It was a bomber OTU (81) base and had a satellite base at Darley Moor, a little further south. It had 3 runways and opened in 1942, part of 92 Gp, the first CO was Sqn Ldr Boston. Whitley bombers replaced the Wellingtons originally planned. Blenheims, Ansons and Oxfords were later flown from there but it was never a front-line airfield. However, it did play an intense and valuable role in training, with around 1200 aircrew having passed through by the end of WWII. There were at least two fatal crashes involving Blenheims and another involving an Albemarle. The airfield saw many changes of organisational command, aircraft type etc during its short lifespan due to the forever changing requirements of the War Ministry.
It closed for military training in early 1945.
There is at least one aircraft still operating from there today but most of it is now industrial estate and the runway has deteriorated very badly. Part of the airfield is used by JCB for testing their excavators.
Bingoboy, I take it you weren't THE "lucky" pilot of the paradrop C172 that made an unconventional vertical landing - upside down under the canopy of an errant "jumper's" reserve chute, along with the parachutist and the jump master? They all survived!
I was there that day (the parachute club's last day, almost thirty years ago) but didn't actually see it occur. I arrived shortly afterwards but I do know some details such as who the errant "jumper" was!