METHWOLD
When the Air Ministry sought a dispersal landing ground for Feltwell during the winter of 1938-1939, they had to look no further than a stretch of open Breckland fields, just two miles north-north-east. Directly south of the village of Methwold, bordering the B 1 106 Brandon to Stoke Ferry road, the site also offered camouflage cover for aircraft from a number of woods and plantations. A minor road between Methwold and Feltwell had to be closed. Feltwell's resident Nos. 37 and 214 Squadrons brought their Wellingtons here (the latter on a more permanent basis) when the Wermacht invaded Poland. No. 214 was moved from this rudimentary airfield the following February to the comparative luxury of Stradishall. Feltwell's Wellingtons continued to use Methwold as a satellite base until this grass airfield was transferred to No. 2 Group in the exchange of bases with No. 3 Group, which took place in the late summer of 1942. A number of asphalt pan hardstandings were put down for aircraft during 1940-1941.
Lockheed Venturas had been assigned to No. 2 Group and Feltwell and its satellite were utilised for the three squadrons so equipped. No. 21 Squadron, based at Methwold, after working up went into action from November 3, 1942. In April 1943, when Feltwell was taken for special bomber support units, No. 21 Squadron was moved from Methwold to Oulton and the other two Ventura squadrons (Nos. 464 and 487) moved into Methwold. For his conduct leading a raid on a target in Amsterdam on May 3, 1943, Squadron Leader Leonard Trent was awarded a VC after his return from imprisonment. The Venturas stayed until August when the station was temporarily closed for flying while it was upgraded to Class A standard.
Three concrete runways were laid, the main aligned on 06-24 at 2000 yards, 11-29 at 1,600 yards and 17-35 at 1,500 yards. Runway 11-29 terminated at the 06-24 runway. The 36 hardstandings were 35 of the loop type and a single pan. The surviving asphalt pans were not included. A T2 hangar had been erected earlier on the technical site, which was located on the south side of the airfield between runway heads 06 and 35. Later a B1 repair hangar was put up in the north-east corner beside the B1106. During 1943, three T2 hangars were built south of the Bl for Horsa glider storage. The bomb stores were south of the airfield, just west of runway 35. The camp had developed in two areas and with additional dispersed sites accommodation provided for a total 1,810 males and 332 females. The WAAF, communal and two domestic sites were located south of the technical site towards East Hall and on the side along the B1106 were three domestic, a communal and sick quarters. F. H. Higgs Ltd was involved in the 1943 construction.
As the satellite was now of a far higher standard than its parent base only two miles away, the remodelled Methwold was assigned to No. 3 Group again and made a sub-station of Mildenhall's No. 32 Base. With the closure of Lakenheath, No. 149 Squadron found a new home at Methwold in May 1944 and was joined by another Stirling squadron, No. 218, in August. Both squadrons started conversion to Lancasters at this time. No. 218 was moved to Chedburgh in December as there were insufficient hardstandings for both squadrons, which were building up to a strength of more than 30 aircraft each. In total, 43 aircraft failed to return or were destroyed in crashes flying in operations from Methwold 25 being Venturas, six Stirlings and 12 Lancasters.
No. 149 had been joined by No. 207 Squadron in the autumn of 1945, at times both units rarely having more than a dozen Lancasters on strength during the following winter. In April 1946, Methwold said goodbye to Bomber Command and the airfield was subsequently put on care and maintenance status and for some 12 years its runways were maintained for use by the trainers of its old companion Feltwell. Released for agricultural use in the 1960s much of the runway concrete was broken up although part of one is still used for poultry housing. However much of the NW-SE runway survives. Two hangars have been used for bulk grain storage for a number of years, and two others are utilised for salad preparation and packing for supermarkets.
