GC47B77 Mosquitos at Bradwell Bay (Letterbox Hybrid) in Eastern England, United Kingdom created by Bean & Sprout

GC47B77 ▼

A cache by Bean & Sprout Message this owner

Hidden : 3/9/2013

Difficulty:

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Size: Size: small (small)

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Geocache Description:

In 1930 a small airfield with a single grass runway was established at Bradwell to service aircraft using targets on the offshore sandbanks for firing practice.

With the onset of the war in 1939 the airstrip was adopted by the RAF as a site for damaged aircraft to land as it would be one of the first landing places for planes returning from raids on the continent. During this period command for the site was undertaken by RAF North Weald with only a few people based at Bradwell.

In February 1941 Bradwell Bay was enlarged into a full airfield with two concrete runways, 12 blister hangers, 18 fighter pens, 9 frying pan dispersal points and many nissen huts. It was used as a fighter base for the remainder of the war.

The airfield was in a strategically important defensive position on the coastline midway between the Thames and the port of Harwich and so was allocated fighter aircraft under the control of the Hornchurch Wing.

The airfield was used on many occasions by aircraft of all sizes making emergency landings after forays into occupied Europe. The first squadron to use the airfield was 418 Squadron Royal Canadian Air Force using twin engine Boston aircraft designed to attack German night fighters.

Bradwell was one of the first stations to start using the Mosquito aircraft which were to prove one of the mainstays of the RAF during the war. The Mosquitos were originally used to drop leaflets on occupied Europe although their role quickly changed to more direct warfare. On D day Spitfires of 124 Squadron, Mosquitos of 219 Squadron and Warwicks of 278 Squadron were all involved in attack and defensive duties.

During the war Bradwell was home to 25 different squadrons flying Bostons, Mosquitos, Beaufighters, Typhoons, Tempests, Hurricanes, Spitfires, Mustang, Warwick and Walrus aircraft. The Bradwell pubs echoed to the voices of Canadians, Australians and Czechs who all came to know this quiet corner of Essex.

By 1946 Bradwell was closed as a military airfield although it was used by the Americans as a base for a fast range launch at Bradwell waterside for few years. Plans to turn Bradwell into a civil airport were dropped due to the poor communications to the area from London.

There are many records of life at Bradwell Bay such as this one on the BBC's WW2 People's War website.

For anyone interested, Burnham on Crouch Museum has an extensive archive of material available only by prior agreement.

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Haqre

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)