RAF Cardington Camp
RAF Cardington 1936 -2000
Welcome to the RAF Cardington website.
Hello. Welcome to the RAF Cardington website. Located two miles south of Bedford, Bedfordshire the station was opened in 1936 and finally closed in 2000. RAF Cardington was home to several Units during its existance but it is mostly remembered for its Recruitment Centres, Balloon Units, and Maintenance Unit producing gas cylinders. RAF Cardington was also used as a demob station for personnel returning from wartime service in 1945. During the Second World War approximately 8,000 personnel worked on the station at any given time and it is estimated that over 250,000 recruits passed through its gates. However there is much more to the story – Parachute Units, Polish and Dutch Units and many others have made an appearance over the years.
If you have any details/stories/photographs of the station please make contact I would love to hear from you. Thank you
Jane Harvey.
A A B Thomson - holder of The Military Cross & Bar. The first Station Commander of RAF Cardington 1936
Updates April 2019
There is some great news this month of the name for one of the new streets in the housing development built on the site of the old station at New Cardington.
Above: RAF Cardington nr Bedford in Bedfordshire.
Aircraft Storage in 1932
Arnold Way is named after Grp Captain Arnold DSO, DFC who was the longest serving commander at the station from 1939-1945. It is so fitting that he should be remembered here. Read more about him in the Station Commanders section.
There are two new photographs in the 1937-1939 Peoples Gallery section - thanks to Cassandra Ballenger who has sent in a group photo showing her father Eric A Hook wno was at the station in November 1939. Please take a look there are also the names of the young men on the back. You may recognise someone. Thanks also to Barry who has sent in a photo of his wife's uncle Stanley Boydell who was at the station in June 1937.
No 102 Dispersal Unit was set up to 'demob' the thousands of RAF men returning home from the war.
Signing up for National Service - RAF Cardington 1951
Grp Capt A R Arnold DSO, DFC - the longest serving Station Commander from Nov 1939- Mar 1945
Barrage Balloon testing in 1938
Emblem of MU217 RAF Cardington
Renamed MU217 RAF Cardington in 1955 - the Gas Plant supplied RAF depots throughout the world.
The two magnificent Sheds in Jan 2016. Home to airships from 1916-1930 and put to numerous uses during the following years.
A 1943 RAF Cardington cricket team. Sport of any kind was high on the agenda for staff in their spare time.
A sign of the times - a road sign which will probably be taken down soon.
The Shorts Building in 1986
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