RAF Deanland is a former

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...

advanced landing ground Advanced Landing Grounds (ALGs) were temporary advance airfields constructed by the Allies during World War II during the liberation of Europe. They were built in the UK prior to the invasion and thereafter in northwest Europe from 6 June 19 ...

located west of

Hailsham Hailsham is a town, a civil parish and the administrative centre of the Wealden district of East Sussex, England.OS Explorer map Eastbourne and Beachy Head Scale: 1:25 000. Publisher:Ordnance Survey – Southampton B2 edition. Publishing Dat ...

East Sussex East Sussex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South East England on the English Channel coast. It is bordered by Kent to the north and east, West Sussex to the west, and Surrey to the north-west. The largest settlement in East Su ...

and north east of

Brighton Brighton () is a seaside resort and one of the two main areas of the City of Brighton and Hove in the county of East Sussex, England. It is located south of London. Archaeological evidence of settlement in the area dates back to the Bronze A ...

, East Sussex,

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

History

RAF Deanland was planned as an Advanced Landing Ground in order to provide support for the D-Day Landings on 6 June 1944, with construction started in Spring 1943. The first aircraft to take to the air on D-Day flew from RAF Deanland, providing top-cover over the OMAHA and GOLD landing beaches. The airfield was heavily involved in the fight against the

V-1 flying bomb The V-1 flying bomb (german: Vergeltungswaffe 1 "Vengeance Weapon 1") was an early cruise missile. Its official Ministry of Aviation (Nazi Germany), Reich Aviation Ministry () designation was Fi 103. It was also known to the Allies as the buz ...

's (with 185 destroyed) and during

D-Day The Normandy landings were the landing operations and associated airborne operations on Tuesday, 6 June 1944 of the Allied invasion of Normandy in Operation Overlord during World War II. Codenamed Operation Neptune and often referred to as D ...

where it is believed to be home of the first

Supermarine Spitfire The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft used by the Royal Air Force and other Allied countries before, during, and after World War II. Many variants of the Spitfire were built, from the Mk 1 to the Rolls-Royce Grif ...

squadron to provide air cover. The landing ground was used by multiple units: *

No. 64 Squadron RAF No. 64 Squadron was a squadron of the Royal Air Force. It was first formed on 1 August 1916 as a squadron of the Royal Flying Corps. It was disbanded on 31 January 1991 at RAF Leuchars. History 1916 to 1919 No. 64 Squadron Royal Flying Corps w ...

No. 91 Squadron RAF No 91 (Nigeria) Squadron was a squadron of the Royal Air Force but is no longer operational. The name acknowledges the contribution made by Nigeria to the cost of the squadron's aeroplanes. World War I A 91 squadron was initially formed in Se ...

No. 234 Squadron RAF No. 234 Squadron RAF had a long career within the RAF, being operational on flying boats in World War I and on fighter aircraft in World War II. After the war it remained a fighter unit till 1957. In its last incarnation the squadron was in turn ...

No. 302 Polish Fighter Squadron No. 302 (City of Poznan) Polish Fighter Squadron RAF ( pl, 302 Dywizjon Myśliwski "Poznański") was a Polish fighter squadron formed in Great Britain as part of an agreement between the Polish Government in Exile and the United Kingdom in 194 ...

* No. 308 Polish Fighter Squadron * No. 317 Polish Fighter Squadron *

No. 322 (Dutch) Squadron RAF No. 322 (Dutch) Squadron of the Royal Air Force was a fighter squadron during the Second World War. Formed with Dutch personnel already flying with the RAF, during the war it formed part of the Air Defence of Great Britain and formed part of th ...

* No. 345 Squadron RAF * No. 611 Squadron RAF *

No. 131 Airfield RAF No. 131 (Polish) (Fighter) Wing RAF is a former Royal Air Force Wing (military unit), wing that was operational during the World War II, Second World War, mainly staffed by Polish personnel as part of the Polish Air Forces in France and Great Br ...

* No. 149 Airfield RAF * No. 149 (Long Range Fighter) Wing RAF Along with the following ground units at some point: * No. 2750 Squadron RAF Regiment * No. 2768 Squadron RAF Regiment On 6 June 1994, an oak-tree was planted at the western end of the airfield entrance-road. This tree is a memorial to those pilots who flew from Deanland and died in operations.

Current use

The Airfield was dormant for a time, post-war, but the land came into the ownership of Richard Chandless, a farmer, who reactivated the site as an airfield in 1963. Richard operated his own aircraft, and he was for a number of years the main U.K. agent for Avions Pierre Robin demonstrating and selling new and used aircraft from Deanland. Richard invited a number of other aircraft owners to keep their machines at Deanland. During Chandless' time Deanland became a very active airfield, both day and night, lights were installed shortly after the runway was re-activated. It was used by a number of local business people, farmers and visitors to the area. With Glyndebourne Opera House close it was very normal to see both light aircraft and helicopters parked while their owners enjoyed the opera. In 1991 the airfield came into the ownership of Deanland Airfield LLP. In 2012 the airfield is still in use as a private

airstrip An aerodrome (Commonwealth English) or airdrome (American English) is a location from which aircraft flight operations take place, regardless of whether they involve air cargo, passengers, or neither, and regardless of whether it is for publ ...

References

Citations

Bibliography

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External links

Official web site
{{DEFAULTSORT:Deanland Royal Air Force stations in East Sussex Royal Air Force stations of World War II in the United Kingdom