Shepherds Grove
SHEPHERDS GROVE: Military aerodrome
Military user: WW2: RAF Bomber Command 3 Group
1944: RAF Fighter Command 38 Group
196 Sqdn* (Short Stirlings)
Late 1944: Care & Maintenance
Post 1945: USAF SAC (Strategic Air Command)
87th Fighter-Interceptor Sqdn (North American F-86D Sabres)
Location: S of A143, E of Upthorpe village, 8nm NE of Bury St Edmunds
Period of operation: 1944 to 1963
Runways: WW2: 01/19 1829x46 hard 08/26 1280x46 hard
14/32 1280x46 hard
NOTES: Although in late 1944 appearing to be operating in a secondary role, I had originally when starting on the 'Guide' in around 2000 or before, expected this was probably previously a pretty major operational bomber base judging from the general layout and facilities. However, it now seems that although built for use by the USAAF, they declined to use it. It was then assigned to 3 Group Bomber Command but here again it seems that they had no use for it. One can today only gaze in wonder at the massive waste of resources the military squandered during WW2.
In late 1944 according to official records a relatively massive number of 2216 RAF personnel were on station plus 544 WAAFs. This is more people on station than many operational WW2 RAF bomber bases so the obvious question is, what were they all doing?
*Today I think I have part of the answer, having discovered it was a 38 Group Station during 1944 at least and therefore possibly undertaking SOE missions or similar for a short period? It now appears that this huge enterprise was assembled just for 'Operation Varsity'.
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