Anyone know about this place? It's more-or-less next to Brize and all that remains are parts of taxiways and the runway and some derelict buildings. Believe it was used in WWII and, from what remains, it looks like it was a place of some significance.
Is there a website of any kind where one can find out more info?
Hi Flat Spin. Broadwell opened 15th November 1943 and allocated to 46 Group. First occupants were 512 & 575 Sqdns with Dakota I/III sqdn code HC,(512),I9,(575) . These squadrons specialised in Paratroop and Assault glider towing amongst other tasks. On the evening of 5th June 1944 33 aircraft took the 9th Battalion 3rd Parachute Brigade to Normandy. On the 6th 18 aircraft carried out a further drop in which one Dak was lost. Later that day 2 further aircraft were lost to 'friendly' naval fire. The Broadwell units also specialised in Casevac operations and this required a large number of personnel to be based at the airfield. Horsa gliders were based here with 512 & 575 as a part of the assault glider task. These squadrons also operated in the Arnhem operations finally leaving Broadwell post war. Just prior to VJ day Nos 10,76 77, 78 sqdns arrived to convert to the Dakota prior to Far East service but with the sudden termination of the war against Japan 78 sqdn was sent to the Middle East. 10,76 going to the Far East. From Oct 1945 271 sqdn arrived again operating Dakota's along the trunk route to India, (It took a staging Dak 4 days to get there). 271 was re-numbered 77 sqdn and began operations with freight and passengers into Europe until Dec 1946 when they moved out to Manston. The airfield closed on March 31st 1947.
For the full story see Action Stations:Cotswolds & Central Midlands by Michael J.F.Bowyer.
The outline of the airfield stands out quite well from the air (when you're in the circuit at Brize). A road cuts right through the middle and follows the line of one of the runways for about a mile. From the road you can still see the control tower which is said to be haunted (but aren't they all).
Isn't PPRuNe fantastic? I knew there'd be a response of some kind, but you guys have excelled yourselves (particularly you Spiney). I'll get a copy of the book you suggested and take a look at the angelfire web site.
Broadwell certainly looks like it was a place of significance; there's the vague remains of a gateway into a once-impressive looking building and plenty of concrete roads and taxiways. I ride past the control tower on my horse and there's always an eerie silence nearby - and no birds around, even in summer.
I have an old friend, now 86, who was an officer in the Indian Army. In 1946 he was flown home to Broadwell in a Dakota and he has often said it was a very busy airfield with much activity...even in comparison to his own base near 'RAF Drigg Road' in Pakistan which was apparently a serious transport hub for that region...
Haven't been there for close to ten years but we used to use it for R/C model aircraft flying. The useable bits of taxyway near the road were very short, and rough as the proverbial 'badgers', but it was available. Didn't get to cover much more than the area closest to the gate because of lugging the flight box around but there was still a lot of the original concrete there - well overgrown, of course.
If you go to A Catalogue of UK Airfields (hope I got that right) you will find brief details of all the UK airfields - and Broadwell is in there.
The owner of the site has just updated the pages and has provided a very useful new tool - if you click on the airfield name it takes you to a satellite (aerial photo?) shot of the area from the MultiMap web pages. Of course, you can always go direct to Multimap but it saves you from having to locate the airfield yourself.
Another great response - thanks. However, the site won't come up at present, so it's either a technical glitch or the link (http://ukairports.org.uk?) is incorrect. I'll keep trying.
