By: trumper - 20th May 2008 at 17:25
🙂 I was in 1824 Saffron Walden ATC in the 70’s and we did a couple of flights in the gliders from there.I have a newspaper photo of us all next to the glider.The chap that sat in the cockpit is now in the Red Arrows i believe and may have been one of Prince Williams instructors recently.
By: Arabella-Cox - 20th May 2008 at 12:53
In early 1978 I was involved in the erection of a Bessoneau (sp?) hangar at Debden for the VGS gliders. The Army had just moved in and wanted to evict all the gliders from the nice WWII hangars, and so the gliders had to live in the tent! This was on the far side of the airfield, and I recall there were two Chipmunks based there at the time.
By: mike currill - 19th May 2008 at 16:47
All I know of Debden is that it was the RAF police training school in the late 50’s – early 60’s apart from that i’m no use to you at all.
By: adrian_gray - 19th May 2008 at 16:30
You may want to beg buy borrow etc one of these books:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/One-Hurricane-Raid-G-H-Rayner/dp/1853101990
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Airfields-Eighth-Then-After-Battle/dp/0900913096
http://www.amazon.com/Spitfires-Thunderbolts-Warm-Beer-American/dp/1574888447 (also on Google books, it seems)
http://www.amazon.com/Tumult-Clouds-James-Goodson/dp/0451211987
http://www.amazon.com/1000-Destroyed-Times-Fighter-Group/dp/0816850046
There’s also an Ian Allen publication called Fighter Squadron at War, which I’ve only ever seen bound in with a companion volume and called Fighter and Bomber Squadrons at War that covers a squadron at Debden. By Andrew Brookes, I think.
Hope they help!
Adrian
PS You used to be able to get airfield maps from Hendon – dunno if you still can, but I’m sure they included Debden.
PPS Had my first ever bacon butty in the Sergeant’s Mess kitchen, aged about six!
By: BIGVERN1966 - 18th May 2008 at 22:43
Hi all,
Am carrying out research into what was formerly RAF Debden, now known as Carver Barracks. Does any body have any pictures or information, new or old, about said airfield you would be willing to share with me?
Regards.
Home of 614 VGS for a while until 1981/2.
By: Creaking Door - 18th May 2008 at 21:00
Creaking Door and i posted about the same time,good taste eh
Can’t argue with you there. 😀 It’s a great site for photos.
Its a shame but they recently ripped out several of the bomb shelters round the taxiways as their condition was apparently unsafe.
They also demolished the last Type-C hangar in 2003…..I think the Luftwaffe got the previous two in 1940!
By: Super Nimrod - 18th May 2008 at 13:31
You can walk all over the aerodrome area as the locals walk their dogs there daily. The main barracks which is in use by the army is fenced off and guarded. It is used for motorsport 3 or 4 times a year and the army play some of their field sports on it and use it for small exercises but that is about it.
As Debden is one of the last virtually intact WW2 fields in existance in near original condition including the runways its been the subject of several preservation orders recently which should ensure its long term preservation and remove development pressure, or thats what the locals tell me.
Its a shame but they recently ripped out several of the bomb shelters round the taxiways as their condition was apparently unsafe.
By: trumper - 17th May 2008 at 20:43
🙂 I used to live about 2 miles from there.I do have some video footage of a Spitfire display there [from outside] in the 1990’s.
This artist from the USA has has done some visiting of Debden,i hope he won’t mind me posting his website.He does some wonderful stuff and having just seen his latest painting- – linked below
http://wademeyersart.tripod.com/ look at the links at the top of his homepage,about half way down,all about his Debden visits.
Creaking door and i posted about the same time,good taste eh
By: Creaking Door - 17th May 2008 at 20:40
There are a lot of photos, including some excellent ‘then-and-now’ style, here:
By: XH668 - 17th May 2008 at 19:12
I used to be in the ATC and my wing HQ was at debden, i have spent a few weekends there and know the layout rather well. If you wish i could try and arrange i visit there for you? Or get some images of its current state?
Pm me if you like
All the best
668
________
HERBALAIRE VAPORIZER
By: Peter - 17th May 2008 at 19:00
T-bolt,
If you don’t get information here you should also try posting on this site
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May 17, 2008 at 5:17 pm