RAF Atherstone

RAF Atherstone is a former Royal Air Force station located 2.25 mi south of Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England, 7.5 mi north-west of Shipston on Stour.

The airfield opened in 1941 when it was used by No. 22 Operational Training Unit RAF as a satellite from RAF Wellesbourne Mountford. Through its life the airfield was home to a number of units before closing in 1945.

Atherstone had its name changed during operations when, in May 1942, it became RAF Stratford.

Posted units
The authorisation for a satellite for No. 22 Operational Training Unit RAF (OTU) was given on 18 June 1940 yet it took over a year until 5 July 1941 that the station was finally opened by an advance party from RAF Wellesbourne Mountford with their Vickers Wellingtons. During 1942 the station's name was changed from RAF Atherstone to RAF Stratford because there was another airfield called Atherstone.

No. 22 OTU used the airfield until 15 November 1942, when control was passed to No. 23 OTU located at RAF Pershore. When RAF Gaydon opened, pressure was reduced on the station but when No. 22 OTU was ejected from RAF Defford because the station was transferred to No. 10 Group RAF.

312 Ferry Training Unit (FTU) flying the Wellington used the airfield for just under eight months between 24 April 1943 and 17 December 1943 with the unit located at Wellesbourne Mountford with RAF Gaydon and Stratford used as a satellites.

However on 7 March 1944 the airfield was transferred back to No. 22 OTU because the unit now had 81 Wellington III/X's with 33 of these coming from No. 23 OTU which had disbanded on 7 March 1944. Although before long No. 22 OTU had left and the station came under control from the Signals Flying Unit from RAF Honiley but not long after flying ceased at Stratford and the station was placed on a care and maintenance basis.

Accidents and incidents
During life as a RAF training airfiled accidents were not far away, with a number of airmen killed during training.

Current use
Today the airfield is home to a small number of warehouses however the original basic layout can still be made out, including the runways and a large amount of the perimeter track which used to connect the runways with the dispersal hardstandings and the technical site.