RAF Templeton 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 ...

station Station may refer to: Agriculture * Station (Australian agriculture), a large Australian landholding used for livestock production * Station (New Zealand agriculture), a large New Zealand farm used for grazing by sheep and cattle ** Cattle statio ...

located near Templeton,

Pembrokeshire Pembrokeshire ( ; cy, Sir Benfro ) is a Local government in Wales#Principal areas, county in the South West Wales, south-west of Wales. It is bordered by Carmarthenshire to the east, Ceredigion to the northeast, and the rest by sea. The count ...

Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...

which was operational between December 1942 and July 1945. It remains in use as Templeton Dry Training Area.

History

RAF Templeton initially formed part of

No. 17 Group RAF No. 17 Group RAF was a group of the Royal Air Force which was operational during both the First and Second World Wars. During the First World War, the Group was formed during April 1918 in No. 4 Area, it was transferred to North-Eastern Area on 8 ...

, the training organisation within

RAF Coastal Command RAF Coastal Command was a formation within the Royal Air Force (RAF). It was founded in 1936, when the RAF was restructured into Fighter, Bomber and Coastal Commands and played an important role during the Second World War. Maritime Aviation ...

, and had a particular role in training for the defence of the oil installations in

Milford Haven Milford Haven ( cy, Aberdaugleddau, meaning "mouth of the two Rivers Cleddau") is both a town and a community in Pembrokeshire, Wales. It is situated on the north side of the Milford Haven Waterway, an estuary forming a natural harbour that has ...

. No 306 Ferry Training Unit (

Bristol Beaufort The Bristol Beaufort (manufacturer designation Type 152) is a British twin-engined torpedo bomber designed by the Bristol Aeroplane Company, and developed from experience gained designing and building the earlier Blenheim light bomber. At l ...

) formed at the station in January 1943, later departing to Maghaberry in Northern Ireland. The Observer training flight, "O" Flight, of

No. 3 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit RAF No. 3 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit RAF (3 OTU) was a training unit of Royal Air Force Coastal Command, operating from 27 November 1940 and disbanding 4 January 1944, being absorbed into No. 6 OTU. History The unit formed at RAF Chivenor t ...

(

Avro Anson The Avro Anson is a British twin-engined, multi-role aircraft built by the aircraft manufacturer Avro. Large numbers of the type served in a variety of roles for the Royal Air Force (RAF), Fleet Air Arm (FAA), Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) a ...

) moved in from nearby Haverfordwest, staying until December 1943. From December 1943 to May 1944, the station hosted an American unit, using British-built aircraft, 1st Gunnery and Tow Target Flight, VIII USAAF, (

Westland Lysander The Westland Lysander is a British army co-operation and liaison aircraft produced by Westland Aircraft that was used immediately before and during the Second World War. After becoming obsolete in the army co-operation role, the aircraft's ...

and

Miles Master The Miles M.9 Master was a British two-seat monoplane advanced trainer designed and built by aviation company Miles Aircraft Ltd. It was inducted in large numbers into both the Royal Air Force (RAF) and Fleet Air Arm (FAA) during the Second Wor ...

) towing targets for the fighters at the American training base at

RAF Atcham Royal Air Force Atcham or more simply RAF Atcham is a former Royal Air Force station located east of Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England, on the north eastern boundary of Attingham Park. Initially built for RAF Fighter Command, during the Secon ...

, Shropshire. During the latter part of 1944, anti-aircraft target-towing

Miles Martinet The Miles M.25 Martinet was a target tug aircraft of the Royal Air Force (RAF) and Fleet Air Arm (FAA) that was in service during the Second World War. It was the first British aircraft to be designed specifically for target towing. Work on t ...

s and

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 ...

s of

No. 595 Squadron RAF No. 595 Squadron RAF was a squadron of the Royal Air Force from 1943 to 1949. History The squadron was formed at RAF Aberporth, Wales on 1 December 1943, from nos. 1607, 1608, 1609 and 1621 Flight for anti-aircraft co-operation duties over cen ...

, based at Aberporth, used the airfield. In January 1945, No 8 OTU moved into Haverfordwest, and "A" Flight was detached to Templeton, training aircrew on photo-reconnaissance aircraft including the

and

de Havilland Mosquito The de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito is a British twin-engined, shoulder-winged, multirole combat aircraft, introduced during the Second World War. Unusual in that its frame was constructed mostly of wood, it was nicknamed the "Wooden Wonder", or ...

. They only stayed until March but a small engineering unit remained at Templeton to carry out aircraft repairs. They moved to Benson, Oxfordshire, in June. In July 1945, the RAF closed RAF Templeton although No 74 Gliding School Air Training Corps continued to use part of the airfield as they had done since 1944. The Royal Marines took over the camp in 1945 and it was used as a holding camp prior to de-mob for marines from all over the world.

Current use

In 2012 the site remained in MoD ownership as the ''Templeton Dry Training Area'' (part of the Pembrokeshire Defence Training Estate). It is used for a variety of training tasks, including helicopter and air defence exercises, infantry and driver training. Usage is shared with a number of other activities, including agriculture, storage and model aircraft flying.

References

External links

*
Templeton Airfield Interior Circular Walk
Royal Air Force stations in Wales Training establishments of the British Army Royal Air Force stations of World War II in the United Kingdom {{RAF-stub