There are clues to the existence of a World War 2 airfield in Bradwell on Sea. The unusual memorial, the main runway, the control tower, blister hangars. The only place open to the public is the memorial, which was added in the 1980s to commemorate the sacrifice of many aircrews.
While playing an essential role in WW2 it does not get the mention of other WW2 airbases in history books. There has been some research in the past, but this has not been a coordinated or published study. Following the Covid epidemic, the RAF Bradwell Bay Preservation Group was formed in November 2020 with the aim of preserving the rich history of the airbase. An eventual aim is to have a museum close to the memorial.
Intensive study since 2020 has developed into a huge archive telling the many stories of the base. We have the base Operational Record Book and the Operational Record Book of every squadron that served at RAF Bradwell Bay. All of these documents have been transcribed into Word documents by volunteer Sue Hilton. A massive task that took over a year to complete.
We welcome enquiries and can be contacted via our Contact Page.
Daughter and Granddaughter, from Canada, of a 418 Wireless Op/Air gunner killed on a test flight, also on board was a 17 year old ATC cadet from Maldon 1207 Sqn.
Volunteer
Various roles for volunteers are available. We need help to set up our stand/gazebo at events and be able to talk to visitors. Don’t worry about your knowledge as training will be given.
Maybe you have skills in fund raising or organising events. Our aim is to have a museum near the memorial, perhaps you can help to achieve this.
Do you have skills in writing? Maybe writing articles for our newsletter. How about writing a children’s book? We have some records of the Station Intelligence cat called Topsy (Top secret). This could be a gentle way of educating young children in what happened in wartime. We also plan to have some merchandising available for Topsy.
If you would like to get involved contact us on our contact form.
Relatives Group
We are keen to contact relatives of people who served at RAF Bradwell Bay in any role or rank. Currently our Database is over 50 and is international. If you are related to someone who served at RAF Bradwell Bay let us know via the contact form.