The Wartime Memories Project

- RAF Westhampnett during the Second World War -


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World War 2 Two II WW2 WWII 1939 1945

RAF Westhampnett



   

Westhampnett was built as an emergency fighter landing, a satellite of RAF Tangmere. Both airfields are on the Goodwood Estate, then owned by the Duke of Richmond (an avid pilot and racing buff) Lord Richmond held on to the deed for the land, and after the war, converted the airport perimeter road into the famous Goodwood Motor Circuit, which opened in 1948. The control tower is now known as The`Control Tower Cafe.

Squadrons stationed at Westhampnett during the Second World War.

  • 145 Squadron: July/August 1940;
  • 610 Squadron: 15 Dec 1940 to 29th Aug 1941 & 20th Jan 1943 to 30th April 1943 & 27 Jun 1944 to 2 July 1944;
  • 129 Squadron: August - November 1941;
  • 167 Squadron: May - June 1943:
  • 91 Squadron: June to October 1943.


 

July 1940 Polish, Czech and Belgian pilots arrive

20th August 1940 Move

29th August 1941 Move to the south

21st September 1941 C/O shot down

27th September 1941 Pilot taken PoW

7th October 1941  Ground attack role

13th October 1941 Two 129 Squadron Spitfires lost

28th October 1941 Lost in the Channel off Littlehampton

31st October 1941 Missing in Action

1st November 1941 Relocated

22nd December 1941 Move back to Westhampnett

6th July 1942 Moving on

7th November 1942 On the move

20th November 1942 Relocated

3rd January 1943 Aircraft carrier training

May 1943 Fighter Squadron relocated

10th June 1943 Two Spitfires lost

12th June 1943 Dutch Fighter Squadron designated

28th June 1943  Reorganisation

26th September 1943 Escort sortie

4th October 1943 Moved on

9th October 1943 2TAF Squadron relocated

10th October 1943 Relocated

26th October 1943 Pilot Missing in Action

19th November 1943 Missing at Sea

4th January 1944 Typhoon abandoned

6th January 1944 Typhoon pilot taken PoW

7th January 1944 Mid-air collision over France

January 1944 Rockets fitted to Typhoons

5th February 1944 Two pilots taken PoW

14th February 1944 Return to operations

14th February 1944 Pilot sheltered in occupied France for 6 months

14th February 1944 Long range sweep to the Loire

18th February 1944 Mosquitos bomb prison at Amiens

18th February 1944 Two Typhoons lost on Operation Jericho

February 1944 Squadron equipped with Rockets

6th March 1944 Crashed in the sea

16th March 1944 Ground attack operations

1st April 1944 Doodle Bugs

1st April 1944 On the move

23rd April 1944 Move again

28th April 1944 184 Squadron's first op in Typhoons

7th May 1944 Pilot parachuted into the Channel

13th May 1944 Ineffective exercises

19th May 1944 Hus-hust mission to Cherbourg

21st May 1944 Pilot taken PoW in Netherlands

25th May 1944 Pilot lost over railway target

2nd/3rd June 1944 Wrong target hit at Barfleur

5th June 1944 Briefing

6th June 1944 Steak and onions

7th June 1944 Three Typhoons shot down over Normandy

8th June 1944 No enemy activity seen

13th June 1944 Three sorties

14th June 1944 Landing strip in Normandy used

16th June 1944 Dust

17th June 1944 Move airbase

19th June 1944 Relocated

22nd June 1944 Shot down by friendly fire

24th June 1944 Missing over the Channel

27th June 1944 Relocated

28th June 1944 Move

9th August 1944 To Fighter Command

25th September 1944 Moving on


If you can provide any additional information, please add it here.



Those known to have served at

RAF Westhampnett

during the Second World War 1939-1945.

  • Waghorn Bryan Dickson. Sgt (d.28th Oct 1941)

The names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed, please Add a Name to this List



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Want to know more about RAF Westhampnett?


There are:63 items tagged RAF Westhampnett available in our Library

  These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Second World War.


Sgt Bryan Dickson Waghorn 129 Squadron (d.28th Oct 1941)

Bryan Waghorn was the younger brother of Battle of Britain pilot Sgt Peter Waghorn. He flew the Spitfires of 129 squadron based at Westhampnett but unfortunately was lost over the English Channel on 28 October 1941, six months after his brother was killed flying his Hurricane in the defence of Malta. The brother's father, Harry Waghorn, had enlisted in the army in WW1, was commissioned and after being posted to Mesopotamia was transferred to the Royal Flying Corps in Egypt. The photo shows the pilots of 129 Squadron at Westhampnett, possibly in September of 1941, with one of their Spitfires behind them.

Ian Pursey







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