RAF Carew Cheriton

RAF Carew Cheriton was a very early (1930's) RAF airfield to include three runways, they were the minimum length at 1000yds and were not extended later in the war like other stations. It was built to help protect the sea routes around the English Channel and Irish Sea. Planes at the outbreak of the war were hard to get, so Anson's (at the outbreak of WW2, the Anson was soon found to have become obsolete, so became a multi-engine aircrew training/transport) was brought back into front line service as short range anti submarine and shipping patrol aircraft. To cover long range, the Sunderland's were used from RAF Pembroke Dock just down the road. Fighters were stationed here, on and off and aircraft towing drogues were used by Anti Aircraft Command as targets at places like Manorbier ranges. Coastal Command No. 32 and No. 238 Sqns operated detachments of Hawker Hurricane fighter aircraft. No. 321 (Dutch) Squadron RAF formed on the 1 June 1940 at RAF Pembroke Dock, then moved to RAF Carew Cheriton on 28 July 1940 and became operational. The squadron flew coastal and anti-submarine patrols with Avro Anson I aircraft. I have not covered what happened here in WW1 that's another story.

Plan of the airfield. 2 x Bellman hangars. 3 x attached Blister hangars. 1 x Bessoneau hangar. 2 x interesting control towers. Opened 1939 & closed 1945.

Gymnasium & Chancel 16428/40.

Gymnasium & Chancel 16428/40 plan. The rooms along the side are Officers and Men's changing rooms. The gymnasium was not just to keep the body fit but for the mind, where films could be shown, dances taken place and many other uses.

Middle of runway 24/06 NNE/SSW, looking west. The drains running almost the full length.

Drainage by Dudley & Dowell LTD Gradley Heath Staffs with a 1939 patent No.

Building No. 216 Control Tower. How it was. History : WW1 an airfield was needed to to house airships for anti-submarine patrols in the Irish Sea. Two corrugated iron hangars were built for them. Later Sopwith, 1 & 1/2 strutters & DH6's were stationed here.

As it is now 2009 and still is..

Building No. 216 Control Tower.

Air raid shelter at the rear of the tower.

Building No. 216 Control Tower.

Building No. 216 Control Tower plan.

From Deric (who I believe is something to do with the museum) To Rob (The owner of the old Control Towers website). Dear Rob Here are some brief details about Carew Cheriton's Watch Office: Building No. 216 The control tower was built during 1941 by a local building contractor from Tenby. Built to a "local" design it follows no set pattern and is noted in books and articles about the period as an "unusual one-off" tower. The building has some notable features such as the prominent bay window on the south elevation which holds a commanding view of the airfield. The structure is surrounded by a dry stone wall which rests against the brickwork giving good drainage. The limestone is then covered by the earth blast mound which give some protection to the tower. Being single story apart from the brick constructed observation room the main entrance is on the eastern elevation leading into a corridor with rooms off either side. To the left of the entrance is the map and control rooms, opposite can be found the met office, flag store and toilets. At the end of the corridor a fixed steel ladder gives access to the observation room. The duty officer's rest room leads off the control room. The current tower was built to replace the original Watch Office, which was situated 50 meters to the west on the opposite side of the taxiway. The brick and concrete base of the original building can still be seen today standing over a meter above ground level. Standing on this concrete base one can see the outline of the timber structure that formed the watch office. This structure was the wheelhouse that came from the ship "Montrose" remembered for its connection with Dr. Crippen and the radio message from the ship that sealed his fate. On the 1945 plan of the airfield this building with the reference number 64 is listed as the "duty crew room"... Regards Deric.

The plinth for the original Watch Office.

Avro Anson under raps.

Bellman, 3 x Blister and a Bessoneau hangar base.

Bellman hangar base. Bellman hangars were one of the first truly transportable hangars, they could be built, dismantled and re built, many miles away. The RAF took them all over the world and even today the odd Bellman shows up. Its lower that the T2 hangar, so ideal for single and small twin engined aircraft.

Six doors opening out to its full width and allowing aircraft easy access. These are the door runners.

32 man blast shelter.

Airman's Shower & Ablutions block The tower held a water tank and below was a coal heating plant for the hot water.

AA defence post.

AA defence post.

AML Bombing Teacher 937/43. (AML - Air Ministry Laboratory)

AML Bombing Teacher 937/43.

Technical site.

Main workshop in the distance, a 7799/41. AA position is hiding under a tree.

Dumbbell anti-aircraft position. The plan I have badly drawn of the AA position, with this dumbbell layout. I have seen one of these positions at RAF Harrowbeer. It could be for a Lewis gun.

Pillbox Modified Type 24.

Pillbox Modified Type 24. Added forward defence position. The pillbox has an added outer sunken position. An AA machine gun post with the entrance from inside the pillbox..

Pillbox Modified Type 24. Inner anti ricochet wall.

Pillbox Modified Type 24. First rifle embrasure. The reason airfields were defended was of a real threat from a German parachute attack. First fighters and fighter bombers would attack the airfield and then He52's filled with Fallschirmjäger. When they had parachuted in and taken over the airfield, fleets of He52 transports would fly in more Fallschirmjäger. 2cm Flak guns and anti tank guns could arrive either by plane or glider. Whilst this was going on, there would be multiple landings on the south coast beaches. This was the main German plan to take parts of Scotland from Norway & Denmark. It shows how the RAF were worried about this style of attack. The Fallschirmjäger when they did attack and that was the Island of Crete, this was exactly the same scenario.

Pillbox Modified Type 24. Embrasure and the small entrance to go out to the forward defence post.

Pillbox Modified Type 24. This one had a Turnbull Mount for a Bren gun.

Main store 7798/41.

Main store 7798/41. The large building is the fabric store.

Main workshop 7793/41. This end has the loading high enough for a lorry to reverse up to the sliding door entrance.

Main workshop 7793/41.

Main workshop 7793/41.

St Marys Church, Carew Cheriton.

Commonwealth War Graves Commission part of Carew (St Mary's) Cemetery.

CWGC part of Carew (St Mary's) Cemetery. R91294 Flight Sergeant KPL R.J. Middleton. Z Jurewicz Wireless Air Gunner 595AAC 90DN Royal Canadian Air Force 4th July 1944 AGE 20 7 December 1942 AGE 25. Polish Forces