HAVERFORDWEST AIRFIELD; WITHYBUSH AIRFIELD

Description

RCAHMW colour photograph of Cessna plane at Haverfordwest Airfield, taken by Toby Driver, 2006.

At Haverfordwest Airfield (Withybush), one of the wartime runways has been withdrawn from use and the other two have been reduced in length to make way for a public road on the north side of the airfield. The seventeen dispersal points and the refuelling area are still visible in grass areas. Original buildings on the southerly side of the airfield include one of the T2 hangars. The RAF control tower is still extant but has a new sloping roof. Other surviving structures around the airfield include Nissen and Maycrete huts, and a guard room. The wartime buildings associate with maintenance and a Blister hanger were demolished during bypass improvements to the A40.

Event and Historical Information:
The station officially opened on 10 November 1942, even though only the control tower and runways were complete. The first aircraft to arrive were four Armstrong Whitworth Whitley bombers from 3 Operational Training Unit. By June 1943, 3 Operational Training Unit (OTU) began full operation of Whitleys, Vickers Warwicks/Wellingtons and Avro Ansons in general reconnaissance training. The Whitleys were soon replaced by more Wellingtons, and the Ansons detached to Harwarden's satellite airfield at Templeton to form `O' Flight. On 4 January 1944, 3 OTU was disbanded to be absorbed by 6 OTU at Siloth. On the same day 7 OTU flew in their Wellingtons from RAF Limevaddy, Northern Ireland, to continue a general reconnaissance role. The unit was re-designated as 4 Refresher Flying Unit on 16 May 1944 delivering aircraft to various Coastal Command stations and providing repair facilities. The unit was disbanded in September 1944. In January 1945, 8 OTU transferred to Haverfordwest from Dyce, Aberdeen to continue training in photographic reconnaissance. 8 OTU flew De Havilland Mosquitos and Supermarine Spitfires and, until April 1945 undertook an aerial survey of Great Britain as part of their training. On 21 June 1945, 8 OTU moved to Mount Farm. An RAF Aircrew Holding Unit (ACHU) was the last to be based at Haverfordwest before it closed on 22 November 1945. It was re-opened in 1952 to allow Cambrian Air Services to operate a service from Haverfordwest to Cardiff. More recently, the old Welsh Airways terminal has been replaced with a building which includes a café and flying school.

Sources include:
Defence of Britain Project
Jones, I, 2007, Airfields and Landing Grounds of Wales: West, pg110-117
Phillips, Alan, 2006, Military Airfields Wales, pg 86-95
Smith, David J, 1982, Action Stations 3: Military Airfields of Wales and the North West, pg84-5.

• http://www.coflein.gov.uk/en/site/309963/images/DI2006_0561.jpg (link opens in new window)