Royal Air Force Deanland or more simply RAF Deanland is a former Royal Air Force advanced landing ground located 4 miles (6.4 km) west of Hailsham, East Sussex and 13.4 miles (21.6 km) north east of Brighton, East Sussex, England
RAF Deanland | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ripe, East Sussex in England | |||||||||||
  RAF Deanland Shown within East Sussex  RAF Deanland RAF Deanland (the United Kingdom) | |||||||||||
| Coordinates | 50°52′50″N 000°09′09″E / 50.88056°N 0.15250°E | ||||||||||
| Type | RAF advanced landing ground | ||||||||||
| Code | XB[1] | ||||||||||
| Site information | |||||||||||
| Owner | Air Ministry | ||||||||||
| Operator | Royal Air Force | ||||||||||
| Controlled by | RAF Second Tactical Air Force * No. 84 Group RAF[1] | ||||||||||
| Site history | |||||||||||
| Built | 1943/44 | ||||||||||
| Built by | RAF Airfield Construction Service Royal Engineers Airfield Construction Group | ||||||||||
| In use | April 1944 – January 1945 | ||||||||||
| Battles/wars | European theatre of World War II | ||||||||||
| Airfield information | |||||||||||
| Identifiers | ICAO: EGKL | ||||||||||
| Elevation | 18 metres (59 ft)[1] AMSL | ||||||||||
| |||||||||||
History
editRAF Deanland was planned as an Advanced Landing Ground in order to provide support for the D-Day Landings on 6 June 1944, with construction started in Spring 1943. The first aircraft to take to the air on D-Day flew from RAF Deanland, providing top-cover over the OMAHA and GOLD landing beaches.
The airfield was heavily involved in the fight against the V-1 flying bombs (with 185 destroyed) and during D-Day[2] in which it is believed to have been the home of the first Supermarine Spitfire squadron to provide air cover.[3]
The landing ground was used by multiple units:
- No. 64 Squadron RAF[4]
- No. 91 Squadron RAF[5]
- No. 234 Squadron RAF[6]
- No. 302 Polish Fighter Squadron[7]
- No. 308 Polish Fighter Squadron[8]
- No. 317 Polish Fighter Squadron[9]
- No. 322 (Dutch) Squadron RAF[9]
- No. 345 Squadron RAF[10]
- No. 611 Squadron RAF[11]
- No. 131 Airfield RAF[12]
- No. 149 Airfield RAF[12]
- No. 149 (Long Range Fighter) Wing RAF[12]
Along with the following ground units at some point:
On 6 June 1994, an oak-tree was planted at the western end of the airfield entrance-road. This tree is a memorial to those pilots who flew from Deanland and died in operations.
Current use
edit
The Airfield was dormant for a time, post-war, but the land came into the ownership of Richard Chandless, a farmer, who reactivated the site as an airfield in 1963. Richard operated his own aircraft, and he was for a number of years the main U.K. agent for Avions Pierre Robin demonstrating and selling new and used aircraft from Deanland. Richard invited a number of other aircraft owners to keep their machines at Deanland. During Chandless' time Deanland became a very active airfield, both day and night: lights were installed shortly after the runway was re-activated. It was used by a number of local business people, farmers and visitors to the area. With Glyndebourne Opera House close it was very normal to see both light aircraft and helicopters parked while their owners enjoyed the opera. In 1991 the airfield came into the ownership of Deanland Airfield LLP. In 2012 the airfield is still in use as a private airstrip.[citation needed]
References
editCitations
edit- ^ a b c Falconer 2012, p. 77.
- ^ "Our History is as bright as our future". Deanland Park Homes Estate. Retrieved 10 September 2012.
- ^ "Deanland Wood Park". Chalvington with Ripe Parish Council. Retrieved 10 September 2012.
- ^ Jefford 1988, p. 45.
- ^ Jefford 1988, p. 52.
- ^ Jefford 1988, p. 75.
- ^ Jefford 1988, p. 84.
- ^ Jefford 1988, p. 85.
- ^ a b Jefford 1988, p. 86.
- ^ Jefford 1988, p. 88.
- ^ Jefford 1988, p. 100.
- ^ a b c d e "Deanland". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 10 September 2012.
Bibliography
edit- 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.