RAF Hemswell | Education Video by World of Military

<p>The first airfield on the site was opened in December 1918 by the Royal Flying Corps and called RFCS Harpswell after the village of that name just across the A631. It was initially used by the RFC as a night landing ground and in 1918, No.199 and No.200 Training Squadrons were established at the airfield. Shortly after the end of WWI the site returned to farmland. A new RAF Station, now called Hemswell, was built in the 1930's to a very high standard and was one of a number of permanent bases being built to accommodate the then rapidly expanding RAF. Bomber Command was formed in 1936 and on 31st December 1936, Hemswell was opened as one of the first airfields within No.5 Group of the newly formed Command. </p><p><br></p><p> No.144 Squadron arrived on 9th February and No.61 Squadron on 8th March 1937, equipped with Avro Anson and Hawker Audax aircraft. Bristol Blenheim's replaced these by January 1938 and they were completely re-equipped with Handley Page Hampden's by 20th March 1939. Both Squadrons took part in the very earliest operations of the war. No. 144 Squadron suffered an early loss on the 29th of September 1939, when a formation of five Hampden's were all shot down over