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Another in my series of old RAF Camps in Leicestershire. This cache is a 35mm film case with a log book.
The origins of Desford go back to World War 1, and it owes its existence to the Zeppelin raids on England in 1916. Following these attacks, it was decided to set up Home Defence Squadrons, and one of these, No. 38, was formed at Castle Bromwich in October 1916 and then was moved to Melton Mowbray. When it moved to Melton, the commanding officer was a man called Harris, who in World War 2 became known as ‘Bomber’ Harris.
At that time there were no true airfields in the county, although there were nine emergency landing grounds, and one was near Desford, though it wasn’t known by that name but rather ‘Peckleton’ and it was on what was known as Desford Field which was the big one on the corner, where the road is blanked off that used to go to Peckleton. By mid 1917 it had been downgraded to day use, and in the following year was discontinued entirely.
After that it reverted back to farming and carried on like that until the next stage, in 1929, with the formation of the new Leicestershire Aero Club.
Originally it was eight and a half acres and they rented it from the 21st May 1929, soon adding a further thirteen and a half acres. By this time they had started to add certain things, but by today’s standards the facilities were very rudimentary. It opened on the 14th of September 1929, with an air display that was billed as ‘Leicestershire’s First Great Air Pageant’. The Secretary of State for Air, Fred Montague, did the honours and the Lady Mayoress christened the first aircraft, a de Havilland Gypsy Moth, called ‘The Quorn’, after the the hunt, because the club president was a hunting man, Lindsey Everard, later Sir Lindsey Everard, and the aircraft was a gift from him to the club.
The next stage in the development of the airfield was as a result of the RAF expansion scheme of the 1930’s. Thirteen Civilian Flying Schools were to be set up and Reid and Sigrist of New Maldon contracted for one of these Schools, even though they hadn’t got an airfield at that stage. However George Reid must have had some knowledge of the Desford area, as he came to see John Cart, and it was said, that over one weekend, he negotiated with him and bought the farm, in it’s entirety in August 1935.
The official opening was on the 13th. December 1935, which was by Viscount Swinton, the Minister of State for Air? Many high ranking officers attended, along with local dignitaries like the Lord Mayor and chief of police.
In 1937 the RAF Volunteer Reserve was formed and Desford was involved from the outset. It now became, rather than a Civil Flying Training school, 7 Elementary and Reserve Flying Training School. In the same year further buildings were put up on the south side and these were for use by 3 Civil Air Navigation School, who were flying Anson’s.
When war was declared on 3rd. September 1939, the Germans were already aware that Desford existed, as target photographs had been taken on the 8th. June of that year, well before the start of hostilities. Braunstone airfield was also similarly covered by the Germans.
The wartime history of Desford is best divided into three elements:
The flying school. The Civilian Repair Organization. Vickers Armstrong.
The school dropped the ‘Reserve’ title and became 7 Elementary Flying Training School,
Uniforms began to predominate and the yellow Tiger Moths were camouflaged.
There were also Air Training Corps camps at Desford, tents were set up for their use when
Necessary. In 1947, the reservist training began to increase. The ATC were still present on the airfield, they had No. 44 Gliding School there, from 1948 to 1950.
There was also an Air Observation Flight equipped with Austers and they were there for three
Years until they went to Hucknall. In January 1952, the last unit to be formed at Desford came into being, that was 5 Basic Flying Training School, to train National Service pilots. The school was equipped with De Havilland Chipmunks, but this project proved to be short lived.
A statement made in parliament in December 1952 was to decide Desford’s fate. Seven BFTS
And seven Reserve Flying Schools were to close and one of these was to be Desford.
On the 31st July 1953, 7 RFS officially closed.
After twenty four years of continuous flying operation, Desford also closed.
Shortly after this, Caterpillar bought the airfield and began to move onto the site. At first,
Change was very gradual, but expansion since has meant that almost the entire area, once
Occupied by the airfield, has been redeveloped and today it is virtually unrecognizable for what it had once been.
FTF goes to rascalgaskells
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
4/15