WWII Gymnasium and Chapel (Building 162) Almshouse Road, RAF Bury St Edmunds Airfield (USAAF Station 468)

Gymnasium and Chapel Building 162, Air Ministry Drawing Number 14604/40.

Originally known as RAF Bury St Edmunds Airfield, Rougham Airfield is situated 3 miles east of the Suffolk market town of Bury St Edmunds. The airfield was built between 1941 and 1942, and had three intersecting concrete runways. The main runway was approximately 2000 yards long, and ran in an east to west direction. It was designed for a United States Army Airforce unit (U.S.A.A.F) Bomb Group. Fifty concrete hardstands were constructed just off the encircling perimeter track. Two T2-type Hangars were erected, one on each side of the airfield, accommodation was provided for some 3,000 personnel in Nissen Huts and other temporary type buildings.

The airfield was opened in September 1942 and was used by the U.S.A.A.F Eighth Air Force, and given the designation Station 468 (BU). The first U.S.A.A.F group to use Bury St. Edmunds airfield was the 47th Bombardment Group (Light) arriving from Greensboro A.A.F North Carolina in mid-September 1942. The 47th was equipped with the Douglas A-20 Havoc bomber, but the group quickly moved to RAF Horham, as Bury St. Edmunds was still under construction. On 2nd November the 47th was ordered to North Africa, departing for Medina Air Field 15 miles south of Casablanca in Morocco. The 322nd Bombardment Group (Medium) arrived in December 1942 from Drane Army Airfield, Florida, a satellite installation of nearby MacDill Field, where the 322nd originally began their pre-deployment training. The group was assigned to the 3rd Bomb Wing and flew Martin B - Z6B/C Marauders.

Ongoing construction at RAF Bury St. Edmunds forced two of the group's squadrons to locate to RAF Rattlesden. The group's aircraft did not arrive until late in March 1943. Once operational, the 322nd flew two low-level bombing operations from RAF Bury St. Edmunds. The first, on the 14th of May when it dispatched 12 planes for a minimum-level attack on an electrical generating plant near Ijtnuiden. This was the first operational combat mission flown by B-26's. The second was a disastrous mission to the Netherlands on Monday, 17th May, when the group sent 11 aircraft on a similar operation from which none of the aircraft penetrating the enemy coast, returned. Sixty crewmen were lost to flak and interceptors. Group morale was not improved when, on the 29th of May, a B-26 crashed onto the airfield killing the crew and damaging a hangar. After these missions, the group was re-equipped and trained for medium-altitude operations for several weeks before returning to combat operations.

On the 13th of June, the 322nd moved to RAF Andrews Field in Essex. The 94th Bombarment Group (Heavy) arrived from RAF Earls Colne on the 15th of June 1943. The 94th was assigned to the 4th Combat Bombardment Wing, and the group tail code was a 'Square-A'. The group flew the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress as part of the Eighth Air Force's strategic bombing campaign and served chiefly as a strategic bombardment organization throughout the war. The 94th flew its first mission on the 13th of June 1943, bombing an airfield at Saint Omer. After that, the group attacked such strategic objectives as the port of St Nazaire, shipyards at Kiel, an aircraft component parts factory at Kassel, a synthetic rubber plant at Hanover, a chemical factory at ludwigshafen, marshalling yards at Frankfurt, loil facilities at Mersburg, and ball-bearing works at Eberhausen. The 94th took part in the campaign of heavy bombers against the enemy aircraft industry during ''Big Week'' between the 20th and the 25th of February, 1944. Prior to D-Day on June 1944, they helped to neutralize V-Weapon sites, airfields, and other military installations along the cob Industrial Estate.

The T2 hangars are still in use, for storage, the Control Tower was used for many years as a private dwelling, and has now been restored and is used as a museum. The airfield, once again known as Rougham Airfield, now has two grass runways available for civil use. Gliding and model aircraft flying are frequent and several open-air events are organised each year.

Sourced from:
military-history.fandom.com/wiki/RAF_Bury_St_Edmunds

Taken on: December 12, 2016

Tags:

1939-1945

WWII

Second World War

Building 162

Gymnasium

Chapel

Gymnasium and Chapel

Airfield Building

Airfield Structure

Military Building

Military Structure

Military Site

Abandoned

Derelict

Traces of War

War Remains

RAF Bury St Edmunds

Airfield

Abandoned Airfield

The Mighty Eighth

Eighth Air Force

USAAF Station 468

Rougham Airfield

Suffolk « less

Sets appears in: • RAF Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk.

Groups appears in: • WW II • old military buildings more » • Military Decay • Military • war ruins • The Military • The British Military • The Second World War • World's Largest Aircraft Carrier - the UK 1942-45 • ww2 Airfields • World War 2 and Cold War Buildings • Military Photography • Abandoned airfields • Traces of War • Forgotten Airfields Of WW2 • Militär - Military worldwide • Military Stuff • Second World War • The U.S.A Military- 1776 To The Present Day • WWII Archaeology • WWII Related Images You Want To Share • relics of the 2nd world war 1939--1945 « less

Camera: samsung SM-N910F, f/2.2, 1/50 sec, 4.8mm, ISO 50 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	samsung SM-N910F
Aperture:	f/2.2
Exposure Time:	0.02 sec (1/50)
Focal Length:	4.8mm
ISO:	50
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
Flash:	No Flash
Exposure Program:	Program AE
Exposure Mode:	Auto
Metering Mode:	Center-weighted average
White Balance:	Auto
Color Space:	sRGB
Software:	N910FXXS1DPK1
Show full info

Stats: 551 views

go back

Link to this photo view:
Link to this photo large view: