| Summary : The site of a former military airfield, now partly occupied by Bradwell Nuclear Power Station. The airfield was initially built in 1936, reopened in 1941 and closed in 1946. The airfield had begun in 1936 as a landing ground built to support a pre war ground to air firing range (Dengie Flats). It was subsequently developed and upgraded from 1940-1941 as a fighter base with concrete and tarmac runways, hard standings and fighter pens. There was a Bellman aircraft hangar for maintenance use and 12 blister hangars. Initially in 1942 it was used by 418 (Canadian) Squadron for attacks on airfields and transport routes in occupied Europe, as well as propaganda leaflet drops. Later in 1942 29 and 264 Squadrons flew from Bradwell as escorts for allied bombers. The role of the base changed in June 1943 after which a number of units used the airfield for attacks on shipping off the Dutch coast. In September 1943 aircraft from the base were involved in "Operation Starkey", a diversionary "invasion feint" designed to mislead axis forces. In 1944 278 Squadron with an air sea rescue role also flew from Bradwell. Bradwell also provided air cover over the English Channel for the Allied D-Day invasion. When Germany began the "V-1" rocket attacks Bradwell was used by fighters preventing the rockets from reaching London. Later in 1945 Bradwell was home to a number of ground based support units, and post war returned to its original role supporting the firing range. There were plans to reopen the the base in the 1950s with the onset of the Cold War, but these were not realised partly because of the derelict state of the base. Some of the buildings from the redeveloped phase of the wartime base were known to have survived until 1999, these have been recorded as seperate monuments. |
More information : The gazetteer of World War Two airfields by Willis and Holliss includes Bradwell Bay, at TM 005 082. The source gives a profile of the base as it was in December 1944, and includes a small map of the layout. It records that there were 13 hardstandings and 23 protected pens by that date. The source notes that by 1985 part of the site was occupied by a nuclear power station (1)
Bowyer in the updated volume of the Action Stations series provides a very detailed account of the origins, development and use of the base, including information on the squadrons and types of aircraft that operated from the base. (2)
On OS sheet TM 00 NW (1979 edition), the basic airfield layout is still apparant, but is partly occupied by ancilliary buildings from the nuclear power station and a poultry farm. The airfield is centered around TM 005 082. (3)
The origins of the airfield as a grass landing ground supporting the Dengie Flats Ranges are explored in an article by Paul Doyle. The ranges themselves were in the mud flats off the coast to the south east. The original landing ground, known as Bradwell Juxta Mare Landing Groud was constructed in 1936 on land bought from Down Hall and Waymarks Farm. The source includes a diagram to show the extents of the initial landing ground and the redeveloped site, broadly the original landing ground was smaller, and lay in what would becomen the NW corner of the redeveloped site, also the initial landing ground extended further to the north. The buildings associated with the landing ground were demolished when it was redeveloped in 1940-1941. (4)
A previous article by Paul Doyle noted some features of the wartime airfield that were still extant in 1999. (5). These have been recorded as seperate monuments.
The Defence of Britain catalogue includes a very brief entry for RAF Bradwell Bay, TM 000 085. (6) |