Points of Interest:

WARNING

DO NOT TRESPASS AND STAY AWAY FROM THE BUILDINGS

The airfield was constructed by Wimpey, the contract agreed in May 1940 for £210,000.

A bomb and weapons storage facility is also built at the S.East edge of the airfield, although the largest WW2 bomb dump in Oxfordshire is only a few miles away near Eynsham

A historic artefact known as the 'Devils Quoits' are removed for safe storage (as a the runway was built over their original location)

Flying commenced on 3rd Sep 1940 with 10 OTU, but there is a problem caused by flooding from the nearby river Windrush.

RAF Stanton Harcourt (SH) is deemed a satellite station, administrative control being handled by RAF Abingdon.

A Whitley from SH was the first British bomber to fly over Berlin during the war.

Airfield was bombed by 3 enemy aircarft during August 1940, 5 workmen were killed, and 4 died later of their wounds.

As a result of this raid, the order was given for all airfields to be equipped with AA and other light armament.

Whitleys & Halifax's were the main aircraft operating from SH, although many other aircraft did visit, particularly when Abingdon was having concrete runways laid.

Airfield is attacked again on 3 Oct 40 - six HE bombs dropped, no damage recorded.

Early use of SH was for night flying training by Whitley until they were replaced by Wellingtons. The Whitley's later provided excellent service as glider tugs in preparation and for D-Day.

July 1941 - 15 Halifaxes from 35 & 76 Sqn's mounted attack on Scharnhorst (La Pallice raid) from here. Scharnhorst is damaged and has to return to Brest for repairs, which take over 4 months to complete.

Whitley 4997, piloted by Flt Lt Pete Daniels and with crew member Bob Pratt, took part in Operation Millennium on 30 May 42 - the 1st 1000 bomber of the war, target on this occasion was Cologne.

Winston Churchill flew to the Casablanca Conference on 13 Jan 1943 from this airield in Liberator AL504 (Operation 'Static'). This very important meeting with the President of USA was the first of its kind with the allies, and was used to discuss the end of the war.

Station was also used for gunnery training. The turret trainer building still remains and is in good condition. (A rifle range also exists but is covered by undergrowth).

19 Nov 43, two Lancasters from 408/426 Sqns land at SH following a raid on Berlin. (Piloted by P/O J. Clinkskill and F/O R. Christison)

Following an attack on Schweinfurt on 24/25 Feb 1944, a RCAF Lancaster II from (probably) 408 Sqn lands at SH. One of 35 aircraft that took off from Linton-on-Ouse, this one piloted by a P/O Bryson.

1501 BAT Flt Oxfords use airfield from Apr - Dec 1944.

Following cessation of hostilies, the airfield is finally closed on 15 Jan 1946.

From 1951 - 1974 the Officers Mess is used for the upper two forms of the village school, whilst the old school stayed for use by the infants.

Approx. 1/4 mile of runway still remains at the southern end of the airfield, the rest being broken up for hardcore to enable gravel/sand extraction.

Apart from storing some farm equipment, what remains of the site is in surprisingly good and original condition. Unfortunately it also a frequent target for vandals and thieves, hence the present owner is unwilling to spend any money on developing it.

An interesting co-incidence....

I was recently contacted by someone who was researching her family tree, and was aware that her mother had worked in the NAAFI at this unit during the war. We arranged to meet so that her mother could see her old wartime haunt and to show me some of the places she could remember.

As we made our way around the village we happened to pass by a row of cottages. Stood at the end of her garden path was an elderly lady who bid us good morning. Immediately there was a cry of recognition - and disbelief. This was the first time the two old ladies had met in over 50 years!

The two ladies in question are Olive Simmonds (nee Green), who worked in the NAAFI, and Mary Lovegrove (nee Ayres) who lived here and later joined the WRAF.

Drop me a line if you know these two ladies and would like to contact them, or if you have similar stories to tell.

Pete.

6th August 2004

I believe Olive has since died, sometime during 2009.