RAF Tilshead

RAF Tilshead
Tilshead, Wiltshire in England
RAF Tilshead Shown within Wiltshire
Coordinates	51°13′40″N 001°58′13″W / 51.22778°N 1.97028°WCoordinates: 51°13′40″N 001°58′13″W / 51.22778°N 1.97028°W
Type	Royal Air Force station
Site information
Owner	Air Ministry
Operator	Royal Air Force
Site history
Built	1925
In use	1925-1941
Airfield information
Elevation	124 metres (407 ft) AMSL
Runways Direction Length and surface 00/00  Concrete 00/00  Concrete 00/00  Concrete

RAF Tilshead is a former Royal Air Force station which was located 9.3 miles (15.0 km) east of Warminster, Wiltshire, England.

The airfield opened in 1925 until 1941.^[1] RAF Tilshead / Shrewton was controlled by No. 38 Wing RAF are was used as a relief landing ground (RLG) for fighters.^[2]

Based units

No. 16 Squadron RAF flew the Westland Lysander as a detachment for RAF Weston Zoyland between 15 August 1940 and 8 September 1941 conducting reconnaissance protecting the country from the planned invasion and looking for enemy movements.^[3]

No. 225 (Army Co-operation) Squadron RAF also flew the Lysander^[4] before moving to RAF Thruxton.^[5]

The airfield also provided initial training period for the Glider Pilot Regiment providing basic flying training.^[6]

Current use

The airfield is currently being used by the British Army^[1] as part of the Salisbury Plain training area and there is nothing left of the site.

References

1. "RAF Tilshead". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 4 April 2012.
2. "RAF Shrewton/Tilshead". Wartime Memories Project. Retrieved 4 April 2012.
3. "No. 16 Squadron (RAF): Second World War". History of War. Retrieved 4 April 2012.
4. "RAF Tilshead". Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 4 April 2012.
5. "RAF Thruxton". Control Towers. Retrieved 5 April 2012.
6. "Staff Sergeant Billy Marfleet GPR". BBC History. Retrieved 5 April 2012.

External links

• BBC History - Staff Sergeant Billy Marfleet GPR