squadron Leader Aircrew (squadron based here) —
Macleod, Angus Peter Flying Officer Aircrew (squadron based here) —
Munro, Neil Flying Officer Aircrew (squadron based here) —
Osborne, Edward Walter Flying Officer Aircrew (squadron based here) —
Pantry, Thomas Flight Sergeant Aircrew (squadron based here) —
Potter, Albert Loos Warrant Officer Aircrew (squadron based here) —
Ripley, William George Flying Officer Aircrew (squadron based here) —
Robertson, Alan Weir Struan Flight Sergeant Aircrew (squadron based here) —
Sellors, Douglas Flight Lieutenant Aircrew (squadron based here) —
Snape, Desmon Byrne Pilot Officer Aircrew (squadron based here) —
Watkins, John Peter Flying Officer Aircrew (squadron based here) —
Welsh, Dennis Frederick Austen Flying Officer Aircrew (squadron based here) —