Netheravon Airfield

{{Short description|Ministry of Defence grass strip airfield on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, England}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2017}} {{Use British English|date=December 2017}} {{Infobox military installation | name = Netheravon Airfield | ensign = | native_name = | partof =  | location = [[Netheravon]], [[Wiltshire]] | nearest_town = | country = [[England]] | image = Aerial Photography Before the First World War, Netheravon concentration camp Q69871.jpg | alt = | caption = "Concentration Camp" at RFC Netheravon, June 1914 | image2 =  | alt2 = | caption2 = | type = | coordinates = {{coord|51|14|43.27|n|1|45|31.64|w|region:GB_type:airport|display=inline,title}} | image_map = | image_mapsize = | image_map_alt = | image_map_caption = | pushpin_map = Wiltshire | pushpin_mapsize = | pushpin_map_alt = | pushpin_map_caption = Shown within Wiltshire | pushpin_relief = | pushpin_image = | pushpin_label = Netheravon Airfield | pushpin_label_position = | pushpin_mark = | pushpin_marksize = | ownership = [[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Defence]] | operator =  | controlledby = [[Army Air Corps (United Kingdom)|Army Air Corps]] | ICAO = EGDN  | site_other_label =  | site_other =  | site_area =  | code =  | built = 1912 | used = 1912 – present | builder = | materials = | height =  | length =  | fate =  | condition = | battles = | events = | current_commander =  | past_commanders =  | garrison =  | occupants =  | website = | footnotes = }} '''Netheravon Airfield''' is a [[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Defence]] grass strip airfield on [[Salisbury Plain]], in [[Wiltshire]], [[England]]. Established in 1913 by the [[Royal Flying Corps]], it became '''RAF Netheravon''' from 1918 until 1963, then '''AAC Netheravon''' ([[Army Air Corps (United Kingdom)|Army Air Corps]]) until 2012. Buildings from 1913 and 1914 survive on part of the site. The site forms part of the Tidworth, Netheravon and Bulford (TidNBul) Garrison.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://aspiredefence.co.uk/garrison-commander-assists-with-construction-of-new-officers-mess/|title=Garrison Commander assists with construction of new Officers' Mess|date=20 December 2017|website=Aspire Defence Limited|access-date=26 March 2021}}</ref>

== Location == The airfield lies on Salisbury Plain, mostly in [[Fittleton cum Haxton|Fittleton]] parish, extending south into [[Figheldean]]. It is close to [[Netheravon]] village and about {{convert|5|mi|km|0}} north of the town of [[Amesbury]].

Its buildings are on two sites. Technical buildings, including as the control tower and hangars, are immediately southwest of the runways. About {{convert|1|mi|km|0}} further southwest, towards Netheravon, is Airfield Camp (also known as Lower Camp) which has offices, a training school (the Airmen's Institute), an Officers' Mess and barracks.<ref name="listing">{{National Heritage List for England|num=1284240|desc=Officers' Mess and Quarters, Airfield Camp|access-date=22 September 2016}}</ref>

The Ministry of Defence land which surrounds the site is part of the [[Salisbury Plain Training Area]].

== Royal Flying Corps, 1912–1918 == [[File:Royal Flying Corps Prior To First World War Q69243.jpg|thumb|left|RFC aircraft and tents at Netheravon, June 1914]] Much farmland in the area was bought by the [[War Office]] around 1898 for military training.<ref name="vch">{{Cite book |url=https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/wilts/vol11/pp142-151 |series=[[Victoria County History]] |title=A History of the County of Wiltshire, Volume 11 |chapter=Parishes: Fittleton |pages=142–151 |editor-first=D. A. |editor-last=Crowley |author-first1=A. P. |author-last1=Baggs |author-first2=Elizabeth |author-last2=Critall |author-first3=Jane |author-last3=Freeman |author-first4=Janet H. |author-last4=Stevenson |date=1980 |via=British History Online |publisher=University of London |access-date=15 June 2022}}</ref> Along with nearby [[RAF Upavon|Upavon]] and [[Larkhill]], the airfield was part of the formative phase of military flying. The [[Royal Flying Corps]] was established in April 1912; in May its [[Central Flying School]] was formed at Upavon, and its Military Wing was formed from the [[Air Battalion]], which flew aircraft at Larkhill.<ref>{{cite web|title=The RFC: Formation|website=Royal Air Force Museum|url=http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/research/online-exhibitions/rfc_centenary/the-rfc/formation.aspx|access-date=22 September 2016}}</ref>

The Netheravon site near Choulston Farm was selected towards the end of 1912, and at first was called Choulston Camp.<ref name="aacj">{{cite journal|title=Airfield Camp, Netheravon 1912-2012|journal=Army Air Corps Journal|date=2012|issue=52|pages=40–42|url=http://www.army.mod.uk/documents/general/aac-Airfield_Camp_Netheravon.pdf|access-date=19 September 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140929050645/http://www.army.mod.uk/documents/general/aac-Airfield_Camp_Netheravon.pdf|archive-date=29 September 2014|df=dmy-all}}</ref> The airfield used a road which extended from Netheravon across farmland, to serve two 19th-century groups of farm buildings.<ref name="ehstudy">{{cite web|last1=Cocroft|first1=Wayne|last2=Holborow|first2=Will|last3=Lake|first3=Jeremy|last4=Thomas|first4=Roger|title=Ministry of Defence disposals: Wiltshire (115-2011)|url=http://services.english-heritage.org.uk/ResearchReportsPdfs/115_2011WEB.PDF|publisher=English Heritage|access-date=19 September 2016|pages=91–99|date=2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160920074612/http://services.english-heritage.org.uk/ResearchReportsPdfs/115_2011WEB.PDF|archive-date=20 September 2016|df=dmy-all}}</ref> Until the site was ready, service personnel were housed in tents or at the former cavalry school at Netheravon House, south of Netheravon village.<ref name="vch" /> Standardised designs and prefabricated methods helped construction to proceed quickly, and [[No. 3 Squadron RFC|No. 3 Squadron]] moved here in June 1913, followed soon after by [[No. 4 Squadron RFC]].<ref name="aacj" />

In June 1914, under the leadership of Lt Col (later Air Vice Marshal) [[Frederick Sykes|F H Sykes]], the airfield was the site of a gathering of RFC men and machines. Known as the Netheravon Concentration Camp, the exercise was designed to test mobilisation and improve the RFC's public reputation, as well as providing training.<ref>{{cite book|author=Lieutenant-Colonel Eric Ash|title=Sir Frederick Sykes and the Air Revolution 1912-1918|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=r_QrBgAAQBAJ&pg=PA43|date=12 October 2012|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-136-31516-9|pages=43–44}}</ref> ''Flight'' magazine reported "upwards of 700 officers and men" and published photographs showing lines of tents for the visiting squadrons.<ref>{{cite web|title=Royal Flying Corps (Military Wing) at Netheravon. The Concentration Camp.|url=https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1914/1914%20-%200670.html|date=26 June 1914|publisher=Flight Magazine|pages=670–677|access-date=22 September 2016}}</ref>

In August, following the declaration of war, 3 and 4 squadrons left for France to support the [[Royal Flying Corps#1914–15: Initial actions with the British Expeditionary Force|British Expeditionary Force]]. They were replaced by [[No. 1 Squadron RFC|No. 1 Squadron]] which had a training role.<ref>{{cite book|author=Ian Philpott|title=The Birth of the Royal Air Force|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PcY7BAAAQBAJ&pg=PA256|date=9 December 2013|publisher=Pen and Sword|isbn=978-1-4738-3312-8|page=256}}</ref> Netheravon became a forming-up point for new squadrons; an example is [[No. 11 Squadron RFC|No. 11 Squadron]], formed here in February 1915 and deployed to France in July.<ref>{{cite web|title=11 Squadron|url=http://www.raf.mod.uk/organisation/11squadron.cfm|website=Royal Air Force|access-date=22 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161006192251/http://www.raf.mod.uk/organisation/11squadron.cfm|archive-date=6 October 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> It was also the home of No. 8 Training Depot Station{{sfn|Sturtivant|Hamlin|2007|p=276-280}} which trained aircrew, groundcrew, specialist signallers and fitters.<ref name="aacj" />

==Royal Air Force, 1918–1963== [[File:Southwestern corner of Netheravon Camp (geograph 3452798).jpg|thumb|left|Part of the officers' quarters at Airfield Camp]] After the war, now a station of the newly formed [[Royal Air Force]], Netheravon was used for disbandment of squadrons. A range of hangars was built in 1918 to house [[Handley Page O/400]] bombers, but plans to develop Netheravon as a bomber base were soon shelved.<ref name="aacj" /><ref name="listinghp" /> From 1919 until 1931 it was the home of [[No. 1 Flying Training School RAF|No. 1 Flying Training School]]; between 1924 and 1928, trainees included crews for the newly created [[Fleet Air Arm]].<ref name="aacj" /> Training resumed in 1935 under [[No. 6 Flying Training School RAF]], which left for Little Rissington in 1938 and was replaced by a new incarnation of No. 1 FTS, renamed to No. 1 Service Flying Training School in 1939.{{sfn|Sturtivant|Hamlin|2007|p=134}}

In the 1939-45 war, Netheravon saw short stays by various squadrons, while training activities continued. In 1941 training of Fleet Air Arm aircrew [[British Flying Training School Program|relocated]] to the United States.<ref name="aacj" /> Squadrons based at Netheravon included [[No. 297 Squadron RAF|297]] (from December 1941),<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.raf38group.org/297squadron|title=297 Squadron, 38 Group : History|website=www.raf38group.org|access-date=24 September 2016}}</ref> [[No. 296 Squadron RAF|296]] (January 1942)<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.raf38group.org/296squadron|title=296 Squadron, 38 Group : History|website=www.raf38group.org|access-date=24 September 2016}}</ref> and [[No. 295 Squadron RAF|295]] (August 1942).<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.raf38group.org/295squadron|title=295 Squadron, 38 Group : History|website=www.raf38group.org|access-date=24 September 2016}}</ref> In 1944 the airfield was used to prepare gliders for their role in the [[invasion of Normandy]].<ref name="ehstudy" />

After the war, the site was used for various purposes, including [[RAF Police]] training. Additional married quarters were built at Airfield Camp in the 1950s, and c. 1952 a Roman Catholic church was opened there.<ref name="vchfig">{{cite web|website=British History Online|title=Victoria County History: Wiltshire: Vol 15 pp105-119 - Figheldean|editor-first=D.A.|editor-last=Crowley|author-first1=A.P.|author-last1=Baggs|author-first2=Jane|author-last2=Freeman|author-first3=Janet H|author-last3=Stevenson|url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/wilts/vol15/pp105-119|publisher=University of London|date=1995|access-date=22 September 2016}}</ref>

==Army Air Corps, 1964–2012== [[File:DH.89A Dragon Rapide G-AJHO Roth.Army Neth 20.04.68 edited-2.jpg|thumb|left|DH.89A Dragon Rapide G-AJHO of the Army Parachute Association at Netheravon, 1968]] The site was transferred to the [[Army Air Corps (United Kingdom)|Army Air Corps]] in 1963 and became AAC Netheravon. [[5 Regiment Army Air Corps|No. 651 Squadron]] moved here in 1964 and had responsibility for Army aviation in the UK (other than at [[AAC Middle Wallop|Middle Wallop]]) and the Middle East. [[7 (Training) Regiment Army Air Corps#History|7 Army Aviation Regiment]] was formed {{circa}} 1969 at Netheravon and in 1971 the regiment was renamed to 7 Regiment Army Aviation Corps. In 1995, 7 Regiment re-roled as a volunteer [[Army Reserve (United Kingdom)|Territorial Army]] regiment. 7 Regiment moved to Middle Wallop in 2009.<ref name="aacj" />

For some years until 2011, when it moved to [[Staff College, Camberley]], the headquarters of the [[Brigade of Gurkhas]] was housed at Airfield Camp.<ref>{{Cite journal|year=2011|title=Newsletter|url=http://www.gurkhabde.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Kukri_2011.pdf|journal=The Kukri - the Journal of the Brigade of Gurkhas|volume=62|pages=89}}</ref>

Karen Spence, a 23-year-old student, died on Sunday 14 June 1987 after parachuting from 7,000 ft. It was her 68th jump, and the parachute did not deploy.<ref>''Western Daily Press'' Tuesday 16 June 1987, page 4</ref>

==Today== [[File:Air traffic control, Netheravon Airfield - geograph.org.uk - 457236.jpg|thumb|right|Control tower in 2007]] The airfield is used by the '''Joint Services Parachute Centre''', part of the Army's "Adventurous Training" programme for serving and injured personnel,<ref>{{cite web|title=Adventurous Training Activities|url=http://www.army.mod.uk/events/adventurous/23212.aspx|website=army.mod.uk|access-date=1 October 2016}}</ref> and is home to the Army Parachute Association, a charity which supports sports parachuting for serving and retired personnel.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Army Parachute Association|url=http://www.netheravon.com/|access-date=21 September 2016}}</ref>

== Listed buildings ==

The Officers' Mess and quarters at Airfield Camp, completed in 1914, are [[Listed building#Categories of listed building|Grade II* listed]]. The Mess is partly two-storey, while the linked accommodation block and the nine detached four-room chalets are single-storey. Construction is softwood framing with asbestos-cement panels, their joints covered with painted wood strips, under a tiled roof. Historic England describe the group of buildings as "of outstanding historical interest, and of striking [[architectural form]], comprising some of the earliest extant buildings erected for the RFC".<ref name="listing" />

Six further buildings from the same phase,<ref>Search for SU1548 at [https://www.historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/map-search Historic England: Map search]</ref> and a range of five linked hangars from 1918,<ref name="listinghp">{{National Heritage List for England|num=1391480|desc=Building No 38A (Handley Page Hangars)|access-date=23 September 2016|fewer-links=yes}}</ref> are Grade II listed. At the site near the airfield, the 1914 Main Depot Offices, in the same style as the Camp buildings, are also Grade II.<ref>{{National Heritage List for England|num=1391822|desc=Building 52c (Main Depot Offices)|access-date=23 September 2016|fewer-links=yes}}</ref>

== Units == The following units have been based at Netheravon.

===First World War=== {{columns-list|colwidth=25em| * [[No. 1 Squadron RAF]]{{sfn|Jefford|1988|p=23}} * [[No. 3 Squadron RAF]]{{sfn|Jefford|1988|p=23}} * [[No. 4 Squadron RAF]]{{sfn|Jefford|1988|p=24}} * [[No. 7 Squadron RAF]]{{sfn|Jefford|1988|p=26}} * [[No. 10 Squadron RAF]]{{sfn|Jefford|1988|p=27}} * [[No. 11 Squadron RAF]]{{sfn|Jefford|1988|p=27}} * [[No. 12 Squadron RAF]]{{sfn|Jefford|1988|p=28}} * [[No. 19 Squadron RAF]]{{sfn|Jefford|1988|p=30}} * [[No. 20 Squadron RAF]]{{sfn|Jefford|1988|p=31}} * [[No. 21 Squadron RAF]]{{sfn|Jefford|1988|p=31}} * [[No. 26 Squadron RAF]]{{sfn|Jefford|1988|p=33}} * [[No. 32 Squadron RAF]]{{sfn|Jefford|1988|p=35}} * [[No. 42 Squadron RAF]]{{sfn|Jefford|1988|p=39}} * [[No. 43 Squadron RAF]]{{sfn|Jefford|1988|p=39}} * [[No. 48 Squadron RAF]]{{sfn|Jefford|1988|p=41}} * [[No. 66 Squadron RAF]]{{sfn|Jefford|1988|p=45}} * [[No. 72 Squadron RAF]]{{sfn|Jefford|1988|p=47}} * [[No. 97 Squadron RAF]]{{sfn|Jefford|1988|p=53}} * [[No. 115 Squadron RAF]]{{sfn|Jefford|1988|p=57}} * [[No. 207 Squadron RAF]]{{sfn|Jefford|1988|p=69}} * [[No. 215 Squadron RAF]]{{sfn|Jefford|1988|p=71}} * [[No. 3 Reserve Aeroplane Squadron]]<ref name="ABCT"/> * [[No. 7 Reserve Aeroplane Squadron]]<ref name="ABCT"/> * [[No. 7 Reserve Squadron]]<ref name="ABCT"/> * [[No. 7 Training Squadron]]<ref name="ABCT"/> * [[No. 1 Flying Training School RAF|No. 8 Reserve Aeroplane Squadron]]<ref name="ABCT"/> * [[No. 1 Flying Training School RAF|No. 8 Reserve Squadron]]<ref name="ABCT"/> * [[No. 12 Training Depot Station]]<ref name="ABCT"/> * [[No. 59 Training Squadron]]<ref name="ABCT"/> * [[104th Aero Squadron]]<ref name="ABCT"/> * [[No. 70 Training Squadron]]<ref name="ABCT"/> * [[No. 71 Training Squadron]]<ref name="ABCT"/> * [[No. 74 Training Squadron]]<ref name="ABCT"/> * [[No. 92 (Canadian) Reserve Squadron]]<ref name="ABCT"/> }}

===Inter-war years=== {{columns-list|colwidth=25em| * [[No. 13 Squadron RAF]]{{sfn|Jefford|1988|p=28}} * [[No. 33 Squadron RAF]]{{sfn|Jefford|1988|p=36}} * [[No. 35 Squadron RAF]]{{sfn|Jefford|1988|p=37}} * [[No. 52 Squadron RAF]]{{sfn|Jefford|1988|p=41}} * [[No. 57 Squadron RAF]]{{sfn|Jefford|1988|p=43}} * [[No. 99 Squadron RAF]]{{sfn|Jefford|1988|p=53}} * [[No. 142 Squadron RAF]]{{sfn|Jefford|1988|p=61}} * [[No. 208 Squadron RAF]]{{sfn|Jefford|1988|p=69}} }}

===Second World War=== {{columns-list|colwidth=25em| * [[No. 295 Squadron RAF]]{{sfn|Jefford|1988|p=84}} * [[No. 296 Squadron RAF]]{{sfn|Jefford|1988|p=84}} * [[No. 297 Squadron RAF]]{{sfn|Jefford|1988|p=84}} * [[No. 38 Wing RAF]]<ref name="ABCT"/> * [[No. 38 Group RAF|No. 38 Group Communication Flight RAF]].<ref name="ABCT"/> * [[RAF Transport Command|Air Transport Tactical Development Unit RAF]]<ref name="ABCT"/>{{sfn|Lake|1999|p=288}} * [[RAF Transport Command|Transport Command Development Unit RAF]]<ref name="ABCT"/>{{sfn|Lake|1999|p=288}} * Transport Support Practice Camp RAF<ref name="ABCT"/>{{sfn|Lake|1999|p=288}} * [[Operational and Refresher Training Unit RAF]]<ref name="ABCT"/>{{sfn|Lake|1999|p=142}} * School of Air Transport RAF<ref name="ABCT"/>{{sfn|Lake|1999|p=181}} }}

===Post-war=== * [[No. 187 Squadron RAF]]{{sfn|Jefford|1988|p=66}} * [[VISTRE Flight]]<ref name="ABCT"/>

===Army Air Corps=== {{columns-list|colwidth=25em| * [[No. 653 Squadron AAC]] * [[No. 656 Squadron AAC]] * [[No. 658 Squadron AAC]] * [[No. 663 Squadron AAC]] * [[No. 666 Squadron AAC]] }}

===Others=== The following units were based at Netheravon at some point: {{Col-begin}} {{Col-break}} * [[800 Naval Air Squadron]]<ref name="ABCT">{{cite web|url=http://www.abct.org.uk/airfields/netheravon |title=Netheravon |publisher=[[Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust]]|access-date=29 October 2013}}</ref> * [[801 Naval Air Squadron]]<ref name="ABCT"/> * [[802 Naval Air Squadron]]<ref name="ABCT"/> * [[803 Naval Air Squadron]]<ref name="ABCT"/> * [[822 Naval Air Squadron]]<ref name="ABCT"/> * No. 1 Heavy Glider Maintenance Unit RAF<ref name="ABCT"/> * [[No. 2 Flight AAC]]<ref name="ABCT"/> * [[No. 235 Maintenance Unit RAF]]<ref name="ABCT"/> * No. 1333 Transport Support Training Unit RAF<ref name="ABCT"/> {{Col-break}} * No. 1677 (Target Towing) Flight RAF<ref name="ABCT"/> * [[No. 2779 Squadron RAF Regiment]] * [[No. 2786 Squadron RAF Regiment]] * [[No. 2952 Squadron RAF Regiment]] * Heavy Glider Maintenance Unit RAF<ref name="ABCT"/> * Joint Services Parachuting Centre<ref name="ABCT"/> * Royal Artillery Aero Club<ref name="ABCT"/> * Southern Command (AGA) Gliding Club<ref name="ABCT"/> {{Col-end}}

==References==

===Citations=== {{Reflist|30em}}

===Bibliography=== *{{cite book |last1=Jefford |first1= C G |title=RAF Squadrons. A comprehensive record of the movement and equipment of all RAF squadrons and their antecedents since 1912 |year=1988 |publisher= Airlife |location= [[Shrewsbury]] |isbn= 1-85310-053-6 }} *{{cite book |last1=Lake |first1=A |title= Flying units of the RAF |year=1999 |publisher= Airlife |location= [[Shrewsbury]] |isbn= 1-84037-086-6 }} * {{cite book|last1=Sturtivant|first1=Roy|last2=Hamlin|first2=John|title=RAF Flying Training and Support Units since 1912|date=2007|publisher=Air-Britain Historians|location=Staplefield, West Sussex|isbn=978-0-85130-365-9}}

==External links== * {{Commons category-inline}}

[[Category:Military history of Wiltshire]] [[Category:Military parachuting in the United Kingdom]] [[Category:Royal Flying Corps airfields]] [[Category:Military airbases established in 1912]]