RAF Benson – Oxfordshire.
Pre War
103 Squadron were one of the first two squadrons to be based at RAF Benson after it was opened in 1939
The construction of the airfield began in 1937 as part of the 1930s RAF expansion programme in response to the threat of war from Germany. The work was carried out by civil engineering contractors John Laings. Benson was officially opened as an RAF station under 6 Group in April 1939 under the command of G/C R T Leather AFC.
Benson's first aircraft were two squadrons of Fairey Battles. 103 Squadron arrived on 3rd April 1939. They were joined a few weeks later by No. 150 Squadron.
WW2
At the start of WW2 both 103 and 150 Squadrons moved to France as part of the Advanced Air Striking Force.( AASF ). 1939 also saw the establishment of 12 Operational Training Unit (12 OTU) tasked with training pilots, observers and air gunners on the Fairey Battle and Avro Anson.
Benson's long association with Royalty began in September 1940, when the King's Flight relocated to the station. This initial association was short-lived as the Flight was disbanded in 1942 and became 161 Squadron at RAF Newmarket which took over responsibility for the transportation of Royalty. The Battles and Ansons of No. 12 OTU were replaced in December 1940 by Vickers Wellingtons.
In 1941 Benson was selected as the base for No. 1 Photographic Reconnaissance Unit which was an experimental unit tasked with evaluating and developing new methods of obtaining photographic intelligence over enemy territory. Equipped with Supermarine Spitfires the unit found that their camouflage and operating altitude allowed them remain virtually invisible to enemy defences and avoid interception. Additional fuel tanks on the Spitfires allowed missions to be flown deep into enemy territory. Analysis of photos taken was undertaken by the intelligence unit at nearby Ewelme Manor. The unit was the first to discover the Germany Navy battleship Bismarck near Bergen in May 1941. As a result of its work the station gained considerable fame as the home of photographic reconnaissance for the remainder of the war.
New paved runways were built in 1942. One of the new runways required the permanent closure of the Old London Road at Benson. As a result, the Royal Engineers built the present road (part of the A4074) between Benson and Crowmarsh.
In June 1943 1 PRU was formed into 106 Wing, with five units (No. 540, No. 541, No. 542, No. 543 and No. 544 Squadrons). The Wing was promoted to No. 106 (Photo Reconnaissance) Group in April 1944 with two Mosquito and two Spitfire squadrons. The group was combined with Coastal Command's photo reconnaissance units with the whole of Northern Europe as its operational area. Spitfire and Mosquito aircraft flew missions over occupied Europe, including the supplying battle damage assessment images after Dambuster Raid in May 1943.
By December 1944, Benson had two runways extending to 1,998 ft which had been constructed using concrete and wood-chips. There was a selection of hangar types, including four C-type hangars, four over-size (O) blister hangars and fourteen extra-over-size (EO) blister hangars. Ten concrete hard-standings were available and a total of 3,198 personnel were based at the station.
Post-war
At the end of WW2 Benson retained a photographic reconnaissance role into the early 1950s, with Mosquito aircraft and later English Electric Canberra PR.3 aircraft.
In 1953 Benson came under the control of Transport Command. 147 Squadron and 167 Squadron formed what was known as The Ferry Wing which was responsible for the ferrying of aircraft worldwide. It was disbanded in 1960 when RAF squadrons became responsible for the collection and ferrying of their own aircraft.
Benson then became the focus of the RAF's medium-range tactical transport fleet, operating the Armstrong Whitworth Argosy C.1. The first of six Argosys arrived on 20 November 1961 to form the Argosy Operational Conversion Unit (OCU). The OCU later moved to RAF Thorney Island in Hampshire. In February 1962 105 Squadron formed to establish the first front-line Argosy unit. It was soon followed by 215 Squadron. By the end of 1963 both units had departed for the Middle East and Far East respectively. Two further Argosy units were established, 114 Squadron and 267 Squadron both operating from Benson until the early 1970s.
With the departure of the Argosys, the only flying unit which remained at Benson was the Queen's Flight which remained till the 1980s.
However Benson was still busy with several admin and support units on site. The HQ of 38 Group ) and the Tactical Communications Wing (TCW) arrived in 1972. They remained until 1976 when 38 Group was absorbed into RAF Strike Command and relocated to RAF Upavon in Wiltshire. TCW moved to nearby RAF Brize Norton.
They were replaced by the RAF Support Command Signals Headquarters (SCSHQ) and the Radio Introduction Unit which arrived from RAF Medenham in Hampshire in 1977. SCSHQ remained at Benson until 1981.
Flying activity increased in January 1983 when the Hawker Siddeley Andover arrived at Benson from RAF Brize Norton operated by 115 Squadron and supported by the Andover Training Flight, This unit disbanded in early 1987 with its role transferred to No. 115 Squadron.
The Queen's Flight received its first BAe 146 in May 1986 with a second in July 1986 and a final aircraft in late 1990.
Benson's support helicopter role began in 1992 when 60 Squadron reformed at the station, flying the Westland Wessex HC2. In July of that year the closure of RAF Abingdon resulted in the University of London Air Squadron and Oxford University Air Squadron both flying the Scottish Aviation Bulldog T1 and No. 6 Air Experience Flight with the De Havilland Chipmunk T1 moving to Benson.
The Mobile Catering Support Unit (MCSU) with a training facility and three Air Combat Support Units arrived in November 1992.
The HQ of the Support Helicopter Force (SHFHQ) relocated to Benson from RAF Gütersloh in 1993 when the German station's closed. The HQ of 1 Group was located at Benson between 1993 and 1996
On 1 April 1995 the Queen's Flight merged with 32 Squadron and moved to RAF Northolt in London to become 32 (The Royal) Squadron.
In June 1997 the Westland Puma HC1s of 33 Squadron arrived from RAF Odiham. The Puma Operational Conversion Flight tasked with training crews on flying the helicopter, moved in during February 1998. Because of this the University of London Air Squadron moved to RAF Wyton in Cambridgeshire during 1999.
In October 1999 as a result of the Strategic Defence Review the RAF's Support Helicopter Force was amalgamated into the newly formed tri-service Joint Helicopter Command. The new command, combined the battlefield support helicopters operated by the RAF, Fleet Air Arm and Army Air Corps.
28 Squadron reformed at Benson in July 2001 equipped with the new Agusta Westland Merlin HC3 support helicopter. To accommodate the new aircraft and personnel, £25 million worth of investment was made at Benson which included refurbishment of the four C-type hangars, upgrading of station services and infrastructure and construction of engineering facilities and 100 homes. 78 Squadron, reformed in late 2007 to operate six Merlin HC3A's which had been purchased from the Royal Danish Air Force.
Doubt was cast over the future of RAF Benson during a review of Joint Helicopter Command's (JHC) airfields. Consideration was given to closing at least one JHC airfield, with Benson's support helicopters relocating to RAF Lyneham in Wiltshire. However, the programme was abandoned in May 2009.
In November of that year the Puma Force combined when 230 Squadron relocated from JHC Flying Station Aldergrove in Northern Ireland to join 33 Squadron at Benson.
The Strategic Defence and Security Review 2010 recommended that in order to replace the Navy's ageing Westland Sea King HC4, the RAF's Agusta Westland Merlin HC3/3A fleet should be transferred to the Royal Navy's Commando Helicopter Force. To gain experience of operating and maintaining the Merlin Royal Navy aircrew and engineers were integrated into the Merlin Force at Benson during 2012.
The Merlin fleet was officially handed over to the Navy during a ceremony at Benson on 30 September 2014.
During July 2015, 845 Naval Air Squadron reformed and replaced No. 28 Squadron which disbanded. The last phases of the transition began when 846 NAS moved to RNAS Yeovilton in Somerset on 26 March 2015. The final Merlin along with 845 NAS departed on 16 June 2016.
In May 2015, it was announced that the Chinook Operational Conversion Flight comprising six Boeing Chinooks transfer to Benson from RAF Odiham to form a joint Puma and Chinook Operational Conversion Unit. The move began in December 2015 as the unit joined their Puma counterparts under a reformed 28 Squadron.
During 2016 the Joint Helicopter Support Squadron moved to Benson from RAF Odiham.
Due to the runway at RAF Northolt being closed for resurfacing, BAe 146 aircraft of 32 (The Royal) Squadron temporarily relocated to Benson between 15 April 2019 and late October 2019.
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W/C Gemmell OC 103 Squadron on a private visit to Benson prior to the opening of the station
Benson view prior to opening.
Another Benson view prior to opening.
Winter 38/39 in front to D Hangar
Battles at Benson. Winter 38/39
Line up of 103 Battles at Benson 1939. Not Sqn ID code was GV at this time.
Benson Officers Mess 1938
A more recent photo of the Benson Officer’s Mess which is pretty much the same as it was in 1938. Lasted well
Item written by David Fell with photos from the BMD archive and the Benson Heritage Society and website
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