The Wartime Memories Project - RAF Catterick

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Information. Catterick was a 1st World War Royal Flying Corps Airfield and was one of first military airfields in the world opening in 1914. Training pilots and assisting in the defence of North East England. On formation of the Royal Air Force on 1st April 1918 it became RAF Catterick and 49 Training Depot Station. RAF Catterick was largely rebuilt in 1935 under the expansion programme with many of the 1920's buildings being cleared away (except the original watch office which still stands). Most of the buildings there today date from this period. In September 1939 Catterick became a Fighter Sector Station in 13 Group Fighter Command. 609 "White Rose" Squadron, was one of the 9 squadrons of the RAF equipped to fly the famous Spitfire at the out break of war in September 1939. The runway at Catterick was so close to the A1 that traffic had to be stopped to allow Spitfires to take off. During WW2 there were decoy sites protecting this airfield at Low Moor and Birkby The Sector Ops. Block was replaced in 1943 with a protected operations block identical to those built at other Fighter Sector Airfields. Until recently Catterick was the headquarters of the RAF Regiment and served as the RAF Fire Service Training School. It is now an Army establishment and the runway is used only for gliding. Squadrons based at Catterick during the Second World War: No. 219 Squadron 4th Oct 1939 to 12 Oct 1940 & 25 Apr 1943 14 May 1945 609 Squadron Squadrons stationed at RAF Catterick No 609 Squadron No 219 Squadron from 4 October 1939 No 41 Squadron from 8 June 1940 No 54 Squadron from 28 July 1940 No 41 Squadron from 8 August 1940 No 504 Squadron from 1 September 1940 No 54 Squadron from 3 September 1940 No 600 Squadron from 12 October 1940 No. 130 (Punjab) Squadron. 18 September 1943 to 10 Nov 1943 No 134 Squadron. from 7 December 1941 to January 1942 No. 145 Sqn from 28 Jul 1941 for rest period. No 313 Czech Squadron was formed at Catterick 10 May 1941 leaving in August 1941 No 331 Squadron. 401 RCAF Squadron 403 RCAF Squadron 219 Squadron No. 222 Squadron. left in February 1944 No. 332 Sqn formed at Catterick January 1942 The Wartime Memories Project would like to hear from anyone who was stationed at Catterick during the war years, or anyone who lived nearby. We would love to hear your recollections of life on the base and the surrounding area. Please contact us: Click to send an email. or Click here to complete the online form. My grandad was stationed at Catterick during the war as ground crew but was invalided out before the end of the war. His name was Aruther Williams and was born in london. I would love to find any information I can but inpaticular a photo of him in his uniform as his wife, my Granmother has never seen a pic of him in his uniform and as he sadly passed away a few years ago I would like to do this for her. Please can you give me any help on where i may find any information from Kind regards Photographs If you have any Photographs you would like to share please get in touch. List of those who served. Cpl George Barker. fitter-rigger. 26 (AC) Squadron. Read his story Fnr. Anton Christoffer Hagerup. 331 Sqd Squadron Leader William John Johnson. 145 Sqd. Read his story Lt. Soren Kjell Liby. 332 Sqd. Read his story Jack Lister. 609 Sqd. Read his story Eric Stanley "Sawn Off Lockie" Lock. 41 Sqd. Read his story Flt Lt. Anthony Desmond Joseph Lovell. DFC & Bar, DSO & Bar. 41 Sqd.Read his story Fnr. Leif Lundsten. 331 Sqd WAAF Doreen Maddison Read her story Fnr. Jens Müller. 331 Sqd Gunnar Piltingsrud. 332 Sqd Sgt Horace Philips. pilot. 219 Sqd (d.21 March 1940) Read his story AC1 Frank Prosser. air gnr 219 Sqd (d.21 March 1940)Read his story Sjt. Per Schønberg. 331 Sqd Fnr. Stein Sem. 331 Sqd LAC Leonard Rex "Len" or "Smudge" Smith Fnr. Thorstein Strand. 331 sqd F/O John Graham Theilmann. 41 Sqd P/O Archie Winskill. pilot. 41 Sqd. Read his story Aruther Williams. ground crew. Read his story If you have any names to add to this list, or any recollections or photos of those listed, please get in touch. If you have a story which you would like to share, or a website dedicated to an airfield or aircrew, please get in touch. Send an E-mail to The Wartime Memories Project Links RAF Catterick - Sector Operations Centre The Pilots of 41 Sqd. Airfields Index The Wartime Memories Project is a non profit organisation. This website is run out of our own pockets and from donations made by visitors. The popularity of the site means that it is far exceeding available resources. If you are enjoying the site, please consider making a donation, however small to help with the costs of keeping the site running. Or by cheque to: PO Box 325, Stockton on Tees, TS20 1XL. Website and ALL Material © Copyright MMII - All Rights Reserved