BODNEY
The desirability of establishing satellite airfields for bomber stations led to the investigation of many possible sites in the winter of 1939-40. For Watton, an open stretch of Breckland seven miles south-west from that station was acquired. Some woodland had to be removed and Bodney came into use during the spring of 1940 as a dispersal for Blenheims of Nos. 21 and 82 Squadrons from their parent station. A number of huts were erected on the northern side of the airfield for administration and technical services and some local housing was requisitioned for barrack use. The first operation flown from the airfield appears to have taken place on May 14, 1940 when No. 21 Squadron flew to attack enemy forces in the Ardennes. Two Blenheims were lost while another was so badly shot up that it crashed on return to Bodney. Later in the year both Watton squadrons alternated between parent and satellite for periods of several weeks.
Throughout 1941, Bodney continued to be used by Watton's units but in early March the following year No. 21 Squadron was reformed at the station. The squadron had been sent to Malta and disbanded there, its revival finding it flying Bodney Blenheims again prior to receiving the first Venturas with which it was proposed to equip three squadrons in No. 2 Group for daylight operations. During operations from Bodney between May 1940 and March 1942, 34 Blenheims were missing in action, 27 of which came from No. 82 Squadron. Additionally, 10 Blenheims were lost in operational crashes.
The first deliveries of Venturas were made at the end of May but No. 21 never took them into battle before being moved to Methwold in September. During this period of RAF occupation the airfield was gradually improved. Five blister hangars were erected followed by two T2s, one on the technical site in a wood on the west side and the other on a dispersal spur on southern side. Aircraft dispersals were 15 large pans and squares grouped in threes, eight small pans and four blind strips, all asphalt, placed round the airfield, some on long access lanes. The grass surface runways were NE-SW 1,000 yards long, NW-SE and E-W, both 900 yards long. Bomb stores were located three quarters of a mile south of the airfield by the River Wissey. The camp was in two areas: to the south-east where one communal and four domestic sites were dispersed, and to the north along the road to Little Cressingham where there were three domestic, a communal site and sick quarters. Total accommodation allowed for 1,709 persons.
The reason for the move of the Venturas was Bodney's allocation to the USAAF for development into a Class A standard bomber station. Meanwhile the airfield was used as a relief landing ground for training aircraft from Watton until the unit involved moved out in May 1943. However, the airfield was not developed as a bomber station and in June it was allocated to the USAAF as a fighter base. Occupied in July by the three squadrons of the 352nd Fighter Group, initially flying P-47s, converting to P-51s m April 1944, the group remained at Bodney until the autumn of 1945. After the base was officially returned to the RAF on November 8 that year, the airfield was closed to flying and following some government use of the domestic sites these were gradually demolished. In later years the site was absorbed into the nearby Stanford battle training area for use by the army.
