RAF Great Orton
RAF Great Orton | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Near Great Orton, Cumbria in England | |||||||||||
| Site information | |||||||||||
| Type | Royal Air Force satellite station | ||||||||||
| Code | GE[1] | ||||||||||
| Owner | Air Ministry | ||||||||||
| Operator | Royal Air Force | ||||||||||
| Controlled by | RAF Fighter Command * No. 9 Group RAF | ||||||||||
| Location | |||||||||||
  RAF Great Orton Shown within Cumbria  RAF Great Orton RAF Great Orton (the United Kingdom) | |||||||||||
| Coordinates | 54°52′24″N 003°04′32″W / 54.87333°N 3.07556°W | ||||||||||
| Site history | |||||||||||
| Built | 1942/43 | ||||||||||
| In use | June 1943 - 1952 | ||||||||||
| Battles/wars | European theatre of World War II | ||||||||||
| Airfield information | |||||||||||
| Elevation | 73 metres (240 ft)[1] AMSL | ||||||||||
| |||||||||||
Royal Air Force Great Orton or more simply RAF Great Orton is a former Royal Air Force satellite station located west of Great Orton, Cumbria and the city of Carlisle, Cumbria, England.
History
[edit]The following units were here at some point:[2]
- No. 1 (Coastal) Engine Control Demonstration Unit RAF
- No. 3 Tactical Exercise Unit RAF
- No. 4 Tactical Exercise Unit RAF
- No. 6 Operational Training Unit RAF
- No. 55 OTU
- No. 60 Maintenance Unit RAF
- No. 219 Maintenance Unit RAF
- No. 249 Maintenance Unit RAF
- A detachment of No. 281 Squadron RAF with the Vickers Warwick I (1944–45)[3]
- A detachment of No. 282 Squadron RAF with the Warwick I (1944–45)[3]
Use following closure
[edit]Following closure in 1954 the airfield was eventually sold into private ownership in 1964.[4]
Between 1964 and 2001 the airfield was mainly used for agricultural purposes. Also, during this time, the airfield was occasionally used for motor car rallying.[4]
Between 1988 and 2001 the Carlisle and District Gun Club ran clay pigeon shooting events on a regular basis. Great Orton Flying Club operated microlight aircraft from the airfield between 1989 and 2001.[4]
During the early 1990’s a wind farm was constructed, initially comprising ten 300-kilawatt turbines. In 1999 the ten turbines were replaced with six new 660kw turbines.[4] The wind farm is currently owned and operated by EDF Power Solutions.[5]
During the 2001 outbreak of foot and mouth disease in the UK, Great Orton Airfield was selected as a mass burial site for slaughtered animals.[6] This was the first of 6 sites used across the UK for mass burial.[7]
In 2002 Watchtree Nature Reserve was established in order to remediate the mass burial site. The site is operated by Watchtree Nature Reserve Ltd, a registered charity.[8] The nature reserve is now a well-developed local attraction and community asset.[2][4][9]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]Citations
[edit]- 1 2 Falconer 2012, p. 102.
- 1 2 "Great Orton". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
- 1 2 Jefford 1988, p. 83.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "Watchtree Nature Reserve | Our Story". Retrieved 11 April 2026.
- ↑ "Great Orton wind farm". EDF power solutions UK and Ireland. Retrieved 11 April 2026.
- ↑ "Mass slaughter begins at burial site". 28 March 2001. Retrieved 11 April 2026.
- ↑ Chrisafis, Angelique (27 March 2001). "The killing field of Cumbria". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 11 April 2026.
- ↑ "WATCHTREE NATURE RESERVE LIMITED - Charity 1127029". prd-ds-register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk. Retrieved 11 April 2026.
- ↑ solwayshorewalker (17 February 2016). "From 'killing field' to wetland and woods: Watchtree Nature Reserve, Cumbria". Solway Shore-walker. Retrieved 11 April 2026.
Bibliography
[edit]- Falconer, Jonathan (2012). RAF Airfields of World War 2. UK: Ian Allan Publishing. ISBN 978-1-85780-349-5.
- Jefford, C.G. (1988). RAF Squadrons. A comprehensive record of the movement and equipment of all RAF squadrons and their antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury: Airlife. ISBN 1-85310-053-6.