St Angelo airfield
Encyclopedia
RAF St Angelo was a Royal Air Force station during World War II
, located near the village of Trory
on the southern tip of Lower Loch Erne, two and a half miles (4 kilometres) north of Enniskillen
, County Fermanagh
, Northern Ireland
; also used by the Fleet Air Arm
. The name St Angelo is believed to be taken from the nearby Bishop’s house (named after the saint), which was commandeered during the war as the Station Commander's residence; the name also became attached to the airfield.
The airfield was later renamed as St Angelo Barracks from the 1970s and utilised as an accommodation barracks and a centre of helicopter operations over the province, by the British Army
and Ulster Defence Regiment
during The Troubles
in Northern Ireland.
The airfield remains in existence under civilian ownership, reduced to a single runway, with a range of private flying ventures but with no commercial airline services.
, RAF St Angelo opened on 15 September 1941 as a fighter sector station in its own right as home to No. 133 Squadron RAF
operating Spitfires
and No. 134 Squadron RAF
flying Hurricanes
to intercept enemy reconnaissance aircraft off the west coast of Ireland
and in the air defence role over Belfast
.
After a perceived threat of German paratroopers landing on British airfields it is thought that RAF St Angelo was the very first RAF station to have its pill boxes installed with the gunports facing inwards towards the runways.
St Angelo also acted as parent HQ for the satellite No. 131 Operational Training Unit based at RAF Killadeas
. The third RAF station on the shores of Loch Erne was RAF Castle Archdale
but St Angelo was the only station of the three that additionally had land-based runways.
In August 1943, the positions were reversed and St Angelo was designated as a subsidiary satellite airfield for No. 17 Group RAF Coastal Command
which had established its headquarters at RAF Killadeas and commanded all Loch Erne flying boat squadrons. St Angelo became home to several squadrons of Catalina
and Sunderland
flying boat
s operating from Loch Erne. Later that year, Bristol Beaufighter
s of No. 235 Squadron RAF
were based at St Angelo during anti-submarine patrols in the Irish Sea and over the Atlantic Ocean.
One successful mission from the base is described:
A small detachment of half a dozen or so US Naval aviators arrived in July 1943 and remained at St Angelo until the end of the war, on loan as instructors to the RAF pilots converting onto the American built Catalinas. The station also housed naval airmen of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm who were on the nominal roster of HMS Pintail shore establishment and were resident until April 1946.
As the level of operations over Northern Ireland wound down in 1944 No. 12 (Operational) Flying Instructor School was established at both Killadeas and St Angelo in May of that year and remained until February 1945, when it was relocated to RAF Turnberry in Scotland.
s prior to their eventual sale or disposal. The station later became a centre of helicopter operations over Northern Ireland when St Angelo was transferred to the Army and used as an accommodation barracks by both the British Army
and Ulster Defence Regiment
during The Troubles
in the province, with most personnel housed in temporary portacabins. The St Angelo facility came under mobile mortar fire attacks by the IRA on several occasions in the early 1980s. On 15 February 1990 the IRA attempted to shoot down one of the St Angelo helicopters that was extracting men from the Duke of Edinburgh's Royal (Berkshire & Wiltshire) Regiment after a border patrol from St Angelo Barracks.
The military occupation of St Angelo, by first the RAF and later the army came to a close in March 1996 when the temporary accommodation buildings were demolished.
airfield was destined to become listed as an historic monument in 2004, as it was considered by many to be the best preserved wartime RAF station in Northern Ireland, but the current landowners preempted the decision within days of the plans being announced, by demolishing most of the perimeter defences and historic wartime buildings.
The airport houses private aviation related businesses including amphibian aviation. The facility is subject to ongoing development and investment.
. The Royal Navy took over and renamed RAF Ta' Qali as HMS St Angelo when it operated flying boats after the Siege of Malta.
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, located near the village of Trory
Trory
Trory is a small village in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. It is located just 2 miles to the north-west of Enniskillen. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 315 people...
on the southern tip of Lower Loch Erne, two and a half miles (4 kilometres) north of Enniskillen
Enniskillen
Enniskillen is a town in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. It is located almost exactly in the centre of the county between the Upper and Lower sections of Lough Erne. It had a population of 13,599 in the 2001 Census...
, County Fermanagh
County Fermanagh
Fermanagh District Council is the only one of the 26 district councils in Northern Ireland that contains all of the county it is named after. The district council also contains a small section of County Tyrone in the Dromore and Kilskeery road areas....
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
; also used by the Fleet Air Arm
Fleet Air Arm
The Fleet Air Arm is the branch of the British Royal Navy responsible for the operation of naval aircraft. The Fleet Air Arm currently operates the AgustaWestland Merlin, Westland Sea King and Westland Lynx helicopters...
. The name St Angelo is believed to be taken from the nearby Bishop’s house (named after the saint), which was commandeered during the war as the Station Commander's residence; the name also became attached to the airfield.
The airfield was later renamed as St Angelo Barracks from the 1970s and utilised as an accommodation barracks and a centre of helicopter operations over the province, by the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
and Ulster Defence Regiment
Ulster Defence Regiment
The Ulster Defence Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army which became operational in 1970, formed on similar lines to other British reserve forces but with the operational role of defence of life or property in Northern Ireland against armed attack or sabotage...
during The Troubles
The Troubles
The Troubles was a period of ethno-political conflict in Northern Ireland which spilled over at various times into England, the Republic of Ireland, and mainland Europe. The duration of the Troubles is conventionally dated from the late 1960s and considered by many to have ended with the Belfast...
in Northern Ireland.
The airfield remains in existence under civilian ownership, reduced to a single runway, with a range of private flying ventures but with no commercial airline services.
World War II
Established in April 1941 as a satellite landing ground for RAF AldergroveRAF Aldergrove
RAF Aldergrove was a Royal Air Force station situated northwest of Belfast. It adjoined Belfast International Airport, sometimes referred to simply as Aldergrove which is the name of the surrounding area...
, RAF St Angelo opened on 15 September 1941 as a fighter sector station in its own right as home to No. 133 Squadron RAF
No. 133 Squadron RAF
133 Squadron RAF was one of the famous Eagle squadrons formed from American volunteers serving with the RAF during World War II.-History:133 Squadron was first formed in 1918 at RAF Ternhill. It was a training unit for the Handley Page O/400, flying the Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2, that was...
operating Spitfires
Supermarine Spitfire
The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s...
and No. 134 Squadron RAF
No. 134 Squadron RAF
No. 134 Squadron RAF was a part of the Royal Air Force which was formed as a light bomber unit in World War I and reformed as a fighter squadron in World War II.-Formation and World War I:No...
flying Hurricanes
Hawker Hurricane
The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force...
to intercept enemy reconnaissance aircraft off the west coast of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
and in the air defence role over Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
.
After a perceived threat of German paratroopers landing on British airfields it is thought that RAF St Angelo was the very first RAF station to have its pill boxes installed with the gunports facing inwards towards the runways.
St Angelo also acted as parent HQ for the satellite No. 131 Operational Training Unit based at RAF Killadeas
Killadeas
Killadeas is a small village in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. It is about 7 miles north of Enniskillen near the shores of Lower Lough Erne. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 90 people.-History:...
. The third RAF station on the shores of Loch Erne was RAF Castle Archdale
RAF Castle Archdale
RAF Castle Archdale, also known for a while as RAF Lough Erne was a Royal Air Force station used by the RAF and the Royal Canadian Air Force station in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland.-WWII History:...
but St Angelo was the only station of the three that additionally had land-based runways.
In August 1943, the positions were reversed and St Angelo was designated as a subsidiary satellite airfield for No. 17 Group RAF Coastal Command
RAF Coastal Command
RAF Coastal Command was a formation within the Royal Air Force . Founded in 1936, it was the RAF's premier maritime arm, after the Royal Navy's secondment of the Fleet Air Arm in 1937. Naval aviation was neglected in the inter-war period, 1919–1939, and as a consequence the service did not receive...
which had established its headquarters at RAF Killadeas and commanded all Loch Erne flying boat squadrons. St Angelo became home to several squadrons of Catalina
PBY Catalina
The Consolidated PBY Catalina was an American flying boat of the 1930s and 1940s produced by Consolidated Aircraft. It was one of the most widely used multi-role aircraft of World War II. PBYs served with every branch of the United States Armed Forces and in the air forces and navies of many other...
and Sunderland
Short Sunderland
The Short S.25 Sunderland was a British flying boat patrol bomber developed for the Royal Air Force by Short Brothers. It took its service name from the town and port of Sunderland in northeast England....
flying boat
Flying boat
A flying boat is a fixed-winged seaplane with a hull, allowing it to land on water. It differs from a float plane as it uses a purpose-designed fuselage which can float, granting the aircraft buoyancy. Flying boats may be stabilized by under-wing floats or by wing-like projections from the fuselage...
s operating from Loch Erne. Later that year, Bristol Beaufighter
Bristol Beaufighter
The Bristol Type 156 Beaufighter, often referred to as simply the Beau, was a British long-range heavy fighter modification of the Bristol Aeroplane Company's earlier Beaufort torpedo bomber design...
s of No. 235 Squadron RAF
No. 235 Squadron RAF
No. 235 Squadron RAF was an anti-submarine squadron of the Royal Air Force in World War I and in World War II served as a squadron in RAF Coastal Command-Formation and World War I:...
were based at St Angelo during anti-submarine patrols in the Irish Sea and over the Atlantic Ocean.
One successful mission from the base is described:
On 10 March 1944 Short Sunderland MKIII, RAF s/n EK591, aircraft “2-U” of No. 422 (General Reconnaissance) Squadron based at St Angelo, County Fermanagh, Ireland with Warrant Officer 2nd Class W.F Morton and crew, sank U-625 at 52-53N 20-19W. This was W/O Morton’s first operational mission as an aircraft commander
A small detachment of half a dozen or so US Naval aviators arrived in July 1943 and remained at St Angelo until the end of the war, on loan as instructors to the RAF pilots converting onto the American built Catalinas. The station also housed naval airmen of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm who were on the nominal roster of HMS Pintail shore establishment and were resident until April 1946.
As the level of operations over Northern Ireland wound down in 1944 No. 12 (Operational) Flying Instructor School was established at both Killadeas and St Angelo in May of that year and remained until February 1945, when it was relocated to RAF Turnberry in Scotland.
Post war military use
Between August 1945 and February 1947 St Angelo was home to No. 272 Maintenance Unit RAF and served as a storage and dismantling depot for mothballed Avro AnsonAvro Anson
The Avro Anson is a British twin-engine, multi-role aircraft that served with the Royal Air Force, Fleet Air Arm and numerous other air forces prior to, during, and after the Second World War. Named for British Admiral George Anson, it was originally designed for maritime reconnaissance, but was...
s prior to their eventual sale or disposal. The station later became a centre of helicopter operations over Northern Ireland when St Angelo was transferred to the Army and used as an accommodation barracks by both the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
and Ulster Defence Regiment
Ulster Defence Regiment
The Ulster Defence Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army which became operational in 1970, formed on similar lines to other British reserve forces but with the operational role of defence of life or property in Northern Ireland against armed attack or sabotage...
during The Troubles
The Troubles
The Troubles was a period of ethno-political conflict in Northern Ireland which spilled over at various times into England, the Republic of Ireland, and mainland Europe. The duration of the Troubles is conventionally dated from the late 1960s and considered by many to have ended with the Belfast...
in the province, with most personnel housed in temporary portacabins. The St Angelo facility came under mobile mortar fire attacks by the IRA on several occasions in the early 1980s. On 15 February 1990 the IRA attempted to shoot down one of the St Angelo helicopters that was extracting men from the Duke of Edinburgh's Royal (Berkshire & Wiltshire) Regiment after a border patrol from St Angelo Barracks.
The military occupation of St Angelo, by first the RAF and later the army came to a close in March 1996 when the temporary accommodation buildings were demolished.
Current use
St Angelo is privately owned and designated as an airport, but does not have any commercial airline services. Controversially this almost-complete World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
airfield was destined to become listed as an historic monument in 2004, as it was considered by many to be the best preserved wartime RAF station in Northern Ireland, but the current landowners preempted the decision within days of the plans being announced, by demolishing most of the perimeter defences and historic wartime buildings.
The airport houses private aviation related businesses including amphibian aviation. The facility is subject to ongoing development and investment.
Other establishments of the same name
RAF St Angelo is not to be confused with HMS St Angelo, the World War II Fleet Air Arm shore establishment at Ta' Qali on MaltaMalta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
. The Royal Navy took over and renamed RAF Ta' Qali as HMS St Angelo when it operated flying boats after the Siege of Malta.