WW II and Lambourn Area. RAF Welford.

RAF WELFORD HISTORY

During WWII the area was busy with RAF and USAAF at Membury.  Some of the troops being billeted in the village

At the end of the war in Europe, US forces returned home, and RAF Welford was returned to the RAF becoming the home of No 1336 Transport Support Conversion Unit (TSCU)  Later in 1947 it became HQ of Southern Signals Area which remained until 1952 when Welford was put onto ‘care and maintenance’ status.  On 1^st September 1955, at the height of the cold war, Welford was re-opened as a logistics site for 3^rd Air Force (USAF) and remained with the command for over 40 years.

The 7531^st Ammunition’s Squadron became the principal unit at RAF Welford after the end of the war until it was replaced by the 3115^th Ammunition Squadron in 1959.  On 1^st November 1962, the 7234^th Ammunition Supply Squadron (ASUPS) moved in and was the main unit until it was redesignated the 850^th Munitions Maintenance Squadron (Theatre) MMS(T) USAFE.  As of September 1987, RAF Welford became a direct reporting unit to 3^rd Air Force.  I January 1993 the 850^th MMS(T) was redesignated as Detachment 1 100^th Regional Support Group (RSG) under the 20^th Tactical  Fighter Wing at RAF Upper Heyford. When RAF Upper Heyford deactivated, Detachment 1 personnel were rehoused to RAF Fairford as the 720 Air Base Squadron.  The last change occurred on 1^st April 1995 when the 720^th ABS was redesignated as the 424^th Air Base Squadron.

RAF Welford became a joint-user facility, co-operated by the USAF 424^th Air Base Squadron and the Royal Air Force.  RAF Brize Norton administered the unit until 1^st April 1999 when it was taken over by the newly formed MOD Defence Munitions Agency.

Over the years, many units have been stationed at RAF Welford.  It has seen many awards received for AMMO personnel professionalism.  The 755 1^st ASUPS was awarded the Air Force Explosives Safety Plaque for 1980 and 1982 and it was selected as the Best Munitions Activity in USAFE for 1961.  The unblemished explosives safety record of the 755 1^st USUPS was a major factor in the 501^st Tactical Missile Wing receiving the USAF explosives Safety Award for 1983.  In 1984 the 755 1^st ASUPS was the first unit to be award the Ammo Award of Excellence.  In 1987 and 1988 the 755 1^st USUPS received the Sure Fire Weapons Maintenance  Academic Award.  In 1989 the 850^th MMS(T) was awarded the Explosive Safety Award.  In 1991 the base and personnel along with British service and civilian staff made a significant contribution to the allied victory in the Gulf War by dispatching large quantities of munitions.  The 424 ABS was awarded the USAD+FE Maintenance Effectiveness Award for 1995, 1996 and the USAF Maintenance Effectiveness Award in 1996.  The most recent action in which RAF Welford has been  involved was the Kosovo crisis in the former Yugoslavia.  The base supported B52s and other aircraft flying out of RAF Fairford