Grantham / Spitalgate
Location:
off the A52 on the way out of Grantham
(currently Prince William of Gloucester
TA Barracks).
Dates of Operation:
1917 to 1919 – Royal Flying Corps (RFC) /
Royal Air Force (RAF) training base {RFC /
RAF Spittlegate}
1922 to 1928 – RAF ‘heavy bomber’ base
1928 to 1937 – RAF training base {RAF
Grantham}
1937 to 1938 – RAF Bomber Command base
1938 to 1975 – RAF training base in
various roles {RAF Spitalgate}
1975 to current – Army base {Prince
William of Gloucester Barracks}
In 1917 a landing ground on
Spittlegate Hill, Grantham,
became an aerodrome for
the Royal Flying Corps
(RFC) with various
squadrons undertaking
training. The site’s
role included
Squadrons / Units:
parenting nearby
Harlaxton, fully
49 Training Squadron (TS)
formalised when
11 TS
Spittlegate was
83 Squadron (Sqn)
chosen as the
15 & 37 TS {24 Training Wing}
Disbandment of 29 Sqn, 43 Sqn &
70 Sqn post-World War I
100 Sqn, 39 Sqn
3 Flying Training School (FTS)
113 Sqn, 211 Sqn, 106 Sqn, 185 Sqn
12 Service Flying Training School (SFTS)
12 (Pilot) Advanced Flying Unit (AFU)
17 FTS (renamed 1 FTS),RAF Central Library
Officer Cadet Training Unit (OCTU)
RAF Mess Staff School
HQ 3 Police District
Women’s Royal Air Force (WRAF) Depot
2 Gliding Centre
24
Headquarters 3 Training Group
in April 1918.
Post World War I saw
various squadrons move
through Spittlegate as they
disbanded. This included 100
Squadron, which moved to the
base from Baldonnel, Ireland,
where it had been operating
against Sinn Fein. The site
also had a spell as home to
Britain’s only ‘heavy bomber
unit’, with Vimys, DH9A, Fawns
and Horsleys.
Reverting to the training
role in 1928, it was renamed
RAF Station Grantham, with 3
Flying Training School (FTS)
formed there operating Tiger
Moths. Various types were
used at the base until 3 FTS
moved south and 5 Group
Bomber Command took over
briefly. A spell in Care and
Maintenance followed and
Training Command returned