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RAF Patrington

Summary

RAF Patrington (or Royal Air Force Patrington), was a Ground-controlled interception (GCI) station of the Royal Air Force in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. The base was operational during the Second World War, but was replaced by RAF Holmpton during the Cold War, although Patrington's domestic site remained open until the mid-1970s to house personnel for Holmpton. Some of the buildings of the old technical site survive abandoned near to Patrington Haven, but the domestic site has had a holiday park built upon it.

RAF Patrington
Patrington Haven, East Yorkshire in England
Static caravans and a small grassed area in front
Gardens at Patrington Haven Leisure Park; this was the domestic site
Relief map of the East Riding of Yorkshire
Relief map of the East Riding of Yorkshire
RAF Patrington
Coordinates53°39′47″N 0°02′17″W / 53.663°N 0.038°W / 53.663; -0.038
Grid referenceTA297203
TypeRadar site
Code09G
Area39 acres (16 ha)
Site information
OwnerAir Ministry (1942–1964)
Ministry of Defence (1964–1975)
OperatorRoyal Air Force
Controlled byRAF Fighter Command
Site history
In use1942–1955 (Radar site)
1951–1975 (domestic site)
FatePartially demolished

History

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The site was opened in January 1942 as Ground Controlled Interception (GCI) station number 09G,[1] staffed by technicians from No. 73 Signals Wing, part of No. 60 Group RAF.[2] The main building on the technical site was known as the Happidrome, which was used as the Northern Sector Operations Centre (SOC) between 1947 and 1953, until the SOC at RAF Shipton was opened.[3][4] Domestic accommodation was opened at Patrington Haven in the early 1950s which remained until 1975 and the combined RAF Patrington locations covered an area of 39 acres (16 ha).[5] The houses were later sold, but the barrack blocks were demolished and replaced with a holiday site.[6]

In October 1952, during Exercise Ardent, 100 paratroopers were dropped in East Yorkshire to simulate an attack on a Sector Operations Centre (SOC), with Patrington being chosen as the target.[7] At the same time, Patrington was being used as a reporting centre for a Search and Rescue helicopter (SAR) which was based out of RAF Linton-on-Ouse.[8] It would continue to have a helicopter role when a Sycamore from No. 275 Sqn was outbased at Patrington during 1953 and 1954.[9] During the early 1950s, controllers of the Bloodhound surface to air (SAM) missile programme were outbased at Patrington.[10] During this time, the staff at weekends were drawn from the RAuxAF Fighter Control Units, No. 3609 (West Riding) Squadron being a large supplier of auxiliary workers at the site.[11][12]

The original site at Patrington was due to be upgraded to have a new bunker under the ROTOR programme, but the geological conditions at the site were found to be unsuitable, as it was land reclaimed from the Humber Estuary.[13] So the radar site at Easington on the East Riding coast was closed, and a new bunker was built at Holmpton some 6 miles (9.7 km) distant from Patrington technical site eastwards.[13][14][15]

Chronology

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  • 1942 – sites opens as a GCI at TA297203[4]
  • 1951 – Domestic site opens at TA302212[note 1]
  • 1953–1954 – Underground bunker site opens at TA366288 as RAF Holmpton[15]
  • 1955 – Technical site at Patrington closes[17]
  • 1958 – The domestic site at Patrington, and the technical site at Holmpton become known as RAF Patrington[18]
  • 1975 – Domestic site at Patrington closes, the bunker site reverts to being called RAF Holmpton[17]
  • 1984 – The domestic site is auctioned off by the MoD[17]

Post closure

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Since it was sold off in the 1980s, the domestic site now hosts a holiday park. In 2013, a memorial sculpture was unveiled on the holiday site.[19] The original buildings at the Patrington Second World War site are still there, including the Happidrome.[20]

Notable personnel

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Notes

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  1. ^ Until the domestic site was opened, it appears staff were billeted where places could be found. In his letters to friends and relatives, Ted Hughes describes travelling to Patrington from RAF Sutton-on-Hull each time, leaving at 18:00, and returning "at 5 at night.." (05:00).[16]

References

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  1. ^ Dobinson 2010, p. 625.
  2. ^ Catford, Nick (August 2006). "RAF Staxton Wold". Subterranea (11). Berkshire, UK: Subterranea Britannica: 19. ISSN 1741-8917.
  3. ^ "ROYAL AIR FORCE RADAR, 1939–1945". iwm.org.uk. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  4. ^ a b "Ground Controlled Interception Station 09g". www.heritagegateway.org.uk. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  5. ^ "RAF Patrington to be sold off". Hull Daily Mail. No. 30, 389. 3 September 1983. p. 5. ISSN 1741-3419.
  6. ^ Allison, K. J., ed. (1984) [1969]. A history of the county of York, East Riding. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 100. ISBN 0-19-722760-0.
  7. ^ Dunnell, Ben (10 May 2018). "Preparing For War: Exercise 'Ardent'". Aeroplane Monthly. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  8. ^ Eden, Paul E. (2020). The Official History of the Royal Air Force Search and Rescue. Adlard Coles. p. 62. ISBN 9781472960887.
  9. ^ Dowling, J. R. (1987). "RAF helicopters the first twenty years part one". raf.mod.uk. p. 194. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  10. ^ "Defending Northern Skies 1915 – 1995". The RAF Historical Society Journal. The Royal Air Force Historical Society: 137. 1995. ISBN 0951-9824-6X.
  11. ^ "Squadrons and Units - Fighter Control Units". rauxaf.org. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  12. ^ Wood, Derek (1996). "Air defence in the north; the air defence system". In Hunter, A F C (ed.). Defending Northern Skies 1915 – 1995. Newcastle: Royal Air Force Historical Society. p. 135. ISBN 0951-9824-6X.
  13. ^ a b Holmes, Kevin. "Association of Royal Air Force Fighter Control Officers". www.raffca.org.uk. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  14. ^ "Holmpton Rotor Radar Station – Subterranea Britannica". www.subbrit.org.uk. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  15. ^ a b "Vital watchdog". Hull Daily Mail. No. 25, 635. 28 March 1968. p. 6. ISSN 1741-3419.
  16. ^ Hughes, Ted (2007). Letters of Ted Hughes. London: Faber & Faber. p. 8. ISBN 9780571262946.
  17. ^ a b c Davidson, Trudi (23 February 2013). "It was an RAF base and still is at its heart. We want to honour those who kept east coast safe". Hull Daily Mail. p. 22. ISSN 1741-3419.
  18. ^ "Patrington GCI Radar Station – Subterranea Britannica". subbrit.org.uk. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
  19. ^ "Ex-East Yorkshire RAF base memorial statue unveiled". BBC News. 23 June 2013. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  20. ^ Campbell, James (8 May 2022). "The Gogglebox country walk where you may bump into Jenny and Lee". Hull Live. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  21. ^ Evans, Chris, ed. (17 February 2015). "Air Commodore Geoffrey Cooper – obituary". The Daily Telegraph. No. 49, 681. p. 31. ISSN 0307-1235.
  22. ^ Bristow, Simon (1 March 2013). "Poet's National Service to be remembered at RAF reunion". The Yorkshire Post. p. 8. ISSN 0963-1496.
  23. ^ Haley, William, ed. (3 February 1958). "Appointments in the Forces". The Times. No. 54065. p. 12. ISSN 0140-0460.

Sources

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  • Dobinson, Colin (2010). Building radar: forging Britain's early-warning chain, 1935–45. London, UK: Methuen. ISBN 978-0-413-77229-9.
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  • Images of the derelict technical site
  • Ordnance Survey based map showing GCI locations

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