RAF Swanton Morley
| Royal Air Force Swanton Morley | |
|---|---|
| Active | October 1940 – 1995 |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Branch | Royal Air Force |
| Type | Flying station |
| Role | Bomber / Special operations |
| Part of |
No. 2 Group RAF (1940-1944) No. 100 Group RAF (1944-1945) |
| Garrison/HQ | Norwich, Norfolk, England |
| Motto(s) | Steadfast To Serve |
| Royal Air Force Ensign |  |
| March | Royal Air Force March Past |
| Equipment |
Bristol Blenheim de Havilland Mosquito, Douglas Boston, North American B-25 Mitchell, Kirby Cadet Mk III, Slingsby T21 (Sedbergh), Slingsby T61F (Venture), Grob G103A (Viking) |
Coordinates: 52°43′41″N 0°58′01″E / 52.728°N 0.967°E
The former Royal Air Force Station Swanton Morley, more commonly known as RAF Swanton Morley, was a Royal Air Force station in Norfolk, England, located near to the village of Swanton Morley. The site is now occupied by the British Army, and is now known as Robertson Barracks.
Swanton Morley was a new station planned under the RAF expansion scheme but not completed to the same standard before the start of the Second World War. It was part of No. 2 Group in Bomber Command until December 1944 when it was given over to 100 Group - the RAF unit responsible for countering German defences against the British strategic bombing - as they needed another airfield close to their HQ at Bylaugh Hall.
On 4 July 1942, American and British airmen took off from this station as part of the first combined bombing raid of World War II. No 226 Squadron had been tutoring the US 15 Bombardment Squadron. Both Winston Churchill and General Eisenhower were at RAF Swanton Morley for this mission, which saw six crews from 15th Bombardment Squadron fly a raid with six crews from the RAF, using Boston light bombers belonging to No. 226 Squadron RAF. The raid was made at low level against German airfields in the Netherlands. During World War II the station was home to the Bomber Support Development Unit (BSDU) of No. 100 Group RAF.
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