RAF WELFORD
Wartime History
Welford was built as one of the many OTU airfields for the Southern Counties and was intended originally as a base for No 92 group Bomber Command . The original design called for a standard RAF 3 runway layout with the main runway of 2000ft aligned NW/SE to be a satellite airfield for the nearby Membury airfield due to the high risk of Luftwaffe attack .By 1942 the plan had been modified to bring the dispersed accommodation site closer to the airfield .
By April 1943 when the airfield was nearing completion, No 70 group assumed responsibility and the opening up party arrived on June 10th and used the WAAF site situated in a copse to the North of the site as the headquarters until construction work was finished and the 2 T2 hangers complete. Additional hard standings for 50 dispersed aircraft was also provided
With the need to find bases for the newly arriving USAAF forces, Welford was selected and the first contingent of Americans arrived by September 1943, leaving only a Liaison Officer and a substitute party to greet them .
For the duration of the war , Welford would remain in American hands
Post War History
With the end of Hostilities, Welford was taken over by Transport Command on the 30th of June 1945 and No 1336 conversion unit was formed . By late August flying once more commenced using Dakotas, Horsa's and a few Oxfords for navigation and instrument training .By March 1946 a number of course's had been completed when the base was closed and placed under care and maintenance.
In October 1946 the base was transferred to No 90 (Signals Group) eventually becoming Headquarters Southern Signals Area and renamed HQ Radio navigation Aids .The unit stayed for a further 2 years before the base was once again placed under care and maintenance .
On September 1st 1955 Welford re-opened as a logistics site and bomb storage facility for the 3rd Airforce and is still today occupied by a joint Angle American force storing and supplying munitions to the services .