former RAF Beccles | Second World War 1939-1945, abandoned / shut down, RAF - Royal Air Force, closed / former military

 Second World War 1939-1945, abandoned / shut down, RAF - Royal Air Force, draw only border, closed / former military

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USAAF Airfield #132
Always known locally as Ellough Airfield, it was built for the USAAF and completed in August 1942.It used the three concrete runway layout typical of many bomber airfields in East Anglia, and was built for the 8th USAAF and allocated airfield number 132. It is possible that Ellough was intended to be used by the 3rd Air Division, 95th Combat Wing. The 95th had two Bomber Groups, the 489th at RAF Halesworth and the 491st at RAF Metfield. Other combat wings had three Bomber Groups.

The airfield was the last to be completed in Suffolk during the war and the USAAF had no use for the airfield so it passed briefly to RAF Bomber Command before being operated by Coastal Command from August 1944. The field was used as an air-sea rescue post until closure in 1945, and saw operation by various RAF and FAA squadrons operating such diverse types as Vickers Warwick, Fairey Barracuda, Supermarine Walrus, Fairey Swordfish, Supermarine Sea Otter and Fairey Albacore on air-sea rescue and anti-shipping duties. The Fleet Air Arm used temporary lodging facilities at RAF Beccles under the stone frigate name HMS Hornbill II.

One of Ellough's few claims to fame is that in 1944 it was used by Mosquitos of 618 Squadron to practise dropping spinning bombs called 'Highball' which were a derivative of the bombs used by 617 Squadron to breach the dams. The use of 'Highball' is shown in the 1970 film Mosquito Squadron.The wartime control tower was demolished in 2009.The airfield was the most easterly war time airfield in England.